Según los datos obtenidos por el INEI al año 2017, existen 3 millones 51 mil 612 personas que tienen algún tipo de discapacidad y dentro de ellas se encuentran las personas afectadas por accidentes cerebro vasculares. De acuerdo al último Censo Nacional, esta cifra representa el 10.4% del total de la población del país para ello el cuidado de una persona afectada por un accidente cerebrovascular causa un estrés debido a la carga física y psicológica; por lo tanto, para contribuir con la actividad de aseo personal de pacientes con grado de dependencia IV, se diseñó una máquina confortable mediante el método de marco de referencia lógico que abarca diferentes aspectos evaluados como: clasificación de objetivos, establecimiento de funciones, fijación de requerimientos, determinación de características, generación de alternativas y evaluación de alternativas de solución. En síntesis, se obtuvo el diseño de la máquina confortable mediante el análisis estructural en el software SolidWorks obteniendo valores del límite elástico, del esfuerzo de desplazamiento, la deformación unitaria y el factor de seguridad. / According to the data obtained by the INEI in 2017, there are 3 million 51 thousand 612 people who have some type of disability and among them are people affected by cerebrovascular accidents. According to the last National Census, this figure represents 10.4% of the total population of the country. For this, the care of a person affected by a cerebrovascular accident causes stress due to the physical and psychological load; therefore, to contribute to the personal hygiene activity of patients with degree of dependency IV, a comfortable machine was proposed using the logical reference framework method that covers different aspects evaluated such as: objective classification, establishment of functions, fixation of requirements, determination of characteristics, generation of alternatives and evaluation of solution alternatives. In summary, the design of the comfortable machine was obtained through the structural analysis in the SolidWorks software, obtaining the elastic limit, the displacement effort, the unitary deformation and the safety factor.

El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo general describir el comportamiento del consumidor online de ropa para damas en las Mypes de Chiclayo, 2022. Respecto a la metodología tuvo un enfoque cuantitativo, de tipo aplicado con un diseño no experimental transversal, una muestra de 385 clientes y el uso de un cuestionario debidamente validado por jueces expertos y una alta confiabilidad. En los resultados se obtuvo una baja valoración de las dimensiones del comportamiento del consumidor, así como de la variable en general porque consideran que sus compras no han sido satisfactorias debido a diversos motivos. / The general objective of this study was to describe the behavior of the online consumer of women's clothing in the Mypes of Chiclayo, 2022. Regarding the methodology, it had a quantitative approach, of an applied type with a non-experimental cross-sectional design, a sample of 385 clients and the use of a questionnaire duly validated by expert judges and high reliability. In the results, a low assessment of the dimensions of consumer behavior was obtained, as well as of the variable in general because they consider that their purchases have not been satisfactory due to various reasons.

[ES] Esta investigación propone un modelo que orienta a las PYMES en sus procesos para incrementar su capacidad innovadora. La metodología utilizada se basó en la caracterización de las prácticas para la construcción y el desarrollo de la capacidad de innovación a partir de revisiones sistemáticas de la literatura científica. Posteriormente, se validó en una muestra de las pymes para los sectores priorizados por el gobierno (Agroindustria, Sistema Moda, Construcción y TIC), el nivel de aplicación de las variables y estadísticamente se definió el modelo que explica la incidencia de las variables en los resultados financieros de las pymes. Por último, se realizó un mapeo riguroso de los actores que componen el Sistema Nacional de Competitividad, Ciencia y Tecnología e Innovación de Colombia, al identificar su geolocalización, objetivo, instrumentos disponibles y roles bajo la teoría de Ecosistemas de Innovación. Como variable dependiente se consideraron los resultados exitosos de las empresas medidos a partir de la rentabilidad igual o superior a la media del sector. Precisamente, se identificaron nueve variables relacionadas con aquellos factores que permiten la construcción y el desarrollo de la capacidad innovadora, las cuales inciden en los resultados financieros de las pymes. Por otra parte, frente al mapeo de actores del ecosistema y de los instrumentos disponibles para promover el desarrollo de estrategias innovadoras en las pymes de los 4 sectores de estudio, se evidenció una alta concentración de geolocalización en las 2 ciudades más grandes de Colombia (Bogotá D.C. y Medellín), y pese a que ofrecen programas con alcance nacional se tiene poco acceso por la falta de recursos. Estas brechas se describen en el CONPES 3866 sobre la adquisición de conocimiento y tecnología, y ponen en desventaja a empresas localizadas en regiones apartadas de ciudades intermedias que no cuentan con actores articuladores y facilitadores. Sumado al modelo, este proyecto explica las variables que inciden en el éxito financiero de las pymes con lo cual podrán proponerse programas relacionados. / [CA] Aquesta investigació proposa un model que orienta a les PIMES en els seus processos per a incrementar la seua capacitat innovadora. La metodologia utilitzada es va basar en la caracterització de les pràctiques per a la construcció i el desenvolupament de la capacitat d'innovació a partir de revisions sistemàtiques de la literatura científica. Posteriorment, es va validar en una mostra de les pimes per als sectors prioritzats pel govern (Agroindústria, Sistema Moda, Construcció i TIC), el nivell d'aplicació de les variables i estadísticament es va definir el model que explica la incidència de les variables en els resultats financers de les pimes. Finalment, es va realitzar un mapatge rigorós dels actors que componen el Sistema Nacional de Competitivitat, Ciència i Tecnologia i Innovació de Colòmbia, en identificar la seua geolocalització, objectiu, instruments disponibles i rols sota la teoria d'Ecosistemes d'Innovació. Com a variable dependent es van considerar els resultats reeixits de les empreses mesurats a partir de la rendibilitat igual o superior a la mitjana del sector. Precisament, es van identificar nou variables relacionades amb aquells factors que permeten la construcció i el desenvolupament de la capacitat innovadora, les quals incideixen en els resultats financers de les pimes. D'altra banda, enfront del mapatge d'actors de l'ecosistema i dels instruments disponibles per a promoure el desenvolupament d'estratègies innovadores en les pimes dels 4 sectors d'estudi, es va evidenciar una alta concentració de geolocalització en les 2 ciutats més grans de Colòmbia (Bogotà D. C. i Medellín), i malgrat que ofereixen programes amb abast nacional es té poc accés per la falta de recursos. Aquestes bretxes es descriuen en el *CONPES 3866 sobre l'adquisició de coneixement i tecnologia, i posen en desavantatge a empreses localitzades en regions apartades de ciutats intermèdies que no compten amb actors *articuladores i facilitadors. Sumat al model, aquest projecte explica les variables que incideixen en l'èxit financer de les pimes amb la qual cosa podran proposar-se programes relacionats / [EN] This research proposes a model that guides SMEs in their processes to increase their innovative capacity. The methodology used was based on the characterization of practices for the construction and development of innovation capacity based on systematic reviews of the scientific literature. Subsequently, the level of application of the variables was validated in a sample of SMEs for the sectors prioritized by the government (Agribusiness, Fashion System, Construction and ICT), and statistically the model that explains the incidence of the variables in the financial results of SMEs. Finally, a rigorous mapping of the actors that make up the National System of Competitiveness, Science and Technology and Innovation of Colombia was carried out, by identifying their geolocation, objective, available instruments and roles under the theory of Innovation Ecosystems. As a dependent variable, the successful results of the companies were considered, measured from profitability equal to or greater than the sector average. Precisely, nine variables were identified related to those factors that allow the construction and development of innovative capacity, which affect the financial results of SMEs. On the other hand, facing the mapping of ecosystem actors and the available instruments to promote the development of innovative strategies in SMEs of the 4 study sectors, a high concentration of geolocation was evidenced in the 2 largest cities of Colombia (Bogotá D.C. and Medellín), and even though they offer programs with a national scope, there is little access due to lack of resources. These gaps are described in CONPES 3866 on the acquisition of knowledge and technology and put at a disadvantage companies located in remote regions of intermediate cities that do not have coordinating and facilitating actors. Added to the model, this project explains the variables that affect the financial success of SMEs with which related programs can be proposed. / Diaz Delgado, MF. (2023). Modelo multidimensional para la construcción y desarrollo de la capacidad de innovación abierta en pymes [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/193494

由於台灣食安風暴發生，政府為挽救國人信心，而制定相關法規，針對特定大型企業編訂企業社會責任報告書，可見得政府對企業社會責任日益重視。台灣中小企業占全體企業家數的97.69%，在經濟、社會、環境等面向對台灣影響甚大，但是台灣中小企業社會責任卻很少研究討論。 本研究以中小企業社會責任之相關議題，採用訪談方式，企圖討論以下三點，首先，探討企業社會責任的概念，與中小企業對企業社會責任之認知、動機與實踐。其次，將四家標竿中小企業、兩家一般中小企業與一家微型企業，將其對企業社會責任的作為予以比較。最後，探討當前中小企業實踐企業社會責任可能面臨的困難與解決方式，政府或外部單位在中小企業經營與承擔企業社會責任時所能提供的幫助與需要承擔之角色為何，並對政府提供建議。 研究發現，許多中小企業對企業社會責任認知不足的情形下，實踐企業社會責任。從中小企業對Carroll的金字塔理論之責任排序，可以發現中小企業之認知與實踐，有其多元考量因素，包括：企業產業別、經營方向、領導者與管理者之價值觀與行事作風、企業生存問題與穩定與外在環境變化。從企業社會責任之實踐來看，在微型企業方面，其影響因素通常是企業主或領導階層價值觀與內心因素，更專注於營運與利害關係人之回應，而未得獎企業與得獎企業通常有其長期實踐方案、第三方認證，而得獎企業可能會更進一步發行企業社會責任報告書、有企業社會責任相關的部門與人才培訓，多以量化方式呈現企業社會責任。許多中小企業表示，實踐企業社會責任會有其實質利益。最後，除了中小企業內部限制產生中小企業之社會責任窒礙難行情形外，社會風氣、政府法規與政策也會改變中小企業對企業社會責任相關之實踐，中小企業內部限制、社會風氣、政府法規與政策皆可能造成中小企業對於企業社會責任認知與實踐造成差距擴大。 / Abstact According to a series of food safety scandals occur frequently in Taiwan, Financial Supervisory Commission makes relevant laws and regulations to restore confidence of people and Social perception. The specific part of large enterprise have to prepare corporate social responsibility（CSR） report. It will be seen from this that the government have gradually paid their attention to CSR. The Small and medium-sized enterprises（SMEs）, who play an important role in our economy , society and environment , accounted for 97.69% of all enterprises in Taiwan. However, comparatively little research has focused on CSR for SMEs in Taiwan. The subject of the research is cognition and implementation of CSR for SMEs in Taiwan. The qualitative data were derived from semi-structural interviews with seven SMEs in Taiwan. There are three purposes of this research. First, cognition and motivation of CSR for SMEs in Taiwan. Second, subjects in the study were divided into three groups, including four companies who won CSR for SMEs in Taiwan award from 2011 to 2014, three SMEs who did not won CSR for SMEs in Taiwan award, and one micro-business, to compare the differences between their implementation of CSR. Finally, the difficulties of implementation of CSR for SMEs. What is the role of government in helping and supporting CSR for SMEs? SMEs will give advice to the government. The study found that many SMEs are lacking of CSR cognition, but they still implement CSR. On SMEs opinion, they rank differently“the Pyramid of Carroll's Corporate Social Responsibility” in order of importance, so we can find that the cognition and implementation of CSR for SMEs in Taiwan have their various considerations, including category of business, the direction and guidance of their business, the values of leaders and managers and manage style, issues of business survival, internal and external environments of business. In terms of the implementation of CSR for SMEs, the implementation of CSR for micro-business is highly influenced by the values and mental factors of business owners or managers, and they are focus on responding to stakeholders and operation. Besides micro-business, other study subjects have long-term program of CSR and certification of CSR, study subjects who won CSR for SMEs in Taiwan award from 2011 to 2014 have CSR report, CSR-related departments and personnel training and quantified data on CSR. Many SMEs said they can benefit companies by engaging in CSR. Finally, resource constraints of SMEs is one of reasons that hard to implement CSR. Social morality and the government regulations and policies also change the way when SMEs implement CSR. Resource constraints of SMEs, Social morality and the government regulations and policies have an impact on disparity between cognition and implementation of CSR for SMEs in Taiwan .

Idag finns hög konkurrens på marknaden och detta gör att det är svårt för varumärken att bli sedda av sin kund. Dagens konsument rör sig mellan olika kanaler och kommunikationen från företag måste uppdateras och anpassas efter konsumentens beteende. Det är avgörande för företag att engagera sina kunder för att bli uppmärksammade. Konsumenter kommunicerar åsikter sinsemellan i form av electronic word of mouth (eWOM) som påverkar företaget. Komplexitet kan ligga i att veta vilka kanaler som är bäst utifrån sina förutsättningar. Syftet med denna kvalitativa studie är att undersöka vad små och medelstora e-handelsföretag (SMeF) har för förutsättningar till kommunikation digitalt och fysiskt. Vidare ämnar studien att undersöka hur en kombination av olika kanaler kan användas för att göra företaget synligt genom bruset på marknaden. Insamlad empiri består av åtta semi-strukturerade intervjuer med specifikt utvalda respondenter genom ett målstyrt urval och, till viss del, kedjeurval. Respondenterna valdes ut för att representera flera erfarenheter ur ett företagsperspektiv. Shannon och Weavers (1949) kommunikationsmodell med sändare, verktyg, brus och mottagare utvecklas till en analysmodell för ämnet. SMeF förutsättningar undersöks samt att fysisk närvaro kan skapa en interaktiv miljö för företaget och kunden att mötas i. Digitala verktyg kan vara ett kostnadseffektivt sätt nå ut till konsumenten. Dessa kan bilda en enad kundupplevelse genom omnikanaler. Slutsatsen av studien är att SMeF kan nå nu ut genom bruset genom att använda verktyg utefter en fokuserad omnikanalmodell. Strategiskt utvalda kanaler kan ge SMeF effektiv kommunikation som når genom bruset till kunden. Denna studie är skriven på svenska. / The high market competition today makes it difficult for brands to be seen by their customers. The consumer is drifting between channels and the way companies communicate has to be updated and adapted to this behaviour. It is crucial for companies to engage their customers in order to get noticed. Consumers also communicate opinions among themselves in the form of electronic word of mouth (eWOM) affecting the company. There is a complexity into which channels are best amended to face these circumstances. The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate small and medium-sized e-commerce enterprises (SMeE) potential to communicate through digital and physical platforms. Furthermore, the study aims to examine how a combination of different channels can be used to make the company visible through the noise of competitors. Collected empirical data consists of eight semi-structured interviews with respondents specifically selected through purposive sampling and, to some extent, snowball sampling. The respondents were selected to represent several practises from a business perspective. Shannon and Weaver's (1949) model of communication consist of transmitter, tools, noise and receiver and is used as an analysing tool. The SMeE opportunities are explored as well as if a physical presence can create an interactive environment for the company and the customer. Digital tools can be a cost-effective way for SMeE to reach out to the consumer. These can in turn form a unified customer experience in creating an omnichannel. The conclusion of the study is that SMeE can reach through the noise by focusing the tools across an omnichannel model. Strategically selected channels can provide SMeE effective communication that penetrates the noise and reach the customer. This study is written in swedish.

Scientifiques, gouvernements, entreprises et consommateurs s’entendent aujourd’hui pour dire que le système naturel est déréglé, que l’activité industrielle en est la cause principale. L’éco-conception est une manière de concevoir des biens ou des services en diminuant leurs impacts sur l’environnement et la société. De plus en plus présente dans les grandes entreprises où, associée à une gestion intégrée de l’environnement, elle procure des bénéfices non négligeables et une image de marque, l’éco-conception a beaucoup de difficultés à s’implanter dans les petites et moyennes entreprises. Dans ce travail, nous avons cherché à comprendre les raisons de ces difficultés. Deux approches ont été utilisées, l’une basée sur une analyse documentaire des rapports de RSE de dix entreprises, grandes et petites, de différents secteurs d’activité, qui nous a permis de fixer le cadre et le formalisme de la démarche de recherche, l’autre sur le principe d’entretiens semi-dirigés à partir de questions ciblées. Après une présentation générale de ce qu’est l’éco-conception et quelle en est la problématique appliquée aux PME (chapitre 2), nous précisons le cadre méthodologique de la recherche (chapitre 3) et exposons ses résultats (chapitre 4). Nous montrons que les freins à l’adoption de l’éco-conception dans les PME sont multiples et complexes, tant la diversité de ces entreprises est grande et difficile à synthétiser. En soulignant les freins, les leviers, les risques et les opportunités liés à l’intégration des principes de développement durable dans ces entreprises, nous faisons un portrait global de la situation actuelle et des difficultés rencontrées par ces PME pour adhérer à ces principes. / Scientists, governments, businesses and consumers agree that the natural system is deregulated, and that the industrial activity is the main cause. Eco-design is a way to design products or services by reducing their impacts on environment and society. This approach to design is increasingly present in large corporations which, combined with an integrated environmental management system, provides significant profits and brand image. Conversely, eco-design is barely implanted in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Through this research, we have tried to understand the reasons of these difficulties. Two approaches have been used. One is based on a document review of corporate social responsability (CSR) reports of ten, large and small, companies from different industrial sectors. This has enabled us to establish the framework and the form of the research approach. The second approach is based on semi-directed interviews with a set of prepared specific questions. After an overview describing eco-design and its problematic applied to SMEs (Chapter 2), we develop the methodological framework of this research (Chapter 3) and present its results (Chapter 4). We show that the barriers to adoption of eco-design within SMEs are multiple and complex, so much the diversity of these companies is vast and difficult to synthesize. By highlighting the barriers, the drivers, the risks and the opportunities related to integrating sustainable development principles in these organizations, we provide an overview of the current situation and challenges faced by SMEs when seeking to adhere to these principles.

This paper deals with a comparison of the staff evaluation systems in the commercial sector and the education system. The theoretical part highlights the role and significance of personnel work for achieving goals and an organization's strategies, and defines the basic terms from the personnel and staff evaluation areas. It particularly focuses on the description of the functions, goals and methods of staff evaluation; potential problems arising from the evaluation have been covered as well. The small enterprise and the Czech primary school have been selected as representative subjects for the subsequent comparison. Further, the difference between the roles of the for-profit (business) sector and the public sector, between the organizations' goals in both sectors and the basic background of the workings of both organizations are explained. Regarding the enterprise, the focus is also on the context of personnel work and staff evaluation as a means of attaining the financial goals of the business. The section about schools deals with the methods of school management, the particularities of the teachers' profession and the resulting characteristics of personnel work at schools as well as the methods used for teachers' evaluation. The research part of the paper takes on the form of qualitative...

Diese Dissertation behandelt Fragen des Wettbewerbs auf Softwaremärkten. Konkret geht es um folgende Frage: Welchen Einfluss haben kleine und mittelständische Unternehmen (KMUs) auf die Wettbewerbskonditionen in der Softwarebranche vor dem Hintergrund des zunehmenden Einsatzes von rechtlichen Maßnahmen zum Schutze des geistigen Eigentums? Theoretischer Teil: Wir untersuchen theoretisch Übertragungseffekte (Spillovers) zwischen KMUs und größeren Softwareunternehmen im Kontext von gebündelten Produkten (bundling). Während Bundling und die resultierenden wettbewerbspolitischen Optionen in einem statischen Kontext gut verstanden sind, gibt es noch offene Fragen im dynamischen Kontext. Hier untersuchen wir, inwieweit die Standardargumente gegen Bundling an Gültigkeit verlieren. Wir kommen zum Schluss, dass Wettbewerbspolitik in Softwaremärkten in einem dynamischen Kontext Bundling durchaus in Betracht ziehen sollte. Empirischer Teil: Wir untersuchen, ob der zunehmende Einsatz von Schutzrechten durch KMUs dazu führt, dass der Wettbewerb im Bereich der Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologien (IuK) zunimmt. Diese empirisch fundierte Arbeit analysiert einen Datensatz von KMUs aus der IuK-Industrie unter besonderer Berücksichtigung von Softwareherstellern. Mit Hilfe einer Varianzanalyse untersuchen wir den Einfluss von vier Faktoren auf den Einsatz von Schutzrechten, nämlich: Globalisierung, rechtliches Umfeld, kooperative Forschung und Open Source Software-Nutzung. / This dissertation focuses on competition within the software market. Specifically it aims to provide further understanding and insights to the following question: In the context of intellectual property rights (IPR), what impact do small and medium sized enterprises (SME) have on competition in the software industry? Normative contribution to the dynamic policy literature: Bundling and the resulting competition policy measures are well understood under static conditions. In this essay, we theoretically examine the spillover exchange between SME and large software firms in the context of bundling. Based on the findings of our static model, we suggest that competition policy in the software market should consider bundling under dynamic competition because it could lead to a different conclusion resulting from the factors unique to the software market e.g., OSS programmers. Positive contribution to IPR literature: We empirically examine whether increased IPR adoption by small and medium sized enterprises enables greater competition within the information and communications sector. The analysis is based on a dataset of SME in the information and communications sector which also includes the software industry. We make use of the analysis of variance in order to study the impact of four factors on SME adoption of intellectual property rights, namely; globalization, legal frameworks, cooperative research and open source software use and development. i

Este trabalho originou-se de pesquisas anteriores na área de gestão da melhoria, inovação e mudança empresarial. O desafio do projeto de doutorado seria o de desenvolver estratégias de implementação de ferramentas de melhoria para pequenas e médias empresas. Dessa forma, percebeu-se que o fenômeno de aglomeração regional entre empresas, clusters e redes de cooperação seria uma forma de potencializar o uso de tais métodos em pequenas e médias empresas e, com isso, possibilitar às pequenas e médias empresas acesso mais rápido à melhoria, inovação e competitividade. O objetivo do trabalho foi então definido como uma proposta de um modelo para gerenciar o desempenho em clusters e redes de cooperação de pequenas e médias empresas. Foi feita uma revisão do estado da arte sobre os temas gestão de desempenho organizacional e clusters e redes de cooperação. Estudos em nível mundial e europeu de gestão de clusters foram analisados e estudos de casos de clusters e redes de cooperação foram realizados no Brasil e na Alemanha. A Alemanha destaca-se atualmente no cenário europeu em função de seu programa de incentivo à inovação e competitividade para pequenas e médias empresas promovendo seus clusters e redes de cooperação, principalmente em campos de inovação e alta tecnologia. As análises da revisão de literatura, dos estudos de clusters e dos estudos de casos permitiram o desenvolvimento de um modelo de análise para gestão de desempenho em clusters e redes de cooperação que apresenta como principais elementos: a identificação de stakeholders-chave, a orientação estratégica e a definição de objetivos estratégicos, a implementação de ações e projetos conjuntos, a avaliação e medição de desempenho do cluster, e o estabelecimento de uma infra-estrutura de suporte ao processo de desenvolvimento da rede de cooperação e do cluster. Conclui-se, portanto que, embora seja difícil desenvolver um modelo totalmente adaptado às necessidades de diferentes clusters, esta proposta representa um modelo de análise que pode ser usado pelas iniciativas brasileiras de promoção de clusters e redes como o SEBRAE e a FIESP, por exemplo, no processo de promoção aos arranjos produtivos locais. Clusters de base tecnológica no Brasil também poderiam usar esse modelo de análise como auxílio para o desenvolvimento regional. / This work originated from previous works of research in the area of improvement, innovation and change management. The challenge of this doctorate project was the development of implementation strategies of improvement and innovation methods for small and medium-sized enterprises. The regional agglomeration phenomena between enterprises, i.e. clusters and regional cooperation networks are an expanding alternative to the use of such methods in small and medium-sized enterprises, giving them easier access to improvements, innovations and competitiveness. The objective of this work was defined, therefore, as a proposal of an analysis model to manage the performance in clusters and cooperation networks of small and medium-sized enterprises. Studies in worldwide and european level of cluster performance models were analyzed and case studies of clusters and cooperation networks were carried out in Brazil and Germany. Germany stands out in the european context because of its politics that stimulate innovation and competitiveness for small and medium-sized enterprises promoting its clusters and cooperation networks, mainly in fields of innovation and high technology. The analysis of the literature review, studies on cluster and case studies allowed the development of a model for performance management in clusters and cooperation networks. Such a model presents as main elements: key-stakeholders identification, definition of strategic view and key-objectives, implementation of joint actions and projects, evaluation and measurement of performance, and the establishment of a support infra-structure to the development process of a cluster or a cooperation network. As one of the main conclusions, it can be said that, although it is difficult to develop a model totally adapted to the needs of different clusters, this proposal represents an analysis model that can be used by the brazilian initiatives for promoting clusters and cooperation networks as carried out, for instance, by SEBRAE and FIESP in the cases of local productive systems. Technological based-clusters in Brazil could also use this analysis model as a framework for their regional development process.

Governments around the world have pursued ICT based initiatives including the provision of infrastructure to assist regional areas to develop economically (Beckinsale et al. 2006). There has been considerable interest in exploiting ICT to develop high technology clusters and support innovative networks (Lawson & Lorenz 1999). However, these initiatives have met with mixed success. It is clear that such development depends on more than providing appropriate technology Attention to social and organisational factors is crucial if regional areas are to realise the potential of ICT as a tool for regional development (Gengatharen & Standing 2005). It is important to understand the nature of business networking as well as the perspective of those participating in such networks if successful initiatives are to be established. The aim of this research is to identify how ICT can be used for knowledge sharing among businesses in regional areas and how the online networks through which knowledge is shared can contribute to the development of the region. This research investigates the question of what value small businesses in those regions derive from knowledge sharing networks using ICT. It also seeks to identify the value creation potential of those networks for their region. Previous research has shown that large organisations have achieved significant value from virtual communities of practice (VCoPs) as a structure for sharing knowledge and supporting innovation (Wenger 2004). The concept of Communities of Practice and Virtual Communities of Practice provided a useful point of departure for this research. The investigation comprised interpretive case studies of two Australian regional areas and their local business networks which incorporated SMEs in a variety of industries. Each case study was conducted in three stages. First, semi-structured interviews were conducted with regional economic development leaders. Second, 192 small and medium business owners were surveyed about their business activities and their participation in local business networks. Third, in-depth interviews were conducted with 23 small business owners to gain a richer understanding of their participation in knowledge-sharing networks and the value they realised or anticipated from various knowledge-sharing activities. A combined analysis of the two cases was conducted as well as the individual analyses. The research adopted a modified Structured Case method (Carroll & Swatman 2000). The analysis of the two case studies revealed: a.) There was a significant difference between the majority of SMEs who traded within the region and those trading largely beyond the region. The latter’s more proactive online sharing knowledge and seeking of business opportunities would enable them to access most value from VCoEs. b.) The participating SMEs operated in a number of industries and what they had in common was an interest in improving their enterprises. Consequently they used their regional networks which were not aligned to any one industry to make connections and share knowledge. They did not necessarily seek to access specific information. c.) A necessary prerequisite of VCoEs is having vibrant CoEs where face-to-face interaction enhances the development of trust and social capital. This appeared as an important factor facilitating the move to incorporate online knowledge sharing. d.) Younger businesses appeared to gain the most value from knowledge sharing in CoEs as they were using their networks to determine how to grow their firm. e.) The value of VCoEs to the SME participants is primarily in their general connection to other businesses in the region. Since the participants operate in a number of industries, what they have in common is an interest in their enterprises. The main value appears to come from the potential of the VCoEs to add to this connection and to social capital. This study found that successful management of VCoEs must: i) Ensure the network website is actively used by members before attempting to incorporate online knowledge sharing. ii) Monitor and stimulate online forum interaction rather than rely on interaction to occur naturally. iii) Not rely on email as a mechanism for stimulating knowledge sharing. Email is seen as more appropriate for formal documentation than for candid exchange of views. The concept of virtual communities of practice was found to be somewhat inappropriate for the diverse SMEs in the regional networks. Because of their diversity, they do not necessarily see value in sharing knowledge about practice but they do see value in sharing more general information and in providing support, connection and ideas that facilitate the strategic direction of their business. To address this issue, the concept of virtual communities of enterprise (VCoEs) is proposed as recognition of what the participating SMEs had in common: an interest in their individual businesses as part of the region. The original contribution of this research consists of its identification of the issues in linking SMEs across industries. It provides new insights on the business practices of regional SMEs and developed the concepts of Community of Enterprise (CoE) and Virtual Community of Enterprise (VCoE) to capture the special nature of knowledge sharing in regional multi-industry business networks. New perspectives are revealed on the ways that value could be derived from knowledge sharing by these regionally networked SMEs, as such it adds to the body of knowledge in an area where there has been little systematic investigation. This research reinforces the importance of social capital as an essential pre-requisite for accessing the value of intellectual capital in regions. Social capital emerges as vital when establishing and maintaining face-to-face knowledge sharing in regional networks and a necessary pre-condition for successfully establishing online knowledge sharing. Trust is a key factor and this research extends understanding of the role of social capital and the importance of trust in regional networks and online interaction. Its findings have significant implications for the development and management of CoEs and VCoEs as it outlines the key elements that need to be addressed when establishing and maintaining them, the appropriate applications for this context and the issues involved in management of the networking and online contexts. These findings not only increase our understanding of the management dynamics of online networks, they can also provide guidance to those seeking to establish successful VCoEs.