Debiasing illusion of control in individual judgment: the role of internal and external advice seeking

This paper builds on behavioral strategy and strategic decision making literatures to propose a stronger integration of information acquisition behaviors in debiasing research. We argue that the advice-seeking behavior of executives—as their dominant way of information acquisition—may have a fundamental effect on cognitive biases in individual judgment. Empirical results of a vignette-based survey of 186 top executives in German SMEs support this claim. We posit that internal and external advice affect individual judgment differently and that external advice, in particular, is likely to be effective for debiasing. These results suggest new avenues for debiasing research that go beyond the active intervention techniques that have been the focus of debiasing research thus far.     

以创新网络提升中小企业技术创新能力

经济低迷时期,中小企业更趋向于通过创新网络来提升竞争力,塑造核心能力,结合文献分析和企业调研,从能力和要素组合两个维度,提出了创新网络中企业能力提升的分析框架,指出创新网络中的中小企业核心能力来自于企业内外创新要素协同.最后通过一个案例分析详细阐述了这种能力提升与要素协同的关系.     

How to compare performances of firms operating in different sectors?

This paper seeks to address the question ‘How to measure different SMEs’ performances comparatively?’ An initial review reveals that the literature does not provide objective and explicit debate on the subject. Consequently, an approach is developed, informed by the literature, which is used to compare the performances of 37 SMEs. The consistency and reliability of the approach is tested, resulting in a ranking of the 37 firms according to their performances. Using cluster and factor analysis the paper demonstrates that leading indicators are somewhat redundant, and that lagging indicators have greater significance for the purpose of comparative measurement of different SMEs performances. Whilst the approach adopted here withstood internal and external validity tests and can be seen as a robust way of comparing SMEs performances, these results may be limited to this study.     

Business model design–performance relationship under external and internal contingencies: Evidence from SMEs in an emerging economy

We examined Business Model (BM) designs – performance relationship and the moderating effects of firm age and external environment on this relationship. Furthermore, we investigated the impact of simultaneously operating dual BM designs (i.e. novelty and efficiency) on firm performance and contingent effect of firm age on this relationship. Based on data from 241 Indian SMEs, our findings highlighted that BM novelty was of greater benefit to younger SMEs compared to mature SMEs, while BM efficiency was of greater benefit to more mature SMEs. The environmental dynamism positively moderated the relationship between BM novelty and performance but it negatively moderated the relationship between BM efficiency and performance. We also found that BM efficiency is more beneficial in a low, rather than a high, munificent environment but we found environmental munificence did not moderate the BM novelty and SME performance relationship. Finally, we found simultaneous deployment of BM novelty and BM efficiency resulted in an enhancement of performance among mature SMEs compared to younger SMEs. Our study not only adds to the limited literature on BMs in SMEs but also helps practicing managers and entrepreneurs to make informed choices about their BMs.     

SCOPE framework for SMEs: A new theoretical lens for success and internationalization

The purpose of this paper is to propose a new framework: SCOPE - to postulate strategies for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to export, compete, and succeed in the global market. SCOPE stands for Strategies to analyze the Challenges, Opportunities, and Problems to succeed in Exporting. A multiple case study method was employed based on semi-structured interviews with senior managers of different SMEs from three European countries. It was found that SMEs face internal and external challenges. This is complemented by a Pentagon model. This framework could be employed as a theoretical lens to critically examine the antecedents and outcome of SME internationalization.     

中小企业违约风险系统性和异质性测度——基于违约风险成分分析法的研究

与大中型企业相比,经济环境恶化或突发事件冲击使中小企业资产价值更易大幅下降,不仅单个企业违约风险急增,企业间的违约相关性也明显变大。然而不同类型中小企业违约风险变化特征仍有较大差异。为了更好测度中小企业违约风险、分析其相关性和差异性,本文在资产价值满足跳-扩散过程假定下,将或有权益分析法、组合违约风险分析与系统波动风险测度β相结合,把违约风险分解为系统成分和异质成分。系统成分越大,表明企业违约风险越易受外部经济环境和相关违约风险影响。异质成分越大则表明企业违约风险与自身异质性特征更为相关。实证研究表明,违约风险成分分析能较好解释中小企业违约风险的相关性和差异性,有助于违约风险分类管理。     

Knowledge sharing dynamics in international subcontracting arrangements: The case of Finnish high-tech SMEs

This paper focuses on an under-researched topic of knowledge sharing dynamics in international subcontracting relationships of SMEs. Based on in-depth qualitative analysis of three Finnish high-tech firms, our findings reveal that not only cost and performance expectations motivate SMEs for international subcontracting, but also the factors like lack of in-house alternatives, the volatility of workload, and need for speed in growth-related activities such as deliveries play an important role. We further found that the SMEs try to balance internal risks/uncertainty and external risks/uncertainty throughout international subcontracting. Our paper contributes to the extant literature by being one of the first studies to specifically highlight the range of knowledge sharing and knowledge protection mechanisms used in international subcontracting in SME-SME relationships in which partners come from different institutional settings and physical locations. Moreover, this paper is one of the few studies to specifically highlight the role of time in knowledge sharing from the buyer's point of view as well, specifically by emphasizing the need to balance the internal and external risks during the life-cycle of international subcontracting while balancing short-term challenges and long-term strategic development plans.     

基于混合博弈下投资行为与中小企业融资难的问题研究

本文从企业投资决策的科学性角度研究当前我国中小企业融资难问题。探讨了信息不对称情况下影响中小企业融资难的变量因素,在此基础上构建了银行与中小企业在混合博弈下的标准信贷模型,分析银行和企业在混合博弈均衡下投资行为对中小企业融资难的影响。研究表明:由于中小企业基于自身属性的投资决策失误,偏离了自身发展战略,导致无法实现企业资源配置的帕累托最优;因为中小企业经理与所有者之间的高度同一性,致使这一缺陷更为严重。基于中小企业投资决策的局限性和其公司治理结构的天生缺陷,提出了解决中小企业融资难的一种思路--建立合作性组织。     

Improving control through effective performance measurement in SMEs

Research has demonstrated that the use of performance measures in SMEs (small to medium sized enterprises) is limited. Financial measures, which are required for examination by external stakeholders, are generally well developed. However, operational measures are typically ad hoc and lack formal structure. A structured approach to measuring perform ance in SMEs should improve strategic control. Current approaches, however, have proved inadequate for the specific requirements of the SME sector. A new process is presented for developing effective performance measurement in SMEs, which is tested through a case study. The aim of the process is to develop measures that drive operational performance towards the achievement of strategic objectives. The results of the case study demonstrate the potential of the process for improving strategic control and stimulating continuous improvement in SMEs.     

External resource provision and the international performance of SMEs – A contextual analysis

This paper investigates whether different categories of links (core and discretionary) to external resource providers are associated with the international performance of SMEs, as well as the perceived importance of external links for providing specific forms of assistance toward internationalization. A study of 180 internationally active SMEs examines whether these features vary according to the SMEs' contexts, specifically their industry and level of home economy development. The relevance of these two contexts is theoretically informed by resource dependence, environmental munificence and institutional perspectives. SME decision-makers' attribution of importance to discretionary external links predicts stronger international performance, but this is not the case with core market transactional links. Different external parties emerge as important sources of specific forms of assistance toward internationalization. Many of these results are associated with the SME's industry and home economy context. The paper concludes with a new contextually-informed model of SME egocentric networking and implications for practice.     

Supply chain agility as an acclimatisation process to environmental uncertainty and organisational vulnerabilities: insights from British SMEs

Abstract

Even though supply chain agility (SCA) has been considered an essential concept in supply chain management (SCM) research, the way it is experienced and manifested, especially by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), has received much less attention. Our purpose is to focus on SME organisational vulnerabilities in the context of increased environmental uncertainty, and explore how SCA is developed and applied by SMEs amid their vulnerabilities. By relying on insights from comparative case studies of three British SMEs, we examine SME SCA as an acclimatisation process and delve into SMEs’ experiences of facing environmental uncertainty while developing and applying SCA. Our findings highlight that organisational attitudes underlie how SMEs perceive environmental uncertainty, tackle organisational vulnerabilities and develop SCA as an acclimatisation process. Our findings also reveal that resource constraints, supply chain relationships, interorganisational power dynamics, and access to information play important roles in developing SCA.     

模糊厌恶下关系型借贷定价和最优贷款利率

考虑决策者是模糊厌恶的,利用实物期权方法,解析地给出了银行价值,企业价值和最优停贷水平。分析了模糊厌恶和基准波动率对最优贷款利率,最优停贷水平,企业价值和银行价值的影响。数值分析表明:模糊厌恶提高了贷款利率,降低了企业和银行价值。在基准波动率水平较小时,模糊厌恶推迟了停贷水平;在基准波动率较大时,模糊厌恶加速了停贷水平。此外,在模糊中性下,企业价值是基准波动率凸函数,银行价值是基准波动率凹函数。而在模糊厌恶下,企业价值和银行价值都随着基准波动率的增加而递减。本文从行为金融角度为中小企业"融资贵"提供了新的解释。     

中小企业融资的三方信贷担保模型研究

在两方信贷担保模型的基础上,构建了一个包括垄断银行、商业性担保机构和中小企业在内的三方信贷模型,探讨了商业担保机构的引入对中小企业融资的影响,并通过信息因子的引入量化分析了担保机构信息量的大小在解决中小企业融资难题中的重要作用。研究结果表明:在信息不完全条件下,商业性担保机构的引入在增加企业受贷金额的同时也增加了企业的逆向选择程度;随着商业性担保机构信息量的增加,企业逆向选择的程度将逐渐减小,而且当担保机构具有企业足够信息时,企业的信贷配给现象会减轻,信贷市场资金配置效率也得到提高。     

ICT-based solution approach for collaborative delivery of customised products

Growing interest on business collaboration motivates today’s industries, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to establish and manage dynamic and non-hierarchical business networks to respond to market opportunities with added business benefits. This business environment requires concurrent work and real-time information sharing between key business partners in order to design and develop customised products. The use of traditional communication media such as e-mail, phone and fax is not satisfactory to get real-time information and is time-consuming and most often ineffective. In such environments, an Information and Communication Technology (ICT)/Web-based technology supports real-time information sharing among networked SMEs for the collaborative design and manufacturing of customised products. This study proposes an innovative ICT platform supporting SMEs collaboration, through Web and the Internet of Things technologies, which follows the Net-Challenge conceptual approach and methodological guidelines for SMEs to form and operate virtual organisations for the collaborative development and delivery of customised products. The ICT Platform was assessed in three different industry domains, namely the textile and apparel, the footwear and the machine tools, respectively. This ICT solution promotes collaboration, with substantial advantages for SMEs including the reduction of costs and delivery time and improvement of the innovation potential.     

How Do Regulations Affect SMEs? A Review of the Qualitative Evidence and a Research Agenda

The effects of regulations on small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) have garnered significant political attention internationally, yet, in the academic literature, these effects remain contested. This article presents findings from a systematic literature review of qualitative evidence on the effects of regulation on SMEs. It sets out the strengths of qualitative approaches in relation to more prominent and influential quantitative approaches. It conducts a thematic synthesis of the qualitative research to develop a conceptual framework that provides a processual, embedded understanding of the effects of regulations on SMEs. The conceptual framework highlights four key, interconnected processes: identification–interpretation; strategization; negotiation; and adaptation. This conceptual framework generates insights into dynamic and potentially indirect effects of regulations in relation to a complex array of influences external to and within the business. On the basis of these insights a new research agenda is proposed.     

Knowledge management based collaboration moderator services to support SMEs in virtual organizations

Abstract

Collaboration Moderator Services (CMS) are discussed as a Knowledge management service for SMEs operating in a virtual organization (VO). In this research, a CMS supports the pre-creation stage of a VO by quickly identifying potential business opportunities and collaborative partners. Text mining techniques are used to analyze calls for tender documents based on the competencies and areas of interest stored in the shared information about companies in a collaboration pool. A case study of UK-based SMEs demonstrates the application of text mining as a knowledge discovery tool, supporting SMEs at the pre-creation stage of a VO. Results show that text mining can be used to (1) identify possible business opportunities for SMEs in the collaborative network (2) Indicate potential collaborations between pairs of SMEs using link analysis and (3) Raise awareness of business opportunities and possible SME partners for multi-enterprise collaborations using a dimensional matrix.     

Knowledge management in consultancy-involved process improvement projects: cases from Chinese SMEs

Abstract

Knowledge management (KM) is considered as an effective strategy to improve organizational performance. In its application to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), resource constraints mean that exploitation of knowledge from external sources is often needed. This study explores practical KM issues encountered by Chinese SMEs when working with management consultants to introduce new business improvement practices. A comparative case study is conducted focusing on two consultancy-involved process improvement projects in Chinese manufacturing SMEs. The case results suggest a clear KM strategy is needed at the outset of the project and SME managers and employees need to play a proactive role in the learning and adoption of new knowledge. The research is novel in that it is the first study to explore knowledge management and the notion of liminality within the context of consultancy-involved Chinese SME improvement projects. The paper culminates with two research propositions that require further empirical study.     

REDUTEX: a hybrid push–pull production system approach for reliable delivery time in knitting SMEs

The textile sector is composed of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) worldwide. Nowadays there is a shortage of technological knowledge in SMEs. Lead time is a critical indicator in any productive company organisation. The aim of this research was to provide an approach, called REDUTEX, based on theoretical concepts of lean and synchronous manufacturing in order to help to understand the behaviour of SMEs and to improve the manufacturing process by reducing the customer lead times. The integration of these philosophies is the basis of REDUTEX; a hybrid push–pull production system approach to knitting SMEs. With this approach, it is possible to obtain a process reliability when the restrictive resource capacity (RRC) is identified, optimised and protected. By synchronising all activities to the rhythm of RRC, through a continuous flow, it is possible to obtain high-impact results through a dual automated system and product quality, through a visual control. REDUTEX uses a push system from the RRC to the location of the supermarket, where accumulated inventory may be distributed in the internal assembly department and external family workshops, making a pull system. Subsequent re-assembly processes use a push system until the end of the product. The stages of REDUTEX are explicitly described and applied to real data, so that the staff of SMEs can easily understand the behaviour of the process and implement it. One of the advantages of REDUTEX is that it does not need highly trained staff. The research methodology was conducted as a case of study in twelve SMEs and validated and implemented in three textile companies of the southern area of the state of Guanajuato in Mexico, obtaining reliable delivery times and very promising results.     

组织创新提升中小企业创新能力的机制

组织创新对提升中小企业的创新能力具有重要作用.运用案例分析方法,本文首先揭示企业家在组织创新过程的推动作用,然后从信息技术创新、组织结构创新、业务流程创新和管理制度创新四个维度探讨中小企业通过组织创新提升创新能力的机制.     

中国中小企业集合债券研究——“聚沙成塔”型融资创新与牵头人“双能力”机制

中小企业集合债券是中国实践中具有特色的“聚沙成塔”型融资创新。对这一创新，文献还没有系统的理论总结与实证分析。本文首次提出集合债的核心机制，即牵头人“双能力”理论——资源动员能力和监督能力。利用2006—2017年期间发行的集合债样本及手工收集的集合债发行主体样本进行实证研究，结果表明(1)集合债主体评级平均为BBB，而匹配样本中单独发债企业评级平均为A。这检验了牵头人的资源动员能力理论，集合债券能使单独发债困难的中小企业也能获得直接融资，打破了债券市场融资的天花板，实现了“从0到1”的跨越。(2)双重差分估计结果表明，中小企业集合债券的发行能促进发行企业的经营效率的提高。这检验了牵头人的监督能力理论。进一步发现，地方中小企业专门管理部门作为牵头人比地方政府作为牵头人更能促进经营效率提高。建议在更大范围内推行地方专门管理部门作为牵头人的中小企业集合债券的创新融资模式。