The effects of international diversification on the link between product diversification and performance in a boom and bust cycle: Evidence from Spanish firms (1994–2014)

This study examines the individual effects of product diversification on performance and the moderating effects of international diversification on the product diversification–performance link in the context of a boom and bust cycle. Most prior research on firm strategies largely neglect the business cycle. We use data on a large sample of Spanish manufacturing firms from 1994 to 2014. In this period, the Spanish economy experienced a boom period (1994–2008) and a bust period involving a severe economic crisis (2009–2014). Our study highlights the important role of each stage of the economic cycle. Specifically, with respect to product diversification, our findings show that in a boom, moderate diversifiers obtain better profitability levels than their highly diverse or limited diversification counterparts do. In contrast, during an economic downturn, moderate and high diversifiers can be equally effective up to some point of optimization. Our findings also reveal a negative and significant effect of internationalization on profitability, independent of the stage of the economic cycle. Product and international diversification are complementary strategies during a period of economic growth when firms opt for moderate levels of product diversification. Meanwhile, when firms choose high levels of product diversification, both types of strategies are complementary during the boom cycle, but substitutive during the bust cycle.     

Knowledge management in SMEs and MNCs: matching knowledge mobility mechanisms to supply network configuration profiles

Abstract

While ‘knowledge mobility’ presents significantly different challenges for SMEs and MNCs, it is strongly influenced by two common factors: the type of knowledge to be integrated and the configuration of the operations network. Here, SMEs and MNCs are required to make critical decisions about ‘levels’ of collaboration and knowledge sharing with network partners. A Knowledge Mobility Configuration (KMC) framework was developed, tested and refined using five case studies indicative of a growing shift towards information and knowledge-intensive activities. In terms of contribution, there has been limited empirical research to-date into the determinants of successful knowledge transfers in MNC-SME network contexts. The network configuration element of the KMC framework provides insights on how such networks evolve, and how specific knowledge mobility profiles may evolve over time. This more nuanced approach may be used as a basis for a proactive and differentiated approach to knowledge mobility and integration across SME and MNC networks.     

以技术管理提升中小企业技术创新能力

随着经济社会发展和,当前形势下企业的技术创新环境和条件已发生了很大变化,根据文献资料并结合企业典型经验做法,从全面创新管理的视角,对中小企业技术管理提升技术创新能力的机制进行系统分析,以期为当前中小企业技术管理和创新提供参考,最后通过案例对比分析阐述了这种能力提升机制.     

债权治理机制、企业特征与成长性——来自中国中小上市公司的经验证据

本文以中国中小上市公司2002～2005年的经验数据为样本,采用结构方程模型探讨了债权治理机制的4个主要维度:偿债能力、债务融资程度、资产期限、债务期限,并对债权治理机制、企业特征因素与企业成长性的关系进行了理论和实证分析.结果显示,中小企业债权综合治理机制对企业成长并没有产生应有的促进效用,其中偿债能力与企业成长性负相关;资产期限结构的影响作用不显著;债务融资和债务期限结构对企业成长有促进作用;企业特征的异质性显著影响债权治理水平和企业成长性.     

HRD as design science

The aim of this study was to explore the evaluation practices of a sample of organizations in England and Wales who had signalled some commitment to training and evaluation by embarking on the UK's Investors in People (IiP) standard. A questionnaire survey was sent to 1,000 firms and usable responses were received from 394 organizations. It was found that formative and delayed evaluations were used less frequently than immediate and context (needs analysis) evaluations. In the majority of cases the responsibility for evaluation was that of managers and the most frequently used methods were informal feedback and questionnaires. Operational reasons for evaluating training were cited more frequently than strategic ones. Information derived from evaluations was used mostly for feedback to individuals and to inform the training process and less for return on investment decisions. There were some statistically significant effects of organizational size on evaluation practice. The results are discussed in terms of their implications for evaluation theory and research and HRD practice and policy.     

企业家、高管团队和我国中小企业国际化

以国际创业理论和高阶理论为基础,手工收集2011-2015年在深圳中小板和创业板上市的中小型制造企业样本数据,实证研究了我国企业家和高管团队人口统计学特征对中小企业国际化的影响。结果表明：第一,企业家和高管团队均对中小企业国际化产生了影响。企业家的任期和海外经验对企业国际化有正向影响、年龄对企业国际化有负向影响,生产型或输出型的职能背景更有利于企业国际化;高管团队的年龄、学历与企业国际化负相关,海外经验与企业国际化正相关。第二,企业家和高管团队人口统计学特征的交互作用检验结果表明,年龄的交互作用对企业国际化有显著负向影响,而性别和海外经验的交互作用均与企业国际化有显著的正向关系。     

中小企业融资活动中的财务风险及其防范对策

近几年来,中小企业迅速发展,成为我国国民经济的主要推动力。本文以中小企业的融资问题为研究对象,阐述我国中小企业融资现状,结合财务管理知识分析了中小企业融资中存在的财务风险,最后提出了财务风险的防范对策。提醒中小企业更加注重融资活动中财务风险的防范和控制,将财务风险控制在合理范围内,实现企业价值最大化,充分发挥中小企业在国民经济中的重要作用。     

我国民间资本参与中小企业技术创新的对策研究

对我国民间资本参与中小企业技术创新问题进行了研究,指出我国政府应当借鉴发达国家的经验,积极营造良好的社会环境和投资环境,健全法规制度,为中小企业提供担保;大力发展资本市场、风险投资和中小金融机构,并以实行财税优惠等措施来促进民间资本积极参与中小企业技术创新。     

后危机时代中小企业对外直接投资战略选择

中小企业不可避免地受到全球性金融危机的严重的冲击。然而在＂后危机时代＂,随着中国自由贸易区战略的实施、＂走出去＂战略的推进、全球产业结构的调整和产业国际转移,中小企业凭借小规模适用性技术、决策管理灵活且决策效率高、产品多样化可以适销于各种市场的优势,积极利用自贸协定下所提供的各种优惠政策,选择重点目标市场开展对外直接投资,打造海外园区形成中小企业投资的集聚效应,以并购的方式,将国内生产能力过剩的长线产业、已经发展成熟且具有一定国际竞争力的产业以及能够弥补国内资源短缺的采掘业等进行对外直接投资,同时还应加强对发达国家的学习型投资,汲取国外先进的产业技术和管理经验,带动国内产业升级,创造新的比较优势。     

我国中小企业信用担保机构的风险问题研究

当前，信用担保是解决我国中小企业融资难问题的重要突破口，而信用担保业又是一个高风险行业，中小企业信用担保机构要持续健康发展，必须能正确地识别各种风险，并有效地加以防范和和控制。本文首先从信息不对称、受保企业、信用担保机构自身以及信用担保机构与政府部门、协作银行的关系等方面对中小企业信用担保风险的成因进行分析，并针对风险存在的原因提出了相应的防范与控制风险的对策。