Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Resources

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore marketing analysis by developing a customer loyalty approach for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the service sector, based on customer relationship management (CRM) in the context of an emerging economy. Design/methodology/approach This study analyzes different models of CRM in the literature and defines a loyalty approach for SMEs in the service sector. It is characterized as exploratory research, with a qualitative approach. A systematic review of the literature is undertaken as the starting point for achieving the main objective of the study. Findings The need to develop a framework for an approach to customer loyalty for SMEs based on CRM and to make it operational. Research limitations/implications It is a qualitative and exploratory study, applied only to a company’s two main clients. Practical implications The contribution of this study is that it offers SMEs consistent guidelines on how best to conduct...

Purpose> The purpose of this study is to identify the determinants that could impact corporate digital entrepreneurship for the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) of India. The study also investigates the moderating role that adopting artificial intelligence (AI)-customer relationship management (CRM) capability and strategic planning has in corporate digital entrepreneurship. Design/methodology/approach> With the inputs from literature and theories, a model has been developed conceptually. The model has been validated by partial least squares structural equation modeling technique with consideration of 315 usable respondents. The effects of the moderators have also been investigated by multigroup analysis. Findings> The study highlights that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and willingness to change significantly impact corporate digital entrepreneurship for the SMEs of India. The study also highlights that the two moderators have significant impacts on the relationships between corporate digital entrepreneurship and its predictors. Research limitations/implications> This study has developed a unique model, which provides effective inputs to the entrepreneurs of SMEs of emerging economies. These inputs will help entrepreneurs to frame their policies to improve the existing traditional practices and processes that could be transformed into more digitalization for improving efficiency of their corporate digital entrepreneurial activities. Originality/value> There are no studies which investigated how perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use and willingness to change could impact corporate digital entrepreneurship with the moderating effects of adoption of AI-CRM capability and strategic planning, as concerns SMEs of emerging economies. In this regard, this study is deemed to be a unique attempt.

The study was conducted by collecting the data from 608 customers of migrant retailers working in the retail industry of Pretoria West in South Africa in order to identify socioeconomic factors that affect customer loyalty. Data was collected from eligible respondents by using a pre-tested, validated and standardised questionnaire of study that was self-administered by respondents. The study found that about 69% of customers were loyal to their retailers. About 68% of customers had a favorable attitude towards their retailers. About 68% of retailers used appropriate promotional measures for marketing their goods to potential customers. About 69% of retailers provided their customers with satisfactory quality of services. About 67% of customers were loyal to their retailers’ brands. Factor analysis was used for extracting 3 influential predictors of customer loyalty. These factors were entrepreneurial skills, marketing skills, and selling price. The percentage of variance explained...

Every science has three pillars: to write, to analyze the phenomena and to use the acquired knowledge to predict future states of behavior and performance. The scientific justification of such research is unquestionable because it is under-explored and underdefined, however there exists proven scientific knowledge of the role of leadership skills as a factor in addressing business change in SMEs. The main objective of the work is to determine whether the skills of leaders are key factors in the leading position of SMEs, i.e. to investigate and critically assess the level of business changes in the SME. The practical objective of the study was to use the results of the research to design a model that would contribute to a better concept of leadership. The final goal is to complement the established scientific knowledge on achievements of theoretical pursuit and to attempt to set leadership as a catalyst of developmental changes in SMEs. Therefore it is necessary to more accurately...

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) represent a high figure of the total number of economic units in the world, capable in turn of contributing to the Gross Domestic Product in their respective countries. The frank competitive disadvantage due to the thriving development of large globalized companies, imposes on SMEs the need to rethink their strategies, policies and methods. Even on the part of managers and businessmen, there are flaws in the domain of administrative management according to current demands. The basic elements in the leadership administration nexus are reviewed, which contribute to a successful productive performance of SMEs.

Drawing on the distinction between small-scale and large-scale business model innovation, and between directive and empowering leadership, we examine how CEOs in SMEs lead business model innovation during the process of internationalization. Building on eight cases of Japanese manufacturing SMEs, we develop a theoretical framework pointing to two different patterns in the articulation between CEO leadership style and business model innovation. We show that small-scale business model innovation led by directive leadership results in a timelier foreign market entry. However, in order to increase international sales, large-scale business model innovation is required. This is facilitated by an empowering leadership style of the CEO.

PurposeSmall and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a vital role throughout the global economy, spurring innovation and job creation. This study investigates the effect of strategic leadership practices on SME performance.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted a quantitative survey of leaders from 290 SMEs to examine their strategic leadership and how it affects SME performance. Structural equation modeling (SEM) is used to test the dependent relationships in this paper.FindingsThe results suggest that the strategic leadership effect on firm performance is fully mediated by employee empowerment dynamic capability (EEDC) as well as resilient dynamic capability (RDC).Originality/valueStrategic leadership is traditionally analyzed in large organizations. The authors evaluate the role of strategic leadership in SMEs which is an underexplored context for leadership studies. In this process, the authors also analyze the mediating role of EEDC and RDC.

Purpose This paper aims to consider why creative problem-solving techniques may not always produce useful results and sets out to explain why this might be and what steps should be taken to avoid it happening. The paper provides an understanding of how different creative problem-solving techniques are best suited to gaining insights into problems requiring different degrees of paradigm shift. It argues that team members’ personalities and thinking styles and team composition should be taken into account when using the techniques. It examines the role the facilitator plays in planning and conducting the ideation process. Design/methodology/approach The paper provides simple illustrations of some of the creative problem-solving techniques. It reviews relevant literature and argues how individual differences of team members along with team composition can influence team performance in using the creative problem-solving techniques. Findings Personality, thinking styles and learning...

Dreams have produced art, music, novels, films, mathematical proofs, designs for architecture, telescopes, and computers. Dreaming is essentially our brain thinking in another neurophysiologic state—and therefore it is likely to solve some problems on which our waking minds have become stuck. This neurophysiologic state is characterized by high activity in brain areas associated with imagery, so problems requiring vivid visualization are also more likely to get help from dreaming. This article reviews great historical dreams and modern laboratory research to suggest how dreams can aid creativity and problem‐solving.

This article presents two studies that examine whether leader supportive behaviors facilitate knowledge sharing and employee creative problem‐solving capacity, thereby enhancing creative performance. The findings from both studies indicate that leader supportive behaviors are directly and indirectly related, through both internal and external knowledge sharing, to employee creative problem‐solving capacity. In addition, creative problem solving was related to the two dimensions of creative performance—fluency and originality. However, a test of the mediation model indicated that creative problem solving only mediated the relationship between internal knowledge sharing creative performance and originality. These findings highlight the complex process by which leaders facilitate both internal and external knowledge sharing and employee creative problem‐solving capacity, thereby improving employee creative performance.

Innovation is the engine of scientific progress, yet we do not train public health students to think creatively. I present the key concepts within an evidence-based method currently taught at the University of Texas. Habitual thought patterns involve deeply held framed expectations. Finding alternatives generates originality. Because frame breaking is difficult, a series of innovation heuristics and tools are offered including enhancing observation, using analogies, changing point of view, juggling opposites, broadening perspective, reversal, reorganization and combination, and getting the most from groups. Gaining cognitive attributes such as nonjudgment, willingness to question, mindfulness, and plasticity is also emphasized. Students completing the class demonstrate substantial increases on a standardized test of idea fluency and originality, more joyful attitudes toward science, and more pluralistic approaches.

This study provides evidence for how factual (directly relevant for developing creative solutions) vs. range (indirectly relevant) information can be used to provoke idea generation and effective creative outcomes. Data were obtained from 127 staff, faculty, and students at a private Midwest university. The results show that the effect of type of information was moderated by the participant's creative thinking skill and domain knowledge. For individuals high in creative thinking skill, range information improved idea generation originality, which in turn enhanced creative outcome novelty but reduced outcome usefulness. Factual information, under various conditions, both helped and hindered creative outcome usefulness. Overall, presenting information during idea generation can improve creative outcome effectiveness. Managers should be careful to present the appropriate information at the appropriate time, however. •Indirectly relevant information (i.e., range...

This research tests the hypothesis that being busy increases motivation and reduces the time it takes to complete tasks for which people miss a deadline. This effect occurs because busy people tend to perceive that they are using their time effectively, which mitigates the sense of failure people have when they miss a task deadline. Studies 1 and 2 show that when people are busy, they are more motivated to complete a task after missing a deadline than those who are not busy, and that the perception that one is using time effectively mediates this effect. Studies 3 and 4 show that this process makes busy people more likely to complete real tasks than people who are not busy. Study 5 uses data from over half a million tasks submitted by thousands of users of a task management software application to show that busy people take less time to complete a task after they miss a deadline for completing it. The findings delineate the conditions under which being busy can mitigate the negative effects of missing a deadline and reduce the time it takes to complete tasks.

Colleges offer many activities for students, and some students have trouble managing their time to fit everything in. The author, a recent college graduate, offers two time management strategies: study in between classes and be present in the moment.

In this study we adopted an impartial view on academic procrastination in order to gain new insights for the development of intervention programs. Following a qualitative approach, we thereby explored antecedents of procrastination by attending to the actual voices and experiences of 29 students. Students' subjective theories were in line with some antecedents that previous research had addressed (lack of motivation or volitional control), but also revealed relatively new aspects of academic procrastination that concern students' social relatedness and task competence. Considering these findings, we suggest ideas on how to assist students and how to design intervention programs.

This study is based on a national survey of senior communication executives.•Results indicate that senior communicators place a high value on business acumen.•Respondents believe educators are not adequately preparing graduates in this area.•Specifically, a basic understanding of financial statements and terms is sought. This study, based on a national survey of senior communication executives (specifically Arthur W. Page Society members), assesses the role of “Business 101” knowledge in public relations education. The results of the survey suggest that senior communication executives place high importance on business acumen; that such competencies help professionals attain higher compensation; and that executives believe public relations educators should place a greater focus on “Business 101” in curricula. Recommendations for teaching and future research are provided.

Purpose This conceptual paper aims at developing a customer-centric marketing communications approach that takes the starting point in the customer ecosystem. Design/methodology/approach After a critical analysis of existing marketing communications and integrated marketing communication (IMC) approaches, a customer-driven view of marketing communications is developed using recent developments in relationship communication, customer-dominant logic and the notion of customer value formation as value-in-use. Findings A customer-integrated marketing communication (CIMC) approach centred on a communication-in-use concept is conceptually developed and introduced. The analysis results in a CIMC model, where a customer in his or her individual ecosystem, based on integration of a set of messages from different sources, makes sense of the many messages he or she is exposed to. Research limitations/implications The paper presents a customer-driven perspective on marketing communication...

Research in the area of employee engagement and internal communication satisfaction tends to treat both concepts as one-dimensional.•In this study we explored the relationship between multidimensional ICS and multidimensional employee engagement concepts.•Our study confirmed that internal communication satisfaction has a significant role in high employee engagement.•Most relevant ICS dimensions for EE were satisfaction with feedback, informal communication and communication during meetings.•What matters most is that internal communication and employee engagement “feed” each other in a continuous virtual circle. Engagement is becoming one of the more popular concepts in various social sciences including psychology, organizational behavior, human resource management, and of course public relations. Even though engagement is applied in several areas of public relations, it is most commonly explored in connection to internal communication. The purpose of this paper...

A meta-analysis of team communication and performance is conducted.•Team communication is significantly related to team performance.•Communication quality and frequency have different relationships with performance.•Additional types of communication exhibit different relationships with performance.•Team familiarity and virtuality moderate the relationship. Although it is consistently identified as a critical component of team performance, team communication is often conceptualized in a variety of manners. The present meta-analysis addresses this inconsistency by examining the moderating influence of communication characteristics, as well as other salient team and task characteristics, on the relationship between team communication and performance. The findings revealed several fundamental insights. First, communication quality had a significantly stronger relationship with team performance than communication frequency. Second, further distinguishing between...