Frequency: Quarterly E- ISSN: 2250-0200 P- ISSN: 2249-0973 Abstracted/ Indexed in: CNKI Scholar (China National Knowledge Infrastructure), Ulrichâ??s International Periodical Directory, Google Scholar, SCIRUS, Genamics JournalSeek
Quarterly published in print and online â??Inventi Rapid/Impact: SMEsâ?? publishes high quality unpublished as well as high impact pre-published research and reviews catering to the needs of researchers and professionals. The journal focuses all the areas of Small and Medium Enterprises with special emphasis on research in SMEs, entrepreneurship and family-run businesses; case studies on real-life small business experiences; small business growth and successful enterprises; recruitment, training and development for SMEs; performance measurement and business improvement; government initiatives and enterprise policy; SMEs financing and venture capital.
The purpose of this paper is to briefly introduce the reader to Igor Ansoff and briefly examine\r\nthe praxis of the components of Ansoff�¹s Strategic Success Paradigm which when\r\nimplemented have proven empirically to increase the firmâ��s probability of strategic success..\r\nWe will look at efficacy of use of each of its components relative to the formulation and\r\nimplementation of strategy in a for-profit Small sized enterprise. coalesced with other\r\nmodeling techniques like Porterâ��s, Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats (SWOT),\r\nAnsoffâ��s strategic diagnosis with the Optimal Strategic Performance Position (OSPP) tool\r\ncan provide management with an enriched capability to evaluate the firmâ��s current and future\r\nperformance position providing both a descriptive plan as well as a prescriptive diagnosis....
With the great discrepancy in the literature as to which variables do in fact lead to success or\nfailure of small businesses there is no theory; the Lussier 15 variable business success versus\nfailure prediction model stands out in its accuracy that has been tested and validated already in\nthree very different parts of the world. This study further contributes by testing the model in\nIsrael with a sample of 205 small businesses - 101 failed and 104 successful. Results support\nthe model�s validity in Israel, reinforcing its global validity and moving toward a theory; while\ndemonstrating similarity of SMEs in Israel to those in other economies....
Resource allocation influences productivity or profitability of crop enterprises, particularly\namong smallholder agricultural systems, yet many empirical studies tend to ignore this fact.\nIn this paper, we use profit efficiency measurement as a proxy for comparative advantage to\ndecide the crop for specialization in the Ejura-Sekyedumase District in the Ashanti Region of\nGhana. Using farm level data from 199 respondents who cultivate maize and cowpea, we\nemploy the stochastic frontier function to measure and compare the profit efficiencies of\nfarmers cultivating the two crops. Results from the analysis showed that the profit efficiency\nof maize farmers ranges between 47% and 96.7% while that of cowpea farmers ranges\nbetween 50.3% and 100% with mean profit efficiencies of 89% and 95% for maize and\ncowpea respectively. The study further showed that education, farm size and on-farm labour\nparticipation were major significant factors which influences profit efficiency in the study\narea. Farmers in Ejura-Sekyedumase stand to gain improvements in household welfare if\navailable land and other scarce resources are allocated to cowpea agribusiness....
Systems that help to find answers to suitable experts have received the attention of many researchers. Pioneer researchers on the development of search system for experts emphasized the importance of a search system that required returning a list prioritizing the names of individuals. Among the issues raised related to locating experts are, the critical problem of maintaining up-to-date information in the expert database and the inadequacy in expert finding systems in returning search results that are expected to account for not only the list of the names of the experts, but any information related to the experts and those involved with them. In the last decade, researchers have examined the search for experts from various research perspectives such as expert tracking system and construction of expert profiles involving ontology. This paper aims to describe a new approach in designing a framework for the construction of ontology that will be used in the directory of ICT experts. The researchers propose to incorporate thesaurus in their construction of ontology on ICT experts by providing a profile of the experts including their social profile and whatever concerns that may be associated with the expert. The researchers constructed the ontology on ICT experts by extracting information from sources such as their resumes and personal web sites to obtain the index glossary of words that characterized experts to be used in the directory of experts system. In this study, the standards contained in the Performance Evaluation System of the National University of Malaysia are used to extract information on the academicians in the Faculty of Information Science and Technology. The researchers employed the index glossary, metadata of experts and integrate appropriate taxonomy, thesaurus and classification schemes; such as Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) taxonomy, web classification schemes such as Standard Industrial Classification (SIC), North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) to enrich the ontology of ICT expertise. The proposed framework aims at helping users find information on the expert they require and at the same time obtain other information related to the experts from various perspectives encompassing research, consultancy, links with research partners, other interest related to a particular field and other resources. With a semantically driven directory of ICT experts, matters related to ICT can be referred to the right experts. The framework will be validated by developing the directory of ICT experts prototype and by involving domain experts to evaluate the content of the ontology constructed. In addition, the researchers will evaluate the search results of users who will use the prototype to search for ICT experts....
Environmentally Responsible Manufacturing (ERM) is a proactive managerial approach encompassing\na company�s effort to integrate environmental practices into decision-making processes.\nThe ERM body of knowledge is very diverse and has been shaped by research in numerous interdisciplinary\nareas. In the formative years of the ERM paradigm, this diversity kept researchers\nfrom developing a thorough understanding of the status of research within the ERM field, and the\nmore recent proliferation of information has also contributed to a lack of understanding. One method\nof developing a mastery and familiarity with this body of knowledge is to develop a taxonomy\nwithin which the literature can be framed. This is the major objective of the paper. We examine\nthe literature to identify early major dimensions of the taxonomy and discuss how these dimensions\nhave evolved. The major contribution of this approach is that it helps researchers develop a\nfamiliarity with the major themes found in a body of knowledge spanning multiple decades. With\nsuch a familiarity, scholars can effectively build on and extend the current body of knowledge. For\nthe purposes of this paper, over 10,000 scholarly articles, governmental publications, web-based\npublications, and books and were examined....
The open innovation model often neglects the frictions that external knowledge flows could encounter\r\nwhen crossing organisational boundaries. This study recognises such barriers and investigates the\r\nimpact of these barriers on knowledge transfer effectiveness by using data on small new technologybased\r\nfirms (NTBFs) located in the emerging South African economy. The empirical results show that\r\nthe characteristics of inter-organisational knowledge exchange relationships (organisational and\r\ntechnological similarity and contact frequency) do have an impact on the effectiveness of knowledge\r\ntransfer. The findings stress the relevance of a relational approach, as factors derived from it act as\r\nbarriers to effective knowledge transfer for small firms....
This article combed the domestic and foreign researches on inventory investment since 1990. We\nfind that researches mainly focus on the macro level of the relationship between inventory investment\nand business cycle, the effects of inflation or interest rates on inventory adjustment.\nWhile in the micro enterprise level, they study the determiners of inventory investment, including\nfinancing constraints, size and location. Besides, the role of inventory investment behavior on\ncorporate performance has not yet reached a consensus. Based on the analysis of the existing literatures,\nwe put forward the possible directions for future research in the field of inventory investment,\ncombining with China�s specific conditions....
E-Learning as an advanced form of learning supported by various technological principles and tools became a point of interest of both academicians and practitioners several years ago. Current literature contains mostly successful stories of its utilization in the business environment highlighting processes and decisions which should be done and make. Rarely are mentioned negative experiences related processes and decision that should not be realized. Hence, it is difficult to fully and explicitly define related bottlenecks or pitfalls. The aim of this paper is to assemble particular fragments and provide readers with a summary of general barriers of e-Learning implementation in small and medium-sized organizations together with recommendations how these barriers can be overcome. Therefore, this position paper provides basic literature overview of conditions and barriers to successful e-Learning implementation in the business settings. The investigation of published case studies reveals that there are several barriers, which need to be taken into the consideration to support fruitful usage of e-Learning technologies in the workplace. Furthermore, suggestions of potential activities that may contribute to coping with these barriers are depicted....
Abstract� The� strategic� role� of� Information� and� \r\nCommunication\r\ncompanies.\r\nICT� solutions� to� support� their� processes� and� to� improve� \r\ntheir� products� and� services.� Because� of� SMEsâ��� scarce� \r\nresources� and� inadequate� ICT� competencies,� they� need� \r\nsupport\r\nLittle\r\nstrategies� of� ICT� suppliers� in� the� academic� and� \r\nprofessional� literature,� and� SMEs� find� it� difficult� to� \r\ndetermine� the� characteristics� of� available� ICT� suppliers� \r\nand� to� choose� the� supplier� that� best� responds� to� their� \r\nneeds� and� aims.� \r\n\r\n� \r\n\r\nThe\r\nthe� ICT� sales� channel� and� its� players� in� the� European� \r\nmarket.� A� classification� framework� is� proposed� and� \r\neleven\r\nis� based� on� a� case� study� methodology� that� included� 53� \r\nsemi-standardized� interviews� with� CEOs� (Chief� \r\nExecutive� Officers)� and� marketing� and� communications\r\nmanagers� at� leading� European� ICT� suppliers� coupled� \r\nwith� the� literature� review....
With the progress of the society, the High-tech SMEs play a more and more important role in the\ndevelopment and innovation of a country. However, the financing of the High-tech SMEs faces a serious\nmarket failure, and the government has to intervene. Based on this, this article analyzes the\nroot which leads to the market failure in the financing of High-tech SMEs from three aspects: serious\nuncertainty, information asymmetry and externality, and puts forward the concrete policy\nmeasures of government intervention and discusses the government failure that exists in the\nprocess of governmental intervention. Finally, on the basis of above analysis, this paper puts forward\nsome appropriate policy recommendations....
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