Search

Purpose: This qualitative multiple-case study aims to explore strategies that owners of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Zimbabwe use to sustain their businesses. Design/methodology/approach: The participants of this study consisted of owners of SMEs purposefully selected who were successful in implementing sustainable strategies for over five years. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with each participant to gain a deeper understanding of their experience in implementing sustainable strategies for SMEs. The general systems theory, which specifies the relationship and interaction of a system and its environment, was applied as a framework to explain the sustainability strategies for SMEs in Zimbabwe. Findings: Four major themes emerged from data analysis: passion and dedication, quality of products and services, customer satisfaction and employing staff with the right skills. Practical implications: This study may lead owners of SMEs to create growth strategies for their businesses, increase revenue for the country and create long-term job opportunities for the communities. Originality/value: The findings from the study addressed the gap on the existing literature and contribute to the body of knowledge on effective business practices, particularly for SMEs in Zimbabwe and other developing economies. The results of the study could catalyze a positive social change by improving workforce capabilities, creating awareness of the success of entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe and increasing the interest of financial institutions in lending to SMEs.

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative, multiple-case study was to explore the successful strategies that managers of light and high-tech small and medium-sized manufacturing companies in the Netherlands, use to adopt additive manufacturing (AM) technology into their business models. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative, multiple-case study approach was used. The participants for this study consisted of executive-level managers of light and high-tech manufacturing companies in the Netherlands. Company documents were studied, and individual interviews were undertaken with participants to gain an understanding of the strategies they used to adopt AM technology into their business models. Findings: Three significant themes emerged from the data analysis: identify business opportunities for AM technology, experiment with AM technology and embed AM technology. Research limitations/implications: The findings of this study could be of advantage to industry leaders and manufacturing managers who are contemplating to adopt AM in their business models. Originality/value: This study may contribute to the further proliferation of AM technology. Industry leaders may also gain a clearer understanding of the effects of 3DP on local employment. The results of the study may also work as a catalyst for increased awareness for manufacturing firm leaders who have not yet considered the opportunities and threats AM technology presents to their organizations.

AbstractFamilies own two-thirds of the world’s private businesses. It is an organizational model that has succeeded in various sizes, both small and large publicly listed companies. This study aims to explore the developments in sustainability reporting for family firms. The current study employs bibliometric analysis to examine family firms’ sustainability literature’s conceptual structure and influential aspects. Our study recruited 131 research documents from 2004 to 2021 based on our inclusion criteria. The findings from the conceptual analysis, the co-occurrence network of keywords analysis yields three clusters: CSR disclosures and corporate governance in family firms of emerging economics (red cluster), while red and green clusters focus on environmental performance, earnings management, and corporate governance in family firms. Our study has also highlighted the influential aspects of sustainability in family firms’ literature. Our findings have significant implications for researchers and policymakers. Our findings could be helpful to both family businesses and sustainability researchers. The study contributes to the business literature by illuminating the new research directions in sustainability reporting by family firms using bibliometric techniques.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore innovation strategies that managers of small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) used to implement innovation in their organizations to meet performance goals. Design/methodology/approach: The participants in this multiple case study research comprised randomly selected managers from SMEs operating in Dubai, United Arab Emirates with specialist expertise in successfully implementing innovation in their organizations. Individual interviews were undertaken with participants to gain both an insight and understanding regarding which innovation strategies are best suited to improve performance goal outcomes. A further analysis of workplace internal documents, policies, procedures, SMEs’ websites, review websites and press releases afforded additional insights related to the application of innovative workplace practices which supported productivity improvements in relation to performance goal outcomes. Findings: The findings of this study identified that the role of the top management in cultivating an innovative culture, the identification of ideas as the starting point for innovation and the recognition of customers as resources for the company. Practical implications: Implementing the findings from this study may support job creation, economy protection in downturns and contribution to economic growth, since thriving SMEs have a positive impact on community development through the generation of the employment. Furthermore, the results of this study can help in creating an increase in improving the productivity of Dubai SMEs in Dubai’s GDP, improvement in investment opportunities; better working conditions for employees and possibilities for expanding the operations of Dubai SMEs globally. Originality/value: This study is of value because its findings may contribute to local and global economic growth. Exploring successful innovation implementation strategies in SMEs can result in useful guidelines that SME managers can use to reach the performance goals of their SMEs. Since governmental policies are critical to improving business performance, the Government of Dubai may benefit from this study by addressing key success factors for SMEs through policies and regulations. This study has particular value given the lack of studies that address the issue of innovation implementation in SMEs, especially for SMEs in emerging economies.

Purpose: Employee turnover expenses can cost businesses more than 100 per cent of a single employee’s annual wages and negatively affection an organization’s production and profits. High employee turnover also could affect community tax collections, social programs and physical and mental health issues. Therefore, understanding contributors to higher employee turnover remains essential for organizational managers from both a corporate and societal standpoint. This paper aims to provide an analysis of how job satisfaction and job embeddedness could predict employee turnover intent. Design/methodology/approach: A randomly selected survey which consisted of Andrews and Withey’s (1976) job satisfaction questionnaire, a global job embeddedness scale (Crossley et al., 2007) and a three-item turnover intent questionnaire derived from a survey created by Mobley et al.(1978) using a Likert-type measurement to survey randomly selected individuals used within manufacturing plants located in the Southeastern USA. Findings: The results of the multiple regression analysis showed a significant relationship between job satisfaction, job embeddedness and turnover intent; and that satisfied and committed employees are less likely to plan to leave their employment. Originality/value: Limited current information is available on how job satisfaction and job embeddedness predict turnover intentions in US Southeast manufacturing. This study includes information that shows the importance of job satisfaction and job embeddedness on retaining employees in this region and industry. Given the importance of employee retention on corporate productivity, morale and profits along with the ability to improve the organization’s positive contribution to society, it is important for managers to understand these factors and their effect on employee turnover intent.

Purpose: The purpose of this (qualitative, multiple-case) study is to determine how small-to medium-sized enterprise (SME) leaders in Nigeria use information and communication technology (ICT) adoption as a business strategy to increase profitability and compete globally. Design/methodology/approach: The participants for this study consisted of executive-level SME leaders who had the authority to approve ICT implementation within their respective organizations. Individual interviews were undertaken with participants to gain an understanding of their experience of determining the merits of and implementing ICT. The technology acceptance model, which specifies the relationship between perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitude toward computer use and intention to use technology, was applied as a framework to explain the Nigerian SME’s ICT adoption strategies. Findings: Four major themes emerged from the data analysis: ICT adoption factors, ICT roles and benefits, role of government and SME success factors. The findings of this study may help SME leaders and government leaders address many of the factors inhibiting the adoption of ICT in SMEs in Nigeria. Practical implications: This study may ensure that SMEs are successful and able to create jobs, which in turn may help to promote socioeconomic development through adoption of ICT. Originality/value: The findings from this study contribute to the knowledge base regarding factors that affect ICT adoption by SME leaders as a business strategy to increase profitability and compete globally, particularly within SMEs in Lagos, Nigeria. It further addressed the gap in existing literature regarding other factors such as the influence of culture on ICT adoption, cost of ICT implementation, available ICT skills, infrastructure and ICT knowledge gap as the primary impeding factors of ICT adoption in Nigerian SMEs.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore human capital (HC) productivity strategies used by the tourism, hospitality, and leisure (THL) industry business leaders in Nigeria which improved the employee productivity. Design/methodology/approach: The participants in this research study comprised randomly selected Southern Nigerian business leaders with specialist expertise in the THL industry. Individual interviews were undertaken with participants to gain both an insight and understanding regarding which strategies are best suited to improve employee productivity. A further analysis of workplace policies and procedures provided additional insights related to the application of such workplace practices toward productivity improvements. Findings: The findings of this study identified that recruiting persons with essential social capital, inducting them into high ethical standards, providing in-house training, motivating employees with reward and recognition, and the adoption of affordable technologies are key industry strategies to build a productive employee workforce. Practical implications: Implementing the findings from this study may help develop a new type of THL professionals, especially in the hotel and restaurant sub-sectors that will enhance the attractiveness of the THL industry and encourage patronage. The opportunity to interact with new people in THL businesses and locations may promote social interaction and integration that are invaluable to an ethnically and religiously diverse country such as Nigeria. These benefits are valuable and are essential positive social changes. Originality/value: A structured HCD program might deliver a net benefit to the industry. To the employees, there may be improved remuneration, increased self-esteem, and job security. To the industry, there may be a reduction in employee turnover, improvement in productivity, improved attraction of graduates, and reduced engagement of illegal workers. The government could also experience increased gross domestic product.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to incorporate factors that characterize the agricultural activity as productivity indices to compute the agricultural competitiveness of regions in order to rank the regions, and compare the results with those obtained by applying other commonly used social and economic indicators. Design/methodology/approach: The authors identify regional factors related to the use of water, soil, production, revenues, and rural population, which conform a total of six productivity indices, that the authors then employ to calculate the regional agricultural competitiveness index. Findings: The agricultural-related indices are informative in supporting the regional ranking related to resources and technology utilization. The results reveal that the coastal regions are the most competitive when compared to the regions located in the highlands and the jungle. Nevertheless, in contrast with other existing competitiveness rankings, the present study identifies the regions with the greatest potential for agriculture. Research limitations/implications: The authors identify the regions which have a higher potential of development considering the natural resources and agricultural production. The authors hope that this paper can assist regional and national policymakers in their endeavor to improve regional and national competitiveness. Practical implications: The authors identify the regions with a higher potential of development considering natural resources and agricultural production and the possibilities to improve their competitiveness. Social implications: The study also bears social implications, given that the rural activities in Peru are carried out by approx. 7 million inhabitants, whose contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) is as much as 7 percent, making use of about 94 percent of the available water. Originality/value: The originality of the present paper resides in the attempt to compute a regional competitiveness index by taking agricultural resources as determinant factors. The authors rank the regions based on their agricultural competitiveness.