"This book provides a comprehensive collection of research on current technological developments and organizational perspectives on the scale of small and medium enterprises"--Provided by publisher.

Due to the vital importance of SMEs in developed economies worldwide, this book aims to provide a unique and much-needed investigation into the underlying mechanisms and practices of management within these companies by collecting a wide range of original conceptual and empirical research in the topical area of management in SMEs and new ventures. Collecting work from dozens of leading scholars in fields ranging from management and entrepeneurship to human resource management and strategy, this book aims to supply readers with an overview of the field of research in management of SMEs and new ventures as well as in depth knowledge on a variety of related topics. The essays collected here are focused and practical, offering a variety of explicit and pragmatic recommendations for action and developing new tools and strategies useful to scholars and students as well as practitioners working in the field of SME and new venture management and consulting.

Smaller companies are abundant in the business realm and outnumber large companies by a wide margin. Understanding the inner workings of small businesses offers benefits to the consumers and the economy. The Handbook of Research on Small and Medium Enterprises in Developing Countries is an essential handbook for the latest research on the intentions, performance, and application models of independent firms. Featuring exhaustive coverage on a broad range of topics such as green IT, entrepreneurial ventures, and social capital, this publication is ideally designed for researchers, academicians, and practitioners seeking current research on the different opportunities and challenges in relation to this specific sector of business around the globe.

The managed flow of goods and information from raw material to final sale also known as a "supply chain" affects everythingâ€"from the U.S. gross domestic product to where you can buy your jeans. The nature of a company's supply chain has a significant effect on its success or failureâ€"as in the success of Dell Computer's make-to-order system and the failure of General Motor's vertical integration during the 1998 United Auto Workers strike. Supply Chain Integration looks at this crucial component of business at a time when product design, manufacture, and delivery are changing radically and globally. This book explores the benefits of continuously improving the relationship between the firm, its suppliers, and its customers to ensure the highest added value. This book identifies the state-of-the-art developments that contribute to the success of vertical tiers of suppliers and relates these developments to the capabilities that small and medium-sized manufacturers must have to be viable participants in this system. Strategies for attaining these capabilities through manufacturing extension centers and other technical assistance providers at the national, state, and local level are suggested. This book identifies action steps for small and medium-sized manufacturersâ€"the "seed corn" of business start-up and developmentâ€"to improve supply chain management. The book examines supply chain models from consultant firms, universities, manufacturers, and associations. Topics include the roles of suppliers and other supply chain participants, the rise of outsourcing, the importance of information management, the natural tension between buyer and seller, sources of assistance to small and medium-sized firms, and a host of other issues. Supply Chain Integration will be of interest to industry policymakers, economists, researchers, business leaders, and forward-thinking executives.

This paper describes a new cross-country database on the importance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). This database is unique in that it presents consistent and comparable information on the contribution of the SME sector to total employment and GDP across different countries. The dataset improves on existing publicly available datasets on several grounds. First, it extends coverage to a broader set of developing and industrial economies. Second, it provides information on the contribution of the SME sector using a uniform definition of SMEs across different countries, allowing for consistent cross-country comparisons. Third, while we follow the traditional definition of the SME sector as being part of the formal sector, the new database also includes the size of the SME sector relative to the informal sector. This paper describes the sources and the construction of the different indicators, presents descriptive statistics, and explores correlations with other socioeconomic variables. This paper--a product of Finance, Development Research Group--is part of a larger effort in the group to study SME-related issues.

Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) have emerged as a highly vibrant and dynamic sector of the Indian economy over the years. MSMEs not only play a crucial role in providing large employment opportunities, at comparatively lower capital cost than large industries, but also help in the industrialization of rural and backward areas, thereby reducing regional imbalances and assuring more equitable distribution of national income and wealth. MSMEs are complementary to large industries as ancillary units and contribute enormously to the socio-economic development of India. The sector is significant to the manufacturing output, employment, and exports of the country. However, MSMEs face a number of problems which have resulted in their retarded growth. Inadequate working capital, a shortage of trained personnel, and obsolete technology are the major barriers to the growth of MSMEs in India. This present volume provides an exhaustive analytical account of the functioning of MSMEs in India. It discusses their role in the country's economy, policies, and programs of the government to promote them, and the problems faced by them in the context of globalization and liberalization of world economies.

Focusing on the broader areas of Industry 4.0 as it applies to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), this book offers a smooth adoption of techniques and technologies and presents advances, challenges, and opportunities for implementation. It will also enhance the role of academia by training new engineers on Industry 4.0 and digital transformation. Industry 4.0 in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): Opportunities, Challenges, and Solutions presents concepts of predictive maintenance, digital factory, digital twin, additive manufacturing, and machining for sustainable development. It discusses the challenges faced by adopting Industry 4.0 including new security and privacy measures in the whole smart manufacturing setup while also explaining the impact of Industry 4.0 on Lean production systems. Implementation recommendations in the form of case studies, research studies, and the role academia can play are also provided. Practitioners, research scholars, academicians, and those studying or working in the Industry 4.0 sector will find this book of interest.