How Do German SMEs Cope with the Increasing Need for Flexibility?

Roitzsch, Katharina; Hacker, Winfried; Pietrzyk, Ulrike; Debitz, Uwe

doi:10.1155/2012/569076

Cited by 4 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 3 publications

(1 reference statement)

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“…Therefore, it appears that companies have implemented digitalization and change surprisingly well. Rural microenterprises may benefit from their characteristics of being more reactive than proactive (McElwee and Smith, 2014) and more flexible than bigger organizations (Roitzsch et al, 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Microenterprises are usually more flexible than larger organizations. Roitzsch et al (2012) stated that microenterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can use this flexibility to cope with change. Entrepreneurs adapt to sudden change through improvisation (Duxbury, 2014).…”

Section: Rural Microenterprises and Digitalizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Start-ups, which do not have long histories or well-established ways of doing things, may improvise more easily than older companies. Roitzsch et al (2012) suggested that the flexibility of microenterprises and SMEs can be enhanced by self-set goals. They also introduced the idea that management in small and microenterprises often consists of workers who are skilled but lack management training.…”

Section: Rural Microenterprises and Digitalizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Microenterprises are important to the national economy of Europe. For example, 99.5% of companies in Germany are microenterprises, and these microenterprises are important to Germany's economic stability (Roitzsch et al, 2012). Similarly, 93% of companies in Finland are microenterprises, and only 0.2% are large enterprises (Yrittäjät, 2018).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Adoption of digital innovations in rural enterprises during COVID-19

Räisänen¹,

Tuovinen²

2021

The Rural Enterprise Economy

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The COVID-19 pandemic has rapidly affected the operating conditions of companies. Traditional customers and operational models are changing radically in the short term. Digitalization and digital methods provide an opportunity to reorganize working methods and create a new kind of business to replace old methods and business models. Compared to urban businesses, rural businesses have less experience with digital tools and are less likely to adopt digital innovations; this makes rural businesses especially vulnerable. The purpose of this study was to provide insight into how microenterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises in rural areas have addressed the COVID-19 pandemic, the digital solutions they have adopted, and the kinds of challenges they have faced. This study particularly emphasized microenterprises and was based on survey data collected in Finland in the spring of 2020.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Rural Microenterprises and Digitalizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Rural Microenterprises and Digitalizationmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Adoption of digital innovations in rural enterprises during COVID-19

Räisänen¹,

Tuovinen²

2021

The Rural Enterprise Economy

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“…[114] identified at least 50 different definitions of flexibility as of the multitude of facets provided by [49] and [35]. However, consolidation of these ideas firmly points to the importance of flexibility as a 'tool' or prerequisite to effectively respond to changing market needs [13,18,44] and how it enhances performance [32,58,104]. Strategic flexibility has been viewed by various scholars namely [60,66,101] as a crucial factor for global companies in order to compete and survive in an open market, which is also a similar requirement and challenge for Malaysian manufacturers.…”

Section: Strategic Flexibility As a Strategymentioning

confidence: 99%

Mediating Impact of Manufacturing Technology, Lean and Strategic Flexibility on Manufacturing Performance

Ismail

Razak

Lazim

2015

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In respect of Malaysian lean manufacturer; there has been insufficient research on what are the winning formulae to overcome the mounting challenges from the business environment. In this study, three identified strategies i.e lean, manufacturing technology and strategic flexibility, that could positively improve manufacturing performances, are investigated in depth. The research approach used was quantitative with data analyzed using SmartPLS. Results from this study also emphasize several interesting quasi - paradoxical relationships which implied that Malaysian lean manufacturers prefer a cautious approach towards manufacturing technology implementation, preferring to incorporate technology in a more stable business environment and view strategic flexibility as unfavorable toward performance improvement. In conclusion, this study manages to produce a strong predictive strategy-performance model, which explains the mediation impact of manufacturing strategies on external environmental factors and manufacturing performance.

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Manufacturing Technology, Lean and Strategic Flexibily the Silver Bullet for Malaysia Lean Manufacturers

2015

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The purpose of this paper is to conceptually propose the elements that constitute an ideal manufacturing strategy framework needed by Malaysian manufacturing sector. Malaysian manufacturing sector has so far underwent various challenges and exhibited fluctuating performance as reaction to these challenges. This paper is the product of an extensive literature review done on previous researches on the subject of manufacturing strategy and performance. In this review, the subject matter was comprehensively studied, and thoroughly discussed from the strategic perspective of Malaysian manufacturing sector. This paper manages to provide a fundamental framework, for expert in the area of manufacturing strategy and performance, emphasising on the complementary effect of multiple strategies on performance. The subject approach is relatively new in Malaysia, however based on previous studies and the critical impact of manufacturing towards the economic health of Malaysia, the sector is in dire need of suitable and favourable manufacturing strategy in order to continue to compete globally. Malaysian manufacturing sector is still lacking of a strategic approach on its national manufacturing direction and guideline, to serve as the launching pad for the sector's sustainable growth. This paper not only ventures into a new perspective of strategy-performance research, but it also explores the possibility of studying different complementing strategies impact on the performance of manufacturers.

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How Do German SMEs Cope with the Increasing Need for Flexibility?

Cited by 4 publications

References 3 publications

Adoption of digital innovations in rural enterprises during COVID-19

Adoption of digital innovations in rural enterprises during COVID-19

Mediating Impact of Manufacturing Technology, Lean and Strategic Flexibility on Manufacturing Performance

Manufacturing Technology, Lean and Strategic Flexibily the Silver Bullet for Malaysia Lean Manufacturers

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