Theory and practice in SME performance measurement systems

Abstract

Describes research undertaken to evaluate the appropriateness of strategic performance measurement (PM) system development processes for small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). An evaluation is undertaken of ten PM approaches found in the literature. To facilitate this evaluation a typology is presented which synthesises current theory. This evaluation resulted in the identification of a process, based on its congruency to the theoretical model, which is used for an empirical investigation. Empirical data from SMEs is collected and analysed using the typology. This indicates a discontinuity between current theory and the requirements of practitioners in small companies. The paper concludes with a number of recommendations to facilitate the development of appropriate PM processes for SMEs.

Lärande samspel för effektivitet: En studie av arbetsgrupper i ett mindre industriföretag

“…Istället tenderar forskningen att fokusera SME:s sampel med sin omgivning. Hudson med flera utvärderade ett antal system för verksamhetsstyrning i SME-företag i en fallstudie (Hudson et al, 2001). De kom fram till att de olika ledningsverktygen för att mäta prestation bygger på teoretiska modeller grundade i större företag och är därmed inte anpassade för SME.…”

Service Productivity: What Stops Service Firms from Measuring It?

“…Although we can only offer a preliminary explanation as to why smaller service firms are less likely to measure their productivity, the reasons may emerge from extant literature. That is, smaller firms differ from larger firms on several key characteristics, such as their personalized management, limited devolution of authority, resource limitations, flat and flexible structures, and suffer from a firefighting mentality (e.g., Gélinas & Bigras, 2004;Hudson, Smart, & Bourne, 2001;Pullen et al, 2009). However, they are also exposed to institutional pressures to a smaller extent.…”

An exploration of the extent to which project management tools and techniques can be applied across creative industries through a study of their application in the fashion industry in the North East of Scotland

“…something which is considered effective in project management, (Hudson et al, 2001). Similarly, in terms of measuring costs and benefits, respondents felt that the success criteria were not simple and one dimensional, indicating a trend towards intangible and less measureable success criteria, such as the delivery of cultural and reputational values and improvements in the perceived quality of products and services; which are much harder to measure in project management terms.…”