• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.759-766
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• 2021

In this digital age, all organizational environments force businesses to adopt Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) since these technologies have immense impact on such businesses' competitiveness and productivity. Nonetheless, the productivity and the competitiveness enjoyed by such firms vary depending on the size or the organizations, context of the country; developing or developed, and what kinds of technologies are adopted. This investigation focused on small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) of Eastern province of Sri Lanka where such studies are scanty. The adoption of social media (SM) by SMEs is inclined to change how organizations operate, this calls for an investigation of the elements that impact SMEs to adopt SM and such investigation. Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework was based to understand the factors. Research approach was quantitative approach using questionnaire survey. Data were collected using online form to see 285 valid responses. Structural Equation Modelling was deployed to evaluate the proposed model. Results revealed that Relative Advantage, Compatibility, Complexity, Observability, Competitive Intensity, Bandwagon Pressure, and Competitive Pressure were influencing, while Trialability, Top Management Support, CEO's Innovativeness did not show statistically significant influence on SMEs' social media adoption.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.39-55
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• 2022

Purpose - This study empirically examines the effect of the Korean government export promotion program (EPP) on small and medium-sized enterprise (SMEs) export performance using firm-level data. Unlike most previous studies that investigated some specific samples of firms, this study analyzes a vast amount of SME data of the Korean Small and Medium Business Administration over the period 2005 to 2008. Design/methodology - An endogeneity problem arises when a firm's probability of being selected is correlated with the likelihood of successfully implementing EPPs. To control for the endogeneity of the EPPs in a relatively short-period sample, we employ 2-Stage Residual Inclusion (2SRI) RE-Tobit and bivariate Tobit procedure. Findings - Analyses show that Korean government EPPs have positive significant effects on SME exports. Empirical results also show that SME export activities are significantly encouraged by R&D investment and capital intensity, but not obviously by labor productivity. Originality/value - This study provides evidence that SME capital intensity, R&D investment, and the number of workers are significant determinants to SME exporting activities, whereas per worker labor cost and employee education are not. These results imply that even for SMEs, firm size is a major factor in promoting exporting activities.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.81-89
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• 2013

Purpose - The market orientation of a manufacturer is a very critical competitive advantage factor in the development of new markets and the sustainability and maintenance of existing ones, achieved through the design of customer-oriented products. This is recognized as a virtuous circle, in which firms grow by means of promoting quality management. However, though market-oriented activities are important in management and operations, they seem to be promoted mainly by large-scale enterprises rather than by small- and medium-scale firms, the latter having invested relatively few company resources. Furthermore, few studies and analyses have examined how market orientation relates to the expansion of quality programs within organizations or with business performance; the market orientation and customer-orientation concepts are mixed together when both are used in research. Given the current market situation in which the servitization of manufacturing firms is rapidly expanding, this study's analysis of the effect on market orientation of manufacturers is a significant contribution. From this perspective, this study has several objectives. First, is to analyze and suggest the relationship between market orientation and quality management activity for manufacturers, focusing on three sub-activities: products, process, and quality management activities. Second, it is intended to identify correlation between manufacturers' market oriented activity and their management performance and then to analyze how market orientation affects business performance. The results of a number of prior studies on the correlation between market orientation and management performance have indicated that market orientation does affect management performance. Third, this study also investigates whether any differences in the relationship among market orientation, quality management activity and business performance occur according to company size. The results are used to present operational suggestions for large- and small- and medium-size firms. Research design, data, methodology - This study seeks to analyze and identify the causal features of the organic relationship among market orientation, quality management, and management performance for Korean manufacturing companies using three years (2005-2007) of market orientation, quality management, and business performance data. Subsequently, structural equation modeling was used to analyze the causal features of related factors and it aims to identify the features of market orientation, quality management, and business performance. Results - The analysis examined how market orientation affected the quality management and management performance of 159 smalland medium-size companies. In particular, enterprise quality management was analyzed in relation to management performance with a focus on activities such as leadership, measurement and improvement, quality control, cost management, and process management. Conclusions - The result of the analysis show that market orientation significantly affected all of the quality management activities and that market orientation in turn significantly affected organizational performance. The result of analysis indicate that quality management activities have a significant effect on quality control and cost management.

• Asia-Pacific Journal of Business
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.39-55
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• 2018

Exports play an important role in Korea's economy and industry. Korea's share in world trade is also increasing. Governments and trade organizations are making great efforts to promote exports. However, since SMEs lack resources of enterprises, SMEs have a lot of difficulties in increasing exports compared to large enterprises. For this reason, in this study, we analyzed the difference of perception of export difficulties according to characteristics of small and medium export companies. As a result, four factors such as overseas market information, price and cost, competitiveness and regulation of importing country were derived. In addition, we investigated the differences in recognition of export difficulties by the stage of growth of company, period of export, products exported, export department, size of company. There was a significant difference in recognition. Especially, The companies which are the early stages of growth, short export period, finished product, the smaller the size of exports companies are more difficult in export difficulties.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.68-75
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• 2011

The purpose of this paper is to suggest a supplier and buyer's pricing decision strategy model with discount-policy over a long-term replenishment contract in a supply chain environment by small and medium size manufacturing company. We assume that the buyer has a superior economic power over a supplier and each agent in a supply chain is unaware of each other. The supplier proposes pricing decision strategy to induce the buyer to choose the terms of contract for the benefit of the supplier. Then buyer decides the terms of contract to maximize her profit considering supplier's discount-policy. We also present a numerical example to illustrate the efficiency of pricing decision strategy.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.10
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• pp.959-968
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• 2020

Research underlined that Small and Medium Enterprises' performance is enhanced by different types of innovation capabilities. This research tends to present a comprehensive model to explain the relationship between innovation capabilities and SMEs' financial and operational performance. Specifically, this study tends to achieve three objectives: explores the set of product, process, organizational and marketing innovation capabilities possessed by owners/managers of SMEs and their impact on Chinese manufacturing SMEs' operational and financial performance dimensions, identify the determinants of innovation capabilities, and determine the contextual factors that moderate innovation capabilities and SMEs' performance. This research employed a qualitative research method using in-depth interviews with eight owners/managers of Chinese manufacturing SMEs. Research findings revealed that product and marketing innovation capabilities have a significant impact on SMEs' financial performance while process and organizational innovation capabilities positively influence SMEs' operational performance. The major determinants of innovation capabilities involved availability of sufficient organizational resources, entrepreneurial orientation, knowledge development and external networks. The contextual moderating factors on the relationship between innovation capabilities and SMEs' performance involved internal factors which are: SME size, SMEs' owner/manager work experience, entrepreneurial mindset; and external factors: market dynamism and cooperation strategies. This paper ends by drawing some concluding remarks and proposing future research avenues.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.123-133
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• 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the restaurant business adversely. The restaurant business is essential for Thailand's economy as it generates high income and a high employment rate. This study aimed to determine the relationships between restaurant businesses. Furthermore, it examined the problems encountered during COVID-19 and measures already implemented and planned. The research is intended to resolve these issues. We collected data from 136 people who worked in restaurants in Bangkok, Thailand, via telephone interviews. The data was analyzed by descriptive statistics and correspondence analysis using SPSS. The findings of this analysis indicate that all restaurants, irrespective of their size, face problems, though their planned and remedial actions are different. One finding was that medium restaurants face more financial problems and increased costs than others. They are countering this challenge through measures such as applying for loans and transitioning into a "non-restaurant" business. Nevertheless, typical medium restaurants have not engaged in extensive planning for the future. Based on a fact-finding survey, we considered appropriate short- and long-term measures suitable for micro, small and medium restaurants. In addition, our study's findings will help policymakers and practitioners identify strategies for responding to the COVID-19 outbreak and other future crises.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.9 no.9
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• pp.15-23
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• 2018

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of non-bank depository institutions (non-bank financial corporations) lending to firms. The paper aims to contribute to the existing literature by providing empirical evidence from firm-level data and unveiling factors related to access to non-bank financial corporations by firms. Research design, data, and methodology - We used the data on borrowing by firms from CRETOP from years 2008 to 2011. Using the manufacturing industry, we examined what firm-level characteristics explained the increase in borrowing from non-bank financial corporations rather than the banks. Results - Analyzing the firm-level data from 2008 to 2011, we found that firms were more likely to borrow from non-bank financial insti­tutions as the size of the firm increases, implying that large firms have more access to non-bank financing than small and medium-sized firms. In addition, it also showed that small and medium-sized firms moved to non-bank financial corporations for loans. Conclusion - Non-bank depository institutions are not a sub­stitute for bank lending to firms. More specifically, they replace bank lending to firms mostly for large firms rather than small and medium-sized firms. Also, collateral and other firm-level characteristics do not matter in accounting for non-bank lending to firms.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.143-151
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• 2023

Expanding exports of small and medium-sized companies is crucial for the continuous growth of the Korean economy. Therefore, the government operates various support systems to enhance the export capabilities of these companies. This study aims to analyze the impact of the Korean government's flagship export support system, known as the export initiation support system, on the performance of participating domestic companies. A fixed effect model using panel data was applied to examine the characteristics of 11,099 companies that participated in the export initiation support system from 2016 to 2019. The analysis revealed that the number of exporting countries, employees, and previous export volume had a significant impact on the export amount of participating companies. However, contrary to expectations, the number of overseas marketing participation and the GCL (global competence level) test did not show a significant impact. This study is significant as it provides implications for the development of support projects tailored to the specific needs of small and medium-sized companies, with the goal of improving the export support system.

• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.30-57
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• 2019

Purpose - This study analyzes the effect of internationalization represented as exporting on firm performance on the subject of SMEs operating in Masan Free Trade Zone which has shown poor performance recently despite its status as the oldest and largest free trade zone in Korea. We also analyze the effect of firm size on firm performance, and the moderating role of firm size in relation to internationalization and firm performance. Design/methodology - This study uses multiple regression models for unbalanced panel data as the empirical tools for the estimation of the effect that internationalization has on firm performance (ROA or ROS). Our sample consists of 91 manufacturing SMEs among all 110 companies located in Masan Free Trade Zone as of 2017. Findings - The degree of internationalization has a negative impact on firm performance. However, firm size turns out to have a positive effect and play a positive moderating role in the relation to internationalization and firm performance. This seems to be because most tenant companies operating in Masan Free Trade Zone are small firms whose costs of internationalization may exceed the benefits. Empirical results also show that longer CEO tenure has a greater negative effect on firm performance. Originality/value - The originality/value of this paper can be found in 3 aspects. First, we conducted an empirical analysis on the relationship between the internationalization and firm performance of SMEs in a specific region, namely, Masan Free Trade Zone. Second, while most previous studies focused on listed medium companies, most of the sample of this study are small and medium non-listed enterprises. Third, it is witnessed that firm size has a positive moderating effect on the relation between internationalization and firm performance.