Search results

This paper aims to investigate the moderating effect of political instability and regulatory obstacles on the relationship between corruption and export intensity in the context of Tunisian small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

This study uses data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES). The sample consists of 537 Tunisian SMEs. The partial least squares method was used to analyse the data.

The direct effect of corruption on export intensity was found to be non-significant. It was significantly negative when corruption was combined with regulatory obstacles, whereas it was positive when corruption coexisted with political instability. Additional analyses revealed that results were sensitive to firm size (small versus medium) and sector of activity (service versus manufacturing).

This paper has some limitations related to the use of secondary data. Enhanced variable measurements and more detailed data collection are recommended for future studies.

This paper is useful to researchers and policymakers who are interested in understanding the effects of a poor institutional environment on SME exports in developing countries.

This paper considers the impact of corruption on the export intensity of SMEs in the presence of political instability and regulatory obstacles in Tunisia. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the joint effect of these institutional variables on the exports of firms has not been examined in previous research.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a performance measurement and management system (PMMS) for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) based on an analysis of the connections between the firm’s business practices and financial results as reported in the financial statements.

Secondary data on the business practices and financial statements of 108 Canadian manufacturing SMEs were taken from a private database. Items from financial statements were used to measure the firm’s performance in specific areas such as sales and current assets management, while net profit was used to measure the overall performance. Information about the level of adoption of more than 120 business practices by the sampled firms was also used. Step-wise regression was then performed for two consecutive years to identify the business practices that had significantly influenced the items in the financial statements.

The findings show that an understanding of the business practice/financial statement connection can be useful in managing SME performance. The regression analyses provide rich and interesting results. They indicate that some practices influence performance quickly, while others have a deferred effect. In addition, some practices have impacts that are significant in specific areas of the organization but insignificant in terms of overall performance, while others affect the firm’s overall performance but not the specific area they are intended to improve.

The main limitation of the study is the non-probabilistic sample. However, the sampled SMEs vary widely in their characteristics, which should partially mitigate the negative impacts of a non-probabilistic sample.

The paper offers a useful and low-cost PMMS for SMEs, using information that is easily available to owner-managers. It shows that SME performance can be managed using a simple system built around the firm’s financial statements.

The study is one of the first to empirically test the connection between an extensive list of SME business practices and the financial results presented in the firms’ financial statements.

The aim of this study is to propose a performance measurement and management system (PMMS) for small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs), based on an analysis of the connections between these firms' business practices and performance measured by economic value added (EVA).

Secondary data from the PDG^® database was used on a sample of 108 Canadian manufacturing SMEs over two consecutive years. The primary statistical method used was regression analysis to investigate the influence of diverse business practices on EVA in these firms.

This paper shows that EVA can be a useful tool for performance management in SMEs, when used in conjunction with a list of business practices that affect the firm's results. The findings indicate that some business practices have a direct impact on EVA within one year, while others have a deferred influence. The impacts of other practices on EVA were found to be weak or insignificant, an aspect that requires further investigation.

The main limitation of this study is the lack of generalizability of the findings. However, the sampled SMEs vary widely in terms of their characteristics, which may mitigate the negative impacts of a non‐probabilistic sample.

This study offers a structured methodology to identify the paths leading to better performance in SMEs, through an improved understanding of their business practices' impacts on EVA.

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study that explores the linkage between SME business practices and EVA. When applied in conjunction with a set of business practices, EVA can help managers detect problems and identify sources of improvement.