• Title/Summary/Keyword: Korea SMEs

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Exports of SMEs against Risk? Theory and Evidence from Foreign Exchange Risk Insurance Schemes in Korea

  • Lee, Seo-Young
    • Journal of Korea Trade
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    • v.23 no.5
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    • pp.87-101
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    • 2019
  • Purpose - This paper examines the effectiveness of the foreign exchange risk insurance system in the promotion of SME exports in Korea. The purpose of this study is to analyze the short-term and long-term responses of SME exports to foreign exchange risk insurance support policies. Based on these empirical studies, we would like to present some operational improvements to the operation of the foreign exchange risk insurance system. Design/methodology - In order to analyze the effect of exchange risk insurance on the exports of SMEs, a VAR model consisting of foreign exchange risk insurance underwriting values, export relative price, and domestic demand pressure, including export volume, was established. The study began with tests of the stationarity of time series data. The unit root tests showed that all concerned variables were non-stationary. Accordingly, the results of the cointegration test showed that the tested variables are not cointegrated. Finally, an impulse response function and variance decomposition analysis were conducted to analyze the impulse of foreign exchange risk insurance on exports of SMEs. Findings - As a result of estimating the VAR (1) model, foreign exchange risk insurance was found to be significant at a 1% significance level for SME' export promotion. In the impulse response analysis, SMEs' export response to the impulse of foreign exchange risk insurance showed that exports gradually increased until the third quarter, and then slowed down. However, the impulse did not disappear, and appeared continuously. Originality/value - This study analyzed the effect of foreign exchange insurance on exports of SMEs by applying the VAR model. In particular, this study is the first to analyze the short-term and long-term effects of foreign exchange risk insurance on exports of SMEs. The empirical evidence in the current study have a policy implication for the policy authority to support and promote the foreign exchange risk insurance in the effect of exchange rate volatility on Korea' export SMEs.

Entrepreneurial Orientation, Access to Financial Resources and SMEs' Business Performance: The Case of the United Arab Emirates

  • ZARROUK, Hajer;SHERIF, Mohamed;GALLOWAY, Laura;EL GHAK, Teheni
    • The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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    • v.7 no.12
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    • pp.465-474
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    • 2020
  • This study investigates how financial resources and entrepreneurial orientation (EO) may influence the performance of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Twenty-seven interviews were conducted and evaluated using the method of GABEK® (A GAnzheitliche BEwältigung von Komplexität - holistic processing of complexity). The research demonstrated that access to financial resources has significantly mediated EO's effect on the SMEs' performance. The study found that financial autonomy, enhanced through both personal financing and availability of external finance sources, plays a central role in supporting the EO dimension of autonomy and enhancing the SMEs' performance. In particular, the other EO dimension of risk-taking is stymied by lack of funds with which to take commercial and market opportunities. However, when an innovation strategy is pursued and adopted, access to finance can be facilitated, either through financial institutions or through other governmental funding programs attracting high potential innovators. Furthermore, financial barriers, difficulties accessing bank financing, and legal issues have a detrimental impact on SMEs' growth. The study has implications for policy-makers in the UAE, specifically in terms of sending a signal for lending institutions to consider strategies that provide access to affordable financial services to satisfy SMEs' needs.

The Strategy of Korean Firms' FDI into European Union (한국기업의 대EU 직접투자전략)

  • Bang, Ho-Yeol
    • International Commerce and Information Review
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    • v.11 no.4
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    • pp.77-109
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    • 2009
  • The purpose of this study is to review the current trend of FDIs by Korean companies into EU, and to present the optimal strategies for them to combine their firm-specific factors and FDI attractiveness of the regions in EU. The companies are divided into two categories, SMEs and large enterprises. The regions of EU are composed of 15 incumbent members before the fifth enlargement in 2004 and 12 new members. Large Korean companies tend to make large investments in 15 incumbent members with stable and mature markets. Korean SMEs, by contrast, mainly invest on small scales in the new members due to the lack of their available inner resources and knowledge for the markets. The main objects of the investments in EU by the large Korean companies are to gain more market share and to acquire the advanced technologies. Although such goals are also important for the SMEs, the most important objects for the investments by Korean SMEs in EU are usually to enter EU markets and to take advantage of the relatively cheap labor forces for the efficient operations. The effects of such passive strategies by the SMEs, however, are expected to extinct because the cost advantages in regions of the new EU members will not last in the long term, so the SMEs must take longer views for the choice of locations. Many empirical results suggest that the optimal FDI strategies for the Korean companies in EU could be worked mainly by more aggressive localization policy of companies and by the cooperations of SMEs and large enterprises for the reduction in costs of foreignness.

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External Open Innovation Strategy and Innovation Outcome in SMEs (중소기업의 개방형 탐색 전략과 혁신활동)

  • Yang, Ji Yeon;Roh, Tae Woo
    • Knowledge Management Research
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    • v.16 no.4
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    • pp.1-16
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    • 2015
  • This paper aims to explore the small and medium sized enterprises'(SMEs') technological innovation through an open innovative strategy. Researchers have identified open innovation as external search 'breadth' and 'depth'. Although an open innovation strategy is well known as an effective way for SMEs' innovation, this stream of research examines differences between pursuing breadth of external knowledge and depth of external knowledge for SEMs' innovation. The sample comprises a total of 1106 SMEs included in the Korean Innovation Survey, and logistic regression analysis and odds ratio comparison were used to evaluate the relationship between external knowledge search and innovation outcomes. The results show that both 'breadth' and 'depth' positively affect the SMEs' innovation. When SMEs are simultaneously pursuing external searching for breadth and depth, however, a negative result on innovation outcome followed because of the lack of their internal resources and capacities. Despite these contributions, we have certain limitations that can be regarded as means of future research. Even though breadth and depth are adopted to measure the way of how a firm sources the external knowledge, companies may place the different weight on each source of knowledge. And also, it is difficult to understand how the knowledge gained through external search contributes to a firm's incremental and radical innovation, respectively.

Challenges Facing Internationalization of SMEs in Emerging Economies: A Study on OECD Model

  • SANYAL, Shouvik;HISAM, Mohammed Wamique;BAAWAIN, Ali Mohsin Salim
    • The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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    • v.7 no.2
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    • pp.281-289
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    • 2020
  • This research analyses the challenges facing SMEs in Oman in their quest for internationalization. The study is based on the OECD Model of Internationalization put forward in the report titled "How to Foster the Internationalization of SMEs through the Pacific Alliance Integration Process" which focuses on four factors namely finance, business environment, firm capabilities and market access, which are appropriate for an emerging economy like Oman. This study used a descriptive and quantitative research design in attempting to analyze the challenges being faced by Omani SMEs in their endeavors to internationalize. The research investigates causal relationship between variables using positivist and deductive approach. Data collected from 102 respondents was analysed by Structural Equation Modeling(SEM) using AMOS. It was found that finance availability was the most significant predictor of internationalization challenges followed by market access and business environment, while firm capabilities had no impact. Thus SMEs need easier access to credit and have to develop their international business networks and their marketing capabilities in order to grow internationally. Keeping in mind the contribution made by SMEs the government has to intervene by opening up easy lines of credit to SME exporters and allowing them relaxations in customs and other duties.

Data-based Method of Selecting Excellent SMEs for Governmental Funding Policy: Focused on Fishery Industry in Korea (데이터 기반 정책지원 대상 우수 중소기업 발굴 방법론 연구 : 국내 수산산업을 대상으로)

  • Hwang, Soon-Wook;Chun, Dong-Phil
    • The Journal of Fisheries Business Administration
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    • v.49 no.4
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    • pp.1-17
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    • 2018
  • The Korean fisheries industry is a traditional business, the majority of which are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It has played an important role in the South Korean economies in the past several decades, but it currently faces the limitations of growth potential and profitability due to declining workforce, aging populations, deteriorating fishery environments, climate changes, and rapid changes in the global industrial ecosystem. Many studies have suggested solutions for the fisheries industry in macro perspective, but there are rarely any studies taking the strategic approaches for the problem. If it is possible for governments to support the companies that are likely to increase their value-added selectively, it will break through the current situation more effectively. This paper introduces a study on the selection method utilizing data envelopment analysis (DEA) to find SMEs with potentials to increase profits and growth. We suggest selecting SMEs with high management efficiency and ability to utilize intangible assets as the target companies. We also suggest policy objectives for SMEs in the domestic fisheries industry based on the results of DEA analysis and propose a data-based method for the policy decisions.

An Exploratory Case Study on RPA Introduction for Manufacturing SMEs (중소·중견 제조기업 RPA 도입을 위한 사례 탐색 연구)

  • Kang, Young Sik;Shim, Seon Young
    • The Journal of Information Systems
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    • v.31 no.1
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    • pp.25-58
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    • 2022
  • Purpose The purpose of this study is to analyzes the RPA fitting processes by the casese of manufacturing SMEs(Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) in an exploraty approach. Based on the findings on the RPA fitting processes, we intend to provide a cornerstone for developing a general-purpose RPA introduction model in the future. Design/methodology/approach In this study, empirical cases of RPA fitting processes were analyzed based on interviews with project managers of specialized IT suppliers in charge of RPA development and managers of IT departments of manufacturing SMEs that actually introduced RPA. In order to explore various RPA fitting process in the manufacturing value chain, a total of 7 manufacturing SMEs were interviewed, ranging from companies using a legacy system to companies without a legacy system. Over the primary and secondary activity processes, the details of RPA processes were analyzed in the steps of 'Frequency Identification, Input Processing, Source Identification, Inquiry and Processing, Information Registration, Result Reporting'. Findings From the analysis, we derived some exploratory results that the processes over 0.25 FTE and related with many suppliers and clients are fitting for RPA introduction in manufacturing SMEs Our results will provide basic data for the development of the future general-purpose RPA introduction model for manufacturing SMEs, providing practical reference for RPA introduction.

The Role of Local Government in Improving Resilience and Performance of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Indonesia

  • TANEO, Stefanus Yufra M.;NOYA, Sunday;MELANY, Melany;SETIYATI, Etsa Astridya
    • The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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    • v.9 no.3
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    • pp.245-256
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    • 2022
  • During the COVID-19 pandemic, several studies focused on financial programs and SMEs' performance, but research on the relationship between non-financial programs, resilience, and SMEs' performance is still sparse. This study fills the gap by analyzing the role of local government in increasing SME resilience and performance by purchasing products (through civil servants) from SMEs and by facilitating online training to SMEs. This study also investigates the role of the local government in strengthening the relationship between resilience and SME performance. Data was collected using an online questionnaire distributed to SMEs in Malang Regency. As many as 410 questionnaires were received and eligible for statistical analysis using WarpPLS. The results show that resilience is positively and significantly related to the performance of SMEs. The local government programs have been proven to improve SME performance directly and indirectly through resilience. Local government programs are not proven to strengthen the relationship between resilience and the performance of SMEs, indicating that the role of government in developing countries such as Indonesia is more appropriate to be "rowing rather than steering" not "steering rather than rowing".

Influence of Individual Entrepreneurial Orientation on the Performance of Small and Medium Enterprises in Malaysia

  • KOE, Wei-Loon;RONI, Mastura;CHIN, Tee Suan
    • The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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    • v.9 no.5
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    • pp.325-333
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    • 2022
  • This study examined the influence of three elements of individual entrepreneurial orientation (IEO), namely innovativeness, risk-taking, and proactiveness on the performance of small and medium enterprises (SMEs). It is worth noting that SMEs have experienced low productivity, low profit, and low performance during the COVID-19 pandemic era. Although several studies have shown that entrepreneurial orientation (EO) is a key factor of company performance, few have focused on IEO. This study employed a quantitative research design because all variables were measurable. It used a questionnaire to survey 384 SMEs in the service sector and employed structural equation modeling (SEM) in data analysis. The findings suggested that SMEs' performance was influenced by risk-taking and proactiveness. This could be related to the fact that SMEs have a less formal structure, allowing owner-managers to take risks and make quick decisions. Furthermore, high performance was ensured by being very sensitive to market trends and changes in the business environment. Innovativeness was not a significant factor in influencing the performance of SMEs. Perhaps it was rather difficult for SME owner-managers to be innovative due to the lack of various resources. This study successfully re-confirmed the effect of IEO on business performance and highlighted the importance of risk-taking and proactiveness in improving the performance of SMEs.