• Journal of Distribution Science
• /
• v.20 no.12
• /
• pp.71-79
• /
• 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to apply factors of successful online marketing strategy for food distribution SMEs and the effects of these successful strategies to achieve higher performances. Research design, data, and methodology: Questionnaires were used to collect data from 400 samples of SMEs in Thailand. We employed structural Equation Modeling techniques for data analysis. Results: The results revealed that distribution strategies directly affected the success of business operations, as follows: 1) Customer communication channels, product variety, preserved privacy, and personal service had direct positive effects on the distribution success in terms of financial perspective, customer perspective, internal process perspective, and earning and growth perspectives; 2) Ability to learn a competitor had a positive direct relationship with the distribution success in terms of financial perspective and learning and growth perspectives, excluding customer perspective and internal process perspective; and 3) Responses to market on time had a positive and direct influence on distribution success in terms of customer, internal process perspective and learning and growth perspectives excluding financial perspective. Conclusions: This research has made an essential contribution to SMEs that they should focus on and adopt these 6ODS+4BSC concepts as development guidelines for food distribution SMEs to be more efficient and effective.

• THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE & LAW REVIEW
• /
• v.60
• /
• pp.177-194
• /
• 2013

According to the 2013 statistics, the small/medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) accounted for 99.9% of the Korean economy with 87.8% of employment. This simple figures also indicate SMEs export extension is a key task for the national economy stimulation and job creation. The SMEs export plunge has been affected by the European financial turbulence, US financial instability, developing countries like China entering foreign markets, a weak yen, etc. EXIM Bank, in this context, will need to take a more proactive attitude to provide trade finance by, for example, reviewing the business feasibility for SMEs with a lower credit rank or investigating importers' credit status, etc. Moreover EXIM Bank provides factoring service mostly to large companies and should lower its threshold for service provision to SMEs. Finally EXIM Bank should play more than a primary forfeiting market entity. It also needs to facilitate the secondary forfeiting market.

• Journal of Distribution Science
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.57-66
• /
• 2022

Purpose: Business agility is an important key to survival for SMEs in Indonesia, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Indonesian local product distribution and service distribution are mostly served by SMEs. Agile businesses will be able to assist them in the proper distribution of products and services. This research examines how the direct and indirect influence of IT capabilities on business agility through organizational learning and business intelligence for small and medium enterprises in the distribution of Indonesian products and services. Research design, data and methodology: This research uses SEM method with SmartPLS tool. The sample of this research was conducted on small and medium enterprises in the distribution of Indonesian products and services. The sample obtained in this study was 202 SME owners or managers (strategic level). Results: Business intelligence plays a key role in improving business agility. The results of IT capability can directly and indirectly affect business agility through organizational learning. Conclusions: Business intelligence has the biggest role in increasing business agility in SMEs in Indonesia. IT capability has an indirect effect on business agility through organizational learning. The findings of this study prove that IT capabilities do not indirectly affect business agility through business intelligence.

• Journal of Distribution Science
• /
• v.21 no.10
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 2023

Purpose: This study analyses the current development of cross-border e-commerce in China, outlines the challenges faced by Chinese cross-border e-commerce SMEs, and finally summarises the development strategies of Chinese cross-border e-commerce SMEs in the post-covid-19 era, which will provide opinion references for the development of Chinese cross-border e-commerce SMEs. Research design, data and methodology: The methodology used in this study is to analyse the current situation of cross-border e-commerce development in China in the context of covid-19 through literature; and to summarise the challenges encountered by Chinese cross-border e-commerce SMEs through semi-structured interviews. Results: The article summarises the current status of China's cross-border e-commerce development in the context of covid-19 in terms of cross-border e-commerce trade volume, cross-border e-commerce enterprise and user scale, cross-border e-commerce logistics, cross-border e-commerce global co-operation, government policy, and cross-border e-commerce product distribution, outlining challenges encountered by China's cross-border e-commerce SMEs in terms of logistic pricing, operating capital chain, product service support, and trade protection The paper Finally, it is pointed out that Chinese cross-border e-commerce SMEs must adopt new strategies to adapt to the new development in the context of covid-19. Conclusions: Specific development strategies are provided for Chinese cross-border e-commerce enterprises and reference suggestions are provided for the post-covid-19 era.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
• /
• v.8 no.5
• /
• pp.1099-1107
• /
• 2021

This study focuses on green human resources management (GHRM), which is currently a strategic issue in almost every service or manufacturing company, including courier service SMEs in Indonesia. This study intends to analyze the relationship between GHRM and supply chain organizational learning (SCOL), supply chain performance (SCP), and business performance (BP) still rarely studied. The population encompasses all courier service SMEs in the Special Province of Yogyakarta (DIY) and East Java, Indonesia. The study targets courier service SMEs that meet certain conditions; 130 SMEs responded from the target of 200 SMEs. Partial Least Square statistical technique is used. The results show that conventional HRM practices are increasingly being abandoned by courier companies in Indonesia, particularly in Special Province of Yogyakarta and East Java. Although GHRM has a negative and non-significant effect on BP, GHRM has a positive effect on SCOL and SCP. SCOL has a significant positive effect on SCP and BP. Furthermore, SCOL mediates the relationship between GHRM and SCP and SCOL mediates the relationship between GHRM and BP. Likewise, SCP has a positive effect on BP. In addition, SCP mediates the relationship between GHRM and BP. SCP also mediates the relationship between SCOL and BP.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.927-938
• /
• 2021

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) is one of several activators that drives the economy of Indonesia because SMEs provide jobs, increase Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and assure the delivery of products and services. However, Indonesian SMEs are not very competitive in the industrial world, and one of the causes is the low quality of products that undermine customer satisfaction. There are several factors presumed as influencing customer satisfaction, which among others include product knowledge, service quality, and competitive advantage. The objective of this research is to reveal the contribution of product knowledge and service quality to customer satisfaction with competitive advantage as the mediation variable. This research used a quantitative approach. The causal relationship across variables was examined with Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS). The sample of this research involved 140 respondents. Data was collected through a questionnaire and the items in the questionnaire were processed with a software called SmartPLS version 3.3.2. Results of this research indicate (1) product knowledge and service quality can increase competitive advantage and customer satisfaction in East Java SMEs; (2) competitive advantage can act as a mediator in the effect of service quality on customer satisfaction (3) product knowledge can increase customer satisfaction but the increase is not significant statistically.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.411-422
• /
• 2021

Technological adaption and innovative activities foster small and medium enterprises (SMEs) growth, especially women-owned SMEs in Pakistan, However, the impact of technological adaption and innovative activities on SMEs growth in the context of Pakistan has been examined by very researchers. This study aims to identify the effect of technology and open innovation policies on the growth of women-owned SMEs and the present trends and management challenges for successful full implementation of open innovation. The study considered a sample of 693 women enterprises located in different cities in Pakistan. Open innovation is measured through eight innovative practices, reflecting the exploration and exploitation of technology in SMEs. Study findings revealed that women enterprises were involved in several open innovation policies during the last five years. Moreover, the study indicated no significant differences between manufacturing and service SMEs regarding open innovation practices; however, women enterprises are more impressively engaged in open innovation practices. Findings also reveal that women-owned SMEs follow open innovation, mainly for market-related intentions, to compete with competitors and meet customers' demands. Thus, it is suggested that government policy relating to thriving SMEs owned by women should be innovation-oriented. The study contributes to the theoretical and practical implications. Further, the study is helpful for SMEs, researchers, practitioners, and decision-makers.

• Journal of Distribution Science
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.61-67
• /
• 2015

Purpose - Exports have long been regarded as significant drivers of sustainable competitive advantage and growth among small and medium enterprises (SMEs). The export activities of SMEs are particularly important in the context of export-oriented economies such as Korea. Although many studies have examined the determinants of exports, it is difficult to find empirical studies about the determinants of the export performance of regional SMEs. This study investigates the determinants of export performance in the regional SME context based on an integrated approach that combines the environment factor of industrial organization theory, competitive strategy theory, and the competences of the resource-based view. Research design, data, and methodology - To empirically analyze the determinants of export performance in the regional SMEs, data were collected from firms in the Daegu metropolitan area. Data were collected directly through questionnaire surveys; in addition, secondary financial data were also taken from the KIS-VALUE database. Out of the 175 responses that were received, 143 were considered to be worth examining. After testing the reliability and validity of the variables through multiple items such as environmental turbulence and competitive strategy, hypotheses were verified by using five multi-regression models. These models were: a control model with organizational size and age, an environmental model with technology and market turbulence, a competency model with R&D and foreign distribution channels, a strategy model with product and market differentiation, and an integrated model including all of these variables. Results - First, as a control variable, the organization size has significant positive effects on export performance. Second, technology turbulence based on industrial organization theory has significant positive effects on export performance, but market turbulence does not affect export performance. Third, the foreign market distribution competency of the resource-based view has strong positive effects on export performance, but the R&D competency does not affect export performance. Fourth, the product differentiation strategy from competitive strategy theory positively impacts export performance, but market differentiation does not affect export performance. Finally, in the integrated model, only the foreign distribution competency of the resource-based view has a significant effect on export performance. Conclusions - The empirical results of this study verified the usefulness of the rationales behind the three theories to explain the export performance of the regional SMEs, especially the importance of the foreign market distribution competency from the resource-based view. With regard to practical considerations, this study's implications suggest that the use of technological environmental changes by industries is better than the use of market changes. Further, the use of the product differentiation strategy is more effective than the use of the market-driving strategy, and the distribution channel competency plays a stronger role than the technology-oriented competency with regard to the export performance position of regional SMEs. Future studies should examine relational perspectives, such as trust among channel partners. Therefore, the configuration approach is more useful in enhancing pragmatism by comparing high- and low-export companies.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
• /
• v.9 no.5
• /
• pp.325-333
• /
• 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.

• Journal of Distribution Science
• /
• v.12 no.7
• /
• pp.5-12
• /
• 2014

Purpose - This study identified internationalization factors forKorean SMEs and explored factor differences between AEO and non-AEO authorized companies. Research design, data, and methodology - The study was designed to assess internationalization factors for AEO authorization in Korea through a questionnaire survey and an empirical analysis. The questionnaires were conducted for AEO and Non-AEO authorized companies that were undergoing AEO authorization. The study was conducted through e-mail and AEO manager education classes. Ninety-five questionnaires were collected. We employed the exploratory factor analysis methodology to derive internationalization factors for KoreanSMEs, and explored the factor differences between AEO and Non-AEO authorized companies. Results - AEO authorized companies outperformed Non-AEO authorized companies in R&D and technology. This indicated that AEO authorized companies were recognized as reliable and safe companies by the Korea Customs Service and other Customs services in trade facilitation and customs clearance processes. Conclusions - This study has some implications for AEO authorization and internationalization processes, and involved the empirical analysis of SMEs and the exploratory factor analysis in the internationalization process.