• International Journal of Quality Innovation
• /
• 제8권2호
• /
• pp.57-68
• /
• 2007

Benchmarking is more than just a comparison of measures about different company's performance in a wider sense. It is a methodology of learning-comparing-learning, at least within small and medium sized enterprises. This learning is not just limited to learn by copying successful concepts from other enterprises or competitors. It starts in learning more about the own company, about its structure and processes causing its own success or its failure. This kind of learning is necessary before the enterprise starts watching for a suitable Benchmarking partner. Learning from each other's strengths and weaknesses is the main goal of the European research project Quality beyond Borders! By using the Benchmarking methodology, small and medium sized enterprises get the opportunity to take part in a Benchmarking study and can learn more about the different strengths and weaknesses of other enterprises on both sides of the border. The results of such a Benchmarking can help to identify potentials for future cooperations among German and Polish enterprises in the same market or business. These potentials can lie in different ways of realising the same success or top-position. The Benchmarking study is not focused on an special business or region. That helps to find out trends for different kinds of top-positions, which can be claimed in all markets within a country. Every trend is characterised by different success factors which are responsible for the success in this top-position. In a first overview, the results of the Benchmarking study show 5 different groups of top-positions within a market which all have different profiles regarding to the importance of their success factors. By the end of the Benchmarking study it will be possible, to give answer about the special reasons for different kind of successes of these groups. These answers can be related to a special region within a country, a special business or of course related to possible differences in the expression of the group success factors in comparison of both countries.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• 제7권3호
• /
• pp.185-193
• /
• 2016

Background: Management and workers in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often find it hard to comprehend the requirements related to controlling risks due to exposure to substances. An intervention study was set up in order to support 45 SMEs in improving the management of the risks of occupational exposure to chemicals, and in using the control banding tool and exposure model Stoffenmanager in this process. Methods: A 2-year intervention study was carried out, in which a mix of individual and collective training and support was offered, and baseline and effect measurements were carried out by means of structured interviews, in order to measure progress made. A seven-phase implementation evolutionary ladder was used for this purpose. Success and failure factors were identified by means of company visits and structured interviews. Results: Most companies clearly moved upwards on the implementation evolutionary ladder; 76% of the companies by at least one phase, and 62% by at least two phases. Success and failure factors were described. Conclusion: Active training and coaching helped the participating companies to improve their chemical risk management, and to avoid making mistakes when using and applying Stoffenmanager. The use of validated tools embedded in a community platform appears to support companies to organize and structure their chemical risk management in a business-wise manner, but much depends upon motivated occupational health and safety (OHS) professionals, management support, and willingness to invest time and means.

• Safety and Health at Work
• /
• 제12권4호
• /
• pp.505-510
• /
• 2021

Background: Factors related to root causes can cause commonly occurring accidents such as falls, slips, and jammed injuries. An important means of reducing the frequency of occupational accidents in small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMSEs) of South Korea is to perform intensity analysis of the root cause factors for accident prevention in the cause and effect model like decision models, epidemiological models, system models, human factors models, LCU (life change unit) models, and the domino theory. Especially intensity analysis in a robot system and smart technology as Industry 4.0 is very important in order to minimize the occupational accidents and fatal accident because of the complexity of accident factors. Methods: We have developed the modern cause and effect model that includes factors of root cause through statistical testing to minimize commonly occurring accidents and fatal accidents in SMSEs of South Korea and systematically proposed educational policies for accident prevention. Results: As a result, the consciousness factors among factors of root cause such as unconsciousness, disregard, ignorance, recklessness, and misjudgment had strong relationships with occupational accidents in South Korean SMSEs. Conclusion: We conclude that the educational policies necessary for minimizing these consciousness factors include continuous training procedures followed by periodic hands-on experience, along with perceptual and cognitive education related to occupational health and safety.

• 한국안전학회지
• /
• 제29권5호
• /
• pp.104-109
• /
• 2014

More than 76% of occupational accidents occur in small and medium sized enterprises(SME) employing less than 50 workers, due to the lack of safety and health systems, and carelessness of workers and owners. Timely Technical Guidance(TTG) project of Korea Occupational Safety & Heath Agency(KOSHA) for SME was initiated to analyze and inform accident causes just after accidents occur. Improvement direction of TTG project is suggested through situation and performance analysis on TTG services conducted in 2012. KOSHA provided TTS services on 15,571 SMEs(suffering at least one accident in 2012), through which the working day losses from recurrence resulted in 19.0%p, 14.5%p and 31.3%p decreases in manufacturing, services and construction businesses, respectively.

• 대한안전경영과학회지
• /
• 제16권4호
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 2014

The occupational health and safety accidents were continuously increased during handling, usage and manufacturing the chemical materials according to increase of small and medium sized enterprises in domestic industries. These accidents mainly resulted from insufficient occupational health and safety management and deteriorative facilities and focused on corresponding operation to minimize the damage of accidents after occurrence. But, it was required that we grasped the occurrence causes of occupational health and safety risk in handling, usage and manufacturing the chemical materials and develop the adequate corresponding operation and system according to the possible occurrence of occupational health and safety risk. This study deals with the development of risk assessment model to derive the risk and important risk of occupational health and safety and then help to construct the self-controlled occupational health and safety system for small and medium sized enterprises handling the chemical materials.

• 대한안전경영과학회지
• /
• 제16권3호
• /
• pp.443-450
• /
• 2014

The industrial accident rate has been steadily decreased by making all efforts for the prevention of accidents after enacting Occupational Health and Safety Act in 1981. However, ordinary typed industrial accidents still occur in small and medium sized enterprises(SME). Timely Technical Guidance(TTG) project of Korea Occupational Safety & Heath Agency(KOSHA) for SME's was initiated to visit and provide the analysis and control of industrial accidents by the staffs of KOSHA as soon as possible after accidents occurred. This study is conducted to analyze the questionnaire survey for employers, workers and TTG personnel of KOSHA with being evaluated positively whether the demonstration project of TTG has been executed consistently. However, it is suggested that the understanding of TTG project and legal support are necessary for the establishments, and the development of a variety data and lots of available contents is necessary to increase satisfaction of the TTG project. The accident rate of SME's which are employed less than 50 workers is expected to be largely decreased with applying the control and improvement over this study with maintaining and developing TTG technology.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
• /
• 제7권11호
• /
• pp.269-280
• /
• 2020

This research aims to determine the direct and indirect effects of digital literacy, economic literacy, and entrepreneurial skills on the performance of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in garment clusters in the Bulak tourism industry Depok. Carrying out quantitative research with survey methods, data collection is using a questionnaire technique with 90 respondents, via saturation sampling. This research data analysis uses SPSS software version 25.0. Path analysis is used to determine the direct and indirect effects between variables. The results showed digital literacy, economic literacy, and entrepreneurial skills significantly and positively affect the performance of small- and medium-sized enterprises. The main finding in this study is that digital literacy has the greatest influence on the performance of SME entrepreneurs, both directly and indirectly. The results of the study provide input on performance development strategies for SME entrepreneurs through digital literacy, including digital business relationships, online facilities, and networks. The findings are also complementary to the factors shaping the performance of SME entrepreneurs in the digital age. The research results show that digital literacy has the greatest direct and indirect influence on the performance of SME entrepreneurs; this shows the essential contribution of digital literacy in developing business and marketing networks.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
• /
• 제8권10호
• /
• pp.77-85
• /
• 2021

This study aims to investigate the status quo and identify the challenges and benefits of the digital transformation in the context of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Vietnam. The six participating SMEs were purposely contacted, and they were either nominated for, or received the Vietnam Digital Awards in 2018, 2019 and 2020, which were held by the Vietnam Digital Communication Association (http://en.vdca.org.vn/). A qualitative research method is adopted, using a semi-structured interview method and a theoretical triangulation of legitimacy, stakeholder and stewardship theories to facilitate the investigation. This research tries to identify the current challenges and benefits for digital transformation of SMEs in Vietnam, based on perception and experience from business leaders and managers from six SMEs in Vietnam. The findings of this study reveal that besides the recent challenges for digital transformation, participants also experienced and shared their perspectives regarding the benefits received from the digital transformation journey of their organization, which varied from (i) improve operational as well as business functions; (ii) liberate staffs and managers from daily work and allows them to focus on decision-making tasks; (iii) enable solutions to deal with consequences from the COVID-19 pandemic; (iv) enhance value creation process; and (v) help firms to align with the global business standards.

• International Journal of Quality Innovation
• /
• 제5권2호
• /
• pp.89-105
• /
• 2004

Many researchers and practitioners have acknowledged the need to investigate the relationships amongst various criteria of implementing total quality management (TQM) in small and medium-sized manufacturing enterprises (SMMEs). There is a need to have practical research methodologies that take cognisance of the peculiarities of SMMEs and impact on their quality management practices in developing countries. This paper presents the theoretical foundation of a proposed Generative Research Methodology and configures the specification of a TQM implementation framework in SMMEs. The methodology combines rigorous research approaches, builds theory based on the dynamics of the environment and the firms' characteristics and incorporates various TQM criteria into the design of the framework. It synchronises inductive and deductive research methods in three phases and uses various means to acquire empirical evidence and examine the dependent and independent variables of TQM implementation. It is anticipated that the methodology could help SMMEs to develop, analyse and evaluate the framework for attaining quality performance goals.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
• /
• 제7권8호
• /
• pp.451-459
• /
• 2020

This study aims to examine the relationship of the four factors that increase the protection of minority shareholder investment. The factors are non-controlling shareholders, corporate governance, free cash flow, and shareholder wealth. The data for this study is obtained from the 2017 annual reports of 136 Thai public companies listed in the Market of Alternative Investment of Thailand (MAI). The analysis uses a multiple regression model to determine which factors encourage and which inhibit the protection of minority shareholder investment. The study tests four hypotheses. The results rejected H1 because non-controlling shareholders have negatively correlated with minority shareholder investment protection (beta -0.155 and p-value 0.050). The results accepted H2, H3 and H4 as follows. H2: corporate governance has positively correlated with minority shareholder investment protection (beta 0.17 and p-value 0.031). H3: free cash flow has positively correlated with minority shareholder investment protection (beta 0.214 and p-value 0.007). H4: shareholder wealth has positively correlated with minority shareholder investment protection (beta 0.318 and p-value 0.000). The major findings suggest strong minority shareholder investment protection was enhanced by increasing corporate governance, free cash flow and shareholder wealth. The protection of minority shareholder investment needs to reduce non-controlling shareholding pattern.