This volume was prepared by a select group of international experts in response to a need expressed by the Canadian government to identify and analyze some of the major challenges facing governments in conducting business in the knowledge-based economy. Special emphasis is placed on identifying...

Being able to monitor and asses technological developments represents an essential activity for an industry expected to be increasingly active in all of the regions of the world and in markets which require a wide array of differing technological configurations. This paper outlines the...

This paper presents the results of a study conducted in manufacturing firms operating in the electrical and electronic sectors in Quebec. It investigates the extent to which environmental concerns are integrated into corporate strategy and the entire product development stages. Special attention...

Although they are often considered to be more flexible and adaptable than their larger counterparts, small and medium-sized firms now evolve in a rather uncertain environment which may, more than ever, impede their capacity to compete internationally. In this context, and in order for those...

R&D activities cannot be dissociated from the broader organizational capabilities developed by a firm. These capabilities may take the form of human resource management capabilities (HRM) or management of technology capabilities (MOT). In a study conducted in 126 manufacturing firms in the...

The aerospace industry faces fierce and rapidly changing competition worldwide which exercises a considerable amount of strain on its manufacturing subcontractors. In this context, it becomes essential to gain a better understanding of what constitutes the most critical capabilities of the...

This paper investigates some of the underlying forces that are propelling us towards the virtual economy. Special attention is brought to the industrial restructuring that is now taking place, to the role that virtual enterprises are playing in this transition, and to how these enterprises are...

This paper investigates the relationship between organizational fit and performance. More specifically internal coherence within and between differential abilities to learn and attributes of the organizational context and the relationship between the level of internal coherence and firm...

This study examines a group of SMEs operating in the same industrial sector but with policies, strategies, and practices that differ significantly. An integrated framework is presented whose predictor variables comprise the Strategic Orientations of Business Enterprise (STROBE), structural...

Small and medium enterprises have strengthened their importance during the last decades in most industrialized countries, including the United States, Germany, Japan and Canada. The province of Quebec makes no exception as firms of less than 200 employees generate a substantial portion of its...