European economy is still experiencing a difficult period in terms of recovery. Efforts are directed towards the accumulation of growth to an extent that growth trend to be positive. An engine of growth in Europe is represented by small and medium enterprises, generating jobs and sustaining...

In this paper we examine the perceptions of entrepreneurs and other concerned individuals: which factors do they consider critical for success in the innovation process? From the perspective of the respondents, the entrepreneur is the most important factor in the innovation process. Internal...

This paper focuses on the access of independent French SMEs to bank lending and analyzes whether the observed evolution of credit to SMEs over the recent period was "demand driven" as a result of the decrease in firms' activity and investment projects or was "supply driven" with an increase in...

To define the portfolio of a service-oriented company, some consultants found useful the development and offer for a special product, different from the services and products available for other consultants. It is easy to realize that such special product (which can be a training package, a...

The main objective of our paper is the study of human resources management in SMEs in Dolj County. Through our research we emphasize and demonstrate the importance of human resources in the maintaining process of stability and in perpetuating the viability of this dynamic sector – the one of...

This presentation discusses the matching grant program started in Argentina in August of 1996. The objective of the program is to help increase the international competitiveness of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by facilitating access to, and reducing costs of export related services. This...

This study provides a quantitative description of MSMEs in Latin America and the Caribbean. It highlights the quality of the information available in the region and, in doing so, also identifies gaps in the data. The study also presents a comparative analysis of the capacity of national MSME...

This paper sums up the experience of a Brazilian cluster of small and medium enterprises in the Sinos Valley. It shows that cooperation amongst local enterprises strengthens their ability to compete globally and that business associations can play an important role in identifying the key...