Business Strategies and Competitiveness in Times of Crisis (eBook)

A Survey on Italian SMEs

Laura Gavinelli (Autor)

eBook Download: PDF

2016
290 Seiten
Palgrave Macmillan UK (Verlag)
978-1-137-57810-5 (ISBN)

Infos

This book focuses on the relationship between business strategy and competition among Italian SMEs in the aftermath of the economic crisis. First examining business strategy and competitive advantage in a broader sense, Business Strategies and Competitiveness in Times of Crisis goes on to analyse the strategic behaviour of SMEs and the key factors that allow them to overcome the challenges they face. The book covers wide-ranging topics such as marketing and communication strategies, internationalization process and entry modes, access to credit, networking, innovation process and human resources enhancement. Referring to insightful case studies and surveys conducted between 2011 and 2014, it reflects on managerial implications for Italian SMEs and identifies their three main competitive challenges. 

Laura Gavinelli is a Research Fellow at the University of Milan-Bicocca, Italy, and has taught marketing and corporate communication at various universities. Her area of expertise is the application of management and marketing to small- and medium-sized enterprises, tourism, culture and museums and other services. She is the delegate for the Italian Ministry of Economic Development at the G7 CONNEX initiative and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI).

Inhalt

Foreword I 6
Foreword II 8
Acknowledgments 11
About This Book 13
Contents 16
List of Figures 19
List of Tables 21
List of Boxes 22
1: Firms’ Strategies and Competitiveness: An Overview 24
1.1 What Is Strategy? 25
1.1.1 What It Is: Some Definitions 25
1.1.2 What It Is Not 27
1.1.3 Characteristics of Strategy 28
1.1.4 Types of Strategies 30
1.1.5 The Roles of Strategy 32
1.1.6 Analysis for Strategic Decisions: Theoretical Contributions 36
The Evolution of Studies from the 1950s to Today 36
1.1.7 Industry and Market Analysis 39
Industry Structure, Attractiveness, and Profitability 41
The Market Perspective 44
1.2 Business Strategy: A Framework 45
1.2.1 Different Strategies in Different Competitive Contexts 45
Cost Advantage 48
Advantage of Differentiation 51
Focalization 56
Collaborations 57
Vertical Integration 59
Diversification 61
Internationalization 62
1.2.2 Developing Strategic Intent in the Real World 65
References 66
2: The Sources of Competitive Advantage 72
2.1 What Is Competitive Advantage? 73
2.1.1 Theoretical Contributions 73
2.2 Create a Competitive Advantage 75
2.2.1 The Firm’s Resources and Competitive Advantage 78
2.2.2 The Firm’s Capabilities and Competitive Advantage 83
An Insight on Dynamic Capabilities 85
2.3 Defend and Maintain a Competitive Advantage 91
2.3.1 The Importance of Being Innovative 92
References 98
3: The Competitiveness of Italian Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) 105
3.1 Some Characteristics of Italian SMEs 105
3.1.1 SMEs and Their Performance 106
The Italian Context 107
3.1.2 Size and Growth Constraints 114
Firm Size and Growth 114
Financial Capacity and Growth Constraints 122
Firm Size and Innovation Process 131
3.1.3 Family-Run and Managerial Firms 133
Entrepreneurial Leadership and Management 133
Ownership Structure and Corporate Governance 137
Business Succession and Continuity 143
3.1.4 Industrial Clusters and Other Strategic Networks 148
Clusters and Districts 148
The Relationship Between Firm and Territory 156
Networks and Other Forms of Cooperation 160
3.1.5 SMEs Around the Globe 164
Strengths of Italian SMEs in International Markets 164
Weaknesses of Italian SMEs in International Markets 165
Challenges in Foreign Markets 167
3.2 Current Economic and Financial Crisis and Market Reactions 170
3.2.1 Italy in the Global Competitive Context 170
3.2.2 Some Challenges and Drivers of Competitiveness 171
References 173
4: A Survey on Monza and Brianza SMEs, Italy 191
4.1 A Longitudinal Analysis on the Period 2011–14 191
4.1.1 The Monza and Brianza Survey 192
4.1.2 Goals and Methods 193
4.1.3 The Respondent Enterprises 194
4.2 Empirical Evidence 196
4.2.1 Crisis: Effects and Reactions 196
The Impact of the Economic and Financial Crisis on Respondents 196
Capacity of Respondents to Get Out of the Crisis 198
Competitive Factors 199
Anti-crisis Actions and Investments to Enhance Competitiveness 201
4.2.2 Marketing and Communication Strategies 207
4.2.3 The Internationalization Process and Entry Modes 211
Propensity Toward Internationalization 212
Advantages and Difficulties of Foreign Markets 215
4.2.4 Access to Credit 218
4.2.5 Networking and Other Forms of Collaboration 222
Local, National, and International Networks 222
Future Propensity to the Development of Collaboration Networks 224
Advantages and Difficulties in Networking 225
Collaboration for Technological Development, Innovation, and Energy Saving 226
4.2.6 Investments in Research and Innovation 227
R& D Activities
Impact of Investments in Innovation on Turnover 227
4.2.7 Human Resources Enhancement 228
4.2.8 Generational Succession 230
References 233
5: Boosting Italian SMEs’ Development: First Considerations 234
5.1 Starting from the Province of Monza and Brianza 234
5.1.1 A Summary of the Strategic Approaches of the Survey Respondents 235
Marketing and Communication 235
Internationalization 236
Access to Credit 236
Networking and Other Forms of Collaboration 237
Research and Innovation 237
Human Resources 238
The Green Approach 238
Generational Succession 239
5.2 Three Challenges to Increase the Competitiveness of Italian SMEs 240
5.2.1 Managerial Capabilities and the Market-­Oriented Approach 241
5.2.2 Investing in Intangibles and in Human Resources 243
5.2.3 Generational Succession (for Family Businesses) 246
5.3 The Role of Institutions 248
References 252
Erratum: Business Strategies andCompetitiveness in Times of Crisis 254
Bibliography 257
Index 295

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 13.7.2016
• Zusatzinfo: XXVIII, 290 p. 34 illus.
• Verlagsort: London
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Wirtschaft ► Betriebswirtschaft / Management ► Marketing / Vertrieb
• Themenwelt: Wirtschaft ► Betriebswirtschaft / Management ► Planung / Organisation
• Themenwelt: Wirtschaft ► Betriebswirtschaft / Management ► Unternehmensführung / Management
• Schlagworte: Communication • Innovation • Internationalization • Management • Marketing • Networking • Strategic behaviour
• ISBN-10: 1-137-57810-6 / 1137578106
• ISBN-13: 978-1-137-57810-5 / 9781137578105