The majority of software development organizations all over the world are small and medium enterprises. These organizations have realized that it is crucial for their business to improve their processes and working methods but they are lacking the knowledge and resources to do it. Successful implementation of SPI methodologies in small and medium-sized software enterprises (SMEs) is generally n...

Prior studies have suggested that Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have unique characteristics that impact their ability to successfully implement enterprise systems. This paper analyzes three modes of delivery for enterprise systems: integrated ERP, Best of Breed (BoB), and Software as a Service (SaaS), and determines how well these delivery modes are aligned with the requirements of SMEs. ...

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) is one way to improve productivity in all manufacturing companies and this is truer in mechanical Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Nevertheless the implementation of a PLM system is not an easy thing for such companies. SMEs have lots of difficulties to create the right information model in order to improve design efficiency. In this paper we propose a PLM...

The ubiquity of the Internet has allowed companies of any size to engage in e-business. However, e-business adoption among Small and Medium sized Enterprises (SMEs) is limited because of resource constraints and a failure to understand the strategic value of e-business. In an effort to better understand the value of e-business to SMEs, this paper examines the use of over 100 e-business applicat...

Free/Open Source Enterprise Resource Planning (FOS-ERP) software is an emerging phenomenon having the potential to revolutionize the ERP market worldwide. This chapter focuses on the FOS-ERP market for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) and aims at informing managers, scholars, students and researchers of the opportunities and the related risks for SMEs wishing to adopt and implement a F...

A business community where communication can be streamlined, information shared and trust can be built can be considered as a collaborative network promoting SMEs long term sustainability by assuring quick response, fast time to market, differentiated offerings and competitive prices. This collaboration could be orchestrated both in hierarchical and non-hierarchical forms depending on the firms...

This paper investigates into the determinants of capital structure for the small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in British manufacturing industry and the effects of product category on the determinants of capital structure. 220 SMEs from British manufacturing industry are selected for testing the six hypothesized relationships regarding the determinants of capital structure. Results sugges...

Broadband is a relatively new technology and its adoption in the United Kingdom has been an issue due to its perceived benefits for businesses and more so for small/medium size enterprises (SMEs). In this chapter we argue that previous research focuses on home uses of broadband, particularly for educational purposes with little attention to its adoption by SMEs. We argue that the existing diffu...

The purpose of this paper is to investigate Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system outcomes in the context of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Most of the former research on ERP outcomes is based on data from large enterprises, and this study examines how the SME context affects the ERP system outcomes and the related evaluation practices. The paper reports findings from a multiple...

One of the biggest challenges for organizations implementing an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is to find the right fit between the processes embedded in the system and the existing organizational business processes. “Conventional wisdom” founded on studies from large enterprises holds that ERP systems should be implemented without customization. However, studies of ERP system implem...