Skip to main navigation Skip to search Skip to main content

A longitudinal study on competitive priorities within manufacturing SMEs: 2000-2017

Eustathios Sainidis, Andrew Robson

    Research output: Contribution to conferencePaperpeer-review

    102 Downloads (Pure)

    Abstract

    Topic: A longitudinal study on competitive priorities within manufacturing SMEs: 2000-2017.

    Conference theme: Business creation, early stage development and business closure.

    Aim: The paper aims at evaluating the competitive priorities of UK-based manufacturing SMEs over two decades 2000-2017.

    Methodology: A longitudinal study based on a mixed methods research approach covering two decades from 2000 until 2017. The mixed data consists of two sets of quantitative data and one set of qualitative data, primary data covering the timeline from 2000 until 2017.

    Contribution: The study suggests a shift in the competitive priorities of manufacturing SMEs from delivery performance and quality in the early years of 2000s to productivity, efficiency and process flexibility in the second part of 2010s. Pivotal in the change of strategic direction is the 2008-09 Great Recession which acted a structural break in the SMEs business environment.

    Practical implications: The study offers an insight to manufacturing SME managers on the change of direction of their competitive environment and acts as a call for repositioning their competitive priorities.

    Policy implications: The study draws upon the successive UK government industrial strategies since 2000 and compares these to the practices of manufacturing SMEs.
    Original languageEnglish
    Number of pages8
    Publication statusPublished - 7 Nov 2018
    Event41st Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship Conference: Research, policy and practice: Collaboration in a disparate world - Birmingham, United Kingdom
    Duration: 7 Nov 20188 Nov 2018
    https://isbe.org.uk/isbe-2018/

    Conference

    Conference41st Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship Conference
    Abbreviated titleISBE 2018
    Country/TerritoryUnited Kingdom
    CityBirmingham
    Period7/11/188/11/18
    Internet address

    Keywords

    • SMEs
    • manufacturing priorities
    • longitudinal study
    • mixed-methods research

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'A longitudinal study on competitive priorities within manufacturing SMEs: 2000-2017'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this