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The concept of overconfidence is well understood in the financial market and corporate decision as individual investors and managers of large corporations prone to overconfident bias. This paper is the first to conceptualize overconfidence bias in working capital management and performance of Small and medium enterprises by employing qualitative case study inquiry to gain insight and SME managers overconfident behavior. This paper argues that overconfidence bias can distort working capital investment with the possibility of overinvestment working capital inventory if SME managers have enough internal equity in anticipation of higher performance.

Increasing halal hub business trade has always been the focus of the government of Malaysia. It has also become one of the National Key Result Area (NKRA) agenda towards an elevated income and improving the wellbeing of society. To meet the agenda, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are essential to encourage economic sustainability. The demand for halal-certified products has increased significantly and has become the source of sustainable competitive advantages for companies to increase their business performance. However, the adoption rate for Malaysian Halal certification among SMEs manufacturer, especially in east coast states is not as strong as expected. The purpose of this conceptual article is to model the relationship between Perceived Benefits, Organizational Readiness, Customer Pressure and Halal Awareness towards SMEs? intention to adopt Halal Certificate in Terengganu and Kelantan. This paper chooses Technological, Organizational and Environmental (TOE) framework since it explains how the factors influence adoption decisions in the framework. The demand for halal-certified products has increased significantly and has become the source of sustainable competitive advantages for companies to increase their business performance. Previous research found that all elements of TOE have significant relationships which would increase the adoption rate in Halal certification.

Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) created a global European crisis in the 1980s and 90s, with very serious health and economic implications. Classical BSE now appears to be under control, to a great extent as a result of a global research effort that identified the sources of prions in meat and bone meal (MBM) and developed new animal-testing tools that guided policy. Priority (www.prionpriority.eu) was a European Union (EU) Framework Program 7 (FP7)-funded project through which 21 European research institutions and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) joined efforts between 2009 and 2014, to conduct coordinated basic and applied research on prions and prion diseases. At the end of the project, the Priority consortium drafted a position paper (www.prionpriority.eu/Priority position paper) with its main conclusions. In the present opinion paper, we summarize these conclusions. With respect to the issue of re-introducing ruminant protein into the feed-chain, our opinion is that sustaining an absolute ban on feeding ruminant protein to ruminants is essential. In particular, the spread and impact of non-classical forms of scrapie and BSE in ruminants is not fully understood and the risks cannot be estimated. Atypical prion agents will probably continue to represent the dominant form of prion diseases in the near future in Europe. Atypical L-type BSE has clear zoonotic potential, as demonstrated in experimental models. Similarly, there are now data indicating that the atypical scrapie agent can cross various species barriers. More epidemiological data from large cohorts are necessary to reach any conclusion on the impact of its transmissibility on public health. Re-evaluations of safety precautions may become necessary depending on the outcome of these studies. Intensified searching for molecular determinants of the species barrier is recommended, since this barrier is key for important policy areas and risk assessment. Understanding the structural basis for strains and the basis for adaptation of a strain to a new host will require continued fundamental research, also needed to understand mechanisms of prion transmission, replication and how they cause nervous system dysfunction and death. Early detection of prion infection, ideally at a preclinical stage, also remains crucial for development of effective treatment strategies. © 2016 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Purpose: Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) engaged in the business of Trading and Distribution in the United Arab Emirates are characterized by fluctuations in the business performance and growth. Even though 95% of the businesses in the UAE are SME sector, the variations in the growth pattern lead to various challenges which the owner/manager sometimes fails to handle well. The aim of this concept paper is to identify the factors contributing to the sustained growth of SME business in the UAE. Approach/Methodology/Design: The research problem for this study is “how to ensure sustained growth in business for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises in the United Arab Emirates”. The other studies on SME business have focused on SME performance but have not specifically focused on sustaining the performance and growing over a long period of time. This research will specifically focus on the factors contributing to sustained growth and this will be ascertained through quantitative survey of various SMEs in the UAE. Findings: This research aims to find the success factors which can be useful to the SME sector of the UAE in order to achieve sustained growth in business. As a result of this study, a possible matrix will emerge showing a framework to be applied for sustained growth of business for SMEs. Practical Implications: Sustained growth and longevity of the business remains the most important dream of every SME owner/manager, and the final recommendations of this research will result in a framework which would help SMEs in the UAE to have a sustained growth in business. Originality/value: The specific objective of this research is to find “factors that contribute to the sustained growth in business”. This would ensure that, despite the vagaries in the business environment, the SME owner will continue to have a stable business with sustained growth over a long period of time.

This study aims to present a scientometric analysis, based on author’s network maps, to determine the most influential and relevant authors with papers published about the subject Small- and medium-sized enterprises, competitiveness and its measurement, including the use of key performance indicators. Academic research relies on the prospection to retrieve the most relevant research studies and establishing links to authors from key international research groups. To facilitate this study, we used the Scopus and Web of Science databases research results, due to the significant number of indexed scientific articles. The extracted data were compiled and analysed through author’s networks using the statistical software Sci2 Tool, which supports temporal, geospatial, topical, and networks analysis. This study also attempts to point out the research trends and gaps in this area. Results obtained are illustrated by maps of author’s networks that reveal the main authors and research subject groups, thereby enhancing access to information from a scientific approach. Este estudio tiene como objetivo presentar un análisis cientométrico, basado en mapas de redes de autores, para determinar los autores más influyentes y relevantes con trabajos publicados sobre el tema Pequeñas y medianas empresas, la competitividad y su medición, incluido el uso de indicadores clave de rendimiento. La investigación académica se basa en la prospección para recuperar los estudios de investigación más relevantes y establecer vínculos con autores de grupos de investigación internacionales clave. Para facilitar este estudio, utilizamos los resultados de la investigación de las bases de datos Scopus y Web of Science, debido a su número significativo de artículos científicos indexados. Los datos extraídos fueron compilados y analizados a través de redes de autores utilizando el software estadístico Sci2 Tool, que es compatible con el análisis temporal, geoespacial, tópico y de redes. Este estudio también intenta señalar las tendencias de investigación y las brechas en esta área. Los resultados obtenidos se ilustran mediante mapas de redes de autores, que revelan los principales autores y grupos de temas de investigación, mejorando así el acceso a la información de una manera científica.

Nigeria's federal government, after the oil boom of the 1970s, created policies, including the SMEDAN initiative, to trigger socio-economic development through entrepreneurship and small business development. Notwithstanding the importance of SMEs' socio-economic development and the Nigerian government's effort to support entrepreneurship and SMEs development, SMEs fail within the first five years. There is not enough information that can be used by SME owners/managers to develop best business practice policies to mitigate SMEs' failure and trigger socio-economic development. Critical success factor (CSFs) provides information that can be used to develop the best business practice to mitigate SMEs failure. Researchers stated that for owners/managers of SMEs to use CSFs models, they must replicate studies in new geographical areas or new industries. There is no CSFs model for the Nigerian location. The purpose is to position a CSFs model that can be used as information by owners/managers of SMEs to develop the best business policies to mitigate SME failures in Nigeria. This paper presents a thesis concepts where the researcher used a mixed research approach to position a CSFs model that can provide the information that can be used by owners/managers to mitigate SMEs failure and trigger socio-economic development. Mitigating SMEs' failure in Nigeria will reduce unemployment and poverty, which might trigger socio-economic development as envisaged by the federal government. This conceptual paper revealed the findings of the pilot study for the thesis were it was revealed that five variables impact SMEs' success in Jigawa State, Nigeria.

The report summarizes the conditions of the small and medium size enterprises (SME) sector in Georgia, identiies main problems in their development and provides recommendations for further interventions based on the Czech experience, research of existing literature and own survey among SME stakeholders in Georgia.

Malaysia is now moving towards becoming a developed nation, targeting on the high-income nation by 2020. In order to execute this intention, Malaysia needs to develop and strengthen the economic growth. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are acknowledged have a significant role in Malaysian economic growth and expected to contribute 41% of GDP by 2020. However, there are a few factors hinder SMEs to maximize their growth and it has been reported that SMEs contributions to the country’s economy are still comparatively low compared with the contributions of SMEs in many developed and developing countries. Innovation is one of the important factors to remaining competitive in this globalization world. Therefore, SMEs need to focus on innovation activities to increase contribution and remain competitive. Knowledge management is one of the most effective strategies that may help to stimulate innovations and enable innovation activities into the business. Hence, the main aim of this study is to investigate the role of innovation in the relationship between knowledge management practices and SMEs Performance. This study proposed to investigate innovation activities at SMEs manufacturing sector focusing in food and beverages industry. Specifically, innovation types that will be focused in this study are product, process and management innovation. The result hopefully will become an empirical evidence that confirmed innovation is crucial to increase SMEs competitive ability and increase organizational performance. In addition, the result also expectantly prove knowledge management practices have an impact on innovation. Lastly, this study will help Malaysian Government to strategies the policy to overcome difficulties and more importantly in ensuring the sustainability and competitiveness of Malaysian SMEs.

Abstract This issue includes five of the best papers, from six different countries, presented in the Cladea Assembly of 2015. This introduction summarises the papers and presents an analysis of Latin American publications on management, and of the advantages and conditions for international collaboration. The first article looks at the positive impact of the decentralization of decision-making processes and the formalisation of work in the innovation of small and medium enterprises. The second studies the fear of failure in work and its relationship to demographic variables. The third analyses the impact of the domestic violence suffered by workers on customer services in Puerto Rican companies. The fourth discusses the relationship between teleworking and the work-family conflict, and finally, the fifth is aimed at optimising the management of dependent demand inventory systems. This issue includes five articles chosen among the best papers presented at the Cladea Assembly of 2015 organised by Universidad de Valparaíso (Chile). The articles were sent in from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Spain, and Puerto Rico, and were the best assessed in the fields of organisational behaviour, leadership and human capital management, entrepreneurships and SMEs, technology management and innovation, and operations management and value chains. The selection process began with the evaluation of the works sent to the conference for each topic. The author wish to thank the organisers, those in charge of each topic, and all the evaluators that helped select the best works. In particular, we thank Sergio Olavarrieta, José Ernesto Amorós, Jorge Ayala, Silvio Borrero, Daniel Cabrera, Reinaldo Calvo, Consuelo García, Valeska Geldres, Jorge Gilbert, Olga Pizarro, José Antonio Robles, and Jorge Tarzijan. Authors interested in publishing their articles were asked to send in a revised version. These new versions were then subjected to a double blind evaluation, and subsequent revisions until reaching the current publication. This has been a collective process in which dozens of academics from all the Cladea schools and countries have taken part.

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are considered a sector with significant contribution to the economical growth of both developed countries and emergent countries. However, SMEs are facing challenges for their survival with their limited resources. There is also considerable lack of empirical studies focusing on networking between SMEs in developing countries. Promotion of networking approaches with other organizations could be a good start to develop and increase competitiveness of SMEs. The primary objective of this paper is to identify networking factors that influence the competitiveness of SMEs and to develop a hypothesized model that can be tested on SMEs. The outcomes of networking factors can help to improve the survival rate of SMEs, and may offer great opportunities for business competitiveness, locally and globally. Key words: Networking, small and medium-sized enterprises, competitiveness.