Small and Medium Enterprises

In the framework of SME’s knowledge chain analysis the research group attempts to design a model of transformation of intangibles into a company’s performance. We seek to provide empirical evidence into theoretical discussion of resource-based view, particularly of the concept of dynamic capabilities and the theory of knowledge-based firm. The capabilities of intangibles as enhancers of SME’s performance are widely presented in theory and empirically tested mostly for companies on developed markets. The potential value of our research consists in discovering the peculiarities of the employment of intangibles in developing countries. One more attractive research focus in SME’s analysis concerns the role of intangibles during the crisis period as well as during the economic recovery. In considering this premise we expect the following results:

• To develop existing research methodology by elaborating a questionnaire taking into account language and cultural aspects for cross-country survey. This tool is expected to contribute to standardization of scientific analysis towards intangible resources in global context.
• To justify empirically the set of constructs (in term of structural equation modeling) for different intangible resources, SME’s dynamic capabilities, strategic competitive advantages and financial performance.
• To discover the core intangibles that increase SME’s performance in developing countries. These results seem to have a wide practical implication enabling growth of SMEs.
• To support the hypothesis of complementary relationship between different intangibles resources and find out the best model of interrelationship of intangibles according to goodness of fit criteria.
• To find out external (country-level; region-level; industry-level) factors that support or obstruct the transformation of intangible resources into competitive advantages.
• To support the hypothesis about the pivotal role of intangibles during the economic crisis.