IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/ufg/qdsems/18-2005.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

What Makes Small and Medium Enterprises Competitive

Author

Listed:
  • Piergiuseppe Morone
  • Giuseppina Testa

Abstract

: This paper aims at understanding the determinants of Italian small- and medium-sized enterprises competitiveness. Having in mind the fact that the Italian economic system relies substantially on small firms which have managed to stay competitive by adopting strategies such as the creation of well-integrated social and institutional clusters (the so-called industrial districts) or specialising in the production of quality goods (the so called made in Italy). However, the growing competing pressure coming from the Far East has rendered this production system vulnerable, challenging its internationally competitiveness. By developing a conceptual model we identify the sources of competitiveness of Italian SMEs. The model is tested using a unique database which collects data, for the year 2004, over a sample of 2,600 SMEs.

Suggested Citation

  • Piergiuseppe Morone & Giuseppina Testa, 2005. "What Makes Small and Medium Enterprises Competitive," Quaderni DSEMS 18-2005, Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche, Matematiche e Statistiche, Universita' di Foggia.
    • Handle: RePEc:ufg:qdsems:18-2005
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.economia.unifg.it/sites/sd01/files/allegatiparagrafo/29-11-2016/q1805.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zoltan J. Acs & David B. Audretsch, 2008. "Innovation in Large and Small Firms: An Empirical Analysis," Chapters, in: Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy, chapter 1, pages 3-15, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    2. Acemoglu, Daron & Pischke, Jorn-Steffen, 1999. "Beyond Becker: Training in Imperfect Labour Markets," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 109(453), pages 112-142, February.
    3. Pavitt, Keith, 1984. "Sectoral patterns of technical change: Towards a taxonomy and a theory," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 13(6), pages 343-373, December.
    4. Jan Johanson & Jan-Erik Vahlne, 1977. "The Internationalization Process of the Firm—A Model of Knowledge Development and Increasing Foreign Market Commitments," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 8(1), pages 23-32, March.
    5. Katz, Eliakim & Ziderman, Adrian, 1990. "Investment in General Training: The Role of Information and Labour Mobility," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 100(403), pages 1147-1158, December.
    6. Ruby Roy Dholakia & Nir Kshetri, 2004. "Factors Impacting the Adoption of the Internet among SMEs," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 23(4), pages 311-322, November.
    7. Mariacristina Piva & Marco Vivarelli, 2004. "The determinants of the skill bias in Italy: R&D, organisation or globalisation?," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(4), pages 329-347.
    8. Nickell, Stephen J, 1996. "Competition and Corporate Performance," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 104(4), pages 724-746, August.
    9. Giuseppe Calabrese & Secondo Rolfo, 2001. "The Role Of The Industrial Policy In Italy," CERIS Working Paper 200106, CNR-IRCrES Research Institute on Sustainable Economic Growth - Torino (TO) ITALY - former Institute for Economic Research on Firms and Growth - Moncalieri (TO) ITALY.
    10. Hector Rocha, 2004. "Entrepreneurship and Development: The Role of Clusters," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 23(5), pages 363-400, October.
    11. Barry Reilly & Gorana Krstic & Matteo Cominetta, 2006. "Purchasing from Informal Markets: Evidence from Serbia," Applied Economics Quarterly (formerly: Konjunkturpolitik), Duncker & Humblot, Berlin, vol. 52(3), pages 30-50.
    12. Cockburn, J. & Siggel, E. & Coulibaly, M. & Vezina, S., 1998. "Measuring Competitiveness and Its Sources: The Case of Mali's Manufacturing Sector," Equity and Growth through Economic Research 16, EAGER Publication/BHM.
    13. Steven Pinch & Nick Henry & Mark Jenkins & Stephen Tallman, 2003. "From 'industrial districts' to 'knowledge clusters': a model of knowledge dissemination and competitive advantage in industrial agglomerations," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 3(4), pages 373-388, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. -, 2009. "Economic survey of the Caribbean 2008-2009," Sede Subregional de la CEPAL para el Caribe (Estudios e Investigaciones) 38689, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL).
    2. Tibor Lalinsky, 2008. "Competitiveness Factors of Slovak Companies," Working and Discussion Papers WP 3/2008, Research Department, National Bank of Slovakia.
    3. Radu Herman & Cornelia Nistor, 2018. "Innovations in Manufacture with Some Evidence from Romania," Manager Journal, Faculty of Business and Administration, University of Bucharest, vol. 28(1), pages 74-83, December.
    4. Rosanna Pittiglio & Edgardo Sica & Stefania Villa, 2009. "Innovation and internationalization: the case of Italy," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 34(6), pages 588-602, December.
    5. Radu Herman & Cornelia Nistor & Nicolae Marius Jula, 2023. "The Influence of the Increase in Energy Prices on the Profitability of Companies in the European Union," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-16, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Petr Hanel, 2007. "Skills required for innovation: A review of the literature," Cahiers de recherche 07-23, Departement d'économique de l'École de gestion à l'Université de Sherbrooke.
    2. Daniele Cerrato & Mariacristina Piva, 2015. "The Effect of Global Orientation on the Performance of International New Ventures: Evidence from Italy," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 55(6), pages 857-883, December.
    3. Cohen, Wesley M., 2010. "Fifty Years of Empirical Studies of Innovative Activity and Performance," Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, in: Bronwyn H. Hall & Nathan Rosenberg (ed.), Handbook of the Economics of Innovation, edition 1, volume 1, chapter 0, pages 129-213, Elsevier.
    4. Ardiana N. Gashi & Geoff Pugh & Nick Adnett, 2008. "Technological change and employer-provided training: Evidence from German establishments," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0026, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW).
    5. Patrick Lee O'Halloran, 2008. "Gender Differences in Formal On‐the‐Job Training: Incidence, Duration, and Intensity," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 22(4), pages 629-659, December.
    6. Radu Vranceanu & Angela Sutan, 2023. "Should the firm or the employee pay for upskilling? A contract theory approach," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(1), pages 197-207, January.
    7. Aghion, Philippe & Akcigit, Ufuk & Howitt, Peter, 2014. "What Do We Learn From Schumpeterian Growth Theory?," Handbook of Economic Growth, in: Philippe Aghion & Steven Durlauf (ed.), Handbook of Economic Growth, edition 1, volume 2, chapter 0, pages 515-563, Elsevier.
    8. T. Gries & R. Grundmann & I. Palnau & M. Redlin, 2017. "Innovations, growth and participation in advanced economies - a review of major concepts and findings," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 14(2), pages 293-351, April.
    9. Nanditha Mathew & George Paily, 2022. "STI-DUI innovation modes and firm performance in the Indian capital goods industry: Do small firms differ from large ones?," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 47(2), pages 435-458, April.
    10. Popov, Alexander, 2014. "Credit constraints and investment in human capital: Training evidence from transition economies," Journal of Financial Intermediation, Elsevier, vol. 23(1), pages 76-100.
    11. Valle, Sandra & García, Francisco & Avella, Lucía, 2015. "Offshoring Intermediate Manufacturing: Boost or Hindrance to Firm Innovation?," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 117-134.
    12. Mathew, Nanditha & Paily, George, 2020. "STI-DUI innovation modes and firm performance in the Indian capital goods industry: Do small firms differ from large ones?," MERIT Working Papers 2020-008, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).
    13. Crass, Dirk & Schwiebacher, Franz, 2013. "Do trademarks diminish the substitutability of products in innovative knowledge-intensive services?," ZEW Discussion Papers 13-061, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    14. Bilanakos, Christos, 2013. "Career concerns and firm – sponsored general training," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 67(2), pages 117-132.
    15. Piva, Mariacristina & Santarelli, Enrico & Vivarelli, Marco, 2005. "The skill bias effect of technological and organisational change: Evidence and policy implications," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 141-157, March.
    16. Benson, Alan, 2013. "Firm-sponsored general education and mobility frictions: Evidence from hospital sponsorship of nursing schools and faculty," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(1), pages 149-159.
    17. Pedrini, Giulio & Cappiello, Giuseppe, 2022. "The impact of training on labour productivity in the European utilities sector: An empirical analysis," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    18. Dhanora, Madan & Sharma, Ruchi & Khachoo, Qayoom, 2018. "Non-linear impact of product and process innovations on market power: A theoretical and empirical investigation," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 67-77.
    19. Gersbach, Hans & Schmutzler, Armin, 2005. "The Effects of Globalization on Worker Training," CEPR Discussion Papers 4879, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    20. Raquel Ortega‐Argilés & Mariacristina Piva & Marco Vivarelli, 2014. "The transatlantic productivity gap: Is R&D the main culprit?," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 47(4), pages 1342-1371, November.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    SMEs; competitiveness; innovation; interval regression; ordered probit;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L1 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • C24 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Truncated and Censored Models; Switching Regression Models; Threshold Regression Models

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ufg:qdsems:18-2005. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Luca Grilli (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/emsfoit.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.