To read this content please select one of the options below:

Routines as a conceptual tool for studying resources management in SMEs: evidence from Brazilian bakeries

Júlio César da Costa Júnior (Department of Administrative Sciences, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil)
Leandro da Silva Nascimento (School of Management, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil)
Taciana de Barros Jerônimo (Department of Administrative Sciences, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil)
Jackeline Amantino de Andrade (Department of Administrative Sciences, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil)
Marcos André Mendes Primo (Department of Administrative Sciences, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil)
Brunna Carvalho Almeida Granja (Department of Administrative Sciences, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil)

Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies

ISSN: 2053-4604

Article publication date: 13 December 2021

Issue publication date: 27 April 2023

197

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate routines as a conceptual tool to analyze resources management in small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) productive processes.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors developed a qualitative multiple case study with Brazilian companies in the bakery industry. Data were collected through interviews, on-site observation and documentary analysis. Plus, the authors used business process modeling (BPM) techniques to map the observed routines.

Findings

The restrictions of SMEs accentuate the improvisation of routines. However, contrary to expected, many of these deviations expand the possibilities of organizational action as they become successful in terms of operational efficiency, which allows these companies to extract performance from ordinary resources and imitable management practices.

Practical implications

The BPM shows its value to track the allocation of resources in SMEs by recording the evolution of its routines and helping to preserve an operational memory. This finding could be useful to help public agencies to develop accessible management tools to assist small business owners.

Originality/value

Most of the conceptual tools developed to analyze the resources management are based on the study of large organizations, which may limit the analysis and lead to restricted or mistaken results if used in another context without proper adaptation. The authors apply an objective and representational epistemological lens to organizational routines to adapt it to the pragmatic context of operations management. Also, the authors suggest that better than a resource-based view, the practice-based view is a theoretical approach more compatible with the resource constraints context of SMEs.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

Funding: This research was carried out with financial assistance from the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES).

Citation

Costa Júnior, J.C.d., Nascimento, L.d.S., Jerônimo, T.d.B., Andrade, J.A.d., Mendes Primo, M.A. and Granja, B.C.A. (2023), "Routines as a conceptual tool for studying resources management in SMEs: evidence from Brazilian bakeries", Journal of Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies, Vol. 15 No. 3, pp. 516-537. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEEE-06-2021-0252

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

Related articles