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Drawing on the resource-based view (RBV), this paper aims to analyse the relevance of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies and participation in global value chains (GVC) and the effects of the complementarity between both in the adoption of circular economy (CE) actions by small and medium-sized enterprises (SME).

This paper analysed a large-scale international sample by employing logistic and linear regression models to test the research hypotheses on the effects of I4.0 technologies, GVC participation, and the interaction on CE actions (recycling or reusing materials, reducing the consumption and impact of natural resources, saving energy and/or switching to sustainable energy sources, developing sustainable products or services).

The evidence suggests that I4.0 technologies already represent important resources for CE adoption and SME participating in GVC display a greater likelihood of adopting CE actions. From the perspective of resource complementarity, by interacting the two factors viewed as resources in this article, results may report that adopting I4.0 technologies and simultaneously participating in GVC may turn out detrimental to SME undertaking CE actions, specifically as regards recycling and reusing materials, saving energy or switching to sustainable energy sources and in cases of widely adopting CE practices.

The paper returns novel insights into the adoption of CE practices by presenting evidence that I4.0 technologies and participation in GVC may be successful means for SME seeking to implement CE actions but must be combined carefully. This paper also provides theoretical and practical implications for SME managers, firms participating in GVCs and policy makers, and shedding light on new research avenues.

During the COVID-19 crisis, diversified attitudes and behaviors of structural equation modeling (SME) retailers were observed in using social media marketing that could have helped mitigate the adverse effects of this crisis on businesses. This paper aims to present a thorough investigation of these perceptions and limited acceptance of social media marketing among SME retailers in a developing country during a crisis.

The investigation was designed using a mixed-method design. A qualitative investigation, as the first part, explored SME retailers’ perceptions of the use of social media marketing when they were faced with mandatory lockdown that stifled their business activity. The insights from qualitative study and literature helped devise the second part of the study, a quantitative study using the technology acceptance model (TAM). Analysis of responses from a sample of SME retailers (n = 149) was done using SEM in this study.

In the qualitative study, SME retailers were found to have a varying outlook toward social media marketing. Some ventured into social media marketing while others were impeded by their limited understanding. The second (quantitative) study showed the general applicability of TAM such that perceived ease of use through perceived usefulness influenced SME retailers’ attitudes toward the usage of social media marketing during the COVID-19 crisis. An important finding in both studies was that business owners’ education level influenced their perceptions of social media marketing.

The investigation, albeit a comprehensive one, was conducted in a particular market and for SME retailers. This opens avenues for conducting similar studies in other segments of entrepreneurs to generate insights based on comparative analysis across segments and scenarios.

Limited or no marketing in the physical marketplace amid lockdown meant almost an existential crisis for entrepreneurs, especially SME retailers, in developing countries during the COVID-19 crisis. While technology acceptance by SME retailers has been discussed in the literature, there are limited discourses on technology acceptance among entrepreneurs and SME retailers during a crisis. These findings from the COVID-19 crisis explicate the possibilities and limitations of technology usage as a means to mitigate challenges faced by entrepreneurs during a crisis.

The purpose of this study is to examine the subnational regional dimension of exports by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in India, one of the prominent emerging economies or “rising powers”.

To understand the forces driving the variation in subnational region’s share in international business of rising power SMEs, an analytical conceptual framework on regional export advantage (REA) was formulated based on the review of relevant theoretical and empirical literature. The model was estimated for Indian states using the most appropriate and recently developed econometric technique of fractional logit model.

The paper provides evidence that the emergence of exports by rising Indian power SMEs is geographically limited to a few select regions/states. Southern Indian states alone accounted for half of exports from SMEs in the organized manufacturing sector during 2000-2008, followed by Western India. The REA analysis has brought to the fore that regional stock of technological knowledge, availability of skill, port facilities, urban areas and foreign direct investment stocks are crucial factors determining states’ share in SME exports across technological subcategories. However, the size and sophistication of local demand continue to influence states’ efforts at enhancing exports by SMEs, at least those belonging to the medium- and high-technology categories.

The proposed empirical framework could be extended to include institutional and political economy factors. Its application to subnational regional shares in total exports by all firms taking into account fixed effects for regions may be another feasible line of future research.

Empirical findings recognize that appropriate strategies by subnational policymakers are important for a region to achieve a higher contribution in national SME exports. Subnational policy measures aimed at upgradation of regional technological assets and skill base through the promotion of technology clusters and R & D of local firms, facilitation and creation of better industry-university linkages and investments in education and training institution may help the states to gain higher export advantage.

This paper provides new analytics and insights into the role of subnational spaces in the internationalization of rising power SMEs from India and serves to contribute to the extant international business research that is predominantly occupied with “nation” as the unit of location.

This chapter empirically investigates how banks evaluate the creditworthiness of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Following SME loan underwriting literature that distinguishes among different lending technologies, we test whether the typical SME bank loan is underwritten primarily based on just a single technology. We find that although financial statement lending is the most commonly used and serves as a kind of basic technology, it tends not to be used to the exclusion of other technologies. These findings imply that, at least in Japan, SME lending practice may be inconsistent with academic research on how banks underwrite loans elsewhere.

The purpose of this paper is to ascertain: first, India's public policy support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) for external technology acquisition (ETA); second, objectives of SMEs for ETA; and third, factors which induced them to obtain their first ETA.

Public policy is examined through survey of literature, whereas objectives and factors influencing first ETAs by SMEs are analyzed based on primary data collected from 64 SMEs in Bangalore. Objectives of ETAs are analyzed descriptively whereas factors which facilitated/hindered early ETAs are examined through Cox regression analysis.

Public policy for ETAs by SMEs includes technology information, assistance and fiscal incentives. The technology focus of these SMEs has been shifting from conventional lathes to computer numerical control (CNC) machines. Most of the SMEs have gone for technology up-gradation with the objective of improving product quality, scale expansion, and meeting customer demand. Majority of these SMEs have obtained their first ETA within six years of their inception. Firm level factors have significantly influenced the time taken by these SMEs for their first ETAs. Overall, when technology is well developed and easily accessible, SMEs would hardly look for external support for ETAs.

The shifting technology focus from conventional lathes to CNC machines is a welcome development, which is driven by the need for “competitiveness enhancement”. Since there is no major obstacle for ETAs, policy makers may focus more on providing SMEs with market information and market developments.

The shifting technology focus from conventional lathes to CNC machines in Indian SMEs is a welcome development, which is largely driven by the need for better product quality, scale expansion and customer demand, and internal factors played a crucial role in the time taken by these SMEs in accomplishing their first ETA. As such there is no major obstacle for these SMEs in going for ETAs since technology suppliers are available at the door-step and finance is available from the banks. Therefore, policy makers may focus more on providing SMEs with market information and market developments in the domestic as well as international market.

This is a first attempt to examine public policy, objectives and factors influencing SMEs for ETAs in India, after 1991.

To stay at the forefront of new technology, small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) can be assisted through Internet and Web sites providing innovation and technology support services. The cost of the latest technology, including hardware, training and personnel, however, can be insurmountable for SMEs with limited financial and technological resources. The business support community in Wales is continually evolving its own Internet and Web site offerings to make sure that businesses, especially SMEs, are kept abreast of the latest innovations, most productive methods and provision of support services. Considers the provision of Web‐based innovation and technology support in Wales and examines its coverage in relation to Welsh SMEs. Utilises a range of data collection techniques including interviews with policy makers and the analysis of reports and Internet sites.

This study aims to empirically examine and analyze the factors that influence the adoption of blockchain technology, particularly within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The study also predicts how adopting blockchain technology may affect SMEs’ market and financial performance.

The research is grounded in the theoretical frameworks of the “technology–organization–environment (TOE) framework” and the “resource-based view (RBV)” perspective. The researchers collected 407 responses from a survey conducted on SMEs in India. The statistical package for social science, followed by the “partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM)” technique, was applied for the data analysis.

This paper offered a robust research framework for blockchain technology adoption in which one of the two proposed technological factors (relative advantage), one organizational factor (top management support) and two environmental factors (competitive pressure and market dynamics) significantly influence blockchain technology adoption. Similarly, there is a substantial association between blockchain technology adoption and both market and financial performance. More specifically, the complexity and perceived investment cost have been recognized as barriers to SMEs adopting blockchain technology.

The primary focus of this research lies in examining the adoption of blockchain technology among SMEs in India. Consequently, there exists an opportunity to broaden the scope of this study to include various other countries. Such an expansion holds the potential to yield more precise and comprehensive results, enabling a comparative analysis across diverse international contexts.

The outcomes have practical significance for SMEs as they navigate their strategies for adopting blockchain technology. Moreover, policymakers and practitioners can use these findings to enact specific measures targeting barriers, fostering the adoption of blockchain in Indian SMEs and creating a more supportive environment for technological integration and growth.

This study introduces a novel theoretical framework focusing on the impact of blockchain adoption on SMEs. Its distinctive contribution lies in investigating the mediating role of blockchain adoption in the relationship between market and financial performance, specifically within emerging economies. By addressing this gap, the study enhances the understanding of how blockchain adoption shapes SME performance in evolving economic landscapes.

Cloud computing is a relatively new phenomena. It has rarely been examined in the context of the small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The purpose of this paper is to examine the drivers and barriers to cloud computing adoption by SMEs in Ireland.

This study adopted an exploratory approach. A quantitative approach was adopted in the data collection phase. An online self-completion questionnaire was distributed by e-mail to 1,500 SMEs in Ireland. A response rate of 6 per cent was achieved generating 95 usable responses.

Findings from this study indicate that Irish SMEs are adopting cloud technology. The key driver identified is the resultant cost benefits for the firm. However, concern over continuous availability of the service is identified by the SME as a key challenge and is hindering widespread adoption of cloud technology.

This study whilst exploratory in nature, has laid the foundation for further research in the area of cloud computing adoption. This research should enable further studies to replicate this process with the possibility of extending the study to include other countries, on a larger scale and with a particular focus on the knowledge intensive business services sector. This study would benefit from adding a qualitative perspective to the research topic to add depth and enhance the “richness” of the data collected during the process.

This study concludes that policy makers and cloud providers need to provide assurances to SMEs over issues of continuous availability of the cloud service through increased and on-going investment in a high-speed, broadband infrastructure and through ensuring issues pertaining to standardization and compliance are resolved.

This exploratory research has illuminated this area through examining the drivers and barriers to cloud adoption by SMEs. In the Irish context, the benefits of engaging in such activity can reap many benefits. Of particular importance to a peripheral economy such as Ireland is the value of adopting cloud computing which is central to offering competitive advantage and controlling costs.

Successful technology adoption in an SME is often dependent on a concomitant upgrade in management skills. This report assesses the impact of various marketing, finance, human resources and production management techniques on performance among SMEs in Thailand. The findings have numerous implications for public policy makers and business educators attempting to design management training programs.

The purpose of this article is to examine the impact of digital technology (specifically mobile applications) use on employees' perceptions of motivation at work (MW) and job performance (JP).

Survey data were collected from 4,089 employees working in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) registered to Small and Medium Enterprises Development Organization (SMEDO) in Turkey. The relationships were assessed through structural equation modeling with bootstrap estimation.

The results support the proposed framework illustrating the positive effect of perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU) of mobile applications on employees' perceived JP. Findings indicate that MW has exhibited a mediating effect between both PU and JP and PEOU and JP.

This article discusses the accelerating role of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on SMEs' technology acceptance and the acceptance's positive impact on employees' motivation and performance. This article adds to the literature on SMEs by enabling researchers and practitioners to understand the issues in digital technologies acceptance by SME employees and contributes towards enriching the knowledge on technology acceptance perceptions' role in SMEs coping strategies during the COVID-19.