OBSERVATORY ON EUROPEAN RESEARCH FOR CRAFTS AND SMEs

Issued by Academy Avignon of Crafts and SMEs in Europe

The Observatory on the European Research for Crafts and SMEs was set up by the Academy Avignon of Crafts and SMEs in Europe, based in Brussels. Its mission is to monitor the results of research on Craft and SMEs carried out in Europe by several bodies e.g. research centres, universities, the EC agencies. The Observatory diffuses the results to Crafts and SME organizations and the other relevant stakeholders.

NEWSLETTER
MAIN CONTENTS IN THIS ISSUE

MAY

2012/N.38

1. 2. 3. 4.

Sustainable Product Service Systems in Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs): Opportunities in the Leather Manufacturing Industry; Novas Formas de Organizao do Trabalho nas Micro e Pequenas Empresas [New Forms of Work Organization in Micro and Small Enterprises]; Stakeholder Management and CSR and the Lov-Land of values; Technology Assimilation Across the Value Chain: An Empirical Study of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises; approach in italian territorial companies Loccioni Group

SUSTAINABLE PRODUCT SERVICE SYSTEMS IN SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES (SMES):OPPORTUNITIES IN THE LEATHER MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY;
Author(s):Ricardo

J. Hernndez Pardo, Tracy Bhamra, Ran Bhamra (Loughborough Design School, Loughborough University)

Summary (EN)

This paper presents an approach to identify opportunities to develop sustainable Product Service Systems (PSS) involving Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The purpose of the research is to build understanding of how the integration of product and service design and the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) can contribute to identify opportunities to develop sustainable PSS involving SMEs. In order to develop the approach, research with 16 Colombian Manufacturing SMEs was carried out. A reference model and four generic types of PSS according to the relationships between product and service design and ICT are used to analyse the data. Finally, the possibility of extending the approach into a general framework to work with other industries is discussed.

Link

NOVAS FORMAS DE ORGANIZAO DO TRABALHO NAS MICRO E PEQUENAS EMPRESAS [NEW FORMS OF WORK ORGANIZATION IN MICRO AND SMALL ENTERPRISES]
Author(s): Summary (S)

Santos Miguel (Universidade Lus_ofona de Humanidades e Tecnologia)

The implementation of new forms of organization of the work (NFWO) has been recurrently applied in the medium and large corporations, especially those whose activity is centered in traditional industrial sectors. With virtues and inconvenients the NFWO seems to be apparently to be kept out of the micro and small enterprises (MSE) frameworks. In this text, we attempt to describe, to characterize and to clearly underline the potential that some NFWO (job rotation, job enlargement, job enrichment and semi-autonomous work groups) can take in the MSE, especially to face the hostile economic moments and to survive in the unavoidable sphere of the globalization in the informational society.

Link

STAKEHOLDER TERRITORIAL OF VALUES;

MANAGEMENT COMPANIES

AND

CSR

APPROACH AND THE

IN

ITALIAN

LOCCIONI

GROUP

LOV-LAND

Author(s): Summary (EN)

Mara Del Baldo, (University of Urbino)

The research question posed at the basis of this study is the following: what is the importance of sharing common values that originate from (and are reinforced by) the entrepreneurs and companys embeddedness in a cohesive territorial socio-economic system? How can land values influence the companys stakeholder and CSR approaches? Taking both a deductive and inductive perspective, the reflections are developed around three main topics: the CSR roots, strictly connected to ethical oriented core values and influenced by the belonging to a specific geographical context; the development of social and ethical networks of stakeholders (promoted by territorial companies) that share a minimum mutual set of values; the influence of those values on the companys approach to stakeholders management. After presenting the theoretical framework, the second part of the paper examines a case study of an Italian company, the Loccioni Group, which offers an example of a CSR-oriented organizational ecosystem and a best practices of stakeholder management that co-evolves with the environment, moving in the direction of responsible development, improving, at the same time, its own competitiveness and the social conditions of the environment and of the local context.

Link

TECHNOLOGY

ASSIMILATION

ACROSS

THE

VALUE

CHAIN:

AN

EMPIRICAL STUDY OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES

Author(s):Pratyush

Bharati (University of Massachusetts, USA), Abhijit Chaudhury (Bryant University, Rhode Island)

Summary (EN)

In this paper, the authors study technology assimilation, aggregating technologies and assimilation stages for SMEs. The authors employ the twin lenses of organizational innovation and elements of institutional theory. The research validates some institutional actors and most firm characteristics as important determinants. The

relative weaknesses of the institutional actors provide evidence of structural isolation in the SME environment that is inhibiting information flow from intermediaries like government support agencies and vendors. The authors recommend a proactive role on the part of technology and enterprise intermediaries to design SMEappropriate solutions.

Link

Newspapers:
Brain Drain Feared as German Jobs Lure Southern Europeans
28/04/2012, The New York Times By Suzanne Daley and Nicholas Kulish

Germany While much of southern Europe is struggling with soaring unemployment rates, a robust Germany is desperate for educated workers, and it has begun to look south for the solution. The area is home to many of the small and medium-size family enterprises, known as the Mittelstand, that power Germanys industrial export economy. But for many companies, finding qualified employees and keeping them is the challenge...

Internazionalizzazione PMI: nuovi strumenti per investire in Turchia

2 /05/2012, PMI.it By Barbar Weisz

Missione economica di ICE, Governo, imprese e banche in Turchia: Italia partner commerciale di questa economia emergente, che rappresenta un'opportunit di crescita in chiave anti-crisi per le PMI. La missione che vede coinvolte ABI, Confindustria, Unioncamere, Rete Imprese, ex ICE, Ministeri dello Sviluppo Economico e Affari Esteri iniziata il primo maggio per concludersi il 4 maggio e prevede la partecipazione diretta di circa 160 aziende, 10 banche e 23 associazioni imprenditoriali

Good Practice
Public Procurement of Innovation (PoI) -Skills and Innovation

Public Procurement of Innovation can be defined as the purchase of innovative products, services or processes through public demand with the aim to improve the performance and functionality of public services or to solve important socio-economic challenges. The purchase might include research and development in order to prepare a future commercial purchase: this exploratory phase is called pre-commercial procurement. A detailed description of the instrument can be find on the website www.innovatiefaanbesteden.be

Public Procurement of Innovation is a demand driven tool that attempts to bring companies and government together to cooperate on innovative solutions for major societal challenges such as e.g. ageing society, environmental issues, digitalising, etc. This project started the 25/09/2008 The target group for the innovative procurement instrument are in Flanders 13 policy domains. Participants to Public Procurement of innovation can be governmental (linked) organisations, companies, highschools, universities, NGOs,... Nobody is excluded in the different stages of the process. The reason of this success.. The target group for the innovative procurement instrument are in Flanders 13 policy domains (culture, agriculture, education,...). The minister of a policy domain decides on participation and nominates a contact point within the policy domain, who identifies the challenges and opportunities that can be solved through purchase of innovation by the government. The policy domains handed in till now 48 project proposals. 15 have been selected. Innovation platforms have been set up for the selected projects. The instrument enforces the efficiency of the government as it brings together different actors with different background and know-how (companies, universities, governments,) in order to find optimal and integrated solutions for complex governmental challenges and problems. The Problems encountered The process is labor-intensive. As the instrument aims to find the best solution, a lot of time and effort is spent in meetings to analyze thoroughly the challenge and to look at all the possible solutions. ..and the better way to overcome it The process enhances the chance of finding an appropriate and optimal solution, but is time-consuming for the coaches, participants and project management team.

Events:
Scientific support for growth, jobs and sustainability: the example of the eco-industries
Event date: Location: 15/05/2012 Charlemagne building 170 Rue de la Loi - Brussels - (Belgium)

The European Commission's in-house science service, the Joint Research Centre, is organising on 15 May a conference on "Scientific support for growth, jobs and sustainability: the example of the eco-industries". Eco-industries produce goods and services to measure, prevent, limit, minimise or correct environmental damage to water, air and soil as well as problems related to waste and eco-systems. They have a significant innovation and technological potential, which can create economic growth and jobs at local level. Already, ecoindustries account for more than 3.4 million direct jobs in the EU and have a turnover of more than 300 billion (2.5% of the EU's GDP). The major characteristic of European Eco-Industries is their diversity but also thier potential and the need of additional scientific support. Activities range from high-tech products and complex services in renewable energy, energy efficiency and air quality control to mature and well established applications in recycling and water and waste treatment. The EU's lead in many sectors (water; air quality; waste; energy efficiency; and renewable energy sources) gives a strong potential for growth and generates qualified jobs at local level. The conference will take place in Brussels, in the Charlemagne building (Alcide di Gasperi auditorium) from 09:00h to 17:30h on 15 May.

Registration

THE LIST OF SOURCES IN THIS ISSUE. Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) with more than 36,000 students from about 130 nations, is one of the
ten largest universities in Germany. As a comprehensive university, JGU combines almost all academic disciplines. JGU was founded in 1477, just a few years after the death of its namesake Johannes Gutenberg, the famous inventor of movable type printing.

Loughborough University: It is a leading University consistently ranked among the top 15 in the UK and is a
member of the 1994 Group. It has been a university since 1966, but the institution dates back to 1909, when the then Loughborough Technical Institute began with a focus on skills and knowledge which would be directly applicable in the wider world.

Universidade Lus_ofona de Humanidades e Tecnologias: Universidade Lusfona de Humanidades e Tecnologias

(Lusophone University of Humanities and Technologies) is the largest Portuguese private university, and the main institution of Grupo Lusfona.

University of Urbino: The University of Urbino dates back to 1506 when Duke Guidobaldo I founded the Collegio
dei Dottori, and from its inception, it continued to grow and develop. While the student body and faculties gradually increased and developed over time, it was under the long and fruitful presidency of Senator for Life, Carlo Bo, that the University enjoyed unprecedented growth in size and prestige, prompting the former President of the European Community Commission, Roy Jenkins, to state that the University of Urbino is an incisive presence in contemporary thought, contributing in original ways to the cultural and intellectual life of Europe.

University of Massachusetts: UMass Amherst was born in 1863 as a land-grant agricultural college set on 310
rural acres with four faculty members, four wooden buildings, 56 students and a curriculum combining modern farming, science, technical courses, and liberal arts.

The New York Times: is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York
City since 1851. The New York Times has won 108 Pulitzer Prizes, more than any news organization. Its website is the most popular American online newspaper website, receiving more than 30 million unique visitors per month.

The present edition of the Newsletter for the Academy Avignon was edited by Maura Albanesi.

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