Safety is an important aspect of everyday business operations. It can have an impact on the operations of an enterprise as well as the wellbeing of the workers. Literature shows that SMEs face extra problems in this area due to limited resources and lack of knowledge. A potential accident on the premises, in many cases, has devastating consequences. SMEs make up the vast majority of private companies in the EU and beyond. Despite the importance of the issue, the information found in literature is scattered and often not aimed at SMEs. This book aims to gather the latest information and become the full reference point for designing and adopting an appropriate safety strategy for SMEs.
Tourism destinations are traditionally dominated by small and medium-sized enterprises that provide a wide range of products to tourists such as accommodation, travel services, transportation, recreation and entertainment, and food and beverage services. New knowledge and global risks have emerged, and small and medium-sized tourism enterprises (SMTEs) are now highly vulnerable. Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic has hit the whole world and caused a change in the tourism paradigm. Many SMTEs around the world have been severely affected by the need to completely shut down their activities for months, and expectations for recovery in the medium term are not optimistic. SMTEs do not have the capacity and increased resources—financial, human, operational—of large companies to prepare for crisis contingencies (planning) and respond to the challenges they face. They simply do not have the resources or knowledge for risk analysis and the creation of crisis teams or plans. This is an area of growing importance and concern, both in the public and private sectors, where specific research and more in-depth knowledge are needed. Risk, Crisis, and Disaster Management in Small and Medium-Sized Tourism Enterprises connects research in the field of crisis management with the risks affecting small and medium-sized tourism enterprises. The book presents prevailing research on SME-related planning, response, and recovery during crisis situations, further propelling much-needed literature on these challenges in today’s tourism industry. The chapters cover important topics such as terrorism threats, disaster management, resilient strategies, pandemic management, and risk analysis. The target audience of this book will be composed of professionals working in the tourism and hospitality industries, restaurateurs, travel agencies, hotel executives, directors, managers, crisis and risk planners, policymakers, government officials, researchers, and academicians who are interested in the threats to tourism businesses and how small and medium-sized enterprises can manage and navigate these risks.
Smaller companies are abundant in the business realm and outnumber large companies by a wide margin. To maintain a competitive edge against other businesses, companies must ensure the most effective strategies and procedures are in place. This is particularly critical in smaller business environments that have fewer resources. Start-Ups and SMEs: Concepts, Methodologies, Tools, and Applications is a vital reference source that examines the strategies and concepts that will assist small and medium-sized enterprises to achieve competitiveness. It also explores the latest advances and developments for creating a system of shared values and beliefs in small business environments. Highlighting a range of topics such as entrepreneurship, innovative behavior, and organizational sustainability, this multi-volume book is ideally designed for entrepreneurs, business managers, executives, managing directors, academicians, business professionals, researchers, and graduate-level students.
This book offers a fresh method of assessing and managing risks in SMEs, by adopting a multidisciplinary approach. In small and medium companies, the risk management process cannot be often formalised and procedures are usually integrated unconsciously into the decision-making process. Therefore, to enhance the flexibility of these companies, increase their market share and allow them to grow and manage risks more effectively, the first step is to improve the way decisions are made. Consequently, it is fundamental for those companies to improve the awareness about the way reasonable decisions are made, which can be achieved only through a proper knowledge and the definition of the Risk Appetite Framework. Therefore, by improving knowledge, the risk appetite and awareness in the decision making, companies will implicitly start developing a risk consciousness, which can be translated into a sound risk approach. SMEs need to understand the importance of an effective internal control system. Hence, the central point is the necessity to start reconsidering the company as a unique entity, by adopting a holistic approach. The book explores whether small and medium companies should adopt a formalised risk management process and, more importantly, the role that the development of an appropriate risk mindfulness and approach to expand existing functions plays in these entities. It suggests an appropriate way of thinking about risk, starting with the amalgamation of both past and present theories, and enabling SMEs to find a solution to improve the effectiveness of their risk management strategies.
"This book addresses the issues of HRM in SMEs by providing a channel of communication to disseminate knowledge; including management philosophies, culture, and management practices"--Provided by publisher.
The managed flow of goods and information from raw material to final sale also known as a "supply chain" affects everythingâ€"from the U.S. gross domestic product to where you can buy your jeans. The nature of a company's supply chain has a significant effect on its success or failureâ€"as in the success of Dell Computer's make-to-order system and the failure of General Motor's vertical integration during the 1998 United Auto Workers strike. Supply Chain Integration looks at this crucial component of business at a time when product design, manufacture, and delivery are changing radically and globally. This book explores the benefits of continuously improving the relationship between the firm, its suppliers, and its customers to ensure the highest added value. This book identifies the state-of-the-art developments that contribute to the success of vertical tiers of suppliers and relates these developments to the capabilities that small and medium-sized manufacturers must have to be viable participants in this system. Strategies for attaining these capabilities through manufacturing extension centers and other technical assistance providers at the national, state, and local level are suggested. This book identifies action steps for small and medium-sized manufacturersâ€"the "seed corn" of business start-up and developmentâ€"to improve supply chain management. The book examines supply chain models from consultant firms, universities, manufacturers, and associations. Topics include the roles of suppliers and other supply chain participants, the rise of outsourcing, the importance of information management, the natural tension between buyer and seller, sources of assistance to small and medium-sized firms, and a host of other issues. Supply Chain Integration will be of interest to industry policymakers, economists, researchers, business leaders, and forward-thinking executives.
"Safety is an important aspect of everyday business operations. It can have an impact on the operations of an enterprise as well as the wellbeing of the workers. Literature shows that SMEs face extra problems in this area due to limited resources and lack of knowledge. A potential accident on the premises, in many cases, has devastating consequences. SMEs make up the vast majority of private companies in the EU and beyond. Despite the importance of the issue, the information found in literature is scattered and often not aimed at SMEs. This book aims to gather the latest information and become the full reference point for designing and adopting an appropriate safety strategy for SMEs."--Provided by publisher.
Human Resource Management in Small Business fills a gap in our understanding of economic performance. Small businesses are more numerous, have more employees, and contribute more to the economies of nations throughout the world than do large organizations. This book examines a range of issues, including the significance of human resource management (HRM) practices to small business success, the management of work hours and work stressors, work and family issues, succession planning, employee recruitment and selection, and managing staff. It also explores how individuals develop HRM skills, and learn from their own and others? experiences. The role of HRM practices in successful small businesses is illustrated through a range of case studies. Including contributors who are internationally recognized academics from a range of countries; this book will prove to be an essential resource for postgraduate students and academics in management. Professional managers and owners in SMEs will also discover great insights from this admirable book.
