Michele O'Dwyer

Innovative marketing in SMEs

– The purpose of this paper was to investigate the concept of innovative marketing and how it manifests itself in the context of small‐to medium‐sized enterprises., – The literature relating to the characteristics of SMEs, and innovative marketing are reviewed to identify the key elements of innovative marketing and SMEs. This review and the key elements identified contribute to an overall conceptualisation of innovative marketing for SMEs., – The discussion considers and provides a description of innovative marketing in SMEs. Innovative marketing does not just relate to products, new product development, and technological development but is also evident in other aspects of marketing related activities and decisions and is very specific to the context and needs of the SME., – The focus of this paper is on taking the relevant themes from the literature and considering them in the light of SME marketing and in the context of SME business activities.

Product launch, product advantage and market orientation in SMEs

Purpose – The importance of new product development to the survival and success of firms is well supported in the literature; however, few studies have investigated new product development in small to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). This study aims to examine the impact of product launch, product advantage and market orientation on new product development performance and organisational performance in SMEs.Design/methodology/approach – This model was tested using data collected from 48 small and large sized firms in Ireland. Findings from 33 small and 15 large firms were compared, and a correlation analysis was used to establish the relationships defined in the model for both small and large firms.Findings – The study identified several significant differences between the impact of product launch, product advantage and market orientation on new product development and organisational performance in small and large firms. It also indicated several areas in which small firms can improve their new product and...

Face‐to‐face or distance training: two different approaches to motivate SMEs to learn

In the past, too many government sponsored initiatives have presented valuable learning resources which have been wasted because the target small business audience have failed to utilise them. This paper explores the issue of offering learning materials to small‐ to medium‐sized enterprises in a manner which recognises their working environment, mode of operation and preferred learning methods, and after addressing these, outlines differing methods at present being tested in the UK and Ireland. The two methodologies are different in that one programme is aimed at distance learning in primarily small businesses, whilst the other is aimed at face‐to‐face learning primarily in micro‐enterprises. It is the contrast between the two which we hope will indicate those common elements in the two methodologies that can specify an ideal path for educating/training micro and small enterprises – the vast bulk of EU organisations.

Determinants of new product performance in small firms

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the determinants of new product performance in small firms; specifically, the impact of customer orientation, competitor orientation, interfunctional co‐ordination, product launch proficiency and product advantage.Design/methodology/approach – Based on previous studies a model was developed addressing determinants of new product and organisational performance (customer orientation, competitor orientation, interfunctional co‐ordination, product advantage, and product launch proficiency). These relationships were explored using data collected from 26 small firms in Ireland.Findings – The results indicate that competitor orientation and product launch proficiency are strongly linked to new product performance and organisational performance in small firms. Additionally, they illustrate a lack of significant relationships between performance and customer orientation, interfunctional coordination and product advantage, thus suggesting that the existing large fir...

Exploring management perspectives of branding in service SMEs

Purpose – Branding in small companies is an emergent aspect of the literature which to date has been explored from the perspective of customers but not SME management. Increasing understanding of management perceptions of branding is essential, given the impact of the entrepreneurial personality on SME branding, the need to create sustainable value, the emphasis of differentiation, and nurturing the generation of growth. This paper seeks to enhance the understanding of brands in service small and medium enterprises (SMEs) from a management perspective.Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative case study method was undertaken with five SMEs in Ireland over a period of 18 months to understand the context specific implementation of branding from the perspective of the owner/manager. The research approach utilized in‐depth interviews, historical data, and observation with diverse service SMEs to facilitate the theory building necessary for this study.Findings – The findings demonstrate that from a managemen...

Innovative marketing in SMEs: a theoretical framework

Purpose – Previous research has identified and clarified the nature of innovative marketing in small and medium size enterprises (SMEs), providing a list of key constituent elements. While this list of innovative marketing variables goes some way towards explaining the nature of innovative marketing it does not aid the understanding of the relevance and inter‐relationship of these variables. The aim of this paper is to develop a theoretical framework to facilitate further exploration of the core elements of innovative marketing in SMEs.Design/methodology/approach – A case study approach is adopted in order to facilitate the emergence of new theoretical relationships based on the understanding of the complex and dynamic nature of innovative marketing in SMEs. Eight case SMEs are recruited, two of the case SMEs from the service industry, three from manufacturing and three of the SMEs combined elements of both service and manufacturing.Findings – The findings of the study illustrate the component parts of in...

Strategic alliances as an element of innovative marketing in SMEs

The focus point of this article is to explore the nature of strategic alliances as an innovative marketing tool. Previous research has identified a list of key constituent elements that encompass the nature of innovative marketing in SMEs (small to medium sized enterprises). One of these elements is the creation of strategic alliances particularly when SMEs find themselves operating in a competitive environment. In order to understand the complex and dynamic issue of innovative marketing in SMEs a case study approach was adopted in order to facilitate the emergence of new theoretical relationships. Eight case SMEs were recruited representing a mix of service and manufacturing industries. The study revealed that SMEs engage in different types of strategic alliances for innovative marketing purposes to achieve two different outcomes: first, to achieve different organisational goals, and second, to overcome inherent challenges such as a lack of resources. By linking with other companies SMEs can access a broader variety of resources (such as expertise, finance and networks) over a wider geographic area. These linkages increase their competitive advantage and innovative marketing impact.

Responsible business practice: re-framing CSR for effective SME engagement

This paper explores attempts to translate the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) discourse to Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs). The transfer of the CSR discourse is problematic because of the inherent differences between large-scale enterprises and SMEs as well as the heterogeneity existent within the SME sector. Within this context the authors argue that Responsible Business Practice (RBP) is a more appropriate term which recognises that SMEs have different motivations for engagement with, and methods of operationlising, RBP. The paper introduces a new typology to help understand and progress the mainstreaming of RBPs among SMEs, acknowledging four primary enterprise categorisations: market-driven responsible enterprises, environmentally responsible enterprises, socially responsible enterprises and sustainable enterprises. This paper extends the extant literature through its explicit consideration of SMEs in enhancing RBP. This approach, while building on the core essence of CSR, will help to facilitate the sector to progress beyond CSR and begin to develop to SME-specific theory and practice in this area.

Perceptions of product advantage, NPD and organisational performance

Purpose – This paper aims to extend previous studies on new product development (NPD) performance by identifying the product advantage, new product performance and organisational performance indicators that are considered by small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) to be most relevant to their performance. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative research approach was adopted, using a cross-sectional survey of a sample of 137 firms representing the industry sectors active within the Irish economy. The research instrument was based on existing recognised research measures. Findings – The results suggest that: large firms consider that their products derive advantage through product quality and cost, while SMEs are more concerned with satisfying customer needs; larger firms concentrate on market measures in measuring new product performance, while SMEs focus on customer acceptance measures; and in measuring organisational performance larger firms focus on market share and profitability, while SMEs concentrat...

The evolving role of public relations in Ireland

Purpose – The nature of the international corporate public relations function is the substance of ongoing debate by both leading public relations academics and practitioners, with the predominant body of literature advocating public relations as a management rather than a line function. This ongoing debate formed the basis of a 1993 exploration of public relations as a management function within Irish companies, which concluded that public relations was a line rather than management function at that time. In light of changes in the intervening decade, this article aims to assess the evolution of public relations practice to date.Design/methodology/approach – This paper presents the results of longitudinal research undertaken in 2003, replicating the 1993 study with the original participant companies, addressing seven key prerequisites identified from literature in the classification of public relations as a management function.Findings – Based on an exploration of these prerequisites the paper concludes t...