What is it about?
Small and medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) have limited resources. Therefore it is important for SMEs to access complementary capabilities provided through 'nearness' in terms of geographical-, organisational-, temporal-, technical-, cognitive-, visionary- and virtual proximities. The findings extend the traditional approach focused on geographical proximity for growth of SMEs and provide an explanation of the 'perceived 'proximity paradox' found on insufficient support from geographical proximity for growth of SMEs. Additionally, especially virtual proximity is becoming more and more important as this can reach directly to customers and partners. However, the palette of proximities must be organized properly to support robust growth.
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Why is it important?
SMEs are important for growth in society. Therefore the key to understanding the organising of proximities is important both for the individual SME to act upon, for academia to disseminate/ conduct further research upon and for public bodies to focus in policy development. Especially virtual proximity is becoming more and more important to act upon.
Perspectives
The understanding of organising a range of proximities to support robust growth in SMEs are very important instead of the single focus on geographic proximities. Hereby a palette of proximities can enhance the opportunities of the SMEs and utilize the opportunities in society in general to a much higher extend than hitherto research has illustrated
Associated Professor Tove Brink
Syddansk Universitet
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Organising of dynamic proximities enables robustness, innovation and growth: The longitudinal case of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in food producing firm networks, Industrial Marketing Management, November 2018, Elsevier,
DOI: 10.1016/j.indmarman.2018.04.005.
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