ІННОВАЦІЙНИЙ ПОТЕНЦІАЛ МАЛОГО ТА СЕРЕДНЬОГО ПІДПРИЄМНИЦТВА: СУТНІСТЬ ТА ОСОБЛИВОСТІ

With the improvement of the level of market economy and the improvement of the state's attention to small and medium-sized enterprises (SME), the number of small and medium-sized enterprises in China is gradually increasing, and the market competition is also becoming increasingly fierce. Under the background of big data, the competition faced by small and medium-sized enterprises is more severe. Strengthening the management of financial internal control can ensure that enterprises can successfully complete their development goals and improve their market competitiveness, so as to realize the healthy development of small and medium-sized enterprises. Combined with the significance of financial internal control of small and medium-sized enterprises under the background of big data, this paper emphatically analyzes the problems existing in financial internal control of small and medium-sized enterprises under the background of big data. According to the analysis results, this paper puts forward the strategies of financial internal control of small and medium-sized enterprises under the background of big data, for reference.

This article analyzes the state and prospects for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Vladimir region. The authors demonstrate that SMEs play a key role in the regional economy, contributing significantly to GDP, job creation, and infrastructure development. The development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is an important factor in economic growth and social stability in Russian regions. The structure of region's SME is diverse, encompassing various legal forms, which provides flexibility and adaptability to market conditions. The article emphasizes the important role of government support, including preferential lending programs and tax incentives, as well as the development of support infrastructure (business incubators and technology parks). The article provides statistical information showing a positive trend in the number of enterprises (+2.2%), employment (+6.9%), and turnover (+15.5%) of small and medium-sized businesses in the Vladimir region over the past period. There has also been a significant increase in the average monthly salary of employees (+20.4%). The authors argue that the key factor for the further development of small and medium-sized businesses is the promotion of entrepreneurial activity among the younger generation. The article identifies the main challenges that hinder the development of small and medium-sized businesses in the region. The article discusses the need for government intervention in the economic regulation of small and medium-sized businesses. It emphasizes that without proper government support, the region's economy cannot effectively utilize its resources, which ultimately affects the standard of living and sustainable development of society. The authors identify the key strategic aspects of government support for small and medium-sized enterprises, focusing on creating a sustainable economic environment, developing a modern support ecosystem, and fostering effective collaboration with large businesses.

Regional Context of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises’ Development: Case Study of Southern Poland

The subject of the research. The study focuses on the theoretical and practical aspects of the problems facing State support for small and medium-sized enterprises in Ukraine. The purpose of the article is to identify the main destructive factors in the development of medium and small enterprises and to identify ways to overcome them. The methodological basis of the article is general scientific and special methods of scientific knowledge, such as dialectical method, analysis, grouping of data, problem-oriented approach. Results of work. The article discusses the special role of medium- and small-scale enterprises in generating GDP, creating jobs and improving the demographic situation. It is noted that a significant proportion of enterprises either operate in the shadow sector or do not take measures to improve profitability. It has been hypothesized that an important reason for this state of affairs is imperfect state support for small and medium-sized enterprises. First of all, there is a heavy tax burden, low wages in the sector, unstable legislation. The worldwide coronavirus pandemic has also been noted as an additional challenge, with most small and medium-sized businesses on the verge of survival through quarantine activities. The field of application of results. The materials, results and conclusions of the article may be used in the activities of various public organizations and local self-government bodies as an analytical basis for appeals about the need for State support for small and medium-sized enterprises, Training of specialists in secondary and higher education. Conclusions. Small and medium-sized businesses are the driving force behind the economy. It provides a large share of GDP, promotes the development of the middle class and has a positive impact on demographic indicators. The opportunity and ability of small and medium-sized enterprises to develop, even under difficult political and economic conditions, proves that it is these entities that support the economy in difficult times. Creating an enabling environment for doing business and developing small and medium-sized enterprises should therefore be a priority for the Government. To this end, support programs must be put in place: infotrmation, financial security and social support. Active and targeted support for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises contributes to the growth of GDP and the creation of new jobs.

This study investigated the challenges confronting human capital development in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria. The authors adopted the survey research design. An instrument was designed using the 5-point Likert scale ranging from strongly agree (5) to strongly disagree (1). The instrument has two sections. Section A has nine items which sought the views and opinions of respondents on the challenges of human capital development in SMEs and Section B has eight items which elicited the demographic profiles of respondents. A total of 165 questionnaires were distributed to the target population using the purposeful (judgmental) sampling technique. Out of the 165 questionnaires administered, 140 were returned upon which the analysis was based. This represents an 85% response rate. Data analysis was carried out with the aid of SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences). It was found that human capital development in Nigerian SMEs leaves much to be desired. Based on the analysis of data, it was found that 79% of respondents agreed and strongly agreed that many SMEs have negative training philosophy and pay lip service to human resource development. Seventy percent of the respondents agreed and strongly agreed that many SMEs do not have laid-down policies governing training and development programmes, while 52% of the respondents agreed and strongly agreed that SMEs engage in human capital development haphazardly, without embarking on need analysis. The authors recommended the need to address the issues of human capital development in SMEs and for SMEs to embrace the investor in people criteria if the desired corporate and national goals are to be realized.

In modern conditions of development, digital platforms in small and medium-sized businesses began to be widely used during the development of Industry-4.0 globalization. Modern studies define digital platforms as an electronic environment that includes a general set (list) of goods and services with a corresponding digital configuration. Examples of digital platforms are: digital music platform "Spotify" or "iTunes", digital movie platform "Netflix", etc. The article established that from the point of view of the economy, digital platforms are auxiliary electronic environments (markets) on which sellers and buyers buy and sell goods. And digital entrepreneurship is also considered as the process of creating a new Internet business. In the process of research, it was established that thanks to the spread of digital platforms, entrepreneurs have opportunities to stimulate innovation to create new products or services. In the framework of Industry 4.0, globalization and digitalization have created some benefits for participants based on digital platforms. First of all, through digital platforms, manufacturers can assess buyers and end consumers without going through intermediaries. Also, digital platforms allow sellers to display their products in virtual shopping centers through a website, and consumers can view product information at a time and place convenient for them. It has been proven that small and medium-sized enterprises are one of the main engines of the modern economy, which contribute to the development of the country's economy, the creation of income, employment and innovation in various fields. Small and medium-sized enterprises are the key to economic growth and market competition in most developed economies due to their flexibility and ability to innovate. According to the results of the conducted research, it is confirmed that the use of digital tools and platforms helps small and medium-sized businesses to determine the right direction for improving the efficiency of small and medium-sized enterprises within the framework of Industry 4.0 and digitalization trends. After all, the activity of small and medium-sized business enterprises directly affects the total GDP of the country. Thus, the subject of further research is the study of factors that can increase the productivity of small and medium-sized business enterprises, which is important in determining the directions of the future development of small and medium-sized business enterprises. In addition, within the framework of Industry-4.0. SMEs must take advantage of globalization and digitalization to perform better and achieve greater competitive advantages.

Knowledge and innovation are critical resources for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). However, there is lack of research on the influence of knowledge and innovation on SMEs’ sustainable development and how this can stimulate the growth and development of disadvantaged regions. In order to explore these phenomena, a qualitative approach was chosen, conducting six exploratory case studies in the Beira Interior Region in Portugal. It can be concluded that knowledge and innovation are indeed relevant for the growth and sustainability of SMEs and the regions in which they are embedded. The cases studied particularly underscore the importance of innovative SMEs as drivers of value and wealth creation for disadvantaged regions. Again, the outcomes also show that investing in knowledge and innovation is a means to ensure SMEs’ survival in disadvantaged regions. The implications of this study may also serve as benchmarking for SMEs or regions that pursue knowledge and innovation-based strategies in order to ensure sustainable regional development.

Entrepreneurship and the development of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) are key drivers of economic growth and job creation. The OECD review series on Boosting Local Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Creation, of which this study is a part, examines the capacity of local economies to support successful new enterprise creation and the growth of small enterprises and make recommendations on how this capacity can be enhanced through local policies. The reviews entail an assessment of entrepreneurship and SME performance at the local level, the local framework conditions affecting this performance and the policies in place to back entrepreneurship and SME development. The reviews involve a comprehensive examination of conditions and policies including the key domains of skills, financing, business support infrastructure and innovation. In the case of Lombardy, the economically most powerful region of Italy, the review includes a specific assessment of local entrepreneurship policies against the framework of the European Union’s Small Business Act (SBA). The SBA prioritises the role of business-friendly regulations for the creation of new start-ups and the development of existing small enterprises. SMEs and their clusters constitute the backbone of Lombardy economical structure. In such a context and given the impact of the persisting current financial and economic downturn, supporting the development of innovative SME and their networks is a priority for addressing the recovery challenge.

<p class="AbstractText">Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are considered to be the engine of the European economy. In EU SMEs make up more than 99% of all companies and provide around 75 million jobs. They are a key source of job creation and stimulation of entrepreneurial spirit and innovation and are therefore essential for fostering competitiveness and maintaining employment in the EU. Yet SMEs often have problems in raising funds to finance fixed investments and inventory and working capital. SMEs mostly use internal sources while the most important external sources of SMEs are bank loans, which are not easily accessible. Hence, one of the priorities of the European Commission is stimulating SMEs through EU funds and programs in order to enable SMEs development and finally to contribute to economic growth. SMEs sector also dominates the economic structure of Croatian economy and they have similar financing problems. However, Croatia in period 2014 – 2020 have at disposal a total amount of 10.676 billion of euros from European structural and investment funds, of which 8.397 billion are aimed for cohesion policy objectives and 470 million euros are aimed for the development and competitiveness of SMEs. Besides, EU programs COSME and HORIZON 2020 are intended to provide direct support to SMEs and to create a favorable environment for their development. However, even though the number of successful project applications for small and medium-sized enterprises in the total share of Croatian project applications is relatively high, fund absorption has not reached satisfactory levels. Using the sample of Split-Dalmatia County’s SMEs, this study finds out reasons for low absorption capacity from SMEs point of view: SMEs are interested in funds from European Union, but are not sufficiently familiar with their availability i.e. funds at their disposal, especially programs COSME and HORIZON 2020; SMEs state that they know how to apply for EU funds but considered the procedure as complicated and demanding regarding documentation, and that the needed knowledge and know-how for proposal is beyond their scope; SMEs are not satisfied with the cooperation with state institutions, especially Ministry of Regional Development and EU funds and Croatian Chamber of Economy. We point out four main conclusions: (1) SMEs are not enough aware of EU financing possibilities; (2) additional promotion of EU programs directly to SMEs is required; (3) additional education of SMEs regarding project proposal and documentation is needed and (4) more proactive policy of state institutions and cooperation with local authorities is expected. Finally, greater awareness and professional help might be a key in strengthening the SMEs, whose entrepreneurial spirit and innovation process is a prerequisite for economic growth and development.</p>

Resource support of innovative small and medium-sized enterprises for space industry development in Russia

Purpose of the research. The purpose of this article is to assess the effectiveness of the current state and development of alternative financing through crowdfunding platforms, to define the conceptual framework of crowdfunding, crowdfunding platforms, and marketplaces, and to characterize crowdfunding and peer-to-peer (P2P) lending networks as a way of investing funds. The research aims to analyze the comparative effectiveness of different crowdfunding models (crowdlending, crowdinvesting, and P2P lending) in Kazakhstan and provide practical recommendations for their development. Methodology. The research employs comparative analysis, synthesis, abstract-logical methods, system analysis, cause-and-effect analysis, as well as monographic and statistical data analysis. The study is based on data from the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), the Astana Financial Services Authority (AFSA), and the Ministry of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan for the period 2020–2025. Statistical data were collected from official reports, platform registries, and regulatory publications. Data reliability was ensured through cross-verification of multiple official sources, and all data collection and analysis adhered to principles of scientific ethics. Data on crowdfunding platforms such as iKapitalist, Proportunity, InvestRoom, and GoCrowd were also utilized. Cross-checking of multiple data sources and adherence to ethical standards ensured the reliability and scientific validity of the results. Originality / value. The development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) implementing projects in priority industries is facilitated not only by access to traditional sources of financing, such as bank loans, stock issuance, and bonds, but also by the use of alternative investment mechanisms such as crowdfunding, crowdinvesting, and crowdlending. The lack of financial resources significantly limits the further activities of small and medium-sized enterprises. Findings. The use of crowdfunding financing and P2P lending opens new horizons for the development of SMEs in Kazakhstan. The proposals in this article can be applied as a mechanism for supporting SMEs and increasing funding for small and medium-sized enterprises. The article also discusses the legal regulation of crowdfunding financing and the relevance of using crowdfunding as an essential tool to support innovative projects for both individuals and legal entities. The comparative analysis of crowdfunding models in Kazakhstan reveals distinct advantages and limitations. Crowdlending is the fastest-growing model, enabling SMEs to access short-term capital with lower interest rates than banks. Crowdinvesting allows investors to acquire equity stakes, offering higher potential returns but involving greater risks. P2P lending, while still underdeveloped in Kazakhstan, provides a direct mechanism for financing between individuals without intermediaries, although it remains largely unregulated.

As a powerful measure to deepen the supply-side structural reform, tax reduction and fee reduction policies play an important role in promoting the high quality development of small and medium-sized enterprises(SMEs).This paper selects 582 SMEs listed on China's A-share market from 2018 to 2021 to measure their high quality development level and explore the policy effect of the new round of tax reduction and fee reduction policies implemented since 2018.The results show that the reduction and exemption of value-added tax(VAT) and social insurance premiums are conducive to improving the high quality development level of SMEs, and the impact of income tax reduction on the high quality development level of enterprises is not significant, and the income tax burden between enterprises is quite different. Therefore, this paper puts forward some policy suggestions to further implement of the tax and fee reduction policies, consolidate the achievements of the existing tax and fee reduction policy, improve the tax structure of enterprise VAT and social insurance premiums, implement differentiated income tax reduction and exemption policy, and guide the high quality development of SMEs.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the value of scenario planning to small and medium size enterprises (SMEs), and further examine the challenges constraining the uptake of scenario planning by SMEs. Design/methodology/approach – A conceptual review of the literature on scenario planning in SMEs intended to unpack and capture the possible underlying reasons accounting for the limited uptake of scenario planning by managers/owners of SMEs has informed the formulation of this paper. Findings – The study uncovered that SMEs’ managerial mental models, SMEs’ managerial time orientation, severe resource constraints, and industry complexity are some of the salient factors inhibiting the use of scenario planning among managers/owners of SMEs. The author develops a framework of propositions that account for the complexity and challenges of scenario planning by SMEs for future empirical examination and validation. Originality/value – The conventional wisdom is that scenario planning is carried out by large and established firms, and that SMEs are unable to adopt and practice the technique. This paper uncovers that SME have substantial needs for scenario planning, but are only able to engage in simple foresight activities such as brainstorming, desk research, networking and expert interviews to monitor their external environment. They are unable to effectively use scenario planning in its purest form as in large firms. By bringing together the reasons accounting for the difficulty of SMEs to practice scenario planning in its purest form as large firms do, the study therefore extends the limited discourse on scenario planning among SMEs. Implications are discussed and areas for future empirical studies provided.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can promote the development of the national economy and society. In the market, small and medium-sized enterprises can provide jobs, promote technological development and accelerate economic growth. With the development of big data and management information systems, small and medium-sized enterprises are facing severe tests. Innovation management is an implementable way to meet this test. Innovation management is an all-round innovation from the main technology, system and management idea of an enterprise. It not only integrates the external resources of the enterprise but also improves the vitality of the enterprise itself and the ability to deal with risks. Therefore, this paper analyzes the problems and countermeasures of innovation management in SMEs in China. By using the method of a literature review, this paper expounds the requirements, current situation, and solutions of the innovative management of Chinese small and medium-sized enterprises and finally draws the conclusion that SMEs should innovate organization and ideas, widen financing channels, and enhance the ability of independent innovation.

This case study used a technology readiness level (TRL), market attractiveness level (MAL), and customer readiness level (CRL) to measure the prospect of promising products. The TRL, MAL, and CRL were measured using Delphi methods. A TRL is composed of basic research as well as experimental, prototype, practical, and commercial stages. A market attractiveness level is made up of global market size, global market growth rate, and government policy suitability. A customer readiness level was measured using consumer preference. The promising products were mainly selected as information communication and software related products. Among the technologies and products announced by domestic and foreign organizations, products suitable for research and development tasks of small and medium-sized enterprises were selected. The results of this case study are expected to be committed for the enhancement of the success rate of commercialization for small and medium-sized enterprises by being dedicated to the R&D planning of small and medium-sized enterprises in the ICT (Information and Communication Technology)/SW (Software)) field and proposing a direction to pursue the business. The purpose of this paper is to propose an approach to measure the prospect of promising products by using three levels: TRL, MAL, and CRL, which are measured using Delphi methods. This approach aims to enhance the success rate of commercialization for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).