Abstract
Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) play a large role in different economies; hence the relevance of research on the factors that may leverage MSMEs competitiveness such as innovation and management. This research aims to review highly cited articles in the Web of Science database regarding management and/or innovation in the context of MSMEs. Besides showing MSMEs classifications across regions, this review also showed that variables employed in the highly cited papers have correspondences with excellence/quality management factors and traditional innovation types, which hence still serve as theoretical frameworks for research on MSMEs competitiveness. Moreover, theoretical relations were identified among all variables, being the strongest among networks-open innovation, information-knowledge, and product and process innovations. The results indicated that MSMEs competitiveness is related to sustainability, information-knowledge, and networks-open innovation; hence MSMEs managers and owners should pay attention to these factors. Finally, future research directions were also gathered and discussed.
Highlights
The definitions of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are not constant around the world
In short and parallel to excellence models, the results showed that aspects related to the dimensions of information and knowledge, and people management influence open innovation in SMEs
Sustainability has emerged as a strong emerging topic, it is possible to observe that the dimensions related to sustainability management derive strongly from the dimensions present in the excellence models
Summary
The definitions of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) are not constant around the world. In Europe (EU-Commission, 2003), a medium-sized enterprise is defined as a company that employs less than 250 people and has annual revenues of up to 50 million euros and an annual payroll of up to 43 million euros. A small enterprise is defined as a company that employs less than 50 people and has annual revenues or payroll of up to 10 million euros. A micro enterprise is defined as a company that employs less than 10 people and has revenues or payrolls of up to 2 million euros. Several articles in the European context use this definition of the European Commission, especially regarding the number of employees (Calvo-Mora et al, 2013; Cerchione & Esposito, 2017; Villar et al, 2014)
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