Small and Medium Enterprises in the USA Case Study

Small and Medium Enterprises in the USA - Case Study Example In this chapter, all the problems and issues that are associated with a small scale business have been discussed, including their aims and objectives and how these businesses function on such a small scale. Their main sources of finance, as well as profit capabilities, have been discussed, as well as the ways by which these businesses tend to make money.  ASME functions on a very small level and the employees that are usually working in an SME are quite illiterate or do not have the desired level of qualification that is needed. Commonly, a small scale business can be functional in several ways. For instance, a small handicraft business would be regarded as an SME. This is because i) the number of profits generated by a business is quite low and not consistent and ii) the number of employees that are working in an SME is lower than 50, which is the actual limitation set by the European Commission. A ‘medium’ sized business is one which functions on a slightly larger sc ale as compared to a small business, and as described by the EU Commission, the number of employees in a medium scale business is more than 50 but less than 250. There are several issues that arose while this research was undertaken. Due to the lack of records that are unavailable, most of the research had to be undertaken on a purely qualitative level and very little quantitative data was found with which a proper extract an idea could be generated about small business. Furthermore, the types of businesses that are functioning on a small scale level are quite diverse. For instance, an online business is a small scale business, because the profits generated online are usually not as high as compared to a large scale business, and the numbers of employees in such a business are usually quite low. On the other hand, an agricultural business is also a small scale business, because the number of employees that are hired for agricultural purposes is not that high, and therefore their ill iteracy causes a huge hindrance in proper communication (Goodman, 2003).  Ã‚  Ã‚   Another research issue that arose was the fact that a small business keeps very little records of their past dealings because of the lack of space or storage data. Therefore, most of the claims made by small businesses could not be verified and only after extensive research could it be found whether the word of a small scale business entrepreneur was true or not. This caused a problem because all data that had to be included in the research needed to be verified and validated, and it took a lot of effort and intellect in order to come up with the right results.

The Brazilian experience Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The Brazilian experience - Research Paper Example A business organization must sell products to survive and to grow. The marketing concept states that an organization should try to provide products that satisfy customers’ needs through a coordinated set of activities. Customer satisfaction is the major aim of the marketing concept. An organization has to find out what will satisfy customers, and create satisfying products. The organization must continue to alter, adapt and develop products to keep pace with customers’ changing desires and preferences. The marketing concept stresses the importance of customers and emphasizes that marketing activities begin and end with them.2 (Jobber & Lancaster, p. 15) In the new business environment, the twenty-first century that is, it is essential to determine the new target market and the potential size. Knowing the number of people that the business is targeting as its potential customers is a primary goal of any business. Although the playing field has been significantly widened by the Internet and information technology for business organizations, still the potential market size has to be pinpointed in the planning and initial stages of the business or even when the operation is thoroughly ongoing. By having a website, an organization can have an idea how the customers respond and patronize their products. New web features enable website and customer interaction. Customers post their inquiries, product opinion and complaints living behind their ideas about the company, which in turn provides information for future business plans and strategies. Websites also ask customer preferences and data. These information inputs provide expert knowledge for target market, size and ‘characteristics’ of regular and potential customers. By knowing who their customers are, business people become creative. The company must encourage its workforce to become creative by asking their opinion, suggestions and ideas for improvement and organizational success. The p otential market size and target are important to the real estate business that our organization is planning to implement in the country Brazil. Brazil’s economy is growing fast and there is also a wide playing field. With the help of our website, we can penetrate the areas of the growing middle- and lower-classes of society, and even the rich sector. These different sectors are in need of real estate. Our product – real estate – is still in demand for the growing market. 1.2 Resources The people or employees are an asset to the organization. Commentators suggest that employees or workers are an organization’s greatest asset. They are a part of organizational knowledge and organizations have to invest much on what is called human capital. The 4Ps which is Product, Price, Place, Promotion – and a fifth which is people – are the basis of a marketing strategy employed by most firms for competitive advantage. The marketing mix variables are usual ly considered internal variables which a manager bases his/her decisions. Strategic human resource provides effective management of the staff, retention, and turnover processes, selection of employees that fit with both the organizational strategy and culture, and cost effective utilization of employees. As an outcome, the firm can have an increased performance, enhanced customer and employee satisfaction and shareholder value. Employees of international organizations hav