Determinants of marketing innovation among SMEs in Vietnam: a resource-based and stakeholder perspective

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies on consumer patronage of telecommunication industry: an MTNF Science and Technology State. It specifically aims to determine the influence of MTNF Science and Technology Scholarship Scheme as a CSR strategy on consumer patronage of MTN and also, to assess the influence of MTN Foundation Restructured Schools Connect Project as a CSR strategy on the corporate image of MTN. The survey research method was chosen for the study. The study population comprises subscribers of MTN in Enugu State, which is 1,295.918. A sample size of 400 was determined using Taro Yamane’s formula. Applying the simple linear regression, the findings revealed that MTNF Science and Technology Scholarship Scheme as a CSR strategy has a significant influence on consumer patronage of MTN (r = 0.945; t = 56.377; F = 3173.334; p < 0.05). Similarly, it was revealed that there is significant influence of MTN Foundation Restructured Schools Connect Project as a CSR strategy on corporate image of MTN (r = 0.978; t = 92.313; F = 8521.649; p < 0.05). Consequently, the study concludes that CSR is an effective marketing strategy for acquiring customer patronage and generating goodwill and good corporate image. Therefore, MTN should consolidate on executing and improving on CSR projects. This is highly significant as improved CSR will ensure improved customer patronage and boost good corporate image for MTN.

High-tech innovative SMEs’ development plays crucial role in economic growth of every country. It creates new work places and infrastructure, motivates people for creating new ideas. At the same time, SMEs still face with a huge number of problems in the business performance. The purposes of the research are: to define main barriers for high-tech SMEs’ development in the 4th industrial revolution era (4IR); to work out recommendations for policy-makers towards intensification of SMEs’ potential.
For this purpose, the authors reviewed studies devoted to the SMEs’ innovative development and revealed that main barriers of SMEs’ development are related to inefficient government support in this sphere. In order to work out recommendations for Ukrainian policy-makers in the area of SMEs’ development, the authors conducted a survey of local high-tech SMEs and on the basis of SWOT-analysis distinguished the main directions for their further improvement. Finally, a set of recommendations for improving SMEs’ environment in Ukraine, taking into consideration the challenges of the 4th IR, was developed.

Economic development of any country depends on its natural resources, as well as availability of human resource. Every aspect, actions and activities in an organization involve people. Out of various resources, the human resource management has become critical resource for gaining the competitive edge. Today, most of the countries are giving attention and putting their effort to the development and training of their human resources. Training is effort initiated by an organization to foster learning among its workers. Training and development are a continuous effort designed to enhance employee learning, as well as his/her creativity, which is helpful in improving employees’ competence and organizational performance. The present research work examines the moderating and mediating role of organizational climate between employees training and creativity. In a survey of 324 employees working in various SME of Dehradun area, it was found that both employee creativity and employee learning foster organizational climate. Further, the mediation effect of organizational climate on learning and creativity is different. The study shows that creativity is partially mediated, but learning has no significant effect on organizational climate. The study suggests that companies must focus on training their employees so that employees become creative and learn new practices for improving their competencies at work. The study also suggests finding the means of improving organizational climate because of its rich contribution towards improving employee creativity and learning.