Abstract
Due to globalization and the ever-changing business environment, Small and Medium Size Enterprises (SME) need to be efficient and competitive in order to survive. Interfirm collaboration becomes helpful to achieve the company’s target. However, most of the SMEs are not able to collaborate effectively. This article, therefore, focuses on the underlying factors that affect SMEs interfirm collaboration while having in mind the role of intermediary organization and collaboration platforms play. A mixed strategy research method that includes qualitative and quantitative approach is used. The theoretical framework analyses different type of interfirm collaboration, intermediary organization and collaboration platforms. Based on the theoretical model of interfirm collaboration, the results indicate the need for SMEs in that regard based on the analysis of a survey. They consider collaboration as an important part of their business. However, their biggest problems remain the lack of resources, inability to find a suitable partner and adequate digital tools.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
European Commission. http://ec.europa.eu/growth/smes/business-friendly-environment/sme-definition_en. Accessed 4 Feb 2019
Casals, F.E.: The SME co-operation framework, a multi-method secondary research approach to SME collaboration. In: 2010 International Conference on E-business, Management and Economics, vol. 3, pp. 118–124 (2011)
Barratt, M.: Understanding the meaning of collaboration in the supply chain. Supply Chain Manag.: Int. J. 9(1), 30–42 (2004)
Coombs, R., Richards, A., Saviotti, P.P., Walsh, V.: Technological Collaboration: The Dynamics of Collaboration in Industrial Innovation. Edward Elgar Publishing (1996)
Kanter, R.: Collaborative advantage: the art of alliances. Harvard Bus. Rev. 72, 96 (1994)
Chan, F.T., Prakash, A.: Inventory management in a lateral collaborative manufacturing supply chain: a simulation study. Int. J. Prod. Res. 50(16), 4670–4685 (2012)
Cruijssen, F.: Co3-Project.Eu (2019). http://www.co3-project.eu/wo3/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/CO3-D-2-1-Framework-for-collaboration-full-report-2.pdf. Accessed 4 Feb 2019
Bengtsson, M., Raza-Ullah, T.: A systematic review of cooperation: toward a multilevel understanding. Ind. Mark. Manag. 57, 23–39 (2016)
Bouncken, R.B., Gast, J., Kraus, S., Bogers, M.: Competition: a systematic review, Synthesis, and future research directions. RMS 9, 577 (2015)
Chesbrough, H.W.: Open Innovation - The New Imperative for Creating and Profiting from Technology. Harvard Business School Press (2003). 227 p., ISBN 1-57851-837-7
Risikko, J.: Intermediary Organizations and Collaboration Platforms Enabling Collaboration Between SME’s. University of Vaasa, Vaasa (2017)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2020 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this paper
Cite this paper
Lotchi, K., Kwegyir-Afful, E., Zafar, A., Sivula, A., Kantola, J. (2020). Intermediary Organization and Collaboration Platform for SMEs. In: Kantola, J., Nazir, S. (eds) Advances in Human Factors, Business Management and Leadership. AHFE 2019. Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, vol 961. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20154-8_11
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-20154-8_11
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-20153-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-20154-8
eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)