scholarly journals Case study concerning successful Romanian SMEs development by students education and entrepreneurial training

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-24
Author(s):  
Irina Radulescu ◽  
Alexandru Radulescu
Keyword(s):  
Business Models ◽  
Economic Trend ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Development Education ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
Sustainable Technologies ◽  
Mechanical Field ◽  
Online Sales ◽  
Entrepreneurial Training ◽  
The University

The European Commission has published in 2020 the SMEs Strategy for a Sustainable and Digital Europe that aims to increase the number of SMEs engaged in sustainable business practices, as well as the SMEs number that use digital technologies. Important opportunities for SMEs can be provided by digitization, to improve the production processes efficiency and the ability to innovate products and business models, by using advanced disruptive technologies. Good management is needed for a successful SME, education and entrepreneurship training have the role of consolidating business knowledge and skills. Educational activities and skills upgrading are essential for all SMEs managers and employees. Romania is on the last place in EU, regarding SMEs number and it ranks 11th place out of 28, in terms of connectivity. Regarding the digital maturity of Romanian SMEs, the White Papers on Romanian SMEs presents their main working elements: computer, e-mail applications, internet, intranet, social networks, the company's own website, online sales / purchases transactions. The objectives of the Bachelor's degree specialization of Economic Engineering in Mechanical field and Industrial Entrepreneurship Master are students training and education, in order to be able to sustain digitization and sustainable technologies. The university curriculum and the educational disciplines offered by the Economic Engineering in Mechanical field specialization and Industrial Entrepreneurship Master is connected to the society requirements and must follow the economic trend, by educating, training and getting good specialists. Keywords: SMEs development, education, entrepreneurship

scholarly journals Sustainable Technologies Supported by Project-Based Learning in the Education of Engineers: A Case Study from Poland

Energies ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 278
Author(s):  
Marzena Podgórska ◽  
Iwona Zdonek
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Project Based Learning ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
Sustainable Technologies ◽  
Sustainable Business Models ◽  
Visualization Techniques

The aim of the article is to examine technological innovations developed by engineers as part of Project-Based Learning at one of the Polish technical universities. We examined whether the innovations being developed meet the goals of sustainable development and whether they provide the basis for the introduction of sustainable business models. We analyzed reports from 49 projects implemented in the years 2018–2020 in which 146 scientists, 282 students of the Silesian University of Technology, and 126 experts from the university’s business environment were involved. We performed the analysis using content analysis and visualization techniques. The results show that the studied innovations implement the goals of sustainable development and most of them may become the basis of sustainable business models. The most frequently pursued goals are Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure and Good Health and Well-Being. Most of the studied innovations can become the basis of the archetype of a sustainable business model called “maximize material and energy efficacy”. We also provide the characteristics of projects that implement the diagnosed goals of sustainable development.

Responsible entrepreneurship: outlining the contingencies

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 538-553 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christine Vallaster ◽  
Sascha Kraus ◽  
Norbert Kailer ◽  
Brooke Baldwin
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Value Creation ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Responsible Innovation ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
Society Business ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to give an up-to-date assessment of key topics and methods discussed in the current literature on responsible entrepreneurship. In the past years, sustainable development itself has become a more popular and important topic in the academic literature and hence the field of sustainable entrepreneurship has become a greater topic of interest and opportunity for solution. Therefore, a systematic literature review is conducted to assess new contributions to the field and its potential for the future of sustainable development, with a focus on responsible innovation.Design/methodology/approachSystematic, evidence-informed literature review following Tranfieldet al.(2003).FindingsBased on a conceptual literature review, five streams of research that responsible entrepreneurs distinguish from purely for-profit entrepreneurs are identified and discussed: walking the line between profit creation and value creation for society; business models of responsible entrepreneurs; their role in transforming society; getting ready to innovate responsibly; and the role of market incentives to foster sustainable business practices.Originality/valueThe structured literature review allows to identify future research paths. In detail, ideas as regards the management of upcoming tensions when trying to combine profit creation and value creation for society, and finally, the way innovation processes need to be rethought when innovating responsibly are discussed and outlined.

Biomimetic economy: human ecological-economic systems emulating natural ecological systems

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 772-785
Author(s):  
Unai Tamayo ◽  
Gustavo Vargas
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Basque Country ◽  
Ecological Systems ◽  
Economic Systems ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Levels Of Abstraction ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Sustainable Development

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the use of biomimicry to inspire sustainable development in economic systems. The research purpose is to explore the link between ecological systems and economic systems to highlight applied environmental solutions. The goal is to propose some driver to develop sustainable business practices inspired on the principles of biomimicry. Design/methodology/approach This paper provides a theoretical approach that builds the basis for a better understanding of the relationship between nature and sustainable economic decisions. The premise is that in the field of sustainable development, strategies based on “learning from nature” are useful. Furthermore, the concept of biomimicry provides principles and tools specifically aimed at design practice. Findings The complexity of economic systems has shown that high levels of abstraction are required when conceptualising problems and explanations related with nature-inspired solutions. Stakeholder engagement and transdisciplinary collaboration are required to face long-term environmental challenges. Moreover, the exploratory analysis applied in this paper appeared suitable to compile existing literature. Practical implications The study provides some general guidelines and empirical approach through case studies that could help decision makers convert nature-inspired alternatives into valuable strategic business opportunities. Although presented practical cases are framed in the local sphere (i.e. the Basque Country), they can serve as references in other international contexts. Social implications New business models should recognize the positive synchronization between well-managed social, environmental and economic systems. Originality/value The proposed ideas deepen the understanding on the sustainable development and the link between ecological and economic systems. In fact, the concept of biomimetic economy has not been dealt with or developed in depth in previous academic works, nor has it been published thoroughly in the field of research.

American Higher Education in Crisis?

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Goldie Blumenstyk
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Public Perception ◽  
Business Models ◽  
College Graduates ◽  
College Education ◽  
The United States ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
American Higher Education ◽  
Economic Stratification

American higher education is at a crossroads. Technological innovations and disruptive market forces are buffeting colleges and universities at the very time their financial structure grows increasingly fragile. Disinvestment by states has driven up tuition prices at public colleges, and student debt has reached a startling record-high of one trillion dollars. Cost-minded students and their families--and the public at large--are questioning the worth of a college education, even as study after study shows how important it is to economic and social mobility. And as elite institutions trim financial aid and change other business practices in search of more sustainable business models, racial and economic stratification in American higher education is only growing. In American Higher Education in Crisis?: What Everyone Needs to Know, Goldie Blumenstyk, who has been reporting on higher education trends for 25 years, guides readers through the forces and trends that have brought the education system to this point, and highlights some of the ways they will reshape America's colleges in the years to come. Blumenstyk hones in on debates over the value of post-secondary education, problems of affordability, and concerns about the growing economic divide. Fewer and fewer people can afford the constantly increasing tuition price of college, Blumenstyk shows, and yet college graduates in the United States now earn on average twice as much as those with only a high-school education. She also discusses faculty tenure and growing administrative bureaucracies on campuses; considers new demands for accountability such as those reflected in the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard; and questions how the money chase in big-time college athletics, revelations about colleges falsifying rankings data, and corporate-style presidential salaries have soured public perception. Higher education is facing a serious set of challenges, but solutions have also begun to emerge. Blumenstyk highlights how institutions are responding to the rise of alternative-educational opportunities and the new academic and business models that are appearing, and considers how the Obama administration and public organizations are working to address questions of affordability, diversity, and academic integrity. She addresses some of the advances in technology colleges are employing to attract and retain students; outlines emerging competency-based programs that are reshaping conceptions of a college degree, and offers readers a look at promising innovations that could alter the higher education landscape in the near future. An extremely timely and focused look at this embattled and evolving arena, this primer emphasizes how open-ended the conversation about higher education's future remains, and illuminates how big the stakes are for students, colleges, and the nation.

scholarly journals Sustainability in start-up ventures: what founders say versus what they do

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 246-255 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Galpin ◽  
Julia Hebard
Keyword(s):  
Content Analysis ◽  
Business Models ◽  
New Ventures ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Business Plans ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – Although founders of start-up ventures seem to hold similar views about ethical, social, and environmental principles as those in large firms, entrepreneurs tend to be focussed on their immediate stakeholders, including customers, employees, suppliers, and investors. The purpose of this paper is to compare founders’ views – “what they say” – about sustainable business practices to their described business models – “what they do.” Design/methodology/approach – An opinion survey of prospective business start-up founders, along with a content analysis of their business plans, is used to compare founders’ views – “what they say” – about sustainable business practices to their described business models – “what they do.” Findings – Findings suggest that prospective business founders do value sustainable business practices. However, the content of their business models does not reflect their espoused importance of sustainability. Research limitations/implications – The main limitation of this study is that university students in a business-planning course were used as surrogates for actual start-up venture founders. That being the case, a small percentage (just under 5 percent) of the students indicated at the end of the course that they would like to continue pursuing the venture they helped develop a business plan for. To address this, future research should focus on actual founders of new ventures. Practical implications – The content analysis of the business plans revealed a marked disconnect between the high-value founders reported to place on sustainability and the actual limited inclusion of sustainability in their business models. Therefore, more work needs to be done to educate, encourage, and coach start-up founders to raise their awareness of and desire to include sustainability as key parts of their business models. Originality/value – To date, no studies have attempted to compare start-up venture founders’ views – “what they say” – about sustainable business practices to their described business models – “what they do.”

Students’ perceptions of education for sustainable development in the accounting and business curriculum at a business school in New Zealand

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 130-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Umesh Sharma ◽  
Martin Kelly
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Business School ◽  
Business Students ◽  
Education For Sustainable Development ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Business Curriculum ◽  
Development Education ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
Content Type

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore students’ perceptions and understandings of, and attitudes towards, education for sustainable development (ESD) at Delta Business School (DBS) in New Zealand[1]. The aim is to extend the limited literature on students’ perceptions of ESD within an accounting and business curriculum. Design/methodology/approach – To ascertain the students’ evaluations of their ESD, a survey was administered to 60 accounting and business students at DBS. The survey data were supplemented with interview evidence from 20 of the 60 students to obtain a deeper understanding of the students’ evaluations. Findings – A majority of the students perceive ESD as a “good thing.” Students were supportive of the sustainable business learning experience offered at DBS. The results suggest that students’ knowledge of sustainable business practices improved significantly from their studies. Practical implications – The paper should assist education providers to assess how students perceive ESD. This may help bring about changes, to improve the teaching of sustainable development. Universities can be the main providers of ESD, but other educational providers such as the professional accounting bodies will also need to manage the development of ongoing education processes. Most students at DBS believe they are obtaining a good understanding of the concept of sustainability. Originality/value – There is a shortage of research concerning how students perceive sustainable development education. This paper contributes to the discussion of what to incorporate in sustainable education programmes, to help students properly to understand sustainable development. We believe accounting and business education should develop graduates into broad-minded thinkers with a capacity for independent and critical thought. This will prepare them for future leadership roles.

Sustainable business models

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 357-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nils M. Høgevold ◽  
Göran Svensson ◽  
Beverly Wagner ◽  
Daniel J. Petzer ◽  
H.B. Klopper ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Business Models ◽  
Economic Effects ◽  
Social Boundaries ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organizational Challenges ◽  
Environmental Actions ◽  
Sustainable Business Models

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe: corporate reasons for, and organizational challenges of sustainable business models; and the evolution of economic effects, social boundaries and environmental actions in sustainable business practices. Design/methodology/approach – This study is based on insights gained from eight Norwegian companies in different industries. Purposeful sampling was employed to ensure that the companies had sustainable business models beyond the level of mere compliance, of sustainable business practices in the marketplace and society. A deductive approach to data collection ensured that the companies had sufficient understanding to relate their sustainable business practices to interviewers. The interviews were subsequently transcribed and analyzed systematically by the research team. Findings – The empirical findings indicate evolutionary changes as companies move on a continuum from superficial to embedded sustainable business models and the application of sustainable business practices. The planning, implementation and evaluation of sustainable business models evolves over time within companies and their supply chains, as well as in the marketplace and society. Research limitations/implications – A limitation of this study is that it is exclusively undertaken in Norwegian companies, although the companies are from different industries with different characteristics. Future research is clearly necessary and will be conducted in other countries in similar industries, so as to explore the empirical findings from this study in other contexts. In addition, the interfaces between environmental actions, economic effects and social boundaries need to be investigated further. Originality/value – The study contributes to a growing body of knowledge on corporate reasons for and organizational challenges of sustainable business models, as well as environmental, social and economic aspects of sustainable business practices.

scholarly journals Digital age business model innovation for sustainability in University Industry Collaboration Model

2020 ◽  
Vol 211 ◽  
pp. 04005
Author(s):  
Ari Happonen ◽  
Ulla Santti ◽  
Harri Auvinen ◽  
Teemu Räsänen ◽  
Tuomo Eskelinen
Keyword(s):  
Business Model ◽  
Distribution Systems ◽  
Water Distribution ◽  
Success Factors ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Innovation Process ◽  
Value Added ◽  
Sensor Data ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
The University

This study aims to investigate a digitalization-related business model as a result from the university-SME collaboration. The SME of the case study (Preventos Informatics Ltd) specializes in water distribution systems in industrial scale, telemetry, and sensor data-based monitoring of the water distribution. The business model of the company is a result of an innovation process during 2016-2017. The SME was established 2018. This study examines the commercialization process’s success factors and compares the original business model to the finally implemented one after two years. The study reviews the current literature of sustainable business models and digitalization and reflects the results from this study. Based on the results, by quantifying the sustainability, environmental aspects and digitalization, value added can be brought to the business model. Our study suggests that by adding more digitalization, sensor technologies, and dataanalysis, quantifying the real value of innovations is possible.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document