Dislocated versus local business service expertise and knowledge: the acquisition of external management consultancy expertise by small and medium-sized enterprises in Norway

This paper explores the logic driving the evolving geography of business service provider/suppler relationships in Norway. It explores the ways in which Norwegian SMEs access external knowledge provided by management consultants through three case studies that have been developed using a matched pairs methodology (clients and consultants). The paper highlights the relationships between geography and client sourcing of external knowledge and expertise in three kinds of client/consultant relationship: local (clustered) knowledge; dislocated or distantiated knowledge, and; knowledge that is relatively distance insensitive. The concept of dislocated expertise or knowledge adds an additional dimension to literatures that highlight the importance of localised knowledge and strategies to reduce transaction costs, as well as providing insights into the complex relationships that occur between suppliers and consumers of knowledge and expertise. The importance of local business cultures and patriotic purchasing are also identified as playing important roles in influencing the behaviour of Norwegian firms.     

Rural industrialization, 'quality' and service: some findings from South Warwickshire and North Devon

Studies of UK rural industrialization have traditionally sought to explain the success of rural SMEs (Small and Medium-sized Enterprises) in terms of their capacity for innovative or enterprising behaviour. In turn, this has led researchers to focus their attention on the material aspects of competitive behaviour, particularly those connected to technology and technological exploitation, at the expense of more intangible aspects such as the advantages gained from novel working practices and marketing strategies. In particular, the notion of 'quality' as a determinant of competitive behaviour, an idea gaining increased emphasis within literature concerning rural SMEs in the food, farming and craft sectors, has been neglected in wider studies of rural industrialization. However, this paper contends that both 'formal' and 'informal' constructions of quality are significant factors in the success of manufacturers outside these specific sectors.     

浦东新区中小高新技术企业创新合作网络构成特征研究

文章以上海市浦东新区为例，研究了中小高新技术企业创新网络构成及特征。由于企业集聚的原因不同，以及在浦东集聚的时间较短，企业间、企业与高校、科研机构及其他组织机构间的来往还不够频繁，创新合作网络的信任机制还没有充分建立起来，企业的创新合作网络建设还处于一个初级阶段。浦东外向型经济使得其中小企业创新合作网络具有外向度高的特点，企业与国外供应商、海外大学、科研机构等进行创新合作。加工区、保税区和高科技园区的工业开发模式对中小企业创新网络构成具有影响，使其网络构成表现出一定的差异性。     

海洋科技中小企业技术创新研究及策略——以上海市为例

21世纪是海洋的世纪,海洋经济发展与海洋科技创新紧密相联,创新的本质是技术创新。文章结合文献总结法、企业访谈法和会议研讨交流等方法,对海洋科技中小企业的概念进行了界定;并通过研究海洋产业发展现状以及海洋科技中小企业的技术创新现状,发现海洋科技中小企业技术创新发展存在的问题;最后,根据实际问题提出建立海洋科技园区,带动海洋科技中小企业快速发展;政府做好海洋产业引导,加快海洋科技创新步伐;政府适当减免企业税收,鼓励中小企业技术创新;企业应当将财务分类系统化,减少财务混乱现象等对策建议。