Abstract
This exploratory study of owner-managers’ handling of turbulent situations (TS) in four Argentine SMEs during 2014 gives insight into organizational learning processes. Significant differences between managers are shown in respect to approaching turbulent situations. The development of a cognitive map for turbulent situations, in combination with managers' motivation to engage in turbulent situations; their acceptance of these circumstances as a special task, which can be learned; their understanding of the ‘right’ time for learning; and, the goal they want to achieve (spontaneous adaptation or embedded intelligence), are discussed as important preconditions to develop learning mechanism for handling TS. This chapter concludes by making suggestions of how SMEs can be supported in TS.
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Notes
- 1.
see acknowledgements.
- 2.
Owner-managers are shareholders and also directors involved in the day-to-day decision making within the company. Owner-managed companies … are family businesses controlled by a small number of individuals, in which at least one of the owners also handles the management of the company (Die Stiftung Familienunternehmen, 2015). In the text the term “manager” will be used to describe this position.
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Acknowledgements
This pilot study has been carried out in the city of Rosario/Argentina. It has been developed with the support of members of the ‘Grupo de Gestión del Conocimiento’ (Management Knowledge Group), Industrial Engineering School, National University of Rosario, Argentina.
The authors wish to express their gratitude to Eng. Dario Rocha and Eng. Roger Delgado, Grupo Consultar S.R.L.; Eng. Carlos Kretz (President), BA. Marisel Nievas (Vice-President), and Pablo Ruzafa (General Manager) Kretz S.A.; Eng. Omar Berrocal (President) Modelar S.A.; and Oscar Defante (President), and Edgardo Cavalleri (General Manager) Defante & Cia, S.A. Their thorough, comprehensive testimonies were the solid base and point of departure for this pilot study.
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Appendix: Description of the Participating Companies
Appendix: Description of the Participating Companies
Enterprise | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Aspects | Company A | Company B | Company C | Company D |
Year of foundation | 1985 | 1963 | 1961 | 1960 |
Operational structure | Five independent business units developing products and/or providing technical and advisory services | A typical three level organization with departments with assigned responsibilities | A typical three level organization with department with assigned responsibilities | A typical three level organization with departments and business units with assigned responsibilities |
Employees | 60 (10 focus on innovation) | 100 (40 % university-level, 60 % technicians) | 27 | 30 (including partners) |
Business and technology areas | Bioengineering, laboratory, IT systems, informatics and education | Development, design, manufacturing and marketing a wide range of electronic scales | CAD 3D for complex forms and for creating surfaces and solids on a single interface. | Trader of new and second-hand universal and specialized machine-tools |
CAM system to create machining programs for 2.5, 3, 4 and 5 axes, highly efficient programming and optimized machining for high-speed technology | ||||
Products/services | Equipment for biological applications, seed quality control. Technical tests for electrical standards certification. Design, installation, maintenance and repair of electrical networks. Software design. | Different series of scales for weighing and price products and for fiscal purposes used in supermarkets. Scales for laboratories and industrial purposes. Dot matrix printers for tickets. | Pattern models; casting tools; control devices; dies for compression molding and thermoforming; devices for water jet cutting; punch dies; surface digitizing; measurements and control with CNC. | CNC vertical and parallel lathes; grinding, drilling, notching, punching and milling machines. Machines for metal deformation, pliers, sharpening and cutting metal saws. |
Education: design, installation and maintenance of educational labs. | Provision of technical services and sale of original spare parts to the metallurgical industry. | |||
Clients | Public institutions and private sector organizations | Mainly supermarkets and retail groceries. | 10 clients. | Enterprises from the metal sector industry in Argentina. |
Supplier for automotive manufacturers and auto parts market, provision of molds and measurement control devices for international car manufacturers (60 %). Agricultural machinery (40 %) | ||||
Exports | 5–8 % of sales; | 23 % of sales (2011) | 20 % during the best years; currently 0 %. | No exports. |
mainly to Latin America, USA. | Latin America (mainly Mexico) | Brazil and Uruguay | Mexico and Chile during (1978–1990) Manufacturing machinery locally. | |
Imports | Minor (essential) details | Minor (essential) details (75 % of parts from Argentina, 90 % are ARG suppliers) | None | All machinery imported from China (since 1991) |
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Friedrich, P., Hiba, J.C. (2016). Learning to Cope with Turbulent Situations: A Study of Owner—Managers in Argentine SMEs. In: North, K., Varvakis, G. (eds) Competitive Strategies for Small and Medium Enterprises. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-27303-7_11
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