Revisiting SMEs’ Business Strategy: Shifting Outsourcing to Crowdsourcing Practices to Enhance SMEs’ Performance

Abstract

Kemunculan platform teknologi digital seperti platform penyumberan awam, membolehkan usahawan FKS mewujudkan hubungan langsung antara pembekal, pelanggan dan membina hubungan baik dengan pihak berkepentingan. Amalan penyumberan awam mampu menawarkan FKS peluang yang belum pernah diperolehi bagi meningkatkan prestasi perniagaan mereka melalui mengoptima penggunaan kumpulan besar bijaksana di kalangan orang ramai. Berdasarkan strategi perniagaan di atas, adalah sangat penting kepada FKS untuk menyemak semula strategi perniagaan melalui perubahan pendekatan secara tradisional dalam menjalankan perniagaan (penyumberan luar) kepada pendekatan perniagaan baharu iaitu amalan penyumberan awam. Secara khusus, kajian ini meneroka peranan amalan penyumberan awam, pemilik-pengurus inovatif, kualiti hubungan dalam meningkatkan prestasi perniagaan FKS. Teknik analisis yang digunakan dalam kajian ini menggunakan FLS-SEM. Fenemuan kajian mendapati bahawa pemilik-pengurus inovatif dan kualiti perhubungan komitmen dapat dijelaskan dengan lebih lanjut melalui amalan penyumberan awam bagi meningkatkan prestasi perniagaan. Kajian ini dapat meningkatkan pengetahuan mengenai penyumberan awam di kalangan FKS dalam menyemak semula strategi perniagaan yang sedia ada;dan perlaksanaan serta pengurusan amalan penyumberan awam di organisasi supaya lebih baik dalam memastikan perniagaan terus kekal semasapasca COVID-19.Alternate :The emergence of digital technology platforms such as crowdsourcing platform allows SMEs to establish an unmediated connection between suppliers and the customers;hence, enabling a close engagement with other stakeholders. Crowdsourcing practice offers the SMEs an unprecedented opportunity to enhance their business performance via the utilization of a large pool of crowds' wisdom. Based on the above business strategy, it is very crucial to revisit SMEs ' business strategy;i.e., by shifting traditional method of conducting business (outsourcing) to new business phenomenon i.e. crowdsourcing practices. Specifically, this paper attempts to explore the roles of crowdsourcing practices, innovative owner-managers, and the relationship quality in enhancing SMEs' business performance. The analysis technique used in this study using FLS-SEM. The study 's findings revealed that innovative owner-manager and relationship quality of commitment can be explained further via leveraging on crowdsourcing practices to improve business performance. This study may enrich the crowdsourcing knowledge among SMEs to revisit their existing business strategies;and to implement and better manage crowdsourcing practices in their organizations, particularly in sustaining their businesses post COVID-19.