Defining the modernization capabilities of the small and medium-sized businesses

Summary form only given, as follows. It is pointed out that as the strategic issues of the 90s involve timing, quality, and flexibility, more and more attention must be given to acquiring and developing the organization's capabilities in all their dimensions. These dimensions can be defined as technological, organizational, and interfacing competencies which enable a firm to use effectively and with more efficiency the technologies it acquired. Four case studies provide some evidence that the problem of making good use of new technologies seems particularly important for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). The SMBs tend to turn to new technologies, but they lack those capabilities for integrating technological knowledge and know-how. Attention should particularly be given to maintaining a project and strategy fit, and the objectives of the project must be consistent with the resources which are allocated for its realization. It is also essential to identify the technological, organizational, and interfacing capabilities (or lack thereof) that represent the firm's main strengths and weaknesses. Finally, it is important to develop efficient tools to foster the integration and the pooling of the accumulated knowledge base throughout the organization.<>