STRATEGIC CAPABILITIES FOR THE GROWTH OF MANUFACTURING SMEs: A CONFIGURATIONAL PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

In a now global knowledge-based economy, the strategic intent of manufacturing SMEs is manifested by the development of strategic capabilities not only for product and market development, but also for the development of their network, technological and human resources. This paper presents the results of a survey study of the strategic capabilities of 292 manufacturing firms, that is, 213 Canadian and 79 French SMEs. Taking the firms' entrepreneurial and organizational context into account, three distinct configurations of strategic capabilities are identified, namely 57 entrepreneurial SMEs, 93 engineering SMEs and 142 administrative SMEs, the first configuration being the "ideal" one in terms of growth.