The impact of financial support on small and medium enterprises and its development towards export. The case study of Latvian’s small and medium enterprises.
Author
Timosenko, Stanislavs
Term
4. Term
Publication year
2012
Submitted on
2012-09-01
Abstract
Denne afhandling undersøger, hvilken betydning finansiel støtte har for små og mellemstore virksomheder (SMV’er) i Letland, og hvordan sådan støtte påvirker virksomhedernes udvikling mod eksport. Formålet er at vurdere, hvor vigtig og effektiv statslig støtte er, samt hvordan den supplerer bankfinansiering, når SMV’er ønsker at skale op og gå internationalt. Afhandlingen adresserer, om finansiering er en tærskelressource for vækst og rentabilitet, om der er en sammenhæng mellem finansiel støtte og eksportaktivitet, og i hvilken grad eksport initieres af ejerens vilje versus finansielle muligheder. Derudover kortlægges de internationale markedsindrejseformer, som er mest udbredte blandt lettiske SMV’er, og støttebehovet vurderes i relation til virksomhedens udviklingsfaser. Metodisk anvendes en kvalitativ tilgang baseret på et spørgeskema og dybdegående interviews med lettiske SMV’er på tværs af brancher (bl.a. pharma, skønhed og fødevarer), suppleret af sekundære data. Litteraturgrundlaget omfatter bl.a. SMV’ers internationalisering, markedsindrejseformer, virksomhedens livscyklus og finansieringsgab. Afhandlingen giver også baggrund om SMV-sektoren i Letland, eksisterende støtteordninger og adgang til kapital samt overvejer gyldighed og begrænsninger. Uddraget indeholder ikke empiriske resultater; målet er at evaluere støtteordningers effektivitet for eksport og udlede anbefalinger for at styrke SMV’ers internationale muligheder.
This thesis examines how financial support influences small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Latvia and their development toward exporting. It aims to assess the importance and efficiency of state aid and how it complements bank financing as SMEs scale and internationalize. The research asks whether finance is a threshold resource for growth and profitability, whether there is a relationship between financial support and export activity, and to what extent exporting is driven by owners’ willingness versus financial capacity. It also identifies the international market entry modes most common among Latvian SMEs and assesses how funding needs and available support align with firms’ developmental stages. Methodologically, the study applies a qualitative approach using a questionnaire and in-depth interviews with Latvian SMEs across industries (including pharmaceuticals, beauty, and food), complemented by secondary data. The analytical framework draws on literature on SME internationalization, market entry modes, life cycle theory, and the financing gap. The thesis also outlines the Latvian SME context, existing support schemes, and access to funding, while acknowledging validity and limitations. The excerpt does not report empirical findings; the overall aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of support schemes for export and to derive recommendations to enhance SMEs’ international opportunities.
[This summary has been generated with the help of AI directly from the project (PDF)]
Documents