THE CHALLENGE FOR PRODUCT INNOVATION IN MEDIUM SIZED ENTERPRISES IN CROATIA
DS 36: Proceedings DESIGN 2006, the 9th International Design Conference, Dubrovnik, Croatia
Year: 2006
Editor: Marjanovic, D.
Author: Christiaans, H.H.C.M.; Diehl, J.C.; Kuipers, H.; Boschloo, R.
Section: COMPETENCIES & COMMUNICATIONS
Page(s): 1093-1100
Abstract
Croatian medium sized enterprises represent a new wave of progress. All of these enterprises have the same problems regarding getting loans, lack of managerial knowledge and experience and inadequate or indefinite corporate strategies. The Dutch and Croatian Ministries of Economic Affairs launched a capacity building project in Croatia to improve the competitiveness of SMEs and to prepare them for the competition of the European Market. Three in-company projects with regard to product development and innovation took place. A thorough evaluation was conducted by monitoring the whole project. The opinions of the companies’ management about are very positive, although a change in attitude among the employees couldn’t observed yet.
Keywords: new product development, small and medium-sized enterprises, transition countries, design capacity