Main Article Content
Abstract
This study explores management strategies for sustainable development within Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), focusing on their role as community assets. The research aims to elucidate the drivers and mechanisms shaping SMEs' engagement in sustainable practices, with a particular emphasis on flexibility, innovation, local engagement, and the integration of sustainability principles. The methodological approach involves a comprehensive literature review, drawing on theoretical frameworks and empirical studies to analyze the multifaceted nature of SMEs' sustainability practices. Key findings indicate that SMEs exhibit inherent flexibility and innovation, enabling them to navigate market dynamics and technological advancements effectively. Moreover, their emphasis on local engagement fosters social cohesion and cultural preservation, contributing to economic resilience and community well-being. Additionally, the integration of sustainability principles into SMEs' management practices emerges as a significant trend, reflecting a growing recognition of their role in advancing sustainable development goals. The study underscores the importance of collaborative approaches involving policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders to support and promote sustainable SME development. Overall, the findings highlight the transformative potential of SMEs as drivers of sustainable development at the grassroots level.
Keywords
Article Details

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
References
- Bansal, P., & Clelland, I. (2004). Talking trash: Legitimacy, impression management, and unsystematic risk in the context of the natural environment. Academy of Management Journal, 47(1), 93-103. https://doi.org/10.2307/20159594
- Bebbington, J., Unerman, J., & O'Dwyer, B. (2008). Corporate social responsibility and the "community": Lessons from the case of the Camisea project in Peru. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 33(3-4), 229-259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aos.2007.02.001
- Carroll, A. B. (1999). Corporate social responsibility: Evolution of a definitional construct. Business & Society, 38(3), 268-295. https://doi.org/10.1177/000765039903800303
- Dacin, M. T., Oliver, C., & Roy, J. P. (2010). The legitimacy of strategic alliances: An institutional perspective. Strategic Management Journal, 21(2), 176-195. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1097-0266(200002)21:2<176::AID-SMJ81>3.0.CO;2-N
- De Silva, M., & Howells, J. (2017). Digital innovation hubs: Insights from existing policies. European Planning Studies, 25(7), 1136-1156. https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2017.1312896
- DiBella, A. (2022). SMEs as engines of economic development: Exploring the role of entrepreneurship and innovation. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 29(2), 257-270. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSBED-06-2021-0280
- Eisenhardt, K. M., & Martin, J. A. (2000). Dynamic capabilities: What are they? Strategic Management Journal, 21(10-11), 1105-1121. https://doi.org/10.1002/1097-0266(200010/11)21:10/11<1105::AID-SMJ133>3.0.CO;2-E
- Elkington, J. (1997). Cannibals with forks: The triple bottom line of 21st century business. Capstone.
- Garcia, R., Brown, A., & Nguyen, T. (2021). Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as drivers of sustainable development: Insights from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Journal of Cleaner Production, 292, 125970. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.125970
- Garcia, R., Brown, A., & Nguyen, T. (2021). Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as drivers of sustainable development: Insights from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Journal of Cleaner Production, 292, 125970. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.125970
- Ghemawat, P. (2007). Managing differences: The central challenge of global strategy. Harvard Business Review, 85(3), 59-68. https://doi.org/10.1225/R0703J
- Grant, M. J., & Booth, A. (2009). A typology of reviews: An analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 26(2), 91-108. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-1842.2009.00848.x
- Hart, S. L. (1997). Beyond greening: Strategies for a sustainable world. Harvard Business Review, 75(1), 66-76. https://doi.org/10.1225/R9701G
- Huxham, C., & Vangen, S. (2005). Managing to collaborate: The theory and practice of collaborative advantage. Routledge.
- Jones, P., & Pickernell, D. (2022). The role of digitalization in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): Insights from the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Information Management, 58, 102367. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2021.102367
- Jones, P., & Smith, A. (2023). The role of flexibility and innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): Insights from the literature. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 29(3), 504-521. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-09-2021-0586
- Lindgren, M., & Bandhold, H. (2009). Scenario planning: The link between future and strategy. Palgrave Macmillan.
- Mair, J., & Marti, I. (2009). Entrepreneurship in and around institutional voids: A case study from Bangladesh. Journal of Business Venturing, 24(5), 419-435. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2008.04.010
- Masurel, E., Nijkamp, P., & Tastan, M. (2010). Assessing regional entrepreneurial climate: A new approach. Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, 22(1), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1080/08985620902786587
- Narula, R., & Zanfei, A. (2005). Globalization of innovation: The role of multinational enterprises. In J. Fagerberg, D. C. Mowery, & R. R. Nelson (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of innovation (pp. 313-345). Oxford University Press.
- Patel, R., Nguyen, H., & Lee, B. (2022). Local engagement and community development: The role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, 34(1-2), 61-78. https://doi.org/10.1080/08985626.2021.1942716
- Porter, M. E., & Kramer, M. R. (2006). Strategy and society: The link between competitive advantage and corporate social responsibility. Harvard Business Review, 84(12), 78-92. https://doi.org/10.1225/R0612D
- Porter, M. E., & van der Linde, C. (1995). Toward a new conception of the environment-competitiveness relationship. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 9(4), 97-118. https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.9.4.97
- Salimzadeh, M. (2015). The role of SMEs in regional economic development: Case study of Iran. European Online Journal of Natural and Social Sciences, 4(1), 21-30. Retrieved from https://european-science.com/eojnss
- Sarasvathy, S. D. (2001). Causation and effectuation: Toward a theoretical shift from economic inevitability to entrepreneurial contingency. Academy of Management Review, 26(2), 243-263. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2001.4378020
- Schaltegger, S., & Burritt, R. (2018). Contemporary environmental accounting: Issues, concepts and practice. Routledge.
- Schaltegger, S., & Wagner, M. (2006). Integrative management of sustainability performance, measurement and reporting. International Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Performance Evaluation, 3(1), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJAAPE.2006.008526
- Wang, S., & Ng, P. H. (2021). Strategies of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) during and post COVID-19: Lessons learned and future directions. Management Decision, 59(8), 1761-1784. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-12-2020-1453
- Welford, R., & Ytterhus, B. (2006). Risk management in small and medium-sized enterprises. Environmental Management and Health, 17(5), 400-417. https://doi.org/10.1108/09566160610685522
References
Bansal, P., & Clelland, I. (2004). Talking trash: Legitimacy, impression management, and unsystematic risk in the context of the natural environment. Academy of Management Journal, 47(1), 93-103. https://doi.org/10.2307/20159594
Bebbington, J., Unerman, J., & O'Dwyer, B. (2008). Corporate social responsibility and the "community": Lessons from the case of the Camisea project in Peru. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 33(3-4), 229-259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aos.2007.02.001
Carroll, A. B. (1999). Corporate social responsibility: Evolution of a definitional construct. Business & Society, 38(3), 268-295. https://doi.org/10.1177/000765039903800303
Dacin, M. T., Oliver, C., & Roy, J. P. (2010). The legitimacy of strategic alliances: An institutional perspective. Strategic Management Journal, 21(2), 176-195. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1097-0266(200002)21:2<176::AID-SMJ81>3.0.CO;2-N
De Silva, M., & Howells, J. (2017). Digital innovation hubs: Insights from existing policies. European Planning Studies, 25(7), 1136-1156. https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2017.1312896
DiBella, A. (2022). SMEs as engines of economic development: Exploring the role of entrepreneurship and innovation. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 29(2), 257-270. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSBED-06-2021-0280
Eisenhardt, K. M., & Martin, J. A. (2000). Dynamic capabilities: What are they? Strategic Management Journal, 21(10-11), 1105-1121. https://doi.org/10.1002/1097-0266(200010/11)21:10/11<1105::AID-SMJ133>3.0.CO;2-E
Elkington, J. (1997). Cannibals with forks: The triple bottom line of 21st century business. Capstone.
Garcia, R., Brown, A., & Nguyen, T. (2021). Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as drivers of sustainable development: Insights from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Journal of Cleaner Production, 292, 125970. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.125970
Garcia, R., Brown, A., & Nguyen, T. (2021). Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as drivers of sustainable development: Insights from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Journal of Cleaner Production, 292, 125970. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.125970
Ghemawat, P. (2007). Managing differences: The central challenge of global strategy. Harvard Business Review, 85(3), 59-68. https://doi.org/10.1225/R0703J
Grant, M. J., & Booth, A. (2009). A typology of reviews: An analysis of 14 review types and associated methodologies. Health Information & Libraries Journal, 26(2), 91-108. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-1842.2009.00848.x
Hart, S. L. (1997). Beyond greening: Strategies for a sustainable world. Harvard Business Review, 75(1), 66-76. https://doi.org/10.1225/R9701G
Huxham, C., & Vangen, S. (2005). Managing to collaborate: The theory and practice of collaborative advantage. Routledge.
Jones, P., & Pickernell, D. (2022). The role of digitalization in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): Insights from the COVID-19 pandemic. International Journal of Information Management, 58, 102367. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2021.102367
Jones, P., & Smith, A. (2023). The role of flexibility and innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): Insights from the literature. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 29(3), 504-521. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-09-2021-0586
Lindgren, M., & Bandhold, H. (2009). Scenario planning: The link between future and strategy. Palgrave Macmillan.
Mair, J., & Marti, I. (2009). Entrepreneurship in and around institutional voids: A case study from Bangladesh. Journal of Business Venturing, 24(5), 419-435. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusvent.2008.04.010
Masurel, E., Nijkamp, P., & Tastan, M. (2010). Assessing regional entrepreneurial climate: A new approach. Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, 22(1), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1080/08985620902786587
Narula, R., & Zanfei, A. (2005). Globalization of innovation: The role of multinational enterprises. In J. Fagerberg, D. C. Mowery, & R. R. Nelson (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of innovation (pp. 313-345). Oxford University Press.
Patel, R., Nguyen, H., & Lee, B. (2022). Local engagement and community development: The role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, 34(1-2), 61-78. https://doi.org/10.1080/08985626.2021.1942716
Porter, M. E., & Kramer, M. R. (2006). Strategy and society: The link between competitive advantage and corporate social responsibility. Harvard Business Review, 84(12), 78-92. https://doi.org/10.1225/R0612D
Porter, M. E., & van der Linde, C. (1995). Toward a new conception of the environment-competitiveness relationship. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 9(4), 97-118. https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.9.4.97
Salimzadeh, M. (2015). The role of SMEs in regional economic development: Case study of Iran. European Online Journal of Natural and Social Sciences, 4(1), 21-30. Retrieved from https://european-science.com/eojnss
Sarasvathy, S. D. (2001). Causation and effectuation: Toward a theoretical shift from economic inevitability to entrepreneurial contingency. Academy of Management Review, 26(2), 243-263. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2001.4378020
Schaltegger, S., & Burritt, R. (2018). Contemporary environmental accounting: Issues, concepts and practice. Routledge.
Schaltegger, S., & Wagner, M. (2006). Integrative management of sustainability performance, measurement and reporting. International Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Performance Evaluation, 3(1), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJAAPE.2006.008526
Wang, S., & Ng, P. H. (2021). Strategies of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) during and post COVID-19: Lessons learned and future directions. Management Decision, 59(8), 1761-1784. https://doi.org/10.1108/MD-12-2020-1453
Welford, R., & Ytterhus, B. (2006). Risk management in small and medium-sized enterprises. Environmental Management and Health, 17(5), 400-417. https://doi.org/10.1108/09566160610685522