This paper documents a methodology used to assess, for the first time, the costs to the taxpayer of small and medium enterprise (SME) and entrepreneurship policy in Sweden. It then uses that data to compare the resulting expenditure patterns with the focus of policy as expressed by experts. It finds important areas where the two diverge, implying a possible mismatch between expenditure priorities and political rhetoric. This approach is then extended beyond Sweden to include Poland, Austria, and the Flanders region of Belgium to demonstrate the application of the approach to other countries and regions.
Purpose -From a literature review and a comprehensive survey aims to analyze how small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) use existing support systems. The analysis is specifically on focusing different size groups within the SME category, the role of industrial sector, and regional location. Design/methodology/approach -The combination of macro-economic theory and entrepreneurial perspectives constitutes the theoretical framework for this study. Empirical data are collected via a survey to over 1,000 Swedish SMEs with one to 49 employees, from both manufacturing and service industries, and from three different regions. Descriptive as well as multivariate statistical techniques are used in the analysis. Findings -The results indicate low participation rates of available support services and the largest manufacturing companies with a location in sparsely populated areas are the most frequent users. Vague arguments from neo-classical theory and lack of clarity in definitions of small firms pose an obstacle to the production of empirical results as well as theoretical development. Support users are mainly positive to the services and, although the "take-up rate" has increased in recent years, a better match between demand and supply of support services must be undertaken. Originality/value -This paper gives understanding of how the business support programs are received among small companies. The results generated via a large sample size, 1,022 companies, combined with theoretical considerations, give a solid platform for research and policy conclusions.
In this paper, we investigate the probability and timing of attaining gaze fixations on interacted objects during hand interaction in virtual reality, with the main purpose for implicit and continuous eye tracking re-calibration. We conducted an evaluation with 15 participants in which their gaze was recorded while interacting with virtual objects. The data was analysed to find factors influencing the probability of fixations at different phases of interaction for different object types. The results indicate that 1) interacting with stationary objects may be favourable in attaining fixations to moving objects, 2) prolonged and precision-demanding interactions positively influences the probability to attain fixations, 3) performing multiple interactions simultaneously can negatively impact the probability of fixations, and 4) feedback can initiate and end fixations on objects. CCS CONCEPTS • Human-centered computing → Empirical studies in HCI; Virtual reality.
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