Purpose -The aim of this study is to propose a performance measurement and management system (PMMS) for small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), based on an analysis of the connections between these firms' business practices and performance measured by economic value added (EVA). Design/methodology/approach -Secondary data from the PDG w database was used on a sample of 108 Canadian manufacturing SMEs over two consecutive years. The primary statistical method used was regression analysis to investigate the influence of diverse business practices on EVA in these firms. Findings -This paper shows that EVA can be a useful tool for performance management in SMEs, when used in conjunction with a list of business practices that affect the firm's results. The findings indicate that some business practices have a direct impact on EVA within one year, while others have a deferred influence. The impacts of other practices on EVA were found to be weak or insignificant, an aspect that requires further investigation.Research limitations/implications -The main limitation of this study is the lack of generalizability of the findings. However, the sampled SMEs vary widely in terms of their characteristics, which may mitigate the negative impacts of a non-probabilistic sample.Practical implications -This study offers a structured methodology to identify the paths leading to better performance in SMEs, through an improved understanding of their business practices' impacts on EVA. Originality/value -To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study that explores the linkage between SME business practices and EVA. When applied in conjunction with a set of business practices, EVA can help managers detect problems and identify sources of improvement.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify the influence of environmental and institutional factors on the adoption of the International Financial Reporting Standard for small and medium-sized entities (IFRS for SMEs). This study used the neo-institutional theory and the economic theory of networks to explain why countries choose to adopt IFRS for SMEs. Design/methodology/approach This study is based on logistic regression analysis to investigate 177 countries, including 77 jurisdictions that adopted IFRS for SMEs between 2009 and 2015. Findings The findings confirm that the adoption of IFRS for SMEs is significantly related to law enforcement quality, culture, trading networks and economic growth. At the institutional level, coercive and normative isomorphism was found to be positively associated with IFRS for SMEs adoption. The results show also that the quality of the audit has no significant effect on the adoption of IFRS for SMEs. However, the joint effect of the quality of audit and quality of law enforcement is significantly related to the adoption of IFRS for SMEs. Practical implications The study contributes to a better understanding of the factors influencing the implementation of IFRS for SMEs standard across the globe and could be used to predict a country’s decision to adopt this standard. Originality/value This study contributes to the literature on international accounting harmonization by examining both environmental and institutional factors that influence the adoption of IFRS for unlisted private companies.

Drawing on institutional theory, resource‐based perspective and internationalization theory, we propose that the domestic collaborations of small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) have a direct positive effect on their export intensity, as well as an indirect effect through enhancing these firms' access to external financing. We test our hypotheses on a sample of 151 Canadian manufacturing SMEs and find partial support for the indirect relationship. Overall, our results suggest that domestic collaborations positively affect SMEs' access to equity financing but not to bank financing. While both equity and bank financing are found to enhance these firms' export intensity, bank financing seems to have a greater impact. The implications of these results are discussed.