MONICA JOHANSSON MONICA JOHANSSON MONICA JOHANSSON Organizing Policy A Policy Analysis starting from SMEs in Tuscany and the County of Jönköping Organizing Policy Organizing Policy The importance of small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) for economic A Policy Analysis starting from SMEs in Tuscany development is frequently debated. SMEs have been called “the backbone of the and the County of Jönköping European economy and the best potential source of jobs and growth”. Political intentions are expressed in numerous programmes, strategies, and organizations, all claiming that their objective is to assist SMEs. The purpose of the thesis is to explore the interaction between political aspirations and adequate solutions to SMEs’ challenges. The thesis adopts a comparative perspective, using two completely different cultural, institutional and historical contexts, the Italian region Tuscany and the County of Jönköping. The study follows bottom-up logic, starting off with interviewed businesspersons’ and other actors’ narratives on how they organize to face and deal with challenges and opportunities. The challenges and possibilities and the problem solving processes described by SMEs are outlined through the identification and description of four case studies. Narratives by businesspersons and other actors indicate that only a few of the aspirations and strategies expressed by politicians and decision makers, who elaborate the objectives of SME policy, actually reach enterprises. A gap seems to exist between aspirations and realization. The study suggests that an important part of the explanation to the missing link is found in the different lifeworlds of SMEs, politicians and other decision makers. How can the gap be bridged? The study concludes that policy is not statements only; it is organizing. For organizing to ensue, individuals with a common definition of challenges need to get together. The concept of lifeworlds cannot 054 JIBS Dissertation Series No. be ignored. JIBS Dissertation Series ISSN 1403-0470 ISBN 91-89164-94-6 No. 054 MONICA JOHANSSON MONICA JOHANSSON MONICA JOHANSSON Organizing Policy A Policy Analysis starting from SMEs in Tuscany and the County of Jönköping Organizing Policy Organizing Policy The importance of small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) for economic A Policy Analysis starting from SMEs in Tuscany development is frequently debated. SMEs have been called “the backbone of the and the County of Jönköping European economy and the best potential source of jobs and growth”. Political intentions are expressed in numerous programmes, strategies, and organizations, all claiming that their objective is to assist SMEs. The purpose of the thesis is to explore the interaction between political aspirations and adequate solutions to SMEs’ challenges. The thesis adopts a comparative perspective, using two completely different cultural, institutional and historical contexts, the Italian region Tuscany and the County of Jönköping. The study follows bottom-up logic, starting off with interviewed businesspersons’ and other actors’ narratives on how they organize to face and deal with challenges and opportunities. The challenges and possibilities and the problem solving processes described by SMEs are outlined through the identification and description of four case studies. Narratives by businesspersons and other actors indicate that only a few of the aspirations and strategies expressed by politicians and decision makers, who elaborate the objectives of SME policy, actually reach enterprises. A gap seems to exist between aspirations and realization. The study suggests that an important part of the explanation to the missing link is found in the different lifeworlds of SMEs, politicians and other decision makers. How can the gap be bridged? The study concludes that policy is not statements only; it is organizing. For organizing to ensue, individuals with a common definition of challenges need to get together. The concept of lifeworlds cannot 054 JIBS Dissertation Series No. be ignored. JIBS Dissertation Series ISSN 1403-0470 ISBN 91-89164-94-6 No. 054 MONICA JOHANSSON Organizing Policy A Policy Analysis starting from SMEs in Tuscany and the County of Jönköping Jönköping International Business School P.O. Box 1026 SE-551 11 Jönköping Tel.: +46 36 10 10 00 E-mail: [email protected] www.jibs.se Organizing Policy - A Policy Analysis starting from SMEs in Tuscany and the County of Jönköping JIBS Dissertation Series No. 054 © 2008 Monica Johansson and Jönköping International Business School ISSN 1403-0470 ISBN 91-89164-94-6 Printed by ARK Tryckaren AB, 2008 Acknowledgement Traveling has always been an important part of my life. Writing this thesis has been a wonderful journey through several places, different cultures and lifeworlds. Many persons contributed to preparing me for the trip, some in seeing me off as I embarked, others in welcoming me, now that I am about to return. Most of them came along with me during the entire journey and shared many good as well as difficult times. These lines are written for all these persons. Thank you all so much for providing me with courage, knowledge, faith, friendship and trust for undertaking this journey. I guess this travel started out several years ago, as I started to study political science at JIBS, and as I entered into contact with Professor Benny Hjern who is also my tutor. Benny, I learned many great things from you. You gave me all the freedom I needed to develop my research and make it mine, but you were there to correct me every time I was about to commit errors. Thank you also for being a friend and for always taking the time to listen and provide support. My warm and sincere gratitude to all who generously contributed as interviewees. It has been an extremely positive experience to get to know you and to learn from you! Time spent with colleagues at the Department of Political Science at JIBS, Hans Wiklund, Mikael Glemdal, Inga Aflaki, Ann-Britt Karlsson, Per Wiklund, Berndt Brikell, Mikael Sandberg and Peter Henningson, has always been enjoyable and it has been a pleasure to work with you. Thank you all for support, suggestions, and friendship. Staff at JIBS also helped me arrive at this point. Thank you librarians and caretakers for your wonderful service. Susanne Hansson, Leon Barkho, Kerstin Ståhl, Jan-Åke Mjureke, Marie Peterson and Björn Kjellander. I couldn’t have made it without you. Agostino Manduchi, thank you for being my friend, and for many good laughs. Mikael Gustafsson at the Regional Council of Jönköping County, Jan Storck, Jonas Gunnberg at Skärteknikcentrum and Gunnar Wijk and Per-Ola Simonsson at Träcentrum were of great help as I looked for businesspersons to interview. The last few years have been a continuous journey between Italy and Sweden and, thanks to many Italian friends, Italy has now become my second home. I would like to thank professors and colleagues at DISPOS at the University of Genova: Anna Maria Lazzarino del Grosso, Maria Antonietta Falchi, Mauro Palumbo, Agostino Massa and my colleagues Andrea Catanzaro, Stefano Parodi, Pejman Abdolmohammadi and Simone Savona. The wonderful memories I have of my doctoral research in Genova I owe to you. 3 Professor Mauro Tebaldi at the University of Genoa has been of great help. Thank you very much for everything you have done for me, and for your patience in reading, commenting and correcting me. Professor Trigilia and Professor Burroni at the University of Florence provided indispensable information about the Tuscan industrial structure and the socio-economic context in the region. Paolo Spadoni helped me find the first SMEs. Giuseppe Bianchi at CSM offered important information about the furniture producers in Tuscany. Thank you Anna Maria Belli and Silvia Penna for letting me one of your rooms, for all of your love, wonderful dinners and your great sense of humor. Thank you also Elisabetta Todde and Roberto Russo for sharing your home and opening up your family to me and Elisabetta Quaranta for always being there for me, for making me feel at home in Florence and for lending me your little red car for the Tuscan fieldwork. Luca Daddi, you’re a great friend and your assistance as I waded through Tuscan public administration and industry is much appreciated. Albino Caporale at Regione Toscana was most generous in recommending colleagues for interviews. Professor Giovanni Maciocco, the Calaresus – Silvia Serreli, Giovanna Sanna, Lisa Meloni and Davide Pinna – all made me feel at home and live an important experience in Sardinia. Luca Russo, I’m very grateful for all of your help with translating Italian language, culture and lifestyle to me. You always tried to cheer me up, enhanced my love for Italy and Italians where, and thanks to you, I felt truly welcome. I would like to thank the Istituto Italiano di Cultura, Handelskammaren i Jönköping, Sparbanksstiftelsen Alfa and the University of Genova for investing in my research. I couldn’t wish for a better family. Thank you all: mamma and pappa, Håkan, Yvonne and their families and Hans and his family, grandma Mary for being great companions on the journey and for always travelling by my side in your minds, even in moments when we are physically distant. I always feel surrounded by your love. Monica Johansson November, 2008 4 Abstract The importance of small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) for economic development is frequently debated. SMEs have been called “the backbone of the European economy and the best potential source of jobs and growth”. Political intentions are expressed in numerous programmes, strategies, and organizations, all claiming that their objective is to assist SMEs. The purpose of the thesis is to explore the interaction between political aspirations and adequate solutions to SMEs’ challenges. The thesis adopts a comparative perspective, using two completely different cultural, institutional and historical contexts, the Italian region Tuscany and the County of Jönköping. The study follows bottom-up logic, starting off with interviewed businesspersons’ and other actors’ narratives on how they organize to face and deal with challenges and opportunities.