Importance and performance evaluation tools for small and medium companies: critical analysis of national versus international literature

Abstract

The research aims to map the importance and performance evaluation tools for small and medium companies. This descriptive and qualitative study analyzed 33 national articles and 21 international ones. Regarding the importance of performance evaluation for small and medium companies, the literature highlights: (i) it increases the success of the network; (ii) it is useful for management; (iii) it strengthens competitiveness; (iv) it consolidates cooperation; and, (v) it increases trust among partners. Comparing the national versus international literature on the importance of performance evaluation for small and medium companies, it can be noticed similar and complementary aspects, that is, there is not disagreement between the authors. The authors use tools consolidated in the literature, such as Balanced Scorecard; Benchmarking; Performance Prism and tools proposed specifically to evaluate small and medium networks. The main dimensions evaluated are: (i) exchange of information; (ii) value management in networks; (Iii) level of network maturity; (iv) benefits of collaboration; (v) social capital; (vi) collective efficiency; (vii) network life cycle; (viii) efficiency and inefficiency of the networks; and, (ix) existence and intensity of the relationship between partners. The critical analysis regarding the performance evaluation concept adopted in the present study shows that the tools proposed or implemented to evaluate small and medium business networks have gaps in the process to identify criteria, measure ordinal and cardinally, integrate and generate actions of improvement.