Title: A system dynamics approach to strategy planning by small and medium-sized enterprises in the renewable energy sector

Authors: Maryam Ebrahimi

Addresses: University of Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany

Abstract: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are key drivers of sustainability. Using a system dynamics computer simulation model, this paper aims to provide a general dynamic model for strategy planning in SMEs working within Iranian renewable energy industry. The model structure covers issues related to sales and marketing, innovation, production, installation, and maintenance. Results from this research showed that as strategies SMEs should build alliances like joint ventures or mutual investment corporations, implement effective mechanisms to capture and use knowledge and experience, and provide their customers, particularly the major and profitable ones with diverse services. The main contributions of this paper are the insights into the SMEs of the renewable energy sector and designing their dynamic work structure to support chief executive officers in strategy planning, and finally, proposing general strategies for the purpose of faster dealing with inquiries and fulfilling the orders regarded as primary attributes of performance.

Keywords: system dynamics; small and medium-sized enterprise; SME; renewable energy; strategy; performance.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBSR.2023.129198

International Journal of Business and Systems Research, 2023 Vol.17 No.2, pp.172 - 202

Received: 21 Nov 2020
Accepted: 29 Dec 2020
Published online: 01 Mar 2023 *

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