Abstract:

The book is first of all addressed to students of the Greek Polytechnics and Polytechnic Schools, and more generally to all those interested in the operation, organization, activity, management, evolution and performance (economic, innovative, growth, etc.) of the enterprise. The study of the enterprise as a living organism is particularly important, since it is the basic organisational unit of the productive system of an economy, and is an important area of professional employment and initiative for graduates – of various specialisations – of higher education institutions. The introductory chapter develops the overall problematic of the book and highlights the conceptual interrelationship of the issues examined. It also explains why these topics are at the core of the knowledge background of the modern engineer. In other words, the usefulness of this book for the engineer and its synthetic – though necessarily abstract – dimension are highlighted and documented. Chapter 2 defines the frame of reference, focusing on the structure and dynamics of the domestic production/business system.

The main characteristics of the country’s existing enterprises and new enterprises, the sectors that dominate them, as well as individual qualitative characteristics, are presented, while the policies for entrepreneurship that have been implemented in Greece are also analysed. Chapter 3 examines the different conceptions of the firm, from the neoclassical approach of the firm as a production function to the evolutionary approach of the firm as a set of resources and capabilities. This is followed by an understanding of the function and behaviour of organisations and the firm as an economic entity (chapter 4), and modern management (management) (chapter 5). Then, the environment of the firm (chapter 6), the functions of the firm (production, research and development, marketing/sales, human resource management) (chapter 7), and the fundamentals of the financial function of the firm and the way it evaluates its performance based on its financial statements (chapter 8) are discussed.

This is followed by a particularly extensive chapter on innovation management and development (chapter 9). The book places particular emphasis on knowledge and innovation management and development, as this function is now a recognised field of activity, management and strategy for the modern firm to survive, grow and compete successfully in the international arena. In addition, the engineer is called upon to play a leading role in the design and promotion of innovations in all their forms (product, process, organisational and marketing innovation) and dimensions. The last two chapters, 10 and 11, deal with the development of the methodology for describing and analysing a business (chapter 10), and for participating in the business game, which is essentially a simulation of the business’s operations and the corresponding business decisions (chapter 11). The book contains several practical examples and is enriched with empirical evidence from recent research conducted in Greece and internationally, so that the theoretical part is ‘translated’ as far as possible into real business data.

Authors:

Kalogirou, Giannis
Mavrotas, Georgios
Protogerou, Aimilia
Siokas, Evangelos
Tsakanikas, Angelos
Panagiotopoulos, Panagiotis

Creation Date: 2015

Publication Origin: Kallipos, Open Academic Editions

68Number of pages: 412

Language: Greek

Κωδικός ISBN: 978-960-603-380-3