Cross-National Evaluation and Benchmarking of Manufacturing Smes Using an Expert System Based Assessment Tool (Quickview)

Purpose - To determine whether: QuickView, that is aprimary assessment and business planning tool that was designed in the USA inthe 1990s, could be usable out of USA; and manufacturing SMEs outside of the UScould be evaluated against the 3,400 US SMEs on the QuickView database. Design/methodology/approach - The project consists of a survey of a sampleof SMEs in different overseas regions, Northern Spain being one of them: reviseand translate questionnaire to local language; train local agents; conduct asurvey of a sample of 50 SMEs using the local agents; and review the resultsand draw conclusions as to the applicability of the model. Findings - We think that we have demonstrated that QuickView is a valid toolto use on non-US SMEs to help build local databases containing local companies.What is not so evident is how to establish direct comparisons between the twodatabases. To make this, the USA database should be partitioned by year ofsurvey or by industry sector. We can draw some initial conclusions about theSpanish sample. Research limitations/implications - The USA database should be partitionedby year of survey or by industry sector, to make direct comparisons. A furthercontinuation of this project is, obviously, an in-depth analysis of the Spanishsample. Another issue is whether an open structure can be developed forQuickView that would allow it to be modified into specialized questionnairesfor service companies, for example, or a questionnaire dedicated to the SMEs ina particular country. Practical implications - To create a database of Spanish companies based onQuickView methodology to serve as a reference of management practices. Originality/value - There are currently several projects trying to developstandard European benchmarking tools and databases. Our project presents anadaptation of another different tool already in use in the USA and proves itsvalidity in an European context. This tool should be useful either forcompanies trying to evaluate themselves and compare with a local, though stillsmall, database or for external agents trying to compare one particular companyagainst the database. (Publication abstract)