THE INFLUENCE PRISM IN SMES - THE POWER OF CEOS PERCEPTIONS ON TECHNOLOGY POLICY AND ITS ORGANIZATIONAL IMPACTS

The research proposes a model, which relates the following variables: (a) the CEO's perceptions of the environment, (b) the strategic busine ss orientation, scanning, and structural characteristics, (c) technolo gy policy, (d) realized innovative efforts of the firm, and (e) measur es of firm performance. The empirical data from small manufacturing en terprises (SMEs) that share a common economic and industrial environme nt show that CEOs' perceptions of external environment-and riot object ive measures-are key significant issues with respect to technology pol icy formulation and enactment in SMEs and its subsequent organizationa l impacts. In particular, perceived environmental hostility and dynami sm are shown to have specific and differing moderating roles on the fo rm and strength of the relationships between technology policy and its determinants and between technology policy and realized innovative ef forts, Furthermore, a more aggressive technology policy leads to great er realized innovative efforts, which in turn are positively related t o export performance and, to a lesser extent, to financial performance .