The Economic Impact of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises : Analytical Approaches to Growth and Innovation Challenges Amid Crises in Europe

PART I. INTRODUCTORY CHAPTERS: A GENERAL OVERVIEW -- Chapter 1. Introduction: SMEs and the changing business environment -- Chapter 2. The Role of SMEs within a turbulent economy and constantly changing business environment: Trends, Challenges, Patterns and Growth and Innovation Policies in Europe -- Chapter 3. SMEs and Large Enterprises: A Preliminary Comparative Analysis -- PART II. COMPETENCIES, SKILLS AND SMES -- Chapter 4. Small Enterprises’ Digital Competencies and Financial Performance -- Chapter 5. “Skills’ gap between the Eastern and South – Eastern Europe with the Central and North European SMEs. The role of the financial, institutional and demographic context -- Chapter 6. Entrepreneurial Skills as a Factor of Growth and Resilience for SMEs in Knowledge-Intensive Industries -- PART III. INNOVATION AND SMES -- Chapter 7. Critical Success Factors for Open Innovation strategies in SMEs: Who or How? -- Chapter 8. Robust, Resilient and Remunerative (R3) SMEs Ecosystems in Quintuple Helix Context: Industry 5.0, Society 5.0 and AI Modalities Challenges and Opportunities for Theory, Policy and Practice -- Chapter 9. Intangible Investments and Firm Innovation Propensity: An Empirical Study in Seven European Countries -- PART IV. NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND SMES -- Chapter 10. Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Adoption: An Exploration of challenges and perceptions -- Chapter 11. Blockchain in SMEs: Technical Foundations and Applications -- Chapter 12. Managing Innovation and Digital Transformation in Greek SMEs: Facts and Trends -- Chapter 13. Regional Insights: Navigating Digital Maturity in SMEs – A Case Study of Crete -- PART V. SMES AND ACCESS TO FUNDING -- Chapter 14. SMEs Financing: Current State of Play and a Glimpse into the Future -- Chapter 15. EU Funding Instruments for SMEs -- PART VI. INTERNATIONALISATION AND SMES -- Chapter 16. Internationalization Through Global Value Chains and Innovation: The Case of Greek SMEs -- Chapter 17. Internationalization of SMEs from a theoretical perspective: Challenges, Strategies and Implications -- PART VΙI. PAST, CURRENT AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES ON SMES -- Chapter 18. The Contribution of SMEs towards sustainable development: The European Union’s approach and policy -- Chapter 19. The COVID Crisis impact on responsible business performance in G7 countries: Empirical Evidence -- Chapter 20. Empowering SMEs: The role of foresight in influencing the future dynamics of European Economies and Societies -- Chapter 21. Challenges posed by the growing economic impact of space SMEs for International Space Law -- Chapter 22. Business history and SMEs: Insights from the evolution of the business environment in 19th century Greece.