CRITERIA AND FACTORS USED BY MANAGERS IMPLEMENTING THE KNOWLEDGE-BASED MANAGEMENT IN TOURISM SMES

Knowledge-based economy requires both in Romania and internationally, the presence of intelligent organizations, with advanced management capabilities of their collective skills, as sources of performance. As a result, worldwide, more than ever, knowledge is accepted as one of the main sources of competitive advantage. Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are the most dynamic and vital factor of progress in the contemporary society, main generator of economic performance and substance in any country, employment opportunity provider for most of population, major contributor to the national budget, and engine to improve the living standard of the population. SMEs represent 99% from all enterprises, drawing up the main human resource agglomeration. In this context, knowledge-based management approaches are inevitable, arising from systemic complexity that goes beyond the rigid hierarchies and traditional practices and entails the emergence of non-hierarchical organizational structures.