Purpose

The concept of positioning is fundamental to how a company approaches and succeeds in a market. Despite a growing body of literature on positioning, existing research has focused mainly on larger companies and brands. This paper aims to apply the concept of positioning to small- and medium-sized enterprises (SME) companies to explore how SME entrepreneurs understand and approach the positioning of their company, and what differences exist compared to large companies and brands.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a qualitative research approach, this study is based on focus groups involving 13 SME entrepreneurs. The data were analyzed using a qualitative structuring content analysis, which resulted in a newly developed and empirically based typology of SME positioning strategies.

Findings

The results indicate that SME entrepreneurs view positioning as highly relevant but differ from larger companies in terms of market and brand orientation. Building on the interviews, an empirical matrix of four positioning strategies was developed which SME entrepreneurs typically use: specialization, differentiation, conviction and opposition.

Practical implications

Based on the developed positioning typology, this study proposes a two-step approach for SME entrepreneurs: gaining clarity on the basic positioning dimensions and exploring four strategic fields of action.

Originality/value

Overall, the findings contribute to a better understanding of SME entrepreneurs' positioning strategies as important building blocks for market and brand success. The new positioning typology provides a conceptual contribution for further research in the marketing/entrepreneurship interface.

中文翻译：

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中小企业定位：企业家的认知与策略

目的

定位的概念是公司如何进入市场并取得成功的基础。尽管有关定位的文献越来越多，但现有研究主要集中在较大的公司和品牌上。本文旨在将定位的概念应用到中小型企业中，探讨中小企业企业家如何理解和对待企业的定位，以及与大公司和品牌相比存在哪些差异。

设计/方法论/途径

本研究采用定性研究方法，以涉及 13 名中小企业企业家的焦点小组为基础。使用定性结构化内容分析对数据进行分析，从而产生了新开发的、基于经验的中小企业定位策略类型。

发现

结果表明，中小企业企业家认为定位高度相关，但在市场和品牌定位方面与大公司不同。在访谈的基础上，制定了中小企业企业家通常使用的四种定位策略的实证矩阵：专业化、差异化、信念和反对。

实际影响

基于已开发的定位类型学，本研究为中小企业企业家提出了一个两步走的方法：明确基本定位维度并探索四个战略行动领域。

原创性/价值

总体而言，研究结果有助于更好地理解中小企业企业家的定位战略，作为市场和品牌成功的重要组成部分。新的定位类型为营销/创业界面的进一步研究提供了概念上的贡献。