Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Small and Medium Enterprises

Reviews / Votes

'I appreciate the book's concrete, SME-focused approach to DEI, offering simple, practical guidelines to start viewing everyday decisions through a "DEI lens." This is a valuable asset as SMEs strive to attract, keep, and motivate the employees. I encourage curiosity - and using this book as a hands-on guide.' -- Maija Aarnio, Suomen Yrittaejaet (The Federation of Finnish Enterprises), Finland 'Through my work, I have the privilege of gaining insight into the leadership and business models of many Finnish SMEs and advocating for their growth. This book is a much-needed reminder of the strength that acknowledging DEI from the business perspective can bring. Once seen as a strategic investment into the business growth instead of a "nice to have" soft value, it opens opportunities to new markets, business partnerships, segments of clients, and an untapped talent pool. As many other investments into growth, it may be uncomfortable and costly in the first steps but becomes a lifeline and "raison d'etre" once it has been implemented.' -- Regina Ainla, Business Finland, Finland 'Much is said about the importance of diversity, equality and inclusion in the literature on corporate values - but how can resource-constrained SMEs excel in this field? This book is an excellent, practical guide on how SMEs can best position themselves to produce meaningful and authentic social sustainability outcomes.' -- Judith Clifton, University of Cantabria, Spain 'This book addresses a timely topic for firms in general, and SMEs in particular. The authors "make real" the issues surrounding diversity, equity, and inclusion. They provide practical, case-based guidance for SME leaders to strengthen strategy development and implementation, and growth. They also address the key DEI issues of conflict resolution and regulatory compliance. A must-read for today's managers.' -- Nicole Coviello, LUT University, Finland 'Grounded in SME realities and offering an accessible path to inclusive, effective organizations, this book offers insights and pragmatic solutions valuable for investors seeking to equip portfolio companies to compete globally. A genuinely useful guide for leaders seeking to do well by doing good while strengthening culture and performance.' -- Erin Gainer-Grigaliune, the Ella Fund, Switzerland 'I strongly recommend this insightful and timely book on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in entrepreneurship and SMEs to scholars, educators, practitioners, and SME leaders alike. It skilfully combines conceptual depth with rich empirical cases to illuminate how DEI shapes and is achieved through SMEs' strategic management and everyday practices.' -- Ewald Kibler, Entrepreneurship Unit (ENTU), School of Business, Aalto University, Finland 'What I value is the book's perspective, which combines analysis with practical SME-oriented examples and insights. This makes it relevant to academic audiences and also to practitioners working closely with SMEs, including Trade Promotion Organisations. It offers a timely resource for those building a resilient and inclusive SME ecosystem.' -- Vasso Kyrkou, Trade Promotion Europe, Greece 'Managing DEI in SMEs requires distinct processes from those used in larger companies, making the expert guidance provided in this book essential. Combining insightful theory and perceptive cases in Europe, the authors present a well-rounded and holistic view of this important topic that will benefit both academics and managers alike.' -- William Newburry, Florida International University, USA 'This book reframes DEI from a perceived burden into a strategic opportunity to engage value-driven consumers and build resilience. By presenting SMEs as communities, it makes DEI more practical, relatable, and impactful in everyday management. Overall, it provides valuable insights for advancing responsible human resource management and social sustainability.' -- Raminta Pucetaite, Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania 'A lot has been written about certain areas of DEI but mainly in/for large organisational settings. Touching on neurodiversity, aging and LGBTQIA+ issues, this book transcends traditional DEI topics. I also find both its SME focus and the balancing of scholarly, educator and practitioner perspectives fresh and valuable.' -- Matt Raskovic, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand and Academy of International Business 'This book makes a definitive contribution to the critical strategic management domain by challenging conventional perceptions of attributing DEI to large corporations. Its real-world cases offer a paradigm-shifting look at how European SMEs are already pioneering social sustainability. Their thoroughly researched framework provides a masterful, strategic blueprint for social sustainability.' -- Caren Scheepers, Gordon Institute of Business Science, University of Pretoria, South Africa 'This book offers a thoughtful and timely contribution by showing how diversity, equity and inclusion can be understood in ways that are meaningful for smaller businesses. Grounded in the realities of European SMEs, it provides a valuable resource for scholars, educators, practitioners, and policymakers concerned with inclusive and sustainable business.' -- Noemi Sinkovics, Newcastle University Business School, UK 'As a venture capital investor, I know that inclusive organisational culture is not a social add-on - it is a driver of value, resilience and long-term competitiveness for founders and the companies they build. I welcome this open-access publication as a valuable resource for shaping Europe's next generation of responsible businesses.' -- Viktorija Trimbel, Coinvest Capital, Lithuania