Due to the influence of economic changes, young SMEs which are at the
corporate identification stage of development must pay particular
attention to general conditions such as the micro and macro environment.
These often difficult starting points and problem situations make
adjustment processes essential as there is freedom to act and the
pursued strategies need to be reconsidered. Priority for all young SMEs
is stable, sustainable and healthy growth. Therefore, it is a key
management task to deal with the definition, planning, and
implementation of strategies. The objective of this thesis was to
generate practical knowledge for young SMEs in the area of strategic
corporate planning and service engineering and establish a workable and
applicable phase approach for management. The research results were
systematized and evaluated to an action plan for a solution of the
problem. The applications of the different instruments have been
evaluated for their practicability using primary research in 17 multiple
case studies over a two-year period. The evaluations of these case
studies highlight the applicability of instruments in young SMEs. Based
on these results, consequences were derived and future strategic
challenges were pointed out.
