SPEAKER: Associate professor Surman Vivien, Budapest University of Technology and Economics

TIME/DATE：2025.9.22  13:30-15:00

CLASSROOM： A308

ABSTRACT：

Sustainability management in SMEs is not simply a scaled-down version of large-firm practice, yet it is frequently managed and regulated as though it were. SMEs’ sustainability activities are shaped by how the concept is defined both in project contexts (through ESG pillars) and in everyday operations (voluntary commitments, employee expectations, managerial behavior), as well as by the type and intensity of stakeholder pressure. These dynamics determine whether companies establish their own sustainability KPIs or align with existing SDG indicators. Structural characteristics also play a decisive role: even within a single country, location emerges as a critical factor. Stakeholder pressure mapping, location-based comparisons of sustainability clusters, and SDG relevance–presence maps further highlight significant differences within the SME sector itself, particularly by firm size.

GUEST BIO：

Vivien Surman is an associate professor of management at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics (BME). She studies the management influence and decision making, and process management in various areas such as SME sustainability, micromobility integration, AI implementation. Vivien has published articles in top journals in quality management (e.g. International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences, Educational Research and Evaluation), sustainability management (e.g. Cleaner Environmental Systems, Statistika: Statistics and Economy Journal), well as micromobility (Case Studies on Transport Policy). She is a consortium member of InnovaCyBridge Horizon project, supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), leading the work package on entrepreneurship and startup management. She cooperates with Zagreb University, Bucharest University of Polytehnica, Malmö University, Hokkaido University, Suny Canton University, etc. Vivien received her Master Degree in Engineering Management, and her Ph.D. in Business and Management. Currently, she is the vice-head of the Department of Management and Business Economics and the vice-president of the Faculty Quality Committee (Faculty of Economics and Social Sciences) at BME.

Vivien Surman是布达佩斯技术与经济大学 (BME)管理学副教授。她的研究领域涵盖管理影响与决策制定、流程管理等多个方向，包括中小企业可持续发展、微型交通整合、人工智能实施等。Vivien Surman在质量管理（如International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences, Educational Research and Evaluation）、可持续发展管理（如Cleaner Environmental Systems, Statistika: Statistics and Economy Journal）及微型交通领域（Case Studies on Transport Policy）的顶尖期刊发表过论文。作为European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT)（EIT）资助的InnovaCyBridge Horizon项目联盟成员，她负责领导创业与初创企业管理工作包。合作院校包括Zagreb University, Bucharest University of Polytehnica, Malmö University, Hokkaido University, Suny Canton University等。Vivien Surman拥有工程管理硕士学位及商业与管理博士学位。现任布达佩斯技术与经济大学(BME)管理与商业经济学系副主任，并兼任该校经济与社会科学学院质量委员会副主席。