A US-based technology company and an Iranian food manufacturer have both been recognised for their innovative solutions to operational problems.
Two separate newspaper articles have illustrated the possibilities that small enterprises can explore in the wake of what might seem like disastrous setbacks, caused by both internal and external circumstances.
New York City-headquartered Meetup.com was a fast growing site in 2007 before a change in operational structure led to a bout of "crazy bureaucracy", which saw rules implemented that required staff to consult with two committees before business changes could be made.
Money CNN reported that this led to a loss of productivity for the networking website - which helps its paying members organize offline clubs.
The article, entitled An Office Where Group Anarchy Works, reveals that this was countered by the introduction of a policy which allowed the website's employees to spend 100 per cent of their time on projects that they personally wish to develop.
Since this Google-esque method of working has been set-up, Meetup.com has increased its staff members to 60 and witnessed its user numbers soar to four million.
Speaking to the US news agency, Traci Fenton founder of the consultancy WorldBlu, said: "Meetup.com decided to implement the system because it intuitively makes sense."
Countering slightly more serious setbacks, the Iranian businessman Fardin Alizad has had to keep his businesses in profit, despite US international trade sanctions on his country over its civil nuclear program.
In an article in the Financial Times, the owner of the fruit juice brand Alifard claimed that small businesses should consider further improvements to their products when they are faced with problems and restrictions.
A Thirst to Reach the Top in Iran details how Mr Alizad has been able to secure his private enterprise's position at the top of the market, through research and development, as well as by hiring the Muslim country's strongest graduates.
The Iranian entrepreneur now owns three companies with a combined income of more than $250 million, regardless of the poor business environment that has defined life in Iran since president Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad began his term in 2005.
Predicting a revenue boost of 40 per cent in the foreseeable future, he told the UK newspaper: "Opportunity is when the current situation is bad but you can see the next step."
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