Knowledge management and innovation performance in a high-tech SMEs industry

This article examines how knowledge management (KM) affects innovation performance within biotechnology firms. This is an industry in which small- and medium-sized biotech enterprises live together with the biotech divisions of large pharmaceutical firms. We conceptualize KM as a set of practices an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International small business journal 2013-06, Vol.31 (4), p.454-470
Main Authors: Alegre, Joaquín, Sengupta, Kishore, Lapiedra, Rafael
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biotechnology
Biotechnology industry
Conceptualization
Enterprises
High tech industries
Industry
Innovation
Innovation in business
International business enterprises
Knowledge management
Learning
Management
Mathematical models
Small & medium sized enterprises-SME
Small and medium sized enterprises
Small business
Studies
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Summary:This article examines how knowledge management (KM) affects innovation performance within biotechnology firms. This is an industry in which small- and medium-sized biotech enterprises live together with the biotech divisions of large pharmaceutical firms. We conceptualize KM as a set of practices and dynamic capabilities, and hypothesize that KM dynamic capabilities act as a mediating variable between KM practices and innovation performance. We use structural equation modelling to test the hypotheses on a data set from the biotechnology industry. The results support our conceptualization and demonstrate its utility in explaining differences in innovation performance across firms. Findings have important implications regarding KM and innovation in high-tech small- and medium-sized enterprises.
ISSN:0266-2426
1741-2870
DOI:10.1177/0266242611417472