Title: Technology innovation in SMEs: an examination of innovation culture and organisational learning as contextual determinants

Authors: Mane Beglaryan; Vahe Odabashian; Agassy Manoukian

Addresses: American University of Armenia, 40 Marshal Baghramyan Ave., Yerevan, 0019, Armenia ' American University of Armenia, 40 Marshal Baghramyan Ave., Yerevan, 0019, Armenia ' American University of Armenia, 40 Marshal Baghramyan Ave., Yerevan, 0019, Armenia

Abstract: The paper examines whether small innovative firms benefit from contextual determinants such as innovation culture and organisational learning, and possible synergistic relationship between these factors. A sample of 99 respondents was used from 48 SMEs representing six technology industries. The findings support propositions of the study that innovation culture and organisational learning at the individual knowledge-acquisition level are contextual determinants of technology innovation among SMEs. The hypothesis stating that innovation culture and organisational learning mutually influence each other and have synergistic effect in technology innovation, is not supported. The paper promotes the role of managers within SMEs to design and actualise proper mechanisms for cultivating innovative culture and focusing on individual knowledge acquisition by employees. Current work follows the innovation and knowledge management research string of the International Journal of Technology Transfer and Commercialisation further inferring the need for entrepreneurship education and better linkage between academia and private sector.

Keywords: contextual determinant; innovative culture; knowledge acquisition; organisational culture; organisational learning; organisational innovation; product innovation; small and medium enterprises; technology innovation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTTC.2023.130273

International Journal of Technology Transfer and Commercialisation, 2023 Vol.20 No.2, pp.205 - 234

Received: 25 Jan 2022
Received in revised form: 24 Mar 2022
Accepted: 05 Apr 2022
Published online: 14 Apr 2023 *

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