Title: Strategic management practices and new product performance in the clothing industry: the role of environmental hostility

Authors: Amira Khelil; Saïd Aboubaker Ettis; Mohammed Haddad

Addresses: Management Department, Arbre Laboratory, Faculty of Economics and Management of Mahdia, University of Monastir, Tunisia ' College of Business, University of Jeddah, P.O. Box 80327 Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia ' Higher Institute of Management of Gabes, Road Jilani Lahbib, 6002Gabes, Tunisia

Abstract: Companies' strategic management practices have important effects on the success of their newly introduced products. The objective of this research is to examine the association between knowledge management and new product performance of SMEs while integrating the strategic role played by entrepreneurial orientation and customer orientation as mediators and environmental hostility as a moderator. A total number of 96 clothing SMEs firms were surveyed. The SEM-PLS data analysis showed that knowledge management determines the new product performance, entrepreneurial orientation, and customer orientation. The entrepreneurial orientation is a partial complementary mediator of the effect of knowledge management on new product performance. Environmental hostility is a moderator of the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and new product performance. Building on these results, this research suggests practical implications and proposes relevant recommendations to strategic managers regarding the formulation and implementation of a successful new product introduction boosted by effective strategic practices.

Keywords: strategic management; knowledge management; new product performance; entrepreneurial orientation; customer orientation; environmental hostility; clothing industry.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPMB.2024.141539

International Journal of Process Management and Benchmarking, 2024 Vol.18 No.2, pp.156 - 182

Received: 18 May 2023
Accepted: 12 Jun 2023
Published online: 23 Sep 2024 *

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