Title: The status of cooperation for the organisational learning of SMEs: an empirical literature review and research agenda

Authors: Susana Geraldes; Mário Franco

Addresses: Department of Management and Economics Research Centre, NECE Research Unit, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal ' Management and Economics Department, CEGAGE-UBI Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal

Abstract: In an increasingly global and competitive world, organisations need to search for additional methods to gain competitive advantage and enhance performance. Greater relevance is attributed to inter-organisational learning, a key factor for the success of an organisation. The aim of this research is to present a systematic review of organisational learning and cooperation in Small- and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs), based on related articles published in Web of Science and Scopus. Over the period 1994-2018, a total of 49 papers were found after applying exclusion criteria. Analysis of the evolution of publications, leading journals, authors, methodologies and theories was performed. Lastly, a content study identified three main topics in the field: partners, enabling factors and results and objectives for firms to cooperate and learn.

Keywords: organisational learning; cooperation; partnership; network; SME; empirical; systematic literature review.

DOI: 10.1504/EJIM.2025.145415

European Journal of International Management, 2025 Vol.26 No.1, pp.28 - 64

Received: 11 Oct 2019
Accepted: 26 Jun 2020
Published online: 01 Apr 2025 *

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