دانلود رایگان مقاله انگلیسی ارزیابی قابلیت نوآوری شرکت های کوچک و متوسط با استفاده از یک رویکرد غیر پارامتری - امرالد 2017

Abstract

Purpose – The aftermath of the recent financial crisis has shown that the ability to innovate is a vital management skill and that the methodologies used to evaluate innovation capability within small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) should be as holistic and integrative as possible. The purpose of this paper is to address this issue through the combined use of cognitive mapping and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP). Design/methodology/approach – Cognitive mapping and multiple criteria decision analysis have proved over the years to be effective in handling a wide range of complex decision problems. Following a socio-technical approach, a non-parametric method of evaluating SME innovation capability – based on the results of group meetings with a panel of information technology entrepreneurs and SME chief executive officers – was created, tested and validated. Findings – The methodological processes adopted in this study provide promising results for decision makers seeking to identify the most innovative SMEs. Furthermore, the sensitivity analyses carried out also supported the findings. Research limitations/implications – This study confirms the usefulness of integrating cognitive mapping and the AHP to facilitate evaluations of SME innovation capability. However, due to the process-oriented nature of the research, extrapolations without proper adjustments are not recommended. Practical implications – The panel members who participated in this study consider the proposal extremely versatile and see great potential for further applications in the measurement of SME innovation capability. Originality/value – The combined use of cognitive mapping and the AHP offers a holistic and well-informed perspective on the issue in question. The authors know of no prior work reporting this approach in the same research context.

5. Conclusion

Given the current global economic climate and the importance of SMEs for national economies, this study sought to develop a multiple criteria framework for the assessment of innovation capability within SMEs. We addressed the first research question posed (i.e. RQ1) through the combined use of cognitive mapping and the AHP. This methodological approach was selected because cognitive maps can identify evaluation criteria and the cause-and-effect relationships between them, while the AHP can calculate the trade-offs between these criteria. By following the methodological processes described in this paper, we were also able to answer the second research question (i.e. RQ2).

The proposed approach proved a useful way to evaluate SME innovation capability because the resulting collective cognitive map meant that the problem in question was structured clearly and the number of omitted criteria reduced. The AHP, in turn, allowed key evaluation criteria to be ordered and weighted. The results included a consensual assignment of the greatest weight (i.e. 35.993 percent) to CTR04 – employees – underlining that innovation processes need to be expanded based on human resources. This is an important point to be taken into consideration. Namely, the economic pressures that companies currently face lead to SME leadership’s higher expectations of employees (cf. Mittal and Dhar, 2015).