Author:
Beglaryan Mane,Drampyan Anush,Sargsyan Parandzem
Abstract
Purpose
Innovation is considered as an important tool to succeed and survive in periods of great uncertainty such as COVID-19 crisis. This paper aims to empirically examine the propensity to engage in product, process and organizational innovation under uncertainty among small and medium enterprises and how that propensity varies depending on the gender of the manager.
Design/methodology/approach
Using the results of 213 responses by managers of Armenian small and medium enterprises in the scope of GLOBE-2020 survey, the authors investigate the role of manager’s gender in encouraging innovative attitude under uncertainty. To measure the relationship between uncertainty and innovation (product, process and organizational), Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated between managers’ perception about the uncertainty and their perceptions of innovation within their companies compared to the players in the external environment. In addition, a linear regression was run between the three innovation types and uncertainty.
Findings
The results of our analysis confirmed the positive relationship between uncertainty and innovation. Moreover, our results indicate that male managers have a higher tendency to undertake innovation under external turbulence.
Originality/value
This study fills the gap in the literature by studying the relationship between uncertainty and innovation, focusing on SMEs during adversarial times, which in contrast to bigger companies are limited in terms of their resources and, hence, capacity to innovate. The paper examines the gender dimension as an internal factor affecting innovation under uncertainty in an under-researched country context of Armenia, where female entrepreneurs deal with unique challenges to engage in innovative activities.
Subject
Management of Technology and Innovation,General Engineering
Reference84 articles.
1. Can critical success factors of small businesses in emerging markets advance UN sustainable development goals?;World Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Sustainable Development,2021
2. Global versus multidomestic: culture’s consequences on innovation;Management International Review,2004
3. Gender and innovation: state of the art and a research agenda;International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship,2013
4. Six sigma in small- and medium-sized UK manufacturing enterprises;International Journal of Quality and Reliability Management,2005
5. Supporting sustainable financing and access to finance in Armenia,2023