Enriching SME Learning and Innovation Through Inter-Organizational Knowledge Transfer

Abstract

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are today considered a driving force in several nations' economies. Inter-organizational knowledge transfer (IOKT) enables organizations including SMEs to improve operational and strategic performance. To enhance SMEs' competitive advantages, they need external knowledge to enrich learning capabilities. This study uses qualitative methodology to examine the values that can be generated from the IOKT process in SMEs. Participants were 10 Omani SMEs from the ICT sector, a knowledge-intensive sector. Based on face-to-face, semi-structured interviews, the results confirmed that inter-organizational knowledge transfer is considered important to SMEs. Results indicated that learning benefits are gained from informal IOKT activities at those SMEs, but they do not yet show a strong impact on the innovation performance of organizations. Thus, this study provides valuable insights for researchers and practitioners interested in the SME domain to use as a basis for their investigations.