Technology innovation in SMEs: an examination of innovation culture and organisational learning as contextual determinants

The paper examines whether small innovative firms benefit from contextual determinants such as innovation culture and organisational learning, and possible synergistic relationship between these factors. A sample of 99 respondents was used from 48 SMEs representing six technology industries. The findings support propositions of the study that innovation culture and organisational learning at the individual knowledge-acquisition level are contextual determinants of technology innovation among SMEs. The hypothesis stating that innovation culture and organisational learning mutually influence each other and have synergistic effect in technology innovation, is not supported. The paper promotes the role of managers within SMEs to design and actualise proper mechanisms for cultivating innovative culture and focusing on individual knowledge acquisition by employees. Current work follows the innovation and knowledge management research string of the International Journal of Technology Transfer and Commercialisation further inferring the need for entrepreneurship education and better linkage between academia and private sector.