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The influence of different knowledge workers on innovation strategy and product development performance in small and medium-sized enterprises

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  • Andrew Kach
  • Arash Azadegan
  • Stephan M. Wagner

Abstract

Despite significant interest on the topic of knowledge workers, the understanding of how they influence certain aspects of firm innovativeness remains limited. In particular, while different types of knowledge workers exist, their particular synergistic effects on new and improved product development within smaller firms has received less attention. Drawing on the knowledge-based view (KBV), we posit that innovation strategy plays an instrumental role in linking the effects of knowledge workers, thereby leading to greater product development outcomes from different types of knowledge workers. Moreover, some suggest that beyond a certain point, there is a diminishing return to increasing the proportion of knowledge workers in an organisation; however, the basis of this finding is within larger firms. This study investigates whether high-level (e.g. engineers and scientists) and low-level (e.g. technicians and machine operators) knowledge workers exert varying effects on performance in terms of new and improved product development. Data from 205 small and medium-sized high-tech manufacturing firms provide support that distinguishing among types of knowledge workers is important given that they impact new and improved product development differently. Furthermore, innovation strategy plays a synergistic role, positively mediating the effects of different types of knowledge workers on innovation outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrew Kach & Arash Azadegan & Stephan M. Wagner, 2015. "The influence of different knowledge workers on innovation strategy and product development performance in small and medium-sized enterprises," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(8), pages 2489-2505, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:tprsxx:v:53:y:2015:i:8:p:2489-2505
    DOI: 10.1080/00207543.2014.975856
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    Cited by:

    1. Jacek Woźniak & Wioletta Wereda, 2020. "Knowledge management significance and communication complexity in the context of innovative enterprises: case of Polish NewConnect market," Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, VsI Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Center, vol. 7(3), pages 1963-1980, March.
    2. Katarína Stachová & Ján Papula & Zdenko Stacho & Lucia Kohnová, 2019. "External Partnerships in Employee Education and Development as the Key to Facing Industry 4.0 Challenges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-19, January.
    3. Surawski Bartosz, 2019. "Who is a “knowledge worker” – clarifying the meaning of the term through comparison with synonymous and associated terms," Management, Sciendo, vol. 23(1), pages 105-133, June.
    4. Young Sik Cho & Kevin Linderman, 2020. "Resource-Based Product and Process Innovation Model: Theory Development and Empirical Validation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-23, January.

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