Innovation-oriented management model for MSMEs in Boyacá - Colombia

Abstract

Companies must constantly adapt to changes in the social, economic and technological environments and to changes in customer behavior. MSME management has special characteristics that make these changes have important effects on its performance. The implementation of an innovative culture based on the creation of differentiating strategies allows MSMEs to take on the challenges of facing such changes, aiming at their long-term survival with better organizational performance indicators. The management of MSMEs is often not aligned with practices that facilitate organizational innovation, but rather maintains a culture of urgency based on improvised intuition that does not add value and does not favor an environment conducive to generating an innovative culture in the organization. The objective of this research is to design an innovation-oriented management model to increase the competitiveness of MSMEs in the department of Boyacá. This research is framed within a mixed methodological approach. The research methodology includes three phases: 1) diagnosis of management practices focused on innovation, 2) design of an innovation-oriented management model based on the results of the diagnosis, and 3) validation of the proposed management model. Convenience sampling, a non-probabilistic and non-random sampling technique was used, with a sample size of four MSMEs. The analysis of theoretical and empirical findings of the research allowed the design of a management model oriented to favor innovative culture in MSMEs. The proposed management model has five main components: 1) culture, 2) management, 3) capabilities, 4) organizational strategy, and 5) change process. Each component of the model has indicators and milestones that favor follow-up in the process of implementing a culture of innovation in the MSMEs participating in the study.