Linking knowledge acquisition, knowledge dissemination, and manufacturing SMEs’ sustainable performance: the mediating role of knowledge application

What is it about?

This study examines the impact of knowledge acquisition and dissemination on the sustainable performance of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Additionally, the mediating role of knowledge application in this relationship is investigated. The results of the PLS-SEM approach reveal that knowledge acquisition significantly impacts the sustainable performance of manufacturing SMEs, and knowledge application partially mediates this impact. Cutting-edge knowledge from within or outside the organization enables a deeper understanding of information regarding new products/services, a list of competing suppliers, consumer preferences, and so on. This study is unique in that it highlights the partially mediated effects of knowledge application on the linkages between knowledge acquisition and manufacturing SMEs’ sustainable performance and the fully mediated effects of knowledge application on the association between knowledge dissemination and sustainable performance of manufacturing SMEs.

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