Contribución de la gestión del conocimiento a las capacidades de innovación y al desempeño financiero. El caso de las medianas empresas de manufactura de Pichincha.

Abstract

The lack of innovation in the Ecuadorian business environment is a problem that affects the competitiveness and sustainability of business organizations in a globalized economy. In the field of innovation management (IM), the general objective of this research will be to explain the contribution of knowledge management (KM) to innovation capabilities (IC) and financial performance (FP) in medium-sized manufacturing companies in Pichincha, Ecuador. Four specific objectives were met. The first objective provides a theoretical understanding of the systemic relationship among components of the organizational space and the conformation of an organizational environment that explains the IM through three main categories: KM, IC, and FP; the second objective determines the subcategories and properties of the main categories of the environment for the proposed IM; the third evaluates the relationship between the components of the environment for IM; and the fourth explains the relationship between knowledge management, innovation capabilities and technical efficiency. The research has a mixed methodology, called exploratory sequential design, which allows combining qualitative and quantitative research approaches and techniques. The findings showed that KM, IC, and FP are related in complex and shaped systems, and as a result of this interaction, the relevant factors are determined to promote innovation in the manufacturing industry. Additionally, technical efficiency is proposed as an indicator of innovation in this economic sector.