Ameliorating effect of competitive intelligence on SME innovativeness in emerging economies
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37380/jisib.v13iSpecial%20Issue%201.1136Keywords:
Competitive intelligence, Innovativeness, SMEs, Emerging economiesAbstract
For many years SMEs growth and survival in emerging economies depended on resources deployment including financial, skills, infrastructure etc. Such resources are undoubtedly important, but insufficient. The increase and heightened competition in the market requires innovativeness in SMEs. However, innovativeness is unthinkable without the consideration of competition information. Along with these efforts, SMEs could infuse competitive intelligence to ameliorate its innovativeness. The aim of this study was to investigate how can competitive intelligence ameliorate innovativeness of SMEs in emerging economies. An exploratory, interpretivism, and qualitative design was followed to collect data via semi-structured interviews from SMEs in an emerging economy, South Africa. The findings enlighten on how SMEs in an emerging economy use competitive intelligence to ameliorate its innovativeness, and a model of innovativeness in SMEs is proposed. Practical implications are made to key stakeholders and future research directions are offered.
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