Resumo

Entrepreneurial ventures with high growth have been the focus of attention of academics and professionals (Liu et al., 2022). KIE firms represent a core part of this group. KIE can be defined as new innovation-driven firms that use a significant intensity of knowledge in their business activities, creating, disseminating, and using this knowledge with new products and technologies (Malerba & McKelvey, 2020). This type of company drives economic growth and creates value in the regional ecosystem by playing a pivotal role in building innovative capabilities that spillover to other agents.

Research gaps remain concerning how successful KIE ventures operate and what are their main drivers of superior performance (Fischer et al., 2022). So, our research question is: What are the influences of technical knowledge and strategic knowledge management on the performance of KIE firms? Our objective is to provide a comprehensive perspective on the determinants and configurations that lead to high KIE performance based on knowledge management indicators. Additionally, we verified differences between selected and non-selected KIE in small companies’ public innovation research initiatives.

In the current competitive environment, high performance is linked to well-structured knowledge management, especially for KIE. In this context, technical knowledge presents itself as an essential variable, as it forms the basis for the development of technologies and innovations (Paoloni et al., 2020). Technical Knowledge comprises the knowledge accumulated by the entrepreneur and his employees. Another critical variable for the high performance of KIE is Strategic Knowledge Management, which is a systematic process of managing and activating organizational knowledge.

A multi-method approach was used with data analysis through structural equation modeling followed by fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis. The sample included 223 Brazilian KIE ventures that applied for funding under the PIPE Program (Innovative Research in Small Business, an initiative managed by the Research Foundation of the State of São Paulo, Brazil, which mimics the SBIR Program from the US). Both selected and non-selected companies were analyzed. Data collection was carried out in 2017 and 2018 through a questionnaire validated by the coordinators of Fapesp’s innovation programs.

PLS-SEM results confirmed the positive influence of technical knowledge and strategic knowledge management on KIE performance. Additionally, we confirmed the positive moderating effect of technical knowledge on the relationship between strategic knowledge management and KIE performance. We also have identified some insights into the group differences in the relationships between selected and non-selected companies in the PIPE Program. The analysis of fsQCA indicates six configurations of technical knowledge and strategic knowledge management indicators that are sufficient for high-performance.

The research offers an original perspective on the role of knowledge management in the performance of KIE for a sample of small, innovation-oriented ventures in a developing country. The study combined symmetric and asymmetric techniques using a multi-method approach, thus generating robust results that help understanding (i) the interplay between distinct dimensions of organizational knowledge; and (ii) the co-existence of heterogeneous organizational configurations that lead to superior performance.

Fischer, BB et al (2022) Performance drivers in KIE firms: a multidimensional perspective. Journal of Knowledge Management, 26(5) Liu, J et al (2022) The coevolution of innovation ecosystems and the strategic growth paths of KIE. Journal of Business Research, 144 Malerba, F et al (2020) Knowledge-intensive innovative entrepreneurship integrating Schumpeter, evolutionary economics, and innovation systems. Small Business Economics, 54(2) Paoloni, M. et al (2020) Knowledge management, intellectual capital and entrepreneurship: a structured literature review. Journal of Knowledge Management 24(8)