Title: Innovation capability for sustainable development of SMEs: an interpretive structural modelling methodology for analysing the interactions among factors

Authors: K.R. Kiron; K. Kannan

Addresses: Mechanical Engineering Department, NSS College of Engineering, Palakkad, Kerala, India ' Mechanical Engineering Department, PSG College of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract: Sustainable development is gaining more importance in the current dynamic world. Even though developing countries depends more on SMEs for its economic development, SME sector is not equipped with sustainable manufacturing methods. Innovation plays a vital role for overcoming this deficiency. In order to develop a culture of innovation, organisations must be aware of the enablers of innovation and their interrelations. Fifteen enablers of innovation capability with respect to steel manufacturing SMEs were found from literature and the same was finalised after the discussion with experts. The relationships between these enablers were analysed by using interpretive structural modelling. The study revealed a higher degree of interrelationship between the factors. Further, factors which have high driving power and dependence was found out using ISM.

Keywords: sustainable development; sustainability-oriented innovation; SOI; innovation capability; small and medium enterprises; SME; interpretive structural modelling; ISM.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIR.2018.090467

International Journal of Business Innovation and Research, 2018 Vol.15 No.4, pp.514 - 535

Received: 30 Jul 2016
Accepted: 13 Oct 2016
Published online: 19 Mar 2018 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article