Understanding the Competitiveness of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
The Positive Nonlinear Influence of Digitalization, Environmental Policies, and Innovation
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 8220402 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Edwin Hernan Ramirez (0000-0001-7776-2212, Universidad Científica del Sur, corresponding author), Rosario Huerta-Soto (0000-0002-1738-3437, Universidad Nacional Santiago Antúnez de Mayolo), Mercedes Huerta-Soto (0009-0002-3442-1922, Universidad Nacional Santiago Antúnez de Mayolo), Juan Villanueva-Calderón (0000-0002-0815-6443, Universidad César Vallejo), Samer Ajour El Zein (0000-0002-5476-2997, EAE Business School), José Antonio Clemente-Almendros (0000-0002-8934-471X, Universidad Internacional De La Rioja) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-01-29 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | American Behavioral Scientist (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0002-7642 • E-ISSN: 1552-3381 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/00027642251413967 |
| OpenAlex | W7126112109 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 90 |
This study investigates the complex interplay between digitalization, adherence to environmental policies, and innovative practices in driving the sustained competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). While existing literature addresses these factors individually, there remains a critical gap in understanding their direct and potential nonlinear influence on firm performance within dynamic market contexts. Drawing on the Dynamic Capabilities Theory and the Resource-Based View, this research models how SMEs integrate these strategic dimensions to achieve a competitive advantage. Utilizing a quantitative survey methodology with a sample of 1,044 SMEs, the study employs ordinal least square and quantile regressions. Our results suggest that while the direct effect of high digitalization and proactive environmental management as well as innovation demonstrate a positive effect, it is nonlinear. These findings offer crucial strategic implications for SME leaders and policymakers, underscoring the necessity of investment across technological, ecological, and innovative fronts to build resilient and competitive organizations. Our results advise executives to manage the nonlinear returns of digitalization and innovation by co-investing in complementary capabilities (skills, integration, and alignment) rather than simply increasing tech or compliance intensity to capture initial steep gains and shift the optimal point where costs outweigh benefits
Competitive advantage · Dynamic Capabilities · Investment (military · Point (geometry · Quantile · Sample (material · Strategic management · Survey data collection · Digital Transformation in Industry · Environmental Sustainability in Business · Organizational and Employee Performance
The Competitive Advantage of Nations
A Test for Normality of Observations and Regression Residuals
Effects of innovation types on firm performance
Is innovation always beneficial? A meta-analysis of the relationship between innovation and performance in SMEs
Business Model Design and the Performance of Entrepreneurial Firms
A Natural-Resource-Based View of the Firm
Digital Transformation Strategies
The Importance of the Normality Assumption in Large Public Health Data Sets
Common method biases in behavioral research
A Heteroskedasticity-Consistent Covariance Matrix Estimator and a Direct Test for Heteroskedasticity
Key forecasts and prospects for green transition in the region of Central Asia beyond 2022
Adoption of artificial intelligence-integrated CRM systems in agile organizations in India
Bias-Corrected Matching Estimators for Average Treatment Effects
Redefining innovation — eco-innovation research and the contribution from ecological economics
Integrating the Resource-Based View with Integral Theory
Face to face
Toward a New Conception of the Environment-Competitiveness Relationship
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |