Navigating Storms: Organizational Resilience of Small and Medium Sized Knowledge-Intensive Enterprises

Main Article Content

Brandon Velázquez Ríos
Óscar Fernando Contreras Montellano
Jaime Olea Miranda

Abstract

The article aims to identify the factors influencing the organizational resilience of knowledge-intensive SMEs in Northern Mexico, specifically in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021). The empirical study is based on a follow-up survey conducted in 2022, which included enterprises from four metropolitan areas within the region. The findings indicate that the most resilient knowledge-intensive Mexican SMEs are those that originated as spinoffs, maintain organic connections with at least one multinational enterprise (MNE), and serve as suppliers to MNEs. These results are consistent with prior research highlighting the relationship between technology spillovers from MNEs and the absorptive capacities of SMEs. Additionally, they emphasize the need for further research into the role of regional innovation systems supporting SME resilience. The findings reveal that the most resilient knowledge-intensive Mexican SMEs are those that have originated from spinoffs, maintain organic connections with at least one multinational enterprise (MNE), and serve as suppliers to MNEs. These outcomes align with prior research highlighting the correlation between technological knowledge transfer from MNEs and the absorptive capabilities of SMEs. They also underscore the need for further exploration into the significance of regional innovation systems in bolstering SME resilience.  

Article Details

How to Cite
Velázquez Ríos, B. ., Contreras Montellano, Óscar F. ., & Olea Miranda, J. (2024). Navigating Storms: Organizational Resilience of Small and Medium Sized Knowledge-Intensive Enterprises. Frontera Norte, 36. https://doi.org/10.33679/rfn.v1i1.2388
Section
Papers

References

Abdullah, N. H., Ping, L. L., Wahab, E. y Shamsuddin, A. (2014, 23-25 de septiembre). Perception on training and employee innovativeness: An evidence from small firms [Conferencia]. 2014 IEEE International Conference on Management of Innovation and Technology, Singapur.

Abe, M. (2015). SME participation in global value chains: Challenges and opportunities. En ADBI Institute, Integrating SMEs into global value chains. Challenges and policy actions in Asia (pp. 27-65). Asian Development Bank Institute. https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/175295/smes-global-value-chains.pdf

Alarcón Osuna, M. A. y Díaz Pérez, C. del C. (2016). La empresa de base tecnológica y su contribución a la economía mexicana en el periodo 2004-2009. Contaduría y Administración, 61 (1), 106-126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cya.2015.09.004

Anggadwita, G., Martini, E., Hendayani, R. y Kamil, M. R. (2021, 3-5 de agosto). The role of technology and innovation capabilities in achieving business resilience of MSMEs during COVID-19: Empirical study [Conferencia]. 2021 9th International Conference on Information and Communication Technology (ICoICT), Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Antolín-López, R., Martínez-del-Río, J. y Céspedes-Lorente, J. (2016). Fomentando la innovación de producto en las empresas nuevas: ¿qué instrumentos públicos son más efectivos? European Research on Management and Business Economics, 22 (1), 38-46.

Bair, J. y Gereffi, G. (2001). Local clusters in global chains: The causes and consequences of export dynamism in Torreon’s blue jeans industry. World Development, 29 (11), 1885-1903. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0305-750X(01)00075-4

Bautista, E. G. (2014). La importancia de la vinculación universidad-empresa-gobierno en México. RIDE: Revista Iberoamericana para la Investigación y el Desarrollo Educativo, 5 (9), 107-127.

Becerra Rodríguez, F., Serna Gómez, H. M. y Naranjo Valencia, J. C. (2013). Redes empresariales locales, investigación y desarrollo e innovación en la empresa. Cluster de herramientas de Caldas, Colombia. Estudios Gerenciales, 29 (127), 247-257.

Bristow, G. y Healy, A. (2018). Innovation and regional economic resilience: An exploratory analysis. The Annals of Regional Science, 60 (2), 265-284.

Buliga, O., Scheiner, C. W. y Voigt, K. I. (2016). Business model innovation and organizational resilience: Towards an integrated conceptual framework. Journal of Business Economics, 86, 647-670.

Casalet, M., Buenrostro, E. y Becerril, G. (2009). La construcción de las redes de innovación en los clústeres de software en dos regiones mexicanas: Aguascalientes y Nuevo León. En A. Martínez, P. L. López, A. García y S. Estrada (Coords.), Innovación y competitividad en la sociedad del conocimiento (pp. 187-209). Plaza y Valdés.

Castillo, V., Maffioli, A., Rojo, S. y Stucchi, R. (2014). The effect of innovation policy on SMEs’ employment and wages in Argentina. Small Business Economics, 42, 387-406.

Castro, L. y Jorrat, D. (2013, septiembre). Evaluación de impacto de programas públicos de financiamiento sobre la innovación y la productividad. El caso de los servicios de software e informáticos de la Argentina (Documento de trabajo núm. 115). Centro de Implementación de Políticas Públicas para la Equidad y el Crecimiento.

Cerdá Suárez, L. M., Clemente Almendros, J. A., González González, I. y Blanco Hernández, M. (2023). Family ownership and directors’ attributes as determinants of innovation in SMES during the Covid-19 pandemic. Journal of Technology Management & Innovation, 18 (1), 37-52.

Chandra, A., Paul, J. y Chavan, M. (2020). Internationalization barriers of SMEs from developing countries: A review and research agenda. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, 26 (6), 1281-1310.

Cohen, W. M. y Levinthal, D. A. (1990). Absorptive capacity: A new perspective on learning and innovation. Administrative Science Quarterly, 35 (1), 128-152.

Contreras Montellano, Ó. F., Carrillo, J. y Alonso, J. (2012). Local entrepreneurship within global value chains: A case study in the Mexican automotive industry. World Development, 40 (5), 1013-1023.

Contreras Montellano, Ó. F. y García Fuentes, M. (2018). KIBS and NTBF in Mexico: Combining GVC and RIS to study market entry mechanisms and upgrading. Debates sobre Innovación, 1 (1), 1-14.

Contreras Montellano, Ó. F. y García Fuentes, M. (2019). Pequeñas y medianas empresas tecnológicas en México: distribución regional e inserción en cadenas globales de valor. Región y Sociedad, 31. https://doi.org/10.22198/rys2019/31/1234

Contreras Montellano, Ó. F., Olea Miranda, J. y García Fuentes, M. (2020). Formación y escalamiento de pymes mexicanas intensivas en conocimiento. Colofón.

Crescenzi, R. y Harman, O. (2023). Harnessing global value chains for regional development: How to upgrade through regional policy, FDI and trade. Routledge.

Da Costa Júnior, J. F., Dos Santos Cabral, E. L. y De Araújo, A. G. (2023). Internationalization barriers faced by technology-based small and medium enterprises. Administração de Empresas em Revista, 2 (32), 232-253.

De Carvalho, A. O., Ribeiro, I., Cirani, C. B. S. y Cintra, R. F. (2016). Organizational resilience: A comparative study between innovative and non-innovative companies based on the financial performance analysis. International Journal of Innovation: IJI Journal, 4 (1), 58-69.

De Fuentes, C. (2010). Spin-offs in the metal-mechanic sector in Mexico: The case of machine tools. En G. Durepos (Comp.), Atlantic Schools of Business 2010: Conference proceedings (pp. 161-175). Saint Mary’s University. https://library2.smu.ca/handle/01/25609

Demirkan, I., Srinivasan, R. y Nand, A. (2022). Innovation in SMEs: The role of employee training in German SMEs. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 29 (3), 421-440.

Deyshappriya, N. P. y Maduwanthi, B. C. H. (2020). Impact of global value chains on performance of small and medium-sized enterprises in Sri Lanka: Evidence from Sri Lanka (ADBI Working Paper Series núm. 1153). Asian Development Bank Institute.

Dostie, B. (2018). The impact of training on innovation. Industrial & Labor Relations Review, 71 (1), 64-87.

Dutrénit, G. y De Fuentes, C. (2009). Abordajes teóricos sobre derramas de conocimiento y capacidades de absorción. En G. Dutrénit (Coord.), Sistemas regionales de innovación: un espacio para el desarrollo de las pymes. El caso de la industria de maquinados industriales (pp. 33-54). Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana; Textual.

Edquist, C. (2013). Systems of innovation: Technologies, institutions and organizations. Routledge.

Ernst, D. y Kim, L. (2002). Global production networks, knowledge diffusion, and local capability formation. Research Policy, 31 (8-9), 1417-1429.

Fernandez-Stark, K., Bamber, P. y Gereffi, G. (2014). Global value chains in Latin America: A development perspective for upgrading. En R. A. Hernández, J. M. Martínez-Piva y N. Mulder (Eds.), Global value chains and world trade. Prospects and challenges for Latin America (pp. 79-106). Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Figueiredo, R. J., Vieira Neto, J., Gonçalves Quelhas, O. L. y Ferreira, J. J. M. (2017). Knowledge Intensive Business Services (KIBS): Bibliometric analysis and their different behaviors in the scientific literature. Topic 16: Innovation and services. Revista de Administração e Inovação, 14, 216-225.

Fransen, J. y Knorringa, P. (2019). Learning and upgrading of craft exporters at the interface of global value chains and innovation systems. The European Journal of Development Research, 31, 530-557.

Frederick, S. y Gereffi, G. (2011). Upgrading and restructuring in the global apparel value chain: Why China and Asia are outperforming Mexico and Central America. International Journal of Technological Learning, Innovation and Development, 4 (1-3), 67-95.

Freeman, C. (1987). Technology policy and economic performance: Lessons from Japan. Pinter Publishers.

Gereffi, G. (1994). The organization of buyer-driven global commodity chains: How U.S. retailers shape overseas production networks. En G. Gereffi y M. Korzeniewicz (Eds.) Commodity chains and global capitalism (pp. 95-122). Praeger Publishers.

Gereffi, G., Humphrey, J. y Sturgeon, T. (2005). The governance of global value chains. Review of International Political Economy, 12 (1), 78-104.

Gereffi, G. y Fernandez-Stark, K. (2016, julio). Global value chain analysis: A primer (2.a ed.). Duke University-Center on Globalization, Governance & Competitiveness. https://dukespace.lib.duke.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/fd7a47de-df3b-4a75-9749-e5113e28def3/content

Görg, H. y Greenaway, D. (2001). Foreign direct investment and intra-industry spillovers: A review of the literature (Research Paper núm. 2001/37). Nottingham Centre for Research on Globalisation and Economic Policy. https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/gep/documents/papers/2001/01-37.pdf

Granstrand, O. (1998). Towards a theory of the technology-based firm. Research Policy, 27 (5), 465-489.

Gudda, P. (2017). The role of research institutions in product innovativeness among manufacturing small and medium enterprises (SMEs). International Journal of Academic Research in Economics and Management Sciences, 6 (4), 146-153.

Gundlach, G. T. y Murphy, P. E. (1993). Ethical and legal foundations of relational marketing exchanges. Journal of Marketing, 57 (4), 35-46. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1252217?seq=12

Hecker, D. E. (2005). High-technology employment: A NAICS-based update. Monthly Labor Review, 128 (7), 57-72. https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2005/07/art6full.pdf

Hernández Chavarria, J. (2017). Capacidades tecnológicas y organizacionales de las empresas mexicanas participantes en la cadena de valor de la industria aeronáutica. Economía: Teoría y Práctica, (47), 65-98.

Humphrey, J. y Schmitz, H. (2000). Governance and upgrading in global value chains. University of Sussex.

Humphrey, J. y Schmitz, H. (2004). Chain governance and upgrading: Taking stock. En H. Schmitz (Ed.), Local enterprises in the global economy. Issues of governance and upgrading (pp. 95-109). Edward Elgar Publishing.

Iizuka, M. (2013). Innovation systems framework: Still useful in the new global context. Innovation, 5, 1-23.

Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (Inegi). (2018a). Directorio Estadístico Nacional de Unidades Económicas: DENUE 2018 [Conjunto de datos]. https://www.inegi.org.mx/app/descarga/?ti=6

Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (Inegi). (2018b). Sistema de Clasificación Industrial de América del Norte, México: SCIAN 2018. https://www.inegi.org.mx/contenidos/productos/prod_serv/contenidos/espanol/bvinegi/productos/nueva_estruc/702825099695.pdf

Instituto Nacional del Estadística y Gegografía (Inegi). (2021). Subsistema de Información Económica. Demografía de los Negocios (DN) 2019-2021. https://www.inegi.org.mx/programas/dn/2021/

Isaksen, A. (2001). Building regional innovation systems: Is endogenous industrial development possible in the global economy? Canadian Journal of Regional Science, 24 (1), 101-120.

Kile, C. O. y Phillips, M. E. (2009). Using industry classification codes to sample high-technology firms: Analysis and recommendations. Journal of Accounting, Auditing & Finance, 24 (1).

Kim, D., Chiou, J. S., y Calantone, R. (2018). Strategic orientations, joint learning, and innovation generation in international customer-supplier relationships. International Business Review, 27 (4), 838-851.

Kim, L. (1997). Imitation to innovation: The dynamics of Korea’s technological learning. Harvard Business School Press.

Lema, R., Rabellotti, R. y Sampath, P. (2018). Innovation trajectories in developing countries: Co-evolution of global value chains and innovation systems. The European Journal of Development Research, 30, 345-363.

Lester, R. K. y Piore, M. J. (2004). Innovation. The missing dimension. Harvard University Press.

López de Alba, P. (2014). El modelo de articulación productiva, base de los sistemas de innovación en el estado de Guanajuato. En M. A. Zavala Berbena (Coord.), Investigación para la transformación social. Experiencias de investigación vinculada (pp. 75-91). Universidad de La Salle Bajío.

Lundquist, K. J. y Trippl, M. (2013). Distance, proximity and types of cross-border innovation systems: A conceptual analysis. Regional Studies, 47 (3), 450-460.

Lundvall, B. Å. (1992). National systems of innovation: Towards a theory of innovation and interactive learning. Pinter Publishers.

Lundvall, B. Å. (2007). Sistemas nacionales de innovación: concepto analítico y herramienta de desarrollo. Industria e Innovación, 14 (1), 95-119.

Mancini, M. (2015, 19-20 de mayo). Efectos de la inserción en cadenas globales de valor sobre los procesos de innovación: El caso de las PyMEs de Argentina [Conferencia]. VI Congreso de la Asociación de Economía para el Desarrollo de la Argentina “El futuro del desarrollo argentino”, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Martinez-Covarrubias, J. L., Lenihan, H. y Hart, M. (2017). Public support for business innovation in Mexico: A cross-sectional analysis. Regional Studies, 51 (12), 1786-1800. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/epdf/10.1080/00343404.2016.1245414?needAccess=true

Matsuzaki, T., Shigeno, H., Ueki, Y. y Tsuji, M. (2021). Innovation upgrading of local small and medium-sized enterprises and regional innovation policy: An empirical study. Industrial Marketing Management, 94, 128-136.

Mehta, S. (2021). Global value chains and innovation systems: Exploring the inter-relations. Seoul Journal of Economics, 34 (2).

Menéndez Blanco, J. M. y Montes Botella, J. L. (2016). What contributes to adaptive company resilience? A conceptual and practical approach. Development and Learning in Organizations: An International Journal, 30 (4), 17-20.

Muller, E. y Doloreux, D. (2009). What we should know about knowledge-intensive business services. Technology in Society, 31 (1), 64-72.

Najafi-Tavani, Z., Mousavi, S., Zaefarian, G. y Naudé, P. (2020). Relationship learning and international customer involvement in new product design: The moderating roles of customer dependence and cultural distance. Journal of Business Research, 120, 42-58.

Naqvi, I. B., Memon, Z. A. y Mangrio, W. B. (2021). From suppliers to nodes in global value chains: An upgradation of the ICT cluster of Pakistan through regional and national innovation systems. African Journal of Science, Technology, Innovation and Development, 13 (4), 495-508.

Navas-Alemán, L. (2011). The impact of operating in multiple value chains for upgrading: The case of the Brazilian furniture and footwear industries. World Development, 39 (8), 1386-1397.

Nelson, R. R. (1993). National innovation systems: A comparative analysis. Oxford University Press.

Nooteboom, B. (2000). Learning and innovation in organizations and economies. Oxford University Press.

Nurfarida, I. N., Mukhlis, I. y Danardana Murwani, F. (2022). The internationalization of SMEs: Motives and barriers. International Journal of Current Science Research and Review, 5 (5), 1749-1756.

Oh, E.-T., Chen, K.-M., Wang, L.-M. y Liu, R.-J. (2015). Value creation in regional innovation systems: The case of Taiwan’s machine tool enterprises. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 100, 118-129.

Olea Miranda, J., Contreras, Ó. F. y Barcelo-Valenzuela, M. (2016). Las capacidades de absorción del conocimiento como ventajas competitivas para la inserción de pymes en cadenas globales de valor. Estudios Gerenciales, 32 (139), 127-136. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0123592316300213

Olea Miranda, J., Valenzuela Valenzuela, A. y Navarrete Hinojosa, M. de los Á. (2018). Innovación para la integración a las redes de proveeduría de las empresas multinacionales. Contaduría y Administración, 63 (1), 1-17. https://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0186-10422018000100004

Panagiotakopoulos, A. (2011). Barriers to employee training and learning in small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). Development and Learning in Organizations, 25 (3), 15-18. https://doi.org/10.1108/14777281111125354

Park, E. y Gachukia, M. K. (2020). The role of the local innovation system for inclusive upgrading in the global value chain: The case of KenyaGAP in the Kenyan horticultural sector. The European Journal of Development Research, 33 (3), 578-603.

Pereira, R. y Franco, M. (2022). Cooperation between universities and SMEs: A systematic literature review. Industry and Higher Education, 36 (1), 37-50.

Pietrobelli, C. y Rabellotti, R. (2006). Upgrading to compete global value chains, clusters, and SMEs in Latin America. Harvard University Press.

Pietrobelli, C. y Rabellotti, R. (2011). Global value chains meet innovation systems: Are there learning opportunities for developing countries? World Development, 39 (7), 1261-1269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2010.05.013

Rogers, P. (2020). The evolution of resilience. Connections, 19 (3), 13-32.

Romero Luna, I. (2009). PYMES y cadenas de valor globales. Implicaciones para la política industrial en las economías en desarrollo. Análisis Económico, 24 (57), 199-216.

Saad, M. H., Hagelaar, G., Van der Velde, G. y Omta, S. W. F. (2021). Conceptualization of SMEs’ business resilience: A systematic literature review. Cogent Business & Management, 8 (1). 1-33.

Sampath, P. G., Lema, R. y Rabellotti, R. (2018, 8 de noviembre). Innovation trajectories in developing countries: How global value chains and innovation systems coevolve. London School of Economics and Political Science. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/gild/2018/11/08/innovation-trajectories-in-developing-countries%E2%80%A8-how-global-value-chains-and-innovation-systems-co-evolve/

Sampath, P. G. y Vallejo, B. (2018). Trade, global value chains and upgrading: What, when and how? The European Journal of Development Research, 30, 481-504.

Stojčić, N. (2021). Collaborative innovation in emerging innovation systems: Evidence from Central and Eastern Europe. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 46 (2), 531-562.

Thorén, H. (2014). Resilience as a unifying concept. International Studies in the Philosophy of Science, 28 (3), 303-324.

Urata, S. y Baek, Y. (2020, abril). The determinants of participation in global value chains: A cross-country, firm-level analysis (ADBI Working Paper Series núm. 1116). Asian Development Bank Institute. https://www.adb.org/publications/determinants-participation-global-value-chains

Valenzuela, N. y Bracamonte, A. (2014). Microsistemas de innovación: parques tecnológicos en Sonora. En A. Bracamonte y Ó. Contreras (Coords.), Tecnología y competitividad. Conceptos y experiencias prácticas (pp. 137-176). El Colegio de Sonora.