Validation of an instrument to measure absorptive capacity and competitiveness in aquaculture PYMEs

In the field of organizational management, it is essential for organizations to determine their ability to learn from their environment, innovate, and adapt, especially in a constantly changing economic and technological environment. The present study aimed to validate a construct that allows for the identification of the Knowledge Absorption Capacity of aquaculture SMEs in northwestern Sonora. The measurement instrument consisted of 30 questions and was applied to 15 aquaculture SMEs located in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, grouping sociodemographic criteria and subdimensions of KAC (acquisition, assimilation, transformation, exploration) and competitiveness represented in four combinations. The content was validated using a Delphi panel, while internal consistency was determined using Cronbach's alpha, and kurtosis and skewness scores were used as criteria for normality. Spearman's correlation matrix was developed. The evaluation by the panel of experts showed a level of agreement of 82.3 %, validating the relevance and consistency of the construct, while Cronbach's alpha internal consistency analysis yielded 0.84 %, which indicated a good reliability score for measuring knowledge absorption capacity and competitiveness in aquaculture SMEs. It concludes the instrument for measuring knowledge absorption capacity and competitiveness in Mazatlán's aquaculture SMEs is valid and reliable; the contribution of questions to consistency can be improved in the research context