IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/intemj/v21y2025i1d10.1007_s11365-024-01016-x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The impact of innovation management on the sustainability of small and medium enterprises with the role of entrepreneurship mediation

Author

Listed:
  • Mehdi Tajpour

    (University of Tehran)

  • Fatemeh Dekamini

    (Member of the Research Faculty of Mahan Business School)

  • Shima SafarMohammadluo

    (Islamic azad University)

  • Moein Norouzi Movahed

    (University of Tehran)

  • Farzaneh madadpour

    (Islamic azad University Firozkooh Branch)

Abstract

Today, small and medium-sized enterprises play a significant role in national and regional development, contributing to the promotion of indigenous technology and supporting the activities of local entrepreneurs. Innovation has emerged as a critical factor in the business world, and the necessity of implementing innovation management is recognized for enhancing the competitiveness of enterprises in both domestic and foreign markets. Small and medium-sized enterprises, operating within domestic and foreign markets, must be equipped to adapt to these continually evolving changes. The purpose of this research, conducted in the second half of 2023, is to investigate the impact of innovation management on the sustainability of small and medium-sized enterprises. The research is quantitative, applied in nature, and employs a descriptive and analytical methodology. The statistical population comprised 537 businesses, and the sample size (calculated using Cochran’s formula) consisted of 224 research and development employees. Data collection involved the implementation of a 25-question questionnaire with a 5-point Likert scale. Results indicate that applying innovation management across all company departments in a dynamic environment generates sustainable value and a competitive advantage. Additionally, active participation in organizational entrepreneurship can activate innovation management, leading to value creation. The study investigates the impact of innovation management on the sustainability of small and medium enterprises, with entrepreneurship as a mediating factor. Hypotheses are formulated and tested using structural equation modeling, finding that innovation transfer and application positively influence sustainability when mediated through entrepreneurship. Therefore, acquiring knowledge through entrepreneurship optimizes learning and ideation. For small and medium enterprises lacking resources, this knowledge acquisition facilitates development and sustainability in a dynamic environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Mehdi Tajpour & Fatemeh Dekamini & Shima SafarMohammadluo & Moein Norouzi Movahed & Farzaneh madadpour, 2025. "The impact of innovation management on the sustainability of small and medium enterprises with the role of entrepreneurship mediation," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 1-19, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:intemj:v:21:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s11365-024-01016-x
    DOI: 10.1007/s11365-024-01016-x
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s11365-024-01016-x
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s11365-024-01016-x?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Atour Taghipour & Parvaneh Zeraati Foukolaei & Maryam Ghaedi & Moein Khazaei, 2023. "Sustainable Multi-Objective Models for Waste-to-Energy and Waste Separation Site Selection," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-18, November.
    2. Vallaster, Christine & Kraus, Sascha & Merigó Lindahl, José M. & Nielsen, Annika, 2019. "Ethics and entrepreneurship: A bibliometric study and literature review," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 226-237.
    3. Azmat, Fara & Lim, Weng Marc & Moyeen, Abdul & Voola, Ranjit & Gupta, Girish, 2023. "Convergence of business, innovation, and sustainability at the tipping point of the sustainable development goals," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    4. Atour Taghipour & Arvin Fooladvand & Moein Khazaei & Mohammad Ramezani, 2023. "Criteria Clustering and Supplier Segmentation Based on Sustainable Shared Value Using BWM and PROMETHEE," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-18, May.
    5. Mahmoud Dehghan Nayeri & Moein Khazaei & Fatemeh Alinasab-Imani, 2020. "The Critical Heuristics of Iranian Banking Credit System: Analysis of the Antithetical Opinions of the Beneficiaries," Systemic Practice and Action Research, Springer, vol. 33(3), pages 363-392, June.
    6. Brian Walker & Anne-Sophie Crépin & Magnus Nyström & John M. Anderies & Erik Andersson & Thomas Elmqvist & Cibele Queiroz & Scott Barrett & Elena Bennett & Juan Camilo Cardenas & Stephen R. Carpenter , 2023. "Response diversity as a sustainability strategy," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 6(6), pages 621-629, June.
    7. Sadiku-Dushi, Nora & Dana, Léo-Paul & Ramadani, Veland, 2019. "Entrepreneurial marketing dimensions and SMEs performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 86-99.
    8. Alberto Ferraris & Gabriele Santoro & Anna Claudia Pellicelli, 2020. "“Openness” of public governments in smart cities: removing the barriers for innovation and entrepreneurship," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 16(4), pages 1259-1280, December.
    9. Odeh Al-Jayyousi & Hira Amin & Hiba Ali Al-Saudi & Amjaad Aljassas & Evren Tok, 2023. "Mission-Oriented Innovation Policy for Sustainable Development: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-21, August.
    10. Napier, Elizabeth & Liu, Steven Y.H. & Liu, Jingting, 2024. "Adaptive strength: Unveiling a multilevel dynamic process model for organizational resilience," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    11. Mahmoud Dehghan Nayeri & Moein Khazaei & Dania Abdolahbeigi, 2022. "The drivers of success in new-service development: rough set theory approach," International Journal of Services and Operations Management, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 43(4), pages 421-439.
    12. Rodrigo Lozano & Maria Barreiro‐Gen & Afnan Zafar, 2021. "Collaboration for organizational sustainability limits to growth: Developing a factors, benefits, and challenges framework," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(4), pages 728-737, July.
    13. Annika Reischl & Sabrina Weber & Stephan Fischer & Claus Lang-Koetz, 2022. "Contextual Ambidexterity: Tackling the Exploitation and Exploration Dilemma of Innovation Management in SMEs," International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management (IJITM), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 19(02), pages 1-29, April.
    14. Barbara Siuta-Tokarska, 2021. "SMEs during the COVID-19 Pandemic Crisis. The Sources of Problems, the Effects of Changes, Applied Tools and Management Strategies—The Example of Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-13, September.
    15. Atour Taghipour & Moein Khazaei & Adel Azar & Ali Rajabzadeh Ghatari & Mostafa Hajiaghaei-Keshteli & Mohammad Ramezani, 2022. "Creating Shared Value and Strategic Corporate Social Responsibility through Outsourcing within Supply Chain Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(4), pages 1-25, February.
    16. Mohammad Ehsanifar & Fatemeh Dekamini & Cristi Spulbar & Ramona Birau & Moein Khazaei & Iuliana Carmen Bărbăcioru, 2023. "A Sustainable Pattern of Waste Management and Energy Efficiency in Smart Homes Using the Internet of Things (IoT)," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-18, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Prakhar Prakhar & Rachana Jaiswal & Shashank Gupta & Syed Zamberi Ahmad & Patrice Piccardi & Gabriele Santoro, 2025. "How can we improve entrepreneurial dynamics in electric vehicle manufacturing for a sustainable future: insights using a deep learning-based hybrid PLS-SEM-ANN approach," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 1-45, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Atour Taghipour & Arvin Fooladvand & Moein Khazaei & Mohammad Ramezani, 2023. "Criteria Clustering and Supplier Segmentation Based on Sustainable Shared Value Using BWM and PROMETHEE," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-18, May.
    2. Atour Taghipour & Mohammad Ramezani & Moein Khazaei & Vahid Roohparvar & Erfan Hassannayebi, 2023. "Smart Transportation Behavior through the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Ride-Hailing System in Iran," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-23, February.
    3. Ramezani, Mohammad & Khazaei, Moein & Gholian-Jouybari, Fatemeh & Sandoval-Correa, Alejandro & Bonakdari, Hossein & Hajiaghaei-Keshteli, Mostafa, 2024. "Turquoise hydrogen and waste optimization: A Bi-objective closed-loop and sustainable supply chain model for a case in Mexico," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    4. Bandara, KBTUK & Jayasundara, JMSB & Naradda Gamage, Sisira Kumara & Ekanayake, EMS & Rajapackshe, PSK & Abeyrathne, GAKNJ & Prasanna, RPIR, 2020. "Entrepreneurial Marketing & Performance of Small & Medium Enterprises in Developed and Developing Economies: A Conceptual Exploration," MPRA Paper 104341, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Muhammad Farooq Islam & Ozge Can, 2024. "Integrating digital and sustainable entrepreneurship through business models: a bibliometric analysis," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 14(1), pages 1-18, December.
    6. Afsaneh Bagheri & Golshan Javadian & Pardis Zakeri & Zahra Arasti, 2024. "Bearing the Unbearable: Exploring Women Entrepreneurs Resilience Building in Times of Crises," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 193(3), pages 715-738, September.
    7. Quan-Hoang Vuong & Huyen Thanh T. Nguyen & Thanh-Hang Pham & Manh-Toan Ho & Minh-Hoang Nguyen, 2021. "Assessing the ideological homogeneity in entrepreneurial finance research by highly cited publications," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 8(1), pages 1-11, December.
    8. Vicente Guerola-Navarro & Hermenegildo Gil-Gomez & Raul Oltra-Badenes & Pedro Soto-Acosta, 2024. "Customer relationship management and its impact on entrepreneurial marketing: a literature review," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 20(2), pages 507-547, June.
    9. Das, Kallol & Patel, Jayesh D. & Sharma, Anuj & Shukla, Yupal, 2023. "Creativity in marketing: Examining the intellectual structure using scientometric analysis and topic modeling," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    10. Husain, Shaiara & Sohag, Kazi & Wu, Yanrui, 2022. "The response of green energy and technology investment to climate policy uncertainty: An application of twin transitions strategy," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    11. Liu, Xiao & Li, Ming-Yang, 2024. "Sustainable service product design method: Focus on customer demands and triple bottom line," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    12. Bora Ly, 2024. "The Interplay of Digital Transformational Leadership, Organizational Agility, and Digital Transformation," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(1), pages 4408-4427, March.
    13. Tandon, Anushree & Kaur, Puneet & Mäntymäki, Matti & Dhir, Amandeep, 2021. "Blockchain applications in management: A bibliometric analysis and literature review," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 166(C).
    14. Anastacia Mamabolo & Kerrin Myres & Gideon Pogrund, 2025. "SMEs’ Perspective on How Ethical Leadership Supports Community Engagement in Buyer–Supplier Power Asymmetric Relationships," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-18, February.
    15. Robert Edric Josef R. Lizares & Maria Assunta C. Cuyegkeng, 2024. "Building sustainable organizations online: How leaders embed sustainability into organizational culture in virtual contexts," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(6), pages 6434-6448, December.
    16. Marcos Ferasso & Tatiana Beliaeva & Sascha Kraus & Thomas Clauss & Domingo Ribeiro‐Soriano, 2020. "Circular economy business models: The state of research and avenues ahead," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(8), pages 3006-3024, December.
    17. Zahra Amiri & Arash Heidari & Mehdi Darbandi & Yalda Yazdani & Nima Jafari Navimipour & Mansour Esmaeilpour & Farshid Sheykhi & Mehmet Unal, 2023. "The Personal Health Applications of Machine Learning Techniques in the Internet of Behaviors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-41, August.
    18. Kumar, Satish & Chavan, Meena & Pandey, Nitesh, 2023. "Journal of International Management: A 25-year review using bibliometric analysis," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 29(1).
    19. Buyukbalci, Pinar & Sanguineti, Francesca & Sacco, Federica, 2024. "Rejuvenating business models via startup collaborations: Evidence from the Turkish context," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    20. Jiang, Yiqi & Jiang, Zhou & Chen, Zhijun, 2024. "Women entrepreneurship in China: A bibliometric literature review and future research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:intemj:v:21:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s11365-024-01016-x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.