Foundational Competencies for Enhancing Work Engagement in SMEs Malaysia

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to examine the role of foundational competencies in enhancing work engagement. Design/methodology/approach - Applying the strategic-choice theory and the resource based view on SMEs’s firms. In this study a research model are developed to demonstrate the premise that implementing proper foundational competencies in enhancing the work engagement. The study utilizes online survey data from 100 employees in various department from SMEs firms in Malaysia. The results are based on regression analysis and equation modelling by using SPSS software. Findings - The study finds that all foundational competencies, namely, business/management competencies, interpersonal/personal competencies, global mind-sets competencies and technology competencies have a positive relationship towards work engagement. Practical Implications - For SMEs firms, the results indicate that firms benefit greatly if their employees have greater work engagement because it can affecting the foundational competencies themselves. Originality/value - The paper theoretically develops logic and empirically shows that all work engagement appropriate practices for mediating the impact on enhancing foundational competencies. Considered at a higher level of abstraction, these relationships indicate a contribution to theory that explains how work engagement can result in foundational competencies responsiveness, throughout the SMEs. Paper type - Research Paper