Reframing Technological Innovation Capabilities: Empirical Evidence and a Framework for Study

Abstract

A firm’s technological innovation capabilities are dependent on the cultivation of strategic expertise and competitive technologies. Current literature does not adequately represent the wide-ranging perspectives on this topic or instill an appropriate amount of apprehension over the competitiveness of current firms’ technological innovation capabilities. This chapter contributes to the micro-foundations of technological innovation research by defining the technological innovation capabilities of both individuals and firms and clarifying their relationship to a firm’s competitiveness. First, this chapter will present a conceptual framework of the dimensions required to build competitiveness through technological innovation capabilities. Second, building on the framework, this paper will offer empirical evidence based on a case study of SMEs, providing valuable insights into their capacity for technological innovation.