The influence of innovation stimulus, facilitating factors and support mechanisms on innovation performance in Brazilian small textile firms

Abstract

The ability of the organisation to develop new products is crucial in rapidly changing business environments, and thus, customer demographics, consumers' expectations and buying behaviour play an important role. Hence, exploring the antecedents of innovation performance becomes more important. This study analyses the relationships among innovation stimulus, facilitating factors and support mechanisms for innovative performance in the textile industry of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The sample included 128 respondents, who were all employees of five small and medium-sized textile firms; data were analysed using structural equation modelling. We found that innovation stimulus, facilitating factors and support mechanisms are correlated, while support mechanisms have no influence on innovation performance. The results also highlight a concern regarding the cost and time spent on developing innovation projects. This research contributes to innovation performance literature by analysing innovation antecedents including visions of innovation as both a process, represented by efficiency, and a result, represented by efficacy.