Digital Knowledge Management Capabilities and Innovative Performance of Small and Medium Enterprises in Owerri Metropolis

The study examined the effect of digital knowledge management capabilities on innovative performance of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Owerri Metropolis. The study specifically sought to find out the effect of digital knowledge acquisition on product innovation, the effect of digital knowledge sharing on process innovation and the effect of digital knowledge application on service innovation in SMEs. The study adopted survey research approach and primary data were collected from owners, managers and senior staff of selected SMEs in Owerri Metropolis. The population of the study consisted of 1,250 respondents. Using Taro Yamane formula, the sample size for the study was 303 respondents. Multi-stage sampling approach was used where in the first stage, SMEs in Owerri Metropolis were purposively selected while in the second stage, owners, managers and senior staff of selected SMEs were simply randomly sampled. The questionnaire was structured and data collected were presented using descriptive statistics of frequency distribution, percentage, mean and standard deviation. Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27. The study found out that digital knowledge acquisition has significant effect on product innovation of SMEs in Owerri Metropolis. The study also found out that digital knowledge sharing has significant effect on process innovation of SMEs. Furthermore, the study found out that digital knowledge application has significant effect on service innovation of SMEs. The study concluded that digital knowledge management capabilities significantly improve innovative performance and enhance competitiveness of SMEs in fast changing business environment. The study recommended that SMEs should invest in digital technologies, in collaborative communication platforms and in learning organization systems to strengthen their digital knowledge acquisition, sharing and application systems to sustain innovation and competitiveness.

Digitalization, Knowledge, Acquisition, Sharing, Application, Innovation, Performance, Competitiveness, Sustainability, SMEs.

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