Purpose

Building on the resource-based view theory, this paper aims to evaluate the role of innovation on competitiveness and competitive efficiency among Costa Rican small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs).

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a sample of 231 Costa Rican small and medium-size firms for 2019. The authors compute a competitiveness index that includes four pillars: innovation, strategy, markets and human capital. To estimate competitive efficiency, the authors use a non-parametric model, namely, data envelopment analysis, with a single constant input.

Findings

The results confirm that competitive and efficient SMEs present a more homogenous distribution of resources and capabilities. The innovation pillar is positively correlated with competitive efficiency. A positive correlation exists between market experience (business age) and innovation and between innovation and business size in terms of the number of employees.

Practical implications

The study contributes to the understanding on how SME managers’ decision-making processes affect resource allocation within the business, and on how SMEs can introduce strategic actions based on improvements of those resources that will likely have a greater impact on competitive efficiency.

Originality/value

This study contributes to better grasping how the configuration of resources and capabilities, in which innovation plays a decisive role, and contributes to shape the competitive efficiency of small and medium-sized businesses in a developing economy.

中文翻译：

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哥斯达黎加中小型企业的竞争效率：数据包络分析方法

目的

本文以资源为基础的观点理论为基础，旨在评估创新对哥斯达黎加中小企业（SME）的竞争力和竞争效率的作用。

设计/方法/方法

该研究使用了2019年哥斯达黎加231家中小型企业的样本。作者计算出的竞争力指数包括四个支柱：创新，战略，市场和人力资本。为了估算竞争效率，作者使用了具有单个常数输入的非参数模型，即数据包络分析。

发现

结果证实，具有竞争力和效率的中小企业呈现出更均匀的资源和能力分配。创新支柱与竞争效率正相关。市场经验（业务年龄）与创新之间以及员工人数方面的创新与业务规模之间存在正相关。

实际影响

这项研究有助于了解中小企业管理者的决策过程如何影响企业内部的资源分配，以及中小企业如何根据这些资源的改进采取战略行动，而这可能对竞争效率产生更大的影响。

创意/价值

这项研究有助于更好地掌握创新起决定性作用的资源和能力的配置，并有助于塑造发展中经济体中小型企业的竞争效率。