Technological Competitiveness as a Key Performance Indicator for High-Tech SMEs

To achieve high performance standards depends on effectively measuring and monitoring company’s performance by reflecting continuously whether a firm reacts and adapts to external changes. A growing number of empirical works support key assertions of the resource-based view (RBV) literature that a firm’s competitive advantage and performance originated from its unique firm-specific resources and inimitable capabilities. Most based on the literature have examined the immediate impact of resources which a firm possesses on performance, and many of them have emphasized on quantitative indicators to measure innovation performance. However, high-tech small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) suffering from lack of resources and managerial expertise usually requires a longer lead time from obtaining resources to achieving anticipated outcomes than expected due to high complexity and uncertainty of their research and development (R&D). During the lead time, the SMEs with insufficient ability to keep evaluating current performance measurement continuously can face a challenge to identify directions for innovation in coping with external changes. In line with RBV, this study aims to develop a performance evaluation framework of innovation process that enables high-tech SMEs to identify the main weaknesses and take corrective measures during R&D periods. Starting from a review of the limitations and recommendations provided in the literature regarding technology and innovation management in SMEs, we propose that technological competitiveness (TC) may be a more accurate, key performance indicator of high-tech SMEs than widely accepted indicator, such as innovative product rates, patent numbers, and R&D spending. The concept of TC was developed on the basis of Korean Technology Guarantee Fund’s technology rating system that measures technological superiority, marketability and feasibility of a developing technology. In the samples of 360 Korean high-tech SMEs with the Venture Business Certificate issued by Korean Small and Medium Business Administration, the integrated research model structured with innovation capabilities (ICs), entrepreneurial orientation (EO), TC, and business performance was tested through multi-regression model. The results confirms that TC affected positively by ICs and EO should be considered a significant innovation process output that reinforces business performance of high-tech SMEs. Both of ICs－R&D, manufacturing, marketing strategic planning, organizational management, learning, and resource allocation capability－ and EO－innovativeness, proactiveness, and risk-taking－have more positively effect on TC than business performance. Lastly, TC fully mediates the weaker relationships of ICs and EO with business performance. This framework of high-tech SMEs, the ICs/EO-TC-business performance relationship, contributes to forming the input-output-outcome mechanism of their innovation process as well as deeper understanding of the value of adapting TC into a performance evaluation measurement in the process of implementing technological innovation.