{"id":"https://openalex.org/W4407737136","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tem.2025.3543779","title":"Developing the Innovation Capabilities of SMEs: The Role of Intermediary Firms in Knowledge Ecosystems","display_name":"Developing the Innovation Capabilities of SMEs: The Role of Intermediary Firms in Knowledge Ecosystems","publication_year":2025,"publication_date":"2025-01-01","ids":{"openalex":"https://openalex.org/W4407737136","doi":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tem.2025.3543779"},"language":"en","primary_location":{"id":"doi:10.1109/tem.2025.3543779","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tem.2025.3543779","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S154533451","display_name":"IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management","issn_l":"0018-9391","issn":["0018-9391","1558-0040"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310319808","host_organization_name":"Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310319808"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management","raw_type":"journal-article"},"type":"article","indexed_in":["crossref"],"open_access":{"is_oa":false,"oa_status":"closed","oa_url":null,"any_repository_has_fulltext":false},"authorships":[{"author_position":"first","author":{"id":null,"display_name":"Khuram Shahzad","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6452-0879"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I79765343","display_name":"University of Vaasa","ror":"https://ror.org/03769b225","country_code":"FI","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I79765343"]}],"countries":["FI"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Khuram Shahzad","raw_affiliation_strings":["School of Technology and Innovations, University of Vaasa, Vaasa, Finland","School of Technology and Innovations, University of Vaasa, Finland"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6452-0879","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"School of Technology and Innovations, University of Vaasa, Vaasa, Finland","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I79765343"]},{"raw_affiliation_string":"School of Technology and Innovations, University of Vaasa, Finland","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I79765343"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5069689664","display_name":"Shahid Hafeez","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3677-7976"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I79765343","display_name":"University of Vaasa","ror":"https://ror.org/03769b225","country_code":"FI","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I79765343"]}],"countries":["FI"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Shahid Hafeez","raw_affiliation_strings":["School of Technology and Innovations, University of Vaasa, Vaasa, Finland","School of Technology and Innovations, University of Vaasa, Finland"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3677-7976","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"School of Technology and Innovations, University of Vaasa, Vaasa, Finland","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I79765343"]},{"raw_affiliation_string":"School of Technology and Innovations, University of Vaasa, Finland","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I79765343"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5061463047","display_name":"Teppo Heimo","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I79765343","display_name":"University of Vaasa","ror":"https://ror.org/03769b225","country_code":"FI","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I79765343"]}],"countries":["FI"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Teppo Heimo","raw_affiliation_strings":["Innovation and Entrepreneurship InnoLab, University of Vaasa, Vaasa, Finland","School of Technology and Innovations, University of Vaasa, Finland"],"raw_orcid":null,"affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Innovation and Entrepreneurship InnoLab, University of Vaasa, Vaasa, Finland","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I79765343"]},{"raw_affiliation_string":"School of Technology and Innovations, University of Vaasa, Finland","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I79765343"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5052200446","display_name":"Antti M\u00e4enp\u00e4\u00e4","orcid":null},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I79765343","display_name":"University of Vaasa","ror":"https://ror.org/03769b225","country_code":"FI","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I79765343"]}],"countries":["FI"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Antti M\u00e4enp\u00e4\u00e4","raw_affiliation_strings":["School of Management, Regional Studies, University of Vaasa, Vaasa, Finland","School of Management, Regional Studies, University of Vaasa, Finland"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9530-5338","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"School of Management, Regional Studies, University of Vaasa, Vaasa, Finland","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I79765343"]},{"raw_affiliation_string":"School of Management, Regional Studies, University of Vaasa, Finland","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I79765343"]}]},{"author_position":"middle","author":{"id":"https://openalex.org/A5021663792","display_name":"Muhammad Faraz Mubarak","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0742-1540"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I129902397","display_name":"Dalhousie University","ror":"https://ror.org/01e6qks80","country_code":"CA","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I129902397"]}],"countries":["CA"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Muhammad Faraz Mubarak","raw_affiliation_strings":["Faculty of Computer Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0742-1540","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Faculty of Computer Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I129902397"]}]},{"author_position":"last","author":{"id":null,"display_name":"Richard Evans","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6367-0560"},"institutions":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/I129902397","display_name":"Dalhousie University","ror":"https://ror.org/01e6qks80","country_code":"CA","type":"education","lineage":["https://openalex.org/I129902397"]}],"countries":["CA"],"is_corresponding":false,"raw_author_name":"Richard Evans","raw_affiliation_strings":["Faculty of Computer Science, College of Digital Transformation, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada","College of Digital Transformation, Faculty of Computer Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada"],"raw_orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6367-0560","affiliations":[{"raw_affiliation_string":"Faculty of Computer Science, College of Digital Transformation, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I129902397"]},{"raw_affiliation_string":"College of Digital Transformation, Faculty of Computer Science, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada","institution_ids":["https://openalex.org/I129902397"]}]}],"institutions":[],"countries_distinct_count":2,"institutions_distinct_count":2,"corresponding_author_ids":[],"corresponding_institution_ids":[],"apc_list":null,"apc_paid":null,"fwci":22.2347,"has_fulltext":false,"cited_by_count":18,"citation_normalized_percentile":{"value":0.99375647,"is_in_top_1_percent":true,"is_in_top_10_percent":true},"cited_by_percentile_year":{"min":99,"max":100},"biblio":{"volume":"72","issue":null,"first_page":"604","last_page":"618"},"is_retracted":false,"is_paratext":false,"is_xpac":false,"primary_topic":{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10003","display_name":"Innovation and Knowledge Management","score":0.7897999882698059,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1408","display_name":"Strategy and Management"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/14","display_name":"Business, Management and Accounting"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},"topics":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/T10003","display_name":"Innovation and Knowledge Management","score":0.7897999882698059,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1408","display_name":"Strategy and Management"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/14","display_name":"Business, Management and Accounting"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}},{"id":"https://openalex.org/T13402","display_name":"Business Strategy and Innovation","score":0.6818000078201294,"subfield":{"id":"https://openalex.org/subfields/1408","display_name":"Strategy and Management"},"field":{"id":"https://openalex.org/fields/14","display_name":"Business, Management and Accounting"},"domain":{"id":"https://openalex.org/domains/2","display_name":"Social Sciences"}}],"keywords":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/business","display_name":"Business","score":0.737094521522522},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/ecosystem","display_name":"Ecosystem","score":0.6020078659057617},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/knowledge-management","display_name":"Knowledge management","score":0.535709023475647},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/industrial-organization","display_name":"Industrial organization","score":0.521287202835083},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/innovation-management","display_name":"Innovation management","score":0.44077929854393005},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/business-ecosystem","display_name":"Business ecosystem","score":0.4218713641166687},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/marketing","display_name":"Marketing","score":0.21278122067451477},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/computer-science","display_name":"Computer science","score":0.16517752408981323},{"id":"https://openalex.org/keywords/ecology","display_name":"Ecology","score":0.09579721093177795}],"concepts":[{"id":"https://openalex.org/C144133560","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4830453","display_name":"Business","level":0,"score":0.737094521522522},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C110872660","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q37813","display_name":"Ecosystem","level":2,"score":0.6020078659057617},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C56739046","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q192060","display_name":"Knowledge management","level":1,"score":0.535709023475647},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C40700","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1411783","display_name":"Industrial organization","level":1,"score":0.521287202835083},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C186037533","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q794803","display_name":"Innovation management","level":2,"score":0.44077929854393005},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C167908162","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q870119","display_name":"Business ecosystem","level":2,"score":0.4218713641166687},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C162853370","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q39809","display_name":"Marketing","level":1,"score":0.21278122067451477},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C41008148","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q21198","display_name":"Computer science","level":0,"score":0.16517752408981323},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C18903297","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q7150","display_name":"Ecology","level":1,"score":0.09579721093177795},{"id":"https://openalex.org/C86803240","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q420","display_name":"Biology","level":0,"score":0.0}],"mesh":[],"locations_count":2,"locations":[{"id":"doi:10.1109/tem.2025.3543779","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/tem.2025.3543779","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S154533451","display_name":"IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management","issn_l":"0018-9391","issn":["0018-9391","1558-0040"],"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":true,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/P4310319808","host_organization_name":"Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/P4310319808"],"host_organization_lineage_names":["Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers"],"type":"journal"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"publishedVersion","is_accepted":true,"is_published":true,"raw_source_name":"IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management","raw_type":"journal-article"},{"id":"pmh:oai:osuva.uwasa.fi:10024/18985","is_oa":false,"landing_page_url":"https://osuva.uwasa.fi/handle/10024/18985","pdf_url":null,"source":{"id":"https://openalex.org/S4306400974","display_name":"Osuva (University of Vaasa)","issn_l":null,"issn":null,"is_oa":false,"is_in_doaj":false,"is_core":false,"host_organization":"https://openalex.org/I79765343","host_organization_name":"University of Vaasa","host_organization_lineage":["https://openalex.org/I79765343"],"host_organization_lineage_names":[],"type":"repository"},"license":null,"license_id":null,"version":"submittedVersion","is_accepted":false,"is_published":false,"raw_source_name":"2-s2.0-105001081298","raw_type":"article"}],"best_oa_location":null,"sustainable_development_goals":[],"awards":[],"funders":[],"has_content":{"grobid_xml":false,"pdf":false},"content_urls":null,"referenced_works_count":76,"referenced_works":["https://openalex.org/W24336417","https://openalex.org/W110654164","https://openalex.org/W1186062196","https://openalex.org/W1197232787","https://openalex.org/W1589996636","https://openalex.org/W1977990900","https://openalex.org/W1980545707","https://openalex.org/W1986193702","https://openalex.org/W2002554683","https://openalex.org/W2006077640","https://openalex.org/W2009617880","https://openalex.org/W2016502929","https://openalex.org/W2024745082","https://openalex.org/W2025508505","https://openalex.org/W2025670558","https://openalex.org/W2035998630","https://openalex.org/W2055146567","https://openalex.org/W2067652191","https://openalex.org/W2099306491","https://openalex.org/W2101348440","https://openalex.org/W2114483607","https://openalex.org/W2126759309","https://openalex.org/W2129660502","https://openalex.org/W2142638339","https://openalex.org/W2154421568","https://openalex.org/W2154557143","https://openalex.org/W2158842800","https://openalex.org/W2159171830","https://openalex.org/W2160449301","https://openalex.org/W2167557466","https://openalex.org/W2329916376","https://openalex.org/W2505030567","https://openalex.org/W2550881971","https://openalex.org/W2605514444","https://openalex.org/W2742011715","https://openalex.org/W2770500514","https://openalex.org/W2791906841","https://openalex.org/W2797983457","https://openalex.org/W2799277866","https://openalex.org/W2801574967","https://openalex.org/W2803888147","https://openalex.org/W2808797466","https://openalex.org/W2809715451","https://openalex.org/W2883090930","https://openalex.org/W2896303451","https://openalex.org/W2920945857","https://openalex.org/W2941595788","https://openalex.org/W2955946427","https://openalex.org/W2973524680","https://openalex.org/W2980661573","https://openalex.org/W2994901308","https://openalex.org/W3008303556","https://openalex.org/W3008366965","https://openalex.org/W3031566009","https://openalex.org/W3032983770","https://openalex.org/W3035364284","https://openalex.org/W3038612236","https://openalex.org/W3101273595","https://openalex.org/W3121558027","https://openalex.org/W3123397884","https://openalex.org/W3125274062","https://openalex.org/W3127784138","https://openalex.org/W3174540432","https://openalex.org/W3179716000","https://openalex.org/W4206774431","https://openalex.org/W4220922025","https://openalex.org/W4292315340","https://openalex.org/W4323359110","https://openalex.org/W4389635432","https://openalex.org/W4390583545","https://openalex.org/W4394018998","https://openalex.org/W4394995000","https://openalex.org/W6629423375","https://openalex.org/W6684519688","https://openalex.org/W6768514472","https://openalex.org/W6804428865"],"related_works":["https://openalex.org/W2035137512","https://openalex.org/W2377732673","https://openalex.org/W58911591","https://openalex.org/W2125652566","https://openalex.org/W2100841771","https://openalex.org/W2014492923","https://openalex.org/W4320082728","https://openalex.org/W2096979265","https://openalex.org/W4366503160","https://openalex.org/W2382584384"],"abstract_inverted_index":{"Knowledge":[0],"ecosystems":[1,49,67,74],"drive":[2,223],"growth":[3,135],"by":[4,68,149,170],"enabling":[5],"firms":[6,140,174],"to":[7,19,29,40,51,61,77,134,195,216,230],"access":[8],"diverse,":[9],"specialized,":[10],"and":[11,55,80,95,107,130,136,158,167,202,214,222,237],"distributed":[12],"resources":[13],"from":[14,91,111],"ecosystem":[15,114,200],"members,":[16],"allowing":[17],"them":[18,229],"address":[20,217],"complex":[21],"product":[22],"innovation":[23,85,224],"challenges":[24,46],"that":[25,121,153],"would":[26],"be":[27],"difficult":[28],"tackle":[30],"independently.":[31],"This":[32,58,162,191,226],"approach":[33,227],"facilitates":[34],"complementary":[35],"value":[36],"creation.":[37],"However,":[38],"small-":[39],"medium-sized":[41],"enterprises":[42],"(SMEs)":[43],"encounter":[44],"significant":[45],"within":[47,72],"such":[48],"due":[50],"their":[52,84,218,232],"limited":[53,56],"size":[54],"resources.":[57],"article":[59,119,163],"contributes":[60,194],"the":[62,187,196],"extant":[63],"studies":[64],"on":[65,88,199],"knowledge":[66,113,122,147,188],"investigating":[69],"how":[70,172],"collaborations":[71],"these":[73],"enable":[75],"SMEs":[76,155,209],"both":[78,165],"explore":[79],"exploit":[81],"knowledge,":[82],"enhancing":[83],"capabilities.":[86],"Drawing":[87],"empirical":[89],"data":[90],"33":[92],"semistructured":[93],"interviews":[94],"two":[96],"focus":[97],"groups":[98],"involving":[99],"multiple":[100],"stakeholders":[101],"(18":[102],"SMEs,":[103],"1":[104],"large":[105],"firm,":[106],"14":[108],"intermediary":[109,173],"firms)":[110],"a":[112,142,206],"in":[115,186],"Ostrobothnia,":[116],"Finland,":[117],"this":[118],"finds":[120],"cocreation":[123],"through":[124],"collaboration":[125],"significantly":[126],"improves":[127],"SMEs\u2019":[128],"technological":[129,235],"collaborative":[131],"capabilities,":[132],"leading":[133],"market":[137],"expansion.":[138],"Intermediary":[139],"play":[141],"dual":[143],"role,":[144],"going":[145],"beyond":[146],"brokering":[148],"providing":[150],"capacity-building":[151],"support":[152],"helps":[154],"better":[156],"contextualize":[157],"utilize":[159],"external":[160],"knowledge.":[161],"advances":[164],"theoretical":[166],"practical":[168,207],"understanding":[169,193],"demonstrating":[171],"function":[175],"not":[176],"only":[177],"as":[178,182],"facilitators":[179],"but":[180],"also":[181],"active":[183],"capacity":[184],"builders":[185],"exploitation":[189],"process.":[190],"nuanced":[192],"ongoing":[197],"discourse":[198],"dynamics":[201],"SME":[203],"innovation.":[204],"From":[205],"perspective,":[208],"should":[210],"leverage":[211],"core":[212],"partners":[213],"intermediaries":[215],"inherent":[219],"resource":[220],"constraints":[221],"performance.":[225],"enables":[228],"expand":[231],"networks,":[233],"codevelop":[234],"solutions,":[236],"potentially":[238],"secure":[239],"future":[240],"funding.":[241]},"counts_by_year":[{"year":2026,"cited_by_count":7},{"year":2025,"cited_by_count":11}],"updated_date":"2026-07-31T08:31:51.225901","created_date":"2025-10-10T00:00:00"}