Survival through innovation in manufacturing SMEs in emerging economies evidence from Zimbabwe

Abstract

Globally Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) have become engines for growth and most of these successful entities have grown into bigger companies through innovation. From the emerging economies perspective literature is scant on innovation especially in manufacturing SMEs and how they can leverage on it for success. This study sought to assess innovation in SMEs into furniture manufacturing in Zimbabwe. As SMEs seek to grow into larger firms, their ability to innovate becomes their key achievement if they remain operational. Though it is difficult to understand and collect information about SMEs innovation capabilities in the emerging economies it is important to try and unpack how they can leverage on some inherent characteristics they have as SMEs in developing economies. The study adopted a qualitative multiple case study approach where a total of 24 SMEs were interviewed after they were purposively sampled from the available database from the parent ministry. This study highlights the need for SMEs to invest in design education, register industrial designs, and improve social media presence, creation of clusters to lobby government support, and also training employees so that they can add more value to the design activities during production. The study also advocates for more support from government through design policy formulation that calls for active participation of all the SMEs concerned. The study findings will assist to develop special programmes for manufacturing SMEs to be innovative.