Antecedents of knowledge sharing in the small and medium sized enterprises: The impact of international orientation and responsibility

Abstract

The study aims to investigate the relationship between international market orientation, corporate social responsibility (CSR), international entrepreneurial orientation, and knowledge sharing within the context of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). A survey of 287 managers involving Iranian SMEs was carried out to examine hypotheses. The partial least squares (PLS) path modelling method is applied to analyse the model of the study. The empirical results from the structural model suggest that international market orientation influences CSR. Furthermore, CSR influences international entrepreneurial orientation. In addition, CSR and international entrepreneurial orientation are direct antecedents of knowledge sharing. This study contributes to the literature of knowledge management and CSR in SMEs by being the first to investigate the impact of an international market orientation on ethical and philanthropic responsibility. © 2021 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.. All rights reserved.