Measuring organizational factors and their implication on growth of pharmaceutical SMEs post-pandemic: An empirical investigation

Pomiar czynników organizacyjnych i ich wpływ na rozwój małych i średnich firm farmaceutycznych po pandemii – badanie empiryczne

Technology has grown ever more crucial for business competitiveness, permeating all facets of business life. Many firms have had to reconsider their business strategies post-pandemic as a result of technological advances, economic shocks, and market demands. But less is noticed in the small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) sector which plays a role in the majority of the world's economy. This study therefore aims to investigate the effect of organizational factors (firm strategy, organizational culture, open innovation, and technological capability) on SME growth (profitability, customer satisfaction, competitive advantage, and product quality). The descriptive survey design was used and the population of the study comprised structured small businesses in Lagos, Nigeria – the most populous country and biggest economy in Africa. Findings revealed that the combined effect of innovation strategy, organizational structure, open innovation culture, and technological capability significantly affect SME growth in Lagos state, Nigeria post-pandemic. Thus SMEs in Nigeria require improved knowledge, sound management, and the development of human resource capabilities to improve these organizational factors. The study therefore recommends that the management of SMEs, including the owners/managers, increase the need to create a working environment that fosters open innovation models and technology adoption to enhance organizational culture, thereby improving business growth and profitability. Government policy support is also required to improve the skills, knowledge, and technological mastery of SMEs in Nigeria.

Technologia, przenikając wszystkie aspekty życia biznesowego, staje się kluczowa dla konkurencyjności przedsiębiorstw. Po pandemii wiele firm musiało ponownie rozważyć swoje strategie biznesowe z powodu postępu technologicznego, wstrząsów gospodarczych i nowych wymagań rynkowych. Mniej uwagi poświęca się jednak sektorowi małych i średnich przedsiębiorstw (MŚP), który ma istotny wpływ na światową gospodarkę. Dlatego niniejsze opracowanie ma na celu zbadanie wpływu czynników organizacyjnych (takich jak strategia firmy, kultura organizacyjna, otwarta innowacyjność i możliwości technologiczne) na wzrost MŚP (rentowność, zadowolenie klienta, przewagę konkurencyjną i jakość produktu). Zastosowano opisowy projekt badania, a badaną populację stanowiły ustrukturyzowane małe przedsiębiorstwa w Lagos w Nigerii – najludniejszym kraju i największej gospodarce Afryki. Wyniki wykazały, że łączny wpływ strategii innowacji, struktury organizacyjnej, kultury otwartej innowacyjności i możliwości technologicznych znacząco wpływa na wzrost MŚP w stanie Lagos w Nigerii po pandemii. W celu poprawy wskazanych czynników organizacyjnych MŚP w Nigerii potrzebują zatem dogłębniejszej wiedzy, solidnego zarządzania i rozwoju zdolności zasobów ludzkich. W związku z tym na podstawie niniejszych badań zaleca się, aby kierownictwo MŚP zwiększyło wysiłki w celu stworzenia środowiska pracy, które sprzyja otwartej innowacyjności i wdrażaniu nowoczesnych technologii. Działania te mogą przyczynić się do wzmocnienia kultury organizacyjnej, a tym samym do wzrostu i poprawy rentowności przedsiębiorstw. Poprawa stanu umiejętności, wiedzy i szersze zastosowanie technologii przez MŚP w Nigerii wymagają również wsparcia rządowego.

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