Exploring innovating cultures in small and medium-sized enterprises: Findings from Central Switzerland

To date, knowledge about innovating culture in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) remains a puzzle. In literature, entrepreneurship studies focus primarily on the entrepreneur or founder in start-ups. Most other SME innovation studies deliver a fragmented picture as they investigate singular aspects of innovating culture. Therefore, studies exploring the role of culture in SME innovation holistically are rare. This article presents the findings from a longitudinal study exploring innovating cultures in SMEs. The study applied an explorative research design based upon semi-structured and narrative interviews with those responsible for innovation management in 85 Central Swiss SMEs. From this data, four different SME innovation profiles representing clearly discernible innovating cultures were developed. The findings provide in-depth insights into SME innovation reality, thereby enhancing the understanding of the role of culture in SME innovation and providing a framework for improving innovation management.