Efficient strategies for new knowledge creation in small manufacturing firms during product innovation: concepts, methodological issues and empirical findings

A major source of learning in small manufacturing firms is the technical problem-solving activity during innovation. This problem-solving activity is usually carried on randomly, without any planned or deliberated design, but with the conceptualization of problems by people only when drawbacks occur and no attempt to anticipate them through research. This paper presents an empirical study aimed at identifying efficient strategies for new knowledge creation during the technical problem-solving activity occurring in small manufacturing firms when product innovation is carried on.