The Effect of Knowledge-based Technological Strategies on Sustainable Innovative Performance of Food Industry SMEs in Khuzestan Province

The present study aims to investigate the impact of knowledge-based technological strategies and the mediating role of open innovation on the sustainable innovative performance of food industry SMEs in Khuzestan province. This quantitative study describes the causal relationships between research components using a survey method. The statistical population includes all production managers and technical experts of food industry SMEs in Khuzestan province, totaling 233 individuals, from which 140 were selected randomly based on the Krejcie and Morgan table. The data collection tool is a researcher-made questionnaire, which has been validated for face validity by experts. Additionally, the reliability of the research constructs was estimated to be at a satisfactory level by calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficient and composite reliability. The results of structural equation modeling indicate that knowledge-based technological strategies have a significant positive impact on the components of open innovation input and output, as well as on sustainable innovative performance. Furthermore, the impact of open innovation input on sustainable innovative performance has been reported as positive and significant. Overall, the findings suggest that the constructs of the proposed model are strong and capable of explaining 57.5 percent of the variance changes in sustainable innovative performance. Based on the research results, it is recommended that food industry companies, science and technology parks, universities, and research centers in the province, while focusing on creating mutual connections, provide a space for exchanging ideas and needs to develop technical knowledge and knowledge-based businesses.