Authors : Amir Hossein Amirkhani, Abolfazl Allahyari and Hossein Torangan
Abstract: Currently, Research and Development (R&D)is the most important factor of new productions and industrial achievement of an economy. Moreover, development of SMEs is key to economic development in the next decade. The main purpose of this study is to evaluate R&D for the factors effective on productivity growthof SMEs. In this regard, the factors effective on productivity were first identified and then prioritized from the viewpoint of manufacturers. This study assumed a relationship between R&D and consequently its main dimensions such as human resources and motivation, rules and regulations, innovative R&D, finance and investment and managerial resources and organization and productivity growth. This study used correlation and data was collected by archival and field studies (questionnaires). The studied population consisted of all Iranian SMEs which had R&D units. Using Cochran formula, 320 unitswere selected as samples by simple random sampling method. The results showed a significant relationship between human resources and motivation, rules and regulations, innovative R&D, finance and investment, managerial resources and organization and generally R&D and productivity growth of firms. Moreover, the prioritized dimensions of R&D included finance and investment, managerial resources and organization, innovative R&D, rules and regulations and human resources and motivation, respectively.
Amir Hossein Amirkhani, Abolfazl Allahyari and Hossein Torangan, 2016. Investigating the Effect of Research and Development Contribution to Productivity Growth in SMEs. International Business Management, 10: 4731-4736.