"Gender diversity, knowledge combination and innovation in the technological context"

Although numerous studies analyze the relationship between knowledge combination capability, diversity, and innovation, little research has been performed on the impact that gender diversity in the top management team (TMT) has on innovation and the studies performed have focused on large companies. This study uses a sample of 205 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the Spanish technology-based firms (TBFs) sector. Our study applies to both qualitative comparative analysis using fuzzy sets (fsQCA) and regression analysis to demonstrate that knowledge combination capability and gender diversity in TMT are antecedents of innovation. Specifically, the study confirms that gender diversity moderates positively the relationship between knowledge combination capability and innovation performance. These findings have implications for the gender equality policy debate and future research.