Strategic HRM Practices, Innovation Performance and Its Relationship on Export Performance: An Exploratory Study of SMEs in an Emerging Economy

This study seeks to examine a theoretical model that is proposed on the relationships between independent variables, which in this case are defined by the strategic human resource management (HRM) practices and the mediating role of innovation performance. In addition to analyzing their correspondence to the dependent variable that is represented by export performance, so that when carrying out this analysis, it is possible to enhance the knowledge of these constructs based on the review of the relevant literature. Likewise, through these relationships, it is intended to identify the main findings that favor or disfavor their interaction in order to provide adjusted answers on an analysis of a business park that corresponds to the needs of small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) that are of interest in this research. In the exercise of understanding this approach, interviews with experts will be used to validate the instruments in the qualitative phase of the mixed method of the research and then test the hypotheses proposed on the delimitation of the data to be obtained from the surveys for SMEs in an emerging economy like Costa Rica. The results will follow the scientific rigor; depending on whether or not, innovation performance positively mediates the relationship between strategic HRM practices and export performance. The conclusions have made it possible to find that training as part of the strategic practices of human resources favors both innovation performance and that it also supposes export performance. Finally, this study will discuss business and economic implications with the information obtained for the consideration of government entities in the generation of targeted policies and will highlight future lines of research.