Driving Economic Performance in the Spanish Wine Industry: The Strategic Role of Knowledge Management and Open Innovation

Abstract

This study explores the influence of Knowledge Management (KM) on the Economic Performance (EP) of Spanish wineries, focusing on the mediating role of Open Innovation (OI). Additionally, it accounts for the effects of winery age, size, and Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) affiliation as control variables to enhance causality analysis. Grounded in a robust theoretical framework, the research applies Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to data collected from 196 wineries across Spain between September 2022 and January 2023. Findings reveal a positive impact of KM practices on EP, with OI serving as a partial mediator in this relationship. This study contributes to the innovation literature by highlighting the synergistic effects of KM and OI in boosting EP in the Spanish wine sector, addressing a significant research gap and generating actionable insights for academia and industry practitioners alike.