Knowledge Acquisition, Innovativeness and Product Innovation in the Textile Sector

In this sense, this study aimed to test the relationship between knowledge management processes, innovativeness and product innovation in the Brazilian textile sector. The quantitative research was applied to 157 companies in the textile sector in Brazil registered with the Institute for Industrial Studies and Marketing (IEMI). Data analysis was performed using two statistical techniques: structural equation modeling and mediation and moderation tests. The results identified two significant constructs that positively impact product innovation. Innovativeness mediates the relationship between knowledge acquisition and product innovation, and the type of activity moderates the relationship of these constructs. Better business performance can be linked to a greater capacity for innovation. Knowledge acquisition, innovativeness, and product innovation are elements that, when related, potentiate the greater competitiveness of organizations. This study is relevant both to academia and to the strategic management of organizations.