Intergenerational Knowledge Transfer as a Driver for SMEs Sustainability

Baniismail Mohamedbashir (2026) Intergenerational Knowledge Transfer as a Driver for SMEs Sustainability. Prosperitas, 13 (1). pp. 1-20. ISSN 2786-4359 (Online)

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Official URL: https://prosperitas.uni-bge.hu/publication/?id=275

Abstract

Sustainability has become one of the most important concepts for many SMEs, and one way to support it is through better knowledge sharing between older and younger employees, known as intergenerational knowledge transfer. This research aims to provide empirical evidence to determine how intergenerational knowledge transfer can enhance corporate sustainability within SMEs. Purposive sampling of nine Jordanian IT SMEs (n = 142) was used to conduct a quantitative cross-sectional survey. Descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA were employed to determine the age-group differences and the relationship between intergenerational knowledge transfer and sustainability objectives. A major contribution of this research lies in demonstrating statistically significant age‑based perceptual differences regarding the sustainability impact of knowledge sharing, offering a nuanced understanding of how generational learning attitudes shape organisational sustainability—an aspect rarely examined in previous studies. By establishing a strong positive correlation (r = 0.702) between intergenerational knowledge transfer and progress toward sustainability objectives, this study provides quantitative evidence supporting the theoretical assumption that cross generational learning is not merely beneficial but strategically essential for SMEs operating under resource constraints. The study’s contextual contribution is particularly relevant: it highlights that cultural and relational factors play a stronger role than technological ones in Jordanian SMEs, offering a culturally grounded perspective that complements and, in some cases, challenges Western-centric findings.