Cultural sources for learning. Study on the micro, small, and medium-size enterprises in Celaya Fuentes culturales para el aprendizaje. Estudio en la micro, pequeña y mediana empresa en Celaya

Abstract

The objective of this research project is to analyze information sources that micro, small and medium-size enterprises use in order to learn about their business activity. 342 enterprises from the manufacturing sector in the city of Celaya, in Guanajuato, Mexico, were interviewed through a qualitative analysis. The results show that these companies use 26 different information sources in order to learn about their activities, which can be re-grouped in seven categories: cross-organizational logic, specialized sources and ICTs; formal sources of knowledge; organizational sources; communication and advertising mediums; informal sources of communication; the entrepreneur’s own experience; and the absence of information and knowledge. The importance and use of each of them depends on the size of the enterprise and the type of industry it belongs to; while they all contribute to developing or promoting bonds with other enterprises or entities that help strengthen the enterprise’s learning capability.