Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
School of Molecular Biosciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
2
Faculty of Management, Sari Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sari, Iran
3
Master's degree, Faculty of Management, Sari Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sari, Iran.
4
Ph.D, Faculty of Management, Sari Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sari, Iran
10.22034/oajre.2026.569688.1182
Abstract
The present study aims to investigate the mediating role of knowledge sharing and intrapreneurship in the relationship between social capital and innovation in tourism enterprises operating in Mazandaran Province. This research is applied in purpose and descriptive-survey in terms of data collection method. The statistical population consisted of 420 managers and senior experts of tourism businesses in Mazandaran Province. According to Morgan’s sampling table, 201 participants were selected through a convenience sampling method. Data were collected using four standardized questionnaires: the Social Capital Questionnaire adapted from Ozcan et al(2022), the Knowledge Sharing Questionnaire from Al-Tit et al(2022), the Innovation Questionnaire from Jorfi et al(2013), and the Intrapreneurship Questionnaire from Brown et al(2001). The face and content validity of the instruments were confirmed by academic experts, and their reliability was verified using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics (frequency, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics, including Structural Equation Modeling with SPSS 25 and PLS 4 software. The results indicated that knowledge sharing and intrapreneurship play significant mediating roles in the relationship between social capital and innovation. Furthermore, social capital had a significant positive effect on knowledge sharing, intrapreneurship, and innovation, while both knowledge sharing and intrapreneurship directly influenced innovation in tourism businesses. Accordingly, it can be concluded that strengthening social capital and promoting a culture of knowledge sharing in organizational environments can enhance innovation levels and foster intrapreneurial development within the tourism industry.
Keywords