The Effect of applying knowledge acquired from technical education in enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium enterprises A field study on projects implemented by graduates of the Faculty of Applied Sciences at Latakia University

Abstract

This study aims to examine the Effect of applying knowledge acquired from technical education on enhancing the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). A field study was conducted on a sample of 83 graduates from the Applied Sciences College at Latakia University, selected using simple random sampling. The research adopted a descriptive–analytical approach and employed a structured questionnaire to collect primary data. Validity and reliability tests, simple linear regression, and one-way ANOVA were performed using SPSS (Version 25).

The findings revealed a strong and statistically significant effect of applying acquired knowledge on enhancing SME competitiveness. The analysis of differences based on project type indicated that industrial and service projects were more capable of utilizing acquired knowledge and achieving higher levels of competitiveness, whereas technical projects ranked relatively lower. Additionally, the analysis of differences based on academic specialization showed that specializations with a highly applied nature—such as automotive mechanics and mechanical manufacturing—achieved higher levels of knowledge application and competitiveness enhancement compared to more theoretical or less practically oriented specializations, such as electrical power and communications technology.