Growth hacking capability: Antecedents and performance implications in the context of SMEs

• The study underscores that big data capability is an antecedent of growth hacking capability. • The study highlights that innovation capability is an antecedent of growth hacking capability. • Growth hacking capability has a positive effect on SMEs performance. Growth hacking capability (GHC), detailed as a methodological approach that has as its goal the promotion of the use of experimentation across the entire business value chain, is essential for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) seeking to boost their growth. Most of the scholarly discourse surrounding GHC remains theoretical in nature. Thus, scholarly literature lacks empirical evidence on the capabilities that enable SMEs’ GHC. This research explores the antecedents of GHC and, at the same time, whether GHC impacts the financial and organisational performance of SMEs. We tested three main antecedents of GHC: big data analytics capability, innovation capability and digital transformation. Our findings suggest that big data analytics capability and innovation capability positively contribute to SMEs’ GHC. On the other hand, digital transformation has a non-significant relationship with GHC. The findings suggest a positive and significant relationship between GHC and the organisational and financial performance of SMEs.