Adapted from current literature, this study develops the model of the relationship between knowledge sharing and innovative work behaviour with the promotion of trust, Organizational Rewards system, Management Support in Vietnam. The author builds hypotheses based on the literature review and presents an integrated research framework. This study focuses on how innovative work behaviour can help firms survive during the COVID-19 crisis. We take insights into previous crises through evaluating popular articles and identifying fundamental innovation management mechanisms that could be efficient in the open-ended COVID-19 crisis to achieve this objective. In addition, our review of a large body of literature highlights several knowledge sharing mechanisms that may support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to cope with the COVID-19 crisis. The consulted empirical studies demonstrated that trust, reward, and management support positively impact explicit knowledge sharing and tacit knowledge sharing. At the same time, innovative work behaviour is driven by knowledge sharing and tacit knowledge sharing. Our research results have produced some practical significance and contribute to stimulating the power of knowledge sharing and innovative work for sustainable development in Vietnam. The widespread crisis activated unprecedented changes in how firms are administered and managed. Therefore, firms can adjust them to form the business sustainable and resilient using the suggestions made by considering our findings. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to explore the impact of the pandemic and analyse firms’ responses to the crisis in management innovation in a Vietnamese context.