Identifying and prioritizing critical intellectual capital for e‐learning companies

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify and prioritize the measures of intellectual capital (IC) of e‐learning service companies that ultimately influence firms' competitive advantages.

Design/methodology/approach

Through focus group interviews, content analysis, and the analytic hierarchy process, this paper identifies five dimensions and 15 indicators to measure the IC of e‐learning service companies in Taiwan.

Findings

The findings and prioritization of ICs can help the e‐learning companies to understand the critical success factors that facilitate gaining their competitive advantages in Taiwan.

Research limitations/implications

The focus of this paper is only on e‐learning companies located in Taiwan, thus the results cannot be generalized to all e‐learning companies. Additionally, only five main dimensions are identified from the study, there is a possibility that this study does not cover all the important dimensions of IC of e‐learning companies.

Practical implications

e‐Learning companies can use the IC measurement tool developed in this study to detect IC weaknesses and strengths. Moreover, e‐learning companies need to re‐consider the portfolio of their IC that make e‐leaning more competitive in industry.

Originality/value

This paper finding contributes to the present body of knowledge and also highlights IC dimensions that can provide a reference for e‐leaning companies to develop favorable strategies for achieving their goal of enhancing competitive advantages.

Citation

Chen, S. (2009), "Identifying and prioritizing critical intellectual capital for e‐learning companies", European Business Review, Vol. 21 No. 5, pp. 438-452. https://doi.org/10.1108/09555340910986664