An integrated process-based approach to intellectual capital management

Abstract

Purpose

Nowadays, the aspects of the intellectual capital (IC) management have become important, valuing it as an integral part of the organisation. Researchers emphasise the strategic importance of IC management, particularly in the context of satisfying the stakeholders' interests and value creation. However, the existing studies reflect individual elements of IC management, not analysing them as a system which is a part of the organisational management system, and hence it is impossible to draw valid conclusions on the impact of IC on the organisation's performance. The aim of the paper is to describe an approach to the elaboration of the IC management strategy and its integration into the organisation's management system.

Design/methodology/approach

The developed approach is based on a holistic and systemic view of the organisation, where IC management is integrated into the organisation's management . This approach is based on the structure of IC developed by Lentjušenkova and Lapina (2016). In this structure, business processes are the IC component that unites the other three ones – human capital, technologies and intangible assets. The study has used induction and deduction, as well as analytical and synthetic qualitative research methods, including logical constructive and conceptual (concept) analysis.

Findings

Elaborating the organisational strategy by taking into account the stakeholder interests, the organisation is able to ensure sustainable development. Using the integrated management approach, IC management is integrated into the organisation's activities and joint operational strategy. In this case, IC management becomes an integral part of the organisation's activities functioning in conjunction with the other organisation's systems, and it is integrated into all ongoing business processes.

Research limitations/implications

The approach the authors have proposed to IC management could be adapted by small and medium-sized companies. Using it, companies do not need to create special functional units or division, because IC becomes an integral part of organisation's processes.

Originality/value

In previous studies, business processes were considered as one of the components of IC. In the study’s approach, business processes imply integration of IC into the overall organisation management system. As a framework for the proposed approach, the authors have used the Deming cycle “Plan-Do-Check-Act” that envisages dividing the development and implementation of the IC management and development strategy into four phases, with a clear allocation of tasks and a defined outcome for each individual phase. To use this approach, it is enough for organisations to conduct an analysis of processes and, depending on the strategic goals of the organisation, make additions related to managing IC.

Citation

Lentjušenkova, O. and Lapiņa, I. (2020), "An integrated process-based approach to intellectual capital management", Business Process Management Journal, Vol. 26 No. 7, pp. 1833-1850. https://doi.org/10.1108/BPMJ-03-2019-0101