Stakeholders’ perceptions of sustainable development of higher education institutions: an intellectual capital approach
International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education
ISSN: 1467-6370
Article publication date: 11 June 2020
Issue publication date: 17 July 2020
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to identify stakeholders’ perceptions of the effects associated with different components of intellectual capital (IC) on the sustainable development (SD) practices of higher education institutions (HEIs).
Design/methodology/approach
The empirical approach uses a structural equation model to provide new empirical findings in relation to 738 students and 587 lecturers/researchers at seven Portuguese state HEIs through quantitative research.
Findings
The results obtained are, firstly, important contributions to the literature on the IC and SD practices of HEIs, as a relationship between these two constructs is confirmed, especially through relational capital (RC) and structural capital (SC). Secondly, the stakeholders considered show different perceptions of the influence of the components of HEIs’ IC on these institutions’ SD practices, and thirdly, perception of the economic dimension is most influenced.
Practical implications
The empirical findings indicate the need to provide better information about HEIs’ policies and practices of SD and how the latter contribute to the SD of the institution and its region of influence.
Originality/value
No previous studies investigate students and teachers/researchers’ perceptions of the social, environmental, economic and organizational dimensions of SD in HEIs and at the same time how those perceptions can be influenced by the components of IC (e.g. human capital, SC, RC) in that institution.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the highly valuable comments and suggestions provided by the editor and reviewers, which contributed to the improvement in the clarity, focus, contribution and scientific soundness of the current study.
Funding: This work was supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, in the scope of the research activities developed at the project: “U-value” PTDC/EGE-OGE/29926/2017.
Citation
Pedro, E.d.M., Leitão, J. and Alves, H. (2020), "Stakeholders’ perceptions of sustainable development of higher education institutions: an intellectual capital approach", International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol. 21 No. 5, pp. 911-942. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-01-2020-0030
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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