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The international orientation of academic entrepreneurship: the role of relational, human and psychological capital

Mercedes Villanueva-Flores (Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain)
Dara Hernández-Roque (Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain)
Mariluz Fernández-Alles (Universidad de Cádiz, Cádiz, Spain)
Mirta Diaz-Fernandez (Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Sevilla, Spain)

Journal of Intellectual Capital

ISSN: 1469-1930

Article publication date: 5 April 2022

Issue publication date: 28 April 2023

641

Abstract

Purpose

Scholars have emphasized intellectual capital’s importance for universities in obtaining competitive advantages and creating value. The purpose of this paper is to identify the influences of two components of intellectual capital, relational and human capital at the international level, and psychological capital on international orientation of academic entrepreneurs, and the mediating effects of international relational and human capital.

Design/methodology/approach

On the basis of a literature review, a theoretical model is proposed to explain the relationship between the studied variables. Our hypotheses are tested on a sample of 173 academic spin-offs of Spanish universities using bootstrapping methodology.

Findings

The results show that the international market relational capital and international human capital of academic entrepreneurs influence their international orientation, and that their psychological capital is directly, and indirectly, related to international orientation through international human capital and international market relational capital.

Practical implications

This study provides a better understanding of the antecedents of the international orientation of academic entrepreneurs, which would provide an important contribution to the literature on intellectual capital, academic entrepreneurship and internationalization. The achieved results highlight important implications for training of academic entrepreneurs and for managers and management teams of companies willing to enter, or even those already operating in, international markets.

Originality/value

In this study, the international orientation of academic entrepreneurs is explained through the psychological capital that is studied jointly with two components of intellectual capital, relational and human capital at the international level. Although some recent work has focused on the study of the internationalization of academic spin-off, this line of research is still incipient.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

Funding: This work has been co-financed by the 2020-2023 ERDF Operational Programme and by the Department of Economy, Knowledge, Business and University of the Regional Government of Andalusia. Project reference: FEDER-UCA18-107689 titled “Analysis of the influence of the Andalusian, Spanish and European entrepreneurial ecosystems on the internationalization process of Andalusian academic spin-offs, and its impact on innovation results.

Citation

Villanueva-Flores, M., Hernández-Roque, D., Fernández-Alles, M. and Diaz-Fernandez, M. (2023), "The international orientation of academic entrepreneurship: the role of relational, human and psychological capital", Journal of Intellectual Capital, Vol. 24 No. 3, pp. 683-709. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIC-06-2021-0157

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited

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