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The present and future of intellectual capital in the healthcare sector: A systematic literature review

Niccolò Paoloni (Department of Engineering, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy)
Giorgia Mattei (Department of Business Studies, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy)
Alberto Dello Strologo (Department of Human Sciences, European University of Rome, Rome, Italy)
Massimiliano Celli (Department of Business Studies, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy)

Journal of Intellectual Capital

ISSN: 1469-1930

Article publication date: 9 March 2020

Issue publication date: 3 June 2020

1003

Abstract

Purpose

This systematic literature review analyzes and identifies research areas where researchers have already studied the role of intellectual capital (IC) in the healthcare sector. This review also analyzes how they carried out their work to understand future research directions.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis is conducted through a systematic literature review. Therefore, following systematic literature review protocol, it was possible to select 225 papers. An analysis of the content was done to identify the main topics debated and understand what components of IC are the most studied by scholars.

Findings

The authors highlight how the components of IC (human capital, structural capital and relational capital) in the healthcare sector have not been discussed with the same frequency and intensity by researchers. The research shows that there are already widely discussed areas, such as structural capital, while other components of IC have remained on the shadow, such as relational capital. Human capital is the most undiscussed component.

Research limitations/implications

The manual analysis of the articles can be considered a limitation of this work.

Originality/value

This systematic literature review makes several useful contributions. First, it enables others to replicate scientific research, thanks to its clear and transparent process. Second, it identifies the main areas of research and the main research methods. It enables researchers to identify which issues their work should address and suggests possible areas for future research.

Keywords

Citation

Paoloni, N., Mattei, G., Dello Strologo, A. and Celli, M. (2020), "The present and future of intellectual capital in the healthcare sector: A systematic literature review", Journal of Intellectual Capital, Vol. 21 No. 3, pp. 357-379. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIC-10-2019-0237

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2020, Emerald Publishing Limited

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