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Article
Publication date: 20 July 2012

Jonna Käpylä

The purpose of this paper is to tackle the problem of societal knowledge management from the perspective of critical management research. The focus is on national intellectual…

1016

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to tackle the problem of societal knowledge management from the perspective of critical management research. The focus is on national intellectual capital analysis as part of societal knowledge management. First, the aim is to identify the dominant discourse that governs the discussion around national intellectual capital and its measurement. Second, the aim is to explore the prospects for an alternative conceptualisation and to propose a heuristic tool through which it is possible to approach national intellectual capital and its measurement in a critical, informed and analytic way.

Design/methodology/approach

The study takes a critical standpoint and leans loosely on the methodology of critical discourse analysis by Norman Fairclough.

Findings

The paper argues for the emancipation of national intellectual capital from the orthodoxy that relates it to economic growth, quantitative measurement, objectivity and universality towards a discourse that regards the value of national intellectual capital and its analysis more broadly, recognising the contextual and subjective nature of national intellectual capital.

Research limitations/implications

The conceptual analysis provides a basis for further empirical assessment of national intellectual capital.

Societal implications

The paper offers a critical conceptual lens through which to approach societal knowledge management. The constructed heuristic tool for analysing national intellectual capital can serve as a basis for strategic knowledge‐based development.

Originality/value

The paper offers a critical reflection of intellectual capital on the national/societal level and a starting point for critical societal knowledge management.

Details

Journal of Intellectual Capital, vol. 13 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1469-1930

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 July 2012

Jonna Käpylä, Paula Kujansivu and Antti Lönnqvist

The paper concerns the research problem of how to analyse the performance of a knowledge society as a whole, and in particular, of how to analyse national intellectual capital…

2021

Abstract

Purpose

The paper concerns the research problem of how to analyse the performance of a knowledge society as a whole, and in particular, of how to analyse national intellectual capital. The paper aims to build a conceptual foundation for national intellectual capital performance, and based on this, to construct a multidimensional measurement system for Finland and to investigate its usefulness.

Design/methodology/approach

The framework and measurement system of national intellectual capital performance is constructed on the basis of the intellectual capital and knowledge management research literature. The illustration of the measurement system is carried out using empirical data from various institutions.

Findings

The paper argues for the strategic, dialogic and societal measurement of national intellectual capital.

Research limitations/implication

There was neither an exact purpose of measurement nor a detailed strategy for the knowledge society to aim at. Because of this, the measurement system serves as an illustrative example that provides a starting point for more in‐depth case studies on national intellectual capital.

Practical implications

This paper is targeted at policymakers and government officials concerned with questions related to national knowledge‐based development. The framework and measurement system constructed can serve as a basis for the strategic measurement of knowledge societies.

Originality/value

The paper shows how to apply the concept of national intellectual capital performance to analyse knowledge society. The approach proposed takes into account the strategic nature of national intellectual capital that has been ignored in earlier studies.

Details

Journal of Intellectual Capital, vol. 13 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1469-1930

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 31 July 2007

José Luis Hervas‐Oliver and Juan Ignacio Dalmau‐Porta

The paper seeks to provide a consistent theoretical framework to measure national intellectual capital (IC) and also empirical evidence on the core factors which explain…

1096

Abstract

Purpose

The paper seeks to provide a consistent theoretical framework to measure national intellectual capital (IC) and also empirical evidence on the core factors which explain countries' IC stocks.

Design/methodology/approach

A multidisciplinary theoretical framework is provided to underpin research on regional/national IC. Empirical evidence through multivariate methodology is used in order to design a method to extract the national IC drivers which can explain countries' IC stocks in OECD countries in the years 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005.

Findings

Theoretical bases of IC are presented to contribute to expanding territorial IC fundamentals and a regional/national IC model is developed. Results show that technological capability and the governmental policy oriented to business are both key factors in mapping the position of the nation in the IC ranking and both are mainly responsible for the levels of countries' IC.

Research limitations/implications

The sample was limited to OECD countries.

Practical implications

The paper is a very useful source of information for policymakers. The paper also opens a necessary debate on the critical areas that need to be reinforced in order to develop regional and national knowledge and national IC platforms. The IC index offered thus explains the key areas in need of improvement in order to upgrade the national IC.

Originality/value

To date, no study has identified the critical IC areas, but rankings have been drawn up with no conclusions at all. This exploratory study adds new empirical evidence to fill this gap in the research.

Details

Journal of Intellectual Capital, vol. 8 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1469-1930

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 July 2012

Henna Salonius and Antti Lönnqvist

National intellectual capital (IC) measurement models produced by academics provide potentially valuable information for policy making. However, there is a lack of research…

Abstract

Purpose

National intellectual capital (IC) measurement models produced by academics provide potentially valuable information for policy making. However, there is a lack of research explaining how policy makers actually deal with issues related to national IC. The purpose of this paper is to examine the phenomenon of national IC from the perspective of policy makers. The aim is to understand how they perceive the concept of national IC and how it manifests in the actual work processes they perform.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical data comprise interviews from eight ministry officials representing six ministries in Finland. These ministries are expected to be the main potential users of national IC information.

Findings

The findings show that the policy makers are not familiar with the concept of national IC. However, the elements of national IC (e.g. competence level, national brand) are easily identified and highly valued. The information the policy makers have on the different elements of national IC is obtained from various sources and there is no specific national IC measurement model in use.

Research limitations/implications

The results of the study contribute to the research stream of measuring national IC by taking into account the information users’ perspective. This could help researchers in the further development and implementation of the models.

Originality/value

There appears to be a significant disconnection between the academics producing novel solutions to measure national IC and the practitioners dealing with national IC‐related development initiatives. This paper produces new knowledge for bridging that gap.

Details

Journal of Intellectual Capital, vol. 13 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1469-1930

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 January 2011

Jose‐Luis Hervas‐Oliver, Ronald Rojas, Blanca‐Maria Martins and Roberto Cervelló‐Royo

This paper aims to present a focus for identifying the convergence between the theory of the intellectual capital of nations and that of the National Systems of Innovation from…

1932

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to present a focus for identifying the convergence between the theory of the intellectual capital of nations and that of the National Systems of Innovation from the literature of innovation systems, with the aim of providing a more robust theoretical framework to explore the drivers of intangibles and the policies which foster competitiveness through the development of the national intellectual capital platforms.

Design/methodology/approach

Selecting 28 indicators which best fit the analyzed theoretic principles and taking into account the member countries of the European Union as a sample (15) with the data taken from the IMD, a simple analysis of the seven‐year (2000‐2006) window was carried out to compare the intangibles pointed out in the two aforementioned perspectives.

Findings

The homogeneity of the results using models of measurement of intellectual capital of countries with those obtained through the models of the National Systems of Innovation prove the considerable convergence between these two theoretic fields, validating the hypotheses proposed in the study.

Research limitations/implications

The system provided is not an exhaustive use of all the available measures and countries. A more comprehensive practical application on more countries and indicators would be necessary to validate the model.

Practical implications

The study has implications for the business, politicians and academia. The study opens new lines of research in the sense that it advocates a theoretical approximation and the integration of the abundant literature on the National Systems of Innovation as basic drivers to explain the intangibles at a macro level, their management and politics related to the maintaining and renewal of said assets of intellectual capital.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors' knowledge, so far no study analyzing this convergence has been designed or published. This paper extends and adds robustness to the national IC measurement model to help policymakers and scholars.

Details

Journal of Intellectual Capital, vol. 12 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1469-1930

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 April 2008

Pirjo Ståhle and Ahmed Bounfour

The paper aims at creating understanding on the dynamics of intellectual capital (IC), which has emerged recently as one of the major issues on the research agenda. The theme is…

3628

Abstract

Purpose

The paper aims at creating understanding on the dynamics of intellectual capital (IC), which has emerged recently as one of the major issues on the research agenda. The theme is studied from a national point of view.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis has been conducted using data from the IMD Competitiveness Report covering the data of 51 countries from the years 2000‐2005. Data analysis is aimed at analysing time dependent relationships between intellectual capital and GNP growth. The research provides parameters of four types of effects for a nation's GNP growth: sustaining effects, boosting effects, linear growth potential and exponential growth potential. Based on the developmental stage of the countries they were grouped to: developing; transitional; and developed countries, and the effects of IC was studied within and between these groups.

Findings

The analysis specifies the types of IC factors that have important effects on economic growth on different level of economics. The analysis also provides an analytical framework for designing the context in which IC of nations can be adequately considered in the mid‐long term perspective.

Research limitations/implications

The research has to be considered as exploratory. It has been conducted using only one database with certain limitations. Further research is needed especially by integrating other components of intellectual capital, e.g. reputation, decision‐making processes, and cultural dimension.

Practical implications

From a practical perspective the findings also provide important guidelines and framework for policy makers.

Originality/value

This paper provides a new view on the dynamics of IC at national level by relating IC ingredients to economic performance and specifying under which circumstances IC has important effects on national GNP growth.

Details

Journal of Intellectual Capital, vol. 9 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1469-1930

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 June 2012

Kongkiti Phusavat, Narongsak Comepa, Agnieszka Sitko‐Lutek and Keng‐Boon Ooi

The paper is based on a project with the Department of Industrial Work (DIW) in Thailand for promoting intellectual capital (IC), which aims to boost the country's long‐term…

1508

Abstract

Purpose

The paper is based on a project with the Department of Industrial Work (DIW) in Thailand for promoting intellectual capital (IC), which aims to boost the country's long‐term industrial competitiveness. The purpose of this paper is to focus on examining the interrelationships between IC and economic development (i.e. GDP per capita) in Thailand and other neighboring countries in Southeast Asia. The second objective is to identify the IC targets to help enable the DIW to propose future policy initiatives relating to IC.

Design/methodology/approach

The key steps include a selection of IC indicator(s) to assess IC impacts on the country's economic development. There are five countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand) to be examined for the IC impacts due to their economy sizes. The methodology involves statistical analysis for understanding the interrelationships and identifying the IC targets for Thailand and the future policy initiatives are derived through the review discussion with DIW administrators.

Findings

Initially, two IC indicators were selected. However, only National Intellectual Capital Indicator (NICI) was statistically significant to the GDP per capita. A further examination revealed that the NICI target for Thailand and a remaining three countries needs to reach 5.0, in order to move from the efficiency‐driven to the innovation‐driven stage. The economic development stages are outlined by the Global Competitiveness Report (published by World Economic Forum) which indicates a GDP per capita over $US 17,000.

Originality/value

The paper underlines the need for the DIW to continue a development of the IC‐related performance indicators for local firms, in both manufacturing and service sectors. In the past, the DIW has encouraged them to primarily measure quality and productivity (including Economic Value Added) as their key non‐financial area. The IC‐related indicators may emerge as one of several alternatives for productivity and quality measurement.

Details

Industrial Management & Data Systems, vol. 112 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-5577

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 June 2018

Eugénia Pedro, João Leitão and Helena Alves

For better mapping the path of intellectual capital (IC) research, the purpose of this paper is to selectively review empirical studies of IC published, and identify theories…

2544

Abstract

Purpose

For better mapping the path of intellectual capital (IC) research, the purpose of this paper is to selectively review empirical studies of IC published, and identify theories, components and three dimensions of analysis: national IC (NIC), regional IC (RIC) and organizational IC (OIC).

Design/methodology/approach

The systematic literature review (SLR) subject to analysis is based on empirical studies made between 1960 and 2016, and focuses on three dimensions of analysis: NIC, RIC and OIC. Four research questions were designed, using the following databases, namely, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar, for data collection purposes.

Findings

The SLR unveils a multidimensional taxonomy for measuring and classifying the type of IC applicable to the different levels of analysis and provides some recommendations for future studies of NIC, RIC and OIC, by outlining the need for clear definitions of components and measures of IC and identifying strengths, limitations and future research avenues.

Originality/value

In order to fill the gap found in the literature and the non-existence of a study clarifying the multiple dimensions of analysis of IC, this SLR makes a twofold, original contribution to the literature on management: providing an SLR of the main empirical studies dealing with different units of analysis; and identifying a multidimensional taxonomy for measuring and classifying the type of IC applicable to the different levels of analysis.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 56 no. 11
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 March 2018

Eugénia Pedro, João Leitão and Helena Alves

The purpose of this paper is to determine the predominant classification of intellectual capital (IC), in terms of components, using the literature of reference on the…

2089

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to determine the predominant classification of intellectual capital (IC), in terms of components, using the literature of reference on the relationship between IC and performance and considering multi-dimensional analysis axes (MAAs): organisational, regional and national.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review (SLR) is presented focussing on empirical studies on IC published in the period 1960-2016. A protocol for action is defined and a research question is raised, gathering data from the databases of: Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar. A social network analysis is also provided to determine the type of networks embracing groups, IC individual components and performance type.

Findings

Of the 777 papers included in the SLR, 189 deal with the relationship between IC and performance. The paper highlights the greater development of empirical studies starting from 2004; the organisational MAA is the most studied. The most frequently used groups of components in studies dealing with IC’s influence on performance corresponds to a triad of human capital; structural (organisational or process) capital; and relational (social or customer) capital, which determine positively the performance of organisations/regions/countries, but their influence is not linear and depends on various factors associated with the context and surrounding environment.

Practical implications

This study has wide-ranging implications for politicians/governments, managers and academics, providing empirical evidence about the relationships between the components of IC and performance, by MAAs, and a global vision and better understanding of how those IC components have developed and how they are related to performance.

Originality/value

Due to the high number of references covering a wide range of disciplines and the various dimensions (e.g. organisational, regional and national) that form IC, it becomes fundamental to carry out an SRL and systematise its MAAs to deepen knowledge about what has been discovered/developed in this domain, in terms of empirical studies, in order to situate the topic in a wider theoretical-practical context. The paper is exceptionally wide-ranging, covering the period 1960-2016. It is one of the first clarifying studies on systemisation of the literature on IC, by MAA, and an in-depth study of IC’s impact on the performance of organisations/regions and countries which may serve as a guideline for future studies using the taxonomy proposed.

Details

Journal of Intellectual Capital, vol. 19 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1469-1930

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 21 October 2013

Romilio Labra and M. Paloma Sánchez

The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on national intellectual capital (NIC) in order to identify and compare the main models to measure and report IC at the…

1428

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on national intellectual capital (NIC) in order to identify and compare the main models to measure and report IC at the country level and to examine the differences from and similarities to the IC approach for firms.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review was carried out using three scientific databases and the five most important journals. Additional information was also reviewed. The search covered the period from January 2000 to December 2012. The models to measure intangibles were analyzed and compared using qualitative and quantitative techniques.

Findings

The literature review shows that although such literature is still nascent and relatively scarce, there is growing interest in measuring, reporting, and managing IC for countries as a whole. NIC studies have been published in a small number of journals and more theoretical work is required. There are two main types of methods to assess and report on NIC. Despite the differences among models, their findings tend to converge.

Practical implications

The information obtained contributes to the selection of models. This selection can be based on pragmatic considerations, such as the availability of data.

Originality/value

There are several models to evaluate intangibles at the country level and different ways to measure them. The paper offers comparative information about the models to aid in selection for managing intangibles at the country level.

Details

Journal of Intellectual Capital, vol. 14 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1469-1930

Keywords

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