scholarly journals The role of human capital in the foreign market performance of US SMEs: does owner ethnicity matter?

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (7) ◽  
pp. 24-42
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Ardito ◽  
Viviana D'Angelo ◽  
Antonio Messeni Petruzzelli ◽  
Enzo Peruffo
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Ethnic Minorities ◽  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Market Performance ◽  
Foreign Market ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Market Expansion ◽  
Practical Implications

PurposeThis paper adopts an intellectual capital perspective to investigate the role of owners who are ethnic minorities in the foreign market expansion performance of SMEs, and in particular considers the human capital dimension of intellectual capital.Design/methodology/approachBased on the empirical investigation of a sample of 10,326 small- and medium-sized US high-tech manufacturing enterprises, the authors’ results reveal a positive relationship between the number of foreign markets where these SMEs operate and their financial performance, and that this effect is reinforced by the presence of ethnic minority owners, as ethnic minorities constitute a valuable source of intellectual capital which bring value to firms.FindingsThe authors’ findings reveal the importance of intellectual capital in an SME’s leadership position, specifically in terms of having individuals from normally disadvantaged groups as owners. In this sense, policymakers are crucial in supporting the inclusion of ethnic minorities in SME ownership, through advantageous treatment in firms, for example.Practical implicationsThe study presents practical implications for managers seeking foreign market expansion. In addition, when defining ownership structure (e.g., in the start-up phase), the role of human capital, in the form of ethnic minorities, should not be neglected, especially if an SME intends to operate or is already operating in different national contexts.Originality/valueThe authors’ results provide important insights into the positive effect of human capital on SME foreign market performance. The idea of a moderating role played by owners from ethnic minorities suggested here contributes to the literature on human capital and is one of the first attempts to consider this moderating factor in this relationship, especially in the SME context.

Drivers for voluntary intellectual capital reporting based on agency theory

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 264-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viktoria Goebel
Keyword(s):  
Propensity Score ◽  
Agency Theory ◽  
Propensity Score Matching ◽  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Integrated Reporting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Management Report

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the drivers for voluntary intellectual capital (IC) reporting based on agency theory. This study responds to calls for critical investigations of IC reporting utilising Goebel’s (2015a) IC measuring approach to investigate the role of IC value and mispricing for IC reporting.Design/methodology/approachA mandatory management report offers a unique research setting in Germany. The content analysis results of 428 German management reports are used in a regression analysis with leverage, ownership diffusion, IC value and mispricing. Additionally, a propensity score matching approach examines the relationship between IC reporting and IC value.FindingsThe regression results show that companies use voluntary IC reporting to encounter mispricing. IC reporting is negatively associated with leverage, whereas ownership diffusion and IC value show no significant results. The propensity score matching approach is also not significant.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes to strengthening and testing agency theory for IC reporting. As mispricing is identified to play an important role for IC reporting, IC research should account for mispricing.Practical implicationsThe findings suggest to reopen a discussion on the declared aims of the German management report and the international integrated reporting model to provide information on value creation, as IC value shows no link to IC reporting.Originality/valueThis study innovatively links IC reporting to IC value and mispricing to investigate drivers for voluntary IC reporting.

Intellectual capital in family firms: human capital identification and measurement

2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 199-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Enrique Claver-Cortés ◽  
Patrocinio Carmen Zaragoza-Sáez ◽  
Hipólito Molina-Manchón ◽  
Mercedes Úbeda-García
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Family Firms ◽  
Balance Sheet ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Competitive Advantages ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – Based on the literature devoted to family firms and the intellectual capital-based view of the firm, the purpose of this paper is not only to identify the most important human capital intangibles owned by family firms but also to show a number of indicators that can help measure them. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative case-study-based research approach was adopted taking as reference: 25 family firms belonging to different sectors; previous works existing in the literature; and the intellectus model. Findings – The present study identifies ten intangibles associated with the human capital of family firms and shows 60 indicators that can be used to measure them. It additionally provides empirical evidence and gives examples of these intangibles through the analysis of 25 international family firms. Research limitations/implications – The difficulty in collecting all the human capital intangibles of family firms; the problems associated with the creation of accurate indicators; and those specific to the research methodology adopted. Practical implications – Identifying the human capital intangibles of family firms and their indicators can help managers become aware of their importance, and this will consequently help them improve their management. This could be an interesting starting point to value these intangibles in the balance sheet as well as to draw comparisons between family and non-family organisations. Originality/value – The framework provided by family firms sheds light on several intangibles specific to these firms – precisely for their condition as “family” firms. Those intangibles – human capital intangibles being especially highlighted in this study – provide the basis for the achievement of competitive advantages.

scholarly journals The role of national intellectual capital in the digital transformation of EU countries. Another digital divide?

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jadranka Švarc ◽  
Jasminka Lažnjak ◽  
Marina Dabić
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Conceptual Model ◽  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Digital Transformation ◽  
Member States ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Eu Member States ◽  
The Eu

PurposeThis study, an exploratory one, aims to empirically investigate the association of national intellectual capital (NIC) with the national digital transformation readiness of the European Union's (EU’s) member states. Apart from building the conceptual model of NIC, this study explores the role of NIC dimensions in the digital divide between European countries.Design/methodology/approachBased on the literature review and the available EU statistical data and indexes, the theoretical framework and conceptual model for NIC were developed. The model explores the relation of NIC and its dimensions (human, social, structural, relational and renewable/development capital) on the readiness of European countries for digital transformation and the digital divide. Significant differences between EU countries in NIC and digital readiness were tested. Multiple linear regression was used to explore the association of each NIC dimension with digital transformation and digital divide within the EU.FindingsDespite a positive association between all dimensions of NIC and digital transformation readiness, the proposed model of NIC was not confirmed in full. Regression analysis proved social capital and working skills, a dimension of human capital, to be the predictors of digital transformation at a national level, able to detect certain elements of digital divide between EU member states. Structural capital, knowledge and education, as dimensions of human capital, were predictors of the digital divide in terms of the integration of digital media in companies.Research limitations/implicationsThis research has a limited propensity for generalisation due to the lack of common measurement models in the field of NIC exploration.Practical implicationsThis research offers policy makers an indication of the relationships between NIC and digital transformation, pointing out which dimensions of NIC should be strengthened to allow the EU to meet the challenges of digital economy and to overcome the digital divide between EU member states.Social implicationsThe use of digital technologies is key in creating active and informed citizens in the public sphere and productive companies and economic growth in the business sphere.Originality/valueThis study provides an original theoretical framework and conceptual model through which to analyse the relationship between NIC and digital transformation, which has thus far not been explored at the level of the EU. This research makes an original contribution to the empirical exploration of NIC and produces new insights in the fields of digital transformation and intellectual capital.

Human capital and innovation: mixing apples and oranges on the board of high-tech firms

2019 ◽  
Vol 58 (5) ◽  
pp. 897-926 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabrizia Sarto ◽  
Sara Saggese ◽  
Riccardo Viganò ◽  
Marianna Mauro
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Ordinary Least Squares ◽  
Primary Sources ◽  
Limited Attention ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Firm Innovation ◽  
High Tech Industry ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the implications of board human capital heterogeneity for company innovation by focusing on the educational and the functional background of directors. Moreover, it examines the moderating effect of the CEO expertise-overlap within the innovation domain on the relationship between board human capital heterogeneity and firm innovation. Design/methodology/approach The hypotheses are tested through a set of ordinary least squares regressions on a unique dataset of 149 Italian high-tech companies observed between 2012 and 2015. Findings Findings show that the educational and the functional background heterogeneity of directors increase both the innovation input and output. However, results highlight that these relationships are negatively moderated by the CEO expertise-overlap within the innovation domain. Practical implications The paper emphasizes the importance of appointing directors with different and specific educational and functional backgrounds to foster the company innovation. Originality/value The paper fills a gap in the literature as it has devoted limited attention to the performance implications of board human capital heterogeneity in the high-tech industry where knowledge and skills are the primary sources of value. Moreover, the paper integrates the research on the CEO-board interface by shedding light on how the CEO expertise within the innovation domain affects the contribution of heterogeneous boards to company innovation.

Intellectual capital and performance of Islamic and conventional banking

2019 ◽  
Vol 38 (7) ◽  
pp. 518-537 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amina Buallay
Keyword(s):  
Financial Performance ◽  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Banking Sector ◽  
Market Performance ◽  
Value Added ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Islamic Banks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Conventional Banks

Purpose Intellectual capital (IC) is considered as a lifeblood of the high-tech and knowledge-based sectors. Therefore, there is a great need to highlight the importance of IC in the banking sector. Since the banking sector in the gulf countries is mainly based on Islamic and conventional banking, the purpose of this paper is to provide a comparative empirical analysis between IC efficiency in Islamic and conventional banks, and its impacts on a bank’s operational, financial and market performance. Design/methodology/approach This study examined 59 banks for five years to end up with 295 observations. The independent variable is the modified value added IC components; the dependent variables are performance indicators (return on assets, return on equity and Tobin’s Q). Two control variables are utilized in this study: bank-specific and macroeconomic. Findings The findings deduced from the empirical results demonstrate that there is a positive relationship between IC efficiency and financial performance (ROE) and market performance (TQ) in Islamic banks. However, in conventional banks, there is a positive relationship between IC and operational performance (ROE) and financial performance (ROE). Originality/value The results of this study can be used to present a successful model for the Islamic and conventional banks to concentrate more on the role of IC in enhancing the bank’s performance. In addition, the results of this study may provide a wake-up call for Islamic banks to examine the reasons for the imperfect relationship between the IC and asset efficiency (ROA), as well as for conventional banks to examine the reasons for an imperfect relationship between the IC and market value (TQ).

Intellectual capital for recovering patient centrality and ensuring patient satisfaction in healthcare sector

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabio Fiano ◽  
Marco Sorrentino ◽  
Francesco Caputo ◽  
Margherita Smarra
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Patient Satisfaction ◽  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Healthcare Management ◽  
Healthcare Sector ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Relational Capital ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Structural Capital

PurposeWith the aim to enrich the ongoing debate about healthcare management, the paper has a twofold intent: [1] to emphasise the interpretative contribution that intellectual capital can provide to a better understanding of the relevant role of patients in the healthcare sector and [2] to investigate the relationships between the three main dimensions of intellectual capital – human capital, relational capital and structural capital – and patient satisfaction in the healthcare sector.Design/methodology/approachThe intellectual capital framework is contextualised in the healthcare sector, and the relationships among patient evaluations of human capital, relational capital and structural capital and patient satisfaction are tested via structural equation modelling (SEM) using primary data collected with reference to a sample of 561 Italian patients involved in post survey treatments in three Italian hospitals.FindingsThe role of intellectual capital in supporting a better understanding of processes and dynamics of patient satisfaction in the healthcare sector is underlined. The empirical research provides possible guidelines for recovery patients centrality in healthcare management.Originality/valueThe paper shows how an intellectual capital framework can support a better understanding and management of dynamics and processes through which patient centrality and satisfaction in healthcare management can be enforced.

Intellectual capital efficiency and bank’s performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 672-694 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amina Buallay ◽  
Richard Cummings ◽  
Allam Hamdan
Keyword(s):  
Financial Performance ◽  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Positive Relationship ◽  
Market Performance ◽  
Value Added ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Islamic Banks ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Conventional Banks ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Intellectual capital (IC) plays a pivotal role in the high-tech and knowledge-based economic sectors. With the emergence of FinTech, which, with respect to the banking sector, is merging high-tech with the k-economy, there is an emerging need to highlight the importance and understand the dynamics of bank IC. With respect to Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economies, where FinTech has become de rigueur, banking is bifurcated into Islamic and banking sectors. Through comparative empirical analysis, the purpose of this paper is to examine IC efficiency in Islamic and conventional banks with a view to elucidating the impact of IC, in aggregate and decomposed into its components, on an operational, financial and market performance of Islamic banks juxtaposed with conventional banks. Design/methodology/approach Using data collected from 59 banks for five years (2012-2016) involving 295 observations, an independent variable derived from the modified value added IC (MVAIC) components are regressed against dependent bank performance indicator variables [Return on Assets (ROA), Return on Equity (ROE) and Tobin’s Q (TQ)]. Two types of control variables complete the regression analysis in this study: bank-specific and macroeconomic. Findings The findings elicited from the empirical results demonstrate that there is positive relationship between IC efficiency and financial performance (ROE) and market performance (TQ) in Islamic banks. In conventional banks, however, there is a positive relationship between IC and operational performance (ROE) and financial performance (ROE). Originality/value The model in this paper presents a valuable analytical framework for exploring IC efficiency as a driver of performance in dual-sector banking economies characterized by co-existence of Islamic and conventional financial institutions. In addition, this paper highlights bank management lacunae manifesting in terms of the weak nexus between: IC and asset efficiency (ROA) in Islamic banks and IC and market value (TQ) in conventional banks.

The impact of intellectual capital on SMEs’ performance in China

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 488-509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian Xu ◽  
Jingsuo Li
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Manufacturing Sector ◽  
Operating Efficiency ◽  
High Tech ◽  
Relational Capital ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Structural Capital ◽  
Capital Efficiency ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore and compare the extent of intellectual capital (IC) and its four components in high-tech and non-high-tech small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) operating in China’s manufacturing sector, and to examine the relationship between IC and the performance of high-tech and non-high-tech SMEs. Design/methodology/approach The study uses the data of 116 high-tech SMEs and 380 non-high-tech SMEs listed on the Shenzhen stock exchanges during 2012–2016. The modified value added intellectual coefficient (MVAIC) model is used incorporating four components, namely, capital employed, human capital, structural capital and relational capital. Finally, multiple regression analysis is utilized to test the proposed research hypotheses. Findings The findings of this paper reveal that there is significant difference in MVAIC between high-tech and non-high-tech SMEs. The results further indicate a positive relationship between IC and financial performance of high-tech and non-high-tech SMEs. Specifically, IC is positively associated with firms’ earnings, profitability and operating efficiency. Additionally, capital employed efficiency, human capital efficiency and structural capital efficiency are found to be the most influential value drivers for the performance of two types of SMEs while relational capital efficiency possesses less importance. Practical implications This paper will provide a valuable framework for executives, managers and policy makers in managing IC within the Chinese context. Originality/value To the best knowledge of the authors, this is the first empirical study that has been conducted on high-tech and non-high-tech SMEs in the manufacturing sector in China.

Age and the pursuit of happiness among immigrants

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (12) ◽  
pp. 2052-2066 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarinda Taengnoi Siemers ◽  
Denise Robson
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Human Capital ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Religious Institutions ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Older Immigrants ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how various factors, particularly ones associated with ability to assimilate to a new country such as social capital and human capital, may affect the happiness of immigrants in different age groups. Design/methodology/approach The study utilizes the New Immigrant Survey 2003, which is a nationally representative survey of immigrants who became permanent US residents, to produce four separate ordered logit regressions, each for a different age group, 18-34, 35-49, 50-59, and 60 and older. Findings The empirical results indicate that employment is important to happiness among young immigrants (age 18-34). For middle-aged immigrants happiness is strongly related to family life (i.e. being married, having children), human capital, and wealth. For older immigrants (age 60 and over) happiness is significantly linked to social capital (i.e. involvement in religious institutions, communication ties to friends and family). Practical implications Understanding factors associated with the happiness of immigrants can help communities to undertake appropriate support and services for different age groups. Originality/value The study differentiates what contributes to the happiness of immigrants in different age groups. Most studies only include a binary categorical variable for age groups and do not employ a fully differentiated analysis for age. The study also explores how social capital relates to happiness. Studies of happiness among immigrants mostly omit any role of social capital variable.

Intellectual capital as a predictor of cooperative prominence through human capital in the Spanish agrifood industry

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Isabel Sánchez-Hernández ◽  
Francisca Castilla-Polo
Keyword(s):  
Human Capital ◽  
Intellectual Capital ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Model Assessment ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Research And Innovation

PurposeIntellectual capital (IC) has been shown to play a crucial role in promoting competitive success among cooperatives as well as in other types of organizations. However, cooperatives are rarely included in this line of research. This paper aims to analyze how IC in agrifood cooperatives influences their prominence by fostering responsible research and innovation (RRI), reputation and performance.Design/methodology/approachA theoretical model was developed based on a literature review, and a quantitative study was conducted, including a representative sample of the current most prominent Spanish agrifood cooperatives. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine the validity of constructs, path relationships and recent advances in the predictive model assessment.FindingsThis study’s findings show the specific role of human capital (HC) for enhancing social and structural capital in cooperatives. It was concluded that there is a need to revise and reconsider the role-played by IC in the cooperative movement.Research limitations/implicationsThe main practical contribution is to offer a specific vision of IC for agrifood cooperatives in order to maximize their market prominence. Since the study was conducted in Spain and based on a cross-sectional research approach, even though the new methodological tool partial least squares (PLS) predict was used, the authors cannot affirm whether IC will have the long-term expected effects as assumed in this research and in all contexts of the agrifood industry.Originality/valueThis is the first empirical study that has examined IC in agrifood cooperatives in Spain, with attention focused on the role of HC as a predictor of market success.

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