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Intellectual Capital and Sustainability

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 February 2022) | Viewed by 54710

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Dr. Paula Benevene

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Department of Human Sciences, LUMSA University, 00193 Rome, Italy
Interests: non-profit organizations; organizational well-being; intellectual capital and intangibles
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Michela Cortini

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Department of Psychological, Health and Territorial Psychological Sciences, University of Pescara-Chieti, 66100 Chieti, Italy
Interests: intellectual capital; nonprofit organizations; organizational wellbeing
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Dr. Barbara Barbieri

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Department of Political and Social Sciences, University of Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy
Interests: psychological well being at work; socialization processes at work; models and approaches to intervention and organizational analysis; entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial intentions
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Prof. Dr. Maria Luisa Farnese

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Department of Psychology, University of Rome "La Sapienza", 00185 Rome, Italy
Interests: intellectual capital, non-profit organizations, organizational well-being

Dr. Ilaria Buonomo

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Department of Human Sciences, LUMSA University, 00193 Rome, Italy
Interests: organizational well-being; positive psychology; intellectual capital and intangibles
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Organization sustainability and growth today are more and more reliant on knowledge. Intellectual capital has been defined as knowledge that can be converted into value; it consists of all the intangible assets of an organization. Intellectual capital has been conceptualized according to three components: (1) human capital (e.g., attitudes, skills, and competences of people in the organization); (2) relational capital (e.g., relationships with customers and other stakeholders); and (3) structural or organizational capital (e.g., organizational culture, routines and practices, and intellectual property).

Intellectual capital emerges as a valuable resource for profit and nonprofit, as well as public and private contexts.

Building on these considerations, this Special Issue aims to deepen the knowledge on the role of human, relational, and structural capitals in enhancing organizational sustainability, gathering contributions from different disciplines, in order to develop a multidisciplinary dialogue within the Special Issue.

Research papers with quantitative and qualitative methods, as well as literature reviews, are welcome. All the manuscripts will be subject to a rigorous peer review procedure.

Prof. Dr. Paula Benevene
Prof. Dr. Michela Cortini
Prof. Dr. Barbara Barbieri
Prof. Dr. Maria Luisa Farnese
Dr. Ilaria Buonomo
Guest Editors

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

intellectual capital
human capital
relational capital
structural capital
organizational capital
intangible assets
knowledge management

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 308 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Sustainable Intellectual Capital on Sustainable Performance: A Case Study

by José Vale, Rafaela Miranda, Graça Azevedo and Maria C. Tavares

Sustainability 2022, 14(8), 4382; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084382 - 7 Apr 2022

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4286

Abstract

Intellectual capital (IC) has become one of the most valuable resources of an organisation. Along with the increasing concerns for sustainable practices, a new concept has emerged: Sustainable IC (SIC). However, research on SIC is scarce, especially when addressing its relationship with sustainable organisational performance. Through a case study conducted on a small- and medium-size industrial orthopaedic footwear organisation, we aimed to assess how an organisation’s internal stakeholders perceive the concepts of SIC, sustainability, and sustainable performance and to comprehend better the effect of SIC on the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainable organisational performance. Evidence suggests that the stakeholders were not familiar with the SIC concept and overemphasised the environmental dimension when referring to both sustainability and sustainable performance concepts. Furthermore, it was found that the organisation’s sustainable performance was affected by all its SIC components (human, structural, and relational). This study contributes to the development of two different but complementing areas of research: IC and sustainability. It also provides important managerial implications for industrial organisations concerned with their performance. Finally, generalisation for other situations should only be conducted in a theoretical fashion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intellectual Capital and Sustainability)

20 pages, 738 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Employees’ Perceptions on the Relationship of Intellectual Capital and Business Performance of ICT Companies

by Nemanja Lekić, Marko Carić, Dragan Soleša, Jelena Vapa Tankosić, Jasmina Rajaković-Mijailović, Srđan Bogetić and Marko Vučičević

Sustainability 2022, 14(1), 275; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14010275 - 28 Dec 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2387

Abstract

The ICT sector has been recognized as a sector with great potential for the growth and development of the economy of the Republic of Serbia. This initiated the need to analyze the strategic aspect of the ICT sector intellectual capital concept. The purpose of the paper is to empirically test the impact of intellectual capital on business performance within the ICT sector. The research was conducted on a sample of 611 employees in ICT sector companies in the Republic of Serbia. The partial least squares method was used to model the structural equations for analysis of the primary data and testing of the hypotheses. The findings show a positive and statistically significant relationship between individual components of intellectual capital and the business performance of ICT companies, which confirms the hypotheses. Human capital proved to have the strongest influence on the business performance of ICT companies. This paper provides new scientific knowledge which can contribute to creating long-term strategies that shall focus on more sophisticated management of intellectual capital, compared to the traditional tasks of allocating resources of the organization. The findings may be of interest to other sectors stakeholders to provide deeper understanding on intellectual capital as an essential source of companies’ competitive advantage that can positively impact business performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intellectual Capital and Sustainability)

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13 pages, 701 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Organizational Capital: A Resource for Changing and Performing in Public Administrations

by Barbara Barbieri, Ilaria Buonomo, Maria Luisa Farnese and Paula Benevene

Sustainability 2021, 13(10), 5436; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13105436 - 13 May 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3023

Abstract

The aim of this study was to deepen our knowledge about the role played by organizational capital (OC) among public administration (PA) agencies. A questionnaire was administered to a gender-balanced convenience sample of 270 workers of Italian PAs. First, confirmatory factor analysis was performed in order to examine the measurement model. Second, a SEM model was performed, confirming that OC was both directly and indirectly positively related to performance, through the mediation of innovation. OC was also positively related to innovation through the mediation of clarity about change. Overall, the results supported the hypothesized model, providing initial evidence on the pivotal role OC plays, and especially for PA agencies, on organizational innovation and performance. The limits and practical implications of these results are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intellectual Capital and Sustainability)

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25 pages, 1242 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Improving the Strategic Benchmarking of Intellectual Capital Management in Logistics Service Providers

by Ratapol Wudhikarn, Nopasit Chakpitak and Gilles Neubert

Sustainability 2020, 12(23), 10174; https://doi.org/10.3390/su122310174 - 5 Dec 2020

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 2656

Abstract

This research developed a new integrated method for addressing the deficiencies and gaps generally found in past studies on benchmarking and for benchmarking intellectual capital (IC) in the underdeveloped domain of logistics. To resolve the lack of consideration of relationships among past benchmarking concepts and the impacts of their managerial factors, as well as to examine the wide range of elements and indicators of IC influencing the sustainable development of organizations, the proposed approach integrated the analytic network process and the concept of thinking and non-thinking assets with the generic benchmarking procedure. This new hybrid method was implemented in four commercial companies in courier service. The proposed method prioritized and identified the magnitudes of the factors focused upon, including the IC elements, and their performance measures by considering the fundamental characteristics of intangible assets. The obtained results highlight that management focuses on the IC of the best performer and other companies. This benchmarked outcome showed gaps and improvement as well as sustainable development opportunities for inferior logistics companies. The improved framework provides more systematic and specific benchmarking processes to consider, obtain, and compare the in-depth details of IC management. Moreover, ours is the first research on benchmarking that specifically focused on IC management in logistics service providers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intellectual Capital and Sustainability)

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19 pages, 2127 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reporting of Intellectual Capital Management Using a Scoring Model

by Florinda Matos, Valter Vairinhos and Radu Godina

Sustainability 2020, 12(19), 8086; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12198086 - 30 Sep 2020

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3656

Abstract

The global transformation of the economy, driven by digital transformation and sustainability challenges, is placing its focus on the evaluation of companies’ intangible assets. Thus, if the report of those intangible assets, namely intellectual capital (IC) management, is endowed with credible metrics, recognized, and accepted, it can work as a guarantee, ensuring the reliability and sustainability of an organization. The aim of this research is to propose a data-driven Intellectual Capital Management Scoring System to be used in the auditing of the IC management of organisations. This paper presents one of the first attempts to use Path Modelling and the Partial Least Squares (PLS) Methodology, combined with Biplots, to define and validate Intellectual Capital Scoring Systems. This system relies on a model estimated using the PLS Path Modelling methodology and uses data from two independent random samples of Portuguese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which, in turn, was used to obtain two independent model estimates. The results obtained with the mentioned methodology show a good consistency both in performance and very similar parameters estimates, suggesting the validity of the associated scoring function. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intellectual Capital and Sustainability)

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13 pages, 1054 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Teacher Confidence in Professional Training: The Predictive Roles of Engagement and Burnout

by Caterina Fiorilli, Ilaria Buonomo, Luciano Romano, Ylenia Passiatore, Domenica Fioredistella Iezzi, Paolo Emilio Santoro, Paula Benevene and Alessandro Pepe

Sustainability 2020, 12(16), 6345; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12166345 - 6 Aug 2020

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5499

Abstract

Teachers’ work engagement positively impacts teachers’ attitudes towards their job. Nevertheless, teachers may experience burnout during their career, which negatively impacts their professional learning opportunities. In this study we investigated the relationship between teachers’ levels of burnout, work engagement, and their confidence in in-service training in a sample of Italian teachers. We expected that burnout mediated the relationship between work engagement and teachers’ confidence in training. A total of 481 teachers completed self-report questionnaires about engagement and burnout, with an ad hoc Confidence in Training Index developed to assess their attitudes towards professional development courses. The mediation analysis confirmed that the teachers’ levels of burnout mediated the relationship between their work engagement and their confidence in in-service training. Findings suggest that teacher confidence in policies about professional training should be evaluated by taking into account their level of engagement and burnout. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intellectual Capital and Sustainability)

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14 pages, 465 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Relationship between Psychological Capital and Quality of Life: The Role of Courage

by Giuseppe Santisi, Ernesto Lodi, Paola Magnano, Rita Zarbo and Andrea Zammitti

Sustainability 2020, 12(13), 5238; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12135238 - 28 Jun 2020

Cited by 61 | Viewed by 10450

Abstract

Quality of life is a multidimensional concept, a construct influenced by objective and subjective factors that include the evaluation of functional, physical, social, and emotional aspects of the person. The recent contributions of positive psychology present the quality of life as a fundamental indicator for health promotion and prevention strategies. In the recent psychological studies about this topic, courage demonstrated to positively affect several work behavioral outcomes, personal identity, and prosocial actions. Courage promotes change, innovation, and coping skills to achieve aims, and it correlates positively with many individual resources. The aim of the study was to investigate, according to the positive psychology approach, the relationships between psychological capital and two dimensions of quality of life—life satisfaction and flourishing—with particular attention to the mediation function performed by courage. The research was attended by a convenience sample of 807 Italian workers, balanced by gender, belonging to public, private, and non-profit organizations, and recruited on a voluntary basis. Participants responded to a structured online questionnaire containing the following measures: Psychological Capital Questionnaire, Courage Measure, Satisfaction with Life Scale, and Flourishing Scale. Cronbach’s alpha on each scale showed very good internal consistency. The collected data were analyzed according to a model of linear structural equations. In the first step, we conducted a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to test the model fit of the measurement model; in the second step, we verified the mediation hypothesis through Process v.3.1. Finally, the correlations were implemented using SPSS 20.0. The results showed that, in general, psychological capital predicts life satisfaction and flourishing, with an indirect mediation effect of courage only on flourishing. Two main conclusions emerged from the study: flourishing and life satisfaction are representative indicators of the quality of life; courage emerges as an important psychological resource that supports the individual to face and manage the uncertainties of the risk society. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intellectual Capital and Sustainability)

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18 pages, 1017 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Influence of R&D Intensity on Financial Performance: The Mediating Role of Human Capital in the Semiconductor Industry in Taiwan

by Tsung-Chun Chen and Yenchun Jim Wu

Sustainability 2020, 12(12), 5128; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12125128 - 23 Jun 2020

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4676

Abstract

Knowledge transfer is a strategy used by high-tech companies to acquire new knowledge and skills. Knowledge can be internally generated or externally sourced. The access to external knowledge is a quick fix, but the risks associated with reliance on external sources are often overlooked. However, not acquiring such knowledge is even riskier. There have been a slew of litigations in the semiconductor industry in recent years. The acquisition and assurance of intangible assets is an important issue. This paper posits that internal R&D should take into consideration the knowledge intensity and capital investment in the industry. This study focuses on the relationship between intangible assets and financial performance. It sourced the 2004 to 2016 financial data of semiconductor companies in Taiwan for panel data modeling and examined case studies for empirical validation. This study found that the higher the R&D intensity (RDI) in the value-added component of human capital, the better the financial performance of the company. RDI has a positive influence on the accumulation of human capital and financial performance metrics, and such influence is deferred. Meanwhile, human capital is a mediating factor in the relationship between RDI and financial performance. RDI is integral to the semiconductor industry’s pursuit of business sustainability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intellectual Capital and Sustainability)

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Review

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25 pages, 959 KiB

Open AccessReview

Green Human Resource Management: An Evidence-Based Systematic Literature Review

by Paula Benevene and Ilaria Buonomo

Sustainability 2020, 12(15), 5974; https://doi.org/10.3390/su12155974 - 24 Jul 2020

Cited by 114 | Viewed by 15904

Abstract

The United Nations’ report “Our Common Future” contributed to underline the crucial role of human resource management in strategically greening the organization and, in turn, economics and society at large. This awareness gave birth to green human resource management (GHRM). Despite the high number of papers addressing GHRM, this topic lacks a proper theoretical, methodological, and empirical systematization. A possible step towards a better understanding of GHRM is an evidence-based analysis of its practices’ outcomes. Developing these reflections and considerations, we conducted a systematic literature review on the evidence-based literature about the antecedents and outcomes of GHRM practices, following the PRISMA guidelines. We selected 48 papers. Most selected studies (n = 25) did not tackle single GHRM activities and processes. Studies considering specific GHRM areas tackled some dimensions more frequently (e.g., “training and development”, “performance management and appraisal”), while underrepresenting others (e.g., “Job analysis and description”). At the same time, selected studies focused on GHRM consequences for organizations, showing a high adherence to the ability, motivation, opportunity (AMO) theoretical framework. Suggestions for future research are provided. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Intellectual Capital and Sustainability)

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