IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/crpeac/v70y2020ics1045235418301576.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Reflections on the criteria for the sound measurement of intellectual capital: A knowledge-based perspective

Author

Listed:
  • Kianto, Aino
  • Ritala, Paavo
  • Vanhala, Mika
  • Hussinki, Henri

Abstract

As knowledge has become a key factor of competitive advantage for organizations, regions, and nations, its measurement has gained tremendous importance. During the last two decades, the intellectual capital school of thought has produced numerous measurement frameworks and models for capturing the intangible bases of value creation, which currently occupy a well-established position in academia. In this paper, we argue that something important might have been lost along the way, namely, a thorough understanding of knowledge as the basis for human and organizational productive behavior. We argue that in order to remain relevant in the face of the increasing knowledge intensity of work, organizing, and value creation, the measurements of intellectual capital (IC) should revisit the foundations of what knowledge is. In order to regain this understanding, this paper draws on a knowledge-based perspective and proposes four critical themes that should be better recognized in IC measurement: multi-dimensionality, human agency and action, contextuality, and temporality and dynamics. We discuss the challenges that each theme poses for IC measurement and construct a set of criteria and applications for a more adequate measurement of IC.

Suggested Citation

  • Kianto, Aino & Ritala, Paavo & Vanhala, Mika & Hussinki, Henri, 2020. "Reflections on the criteria for the sound measurement of intellectual capital: A knowledge-based perspective," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:crpeac:v:70:y:2020:i:c:s1045235418301576
    DOI: 10.1016/j.cpa.2018.05.002
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1045235418301576
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.cpa.2018.05.002?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bruce Kogut & Udo Zander, 1992. "Knowledge of the Firm, Combinative Capabilities, and the Replication of Technology," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 3(3), pages 383-397, August.
    2. Bruce Kogut & Nalin Kulatilaka, 2001. "Capabilities as Real Options," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 12(6), pages 744-758, December.
    3. Martha S. Feldman & Wanda J. Orlikowski, 2011. "Theorizing Practice and Practicing Theory," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 22(5), pages 1240-1253, October.
    4. John Seely Brown & Paul Duguid, 2001. "Knowledge and Organization: A Social-Practice Perspective," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 12(2), pages 198-213, April.
    5. Beverly B. Tyler & Devi R. Gnyawali, 2009. "Managerial Collective Cognitions: An Examination of Similarities and Differences of Cultural Orientations," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(1), pages 93-126, January.
    6. Aino Kianto, 2007. "What do we really mean by the dynamic dimension of intellectual capital?," International Journal of Learning and Intellectual Capital, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 4(4), pages 342-356.
    7. Kathleen M. Eisenhardt & Jeffrey A. Martin, 2000. "Dynamic capabilities: what are they?," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(10‐11), pages 1105-1121, October.
    8. Wanda J. Orlikowski, 2002. "Knowing in Practice: Enacting a Collective Capability in Distributed Organizing," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 13(3), pages 249-273, June.
    9. Constance E. Helfat & Margaret A. Peteraf, 2015. "Managerial cognitive capabilities and the microfoundations of dynamic capabilities," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(6), pages 831-850, June.
    10. Ikujiro Nonaka, 1994. "A Dynamic Theory of Organizational Knowledge Creation," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 5(1), pages 14-37, February.
    11. Nicolai J. Foss & Kenneth Husted & Snejina Michailova, 2010. "Governing Knowledge Sharing in Organizations: Levels of Analysis, Governance Mechanisms, and Research Directions," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(3), pages 455-482, May.
    12. Robert M. Wiseman & Gloria Cuevas‐Rodríguez & Luis R. Gomez‐Mejia, 2012. "Towards a Social Theory of Agency," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(1), pages 202-222, January.
    13. Nielsen, Christian & Madsen, Mona Toft, 2009. "Discourses of transparency in the intellectual capital reporting debate: Moving from generic reporting models to management defined information," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 20(7), pages 847-854.
    14. Robert M. Grant & Charles Baden‐Fuller, 2004. "A Knowledge Accessing Theory of Strategic Alliances," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(1), pages 61-84, January.
    15. David J. Teece & Gary Pisano & Amy Shuen, 1997. "Dynamic capabilities and strategic management," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(7), pages 509-533, August.
    16. Roslender, Robin & Stevenson, Joanna, 2009. "Accounting for People: A real step forward or more a case of wishing and hoping?," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 20(7), pages 855-869.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Kristof Van Criekingen & Carter Bloch & Carita Eklund, 2022. "Measuring intangible assets—A review of the state of the art," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(5), pages 1539-1558, December.
    2. Madugba Joseph Ugochukwu & Egbide Ben-Caleb & Uzondu Anoruoh Paul & Oparah Vivian Iheaku & Adesola Deborah Ayomide, 2023. "Intellectual Capital Value Addition and the Efficient Assets Management of Listed Manufacturing Firms in Nigeria," Folia Oeconomica Stetinensia, Sciendo, vol. 23(2), pages 241-260, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Adrián Kovács & Bart Looy & Bruno Cassiman, 2015. "Exploring the scope of open innovation: a bibliometric review of a decade of research," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 104(3), pages 951-983, September.
    2. Patrick Regnér & Udo Zander, 2011. "Knowledge and Strategy Creation in Multinational Companies," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 51(6), pages 821-850, December.
    3. Krug, B. & Reinmoeller, P., 2003. "The Hidden Cost of Ubiquity: Globalisation and Terrorism," ERIM Report Series Research in Management ERS-2003-062-ORG, Erasmus Research Institute of Management (ERIM), ERIM is the joint research institute of the Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University and the Erasmus School of Economics (ESE) at Erasmus University Rotterdam.
    4. Xiao Zhang & Luqun Xie & Jiatao Li & Li Cheng, 2022. "“Outside in”: Global demand heterogeneity and dynamic capabilities of multinational enterprises," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 53(4), pages 709-722, June.
    5. Nay Chi Khin Khin Oo & Sirisuhk Rakthin, 2022. "Integrative Review of Absorptive Capacity’s Role in Fostering Organizational Resilience and Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-27, October.
    6. Stefano Denicolai & Antonella Zucchella & Federico Moretti, 2018. "Not So Similar After All: Exploring The Diversity Of Strategic Orientations For Innovation," International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 22(04), pages 1-33, May.
    7. Ana Villar & César Camisón & Montserrat Boronat, 2007. "Technical Strategic Alliances And Performance: The Mediating Effect Of Knowledge ¿Based Competencies," Working Papers. Serie EC 2007-11, Instituto Valenciano de Investigaciones Económicas, S.A. (Ivie).
    8. Clint Chadwick & Adina Dabu, 2009. "Human Resources, Human Resource Management, and the Competitive Advantage of Firms: Toward a More Comprehensive Model of Causal Linkages," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 20(1), pages 253-272, February.
    9. Camisón, César & Forés, Beatriz, 2011. "Knowledge creation and absorptive capacity: The effect of intra-district shared competences," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 66-86, March.
    10. Schrettle, Stefan & Hinz, Andreas & Scherrer -Rathje, Maike & Friedli, Thomas, 2014. "Turning sustainability into action: Explaining firms' sustainability efforts and their impact on firm performance," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(PA), pages 73-84.
    11. Xiaoming He & Yaqun Yi & Zelong Wei, 2019. "New product development capabilities in China: the moderating role of TMT cooperative behavior," Asian Business & Management, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 18(2), pages 73-97, April.
    12. Filipe M. Santos & Kathleen M. Eisenhardt, 2005. "Organizational Boundaries and Theories of Organization," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 16(5), pages 491-508, October.
    13. Betty Feng, Jing & Liu, Steven Y.H. & Anne Liu, Leigh, 2023. "Cognitive antecedents of EMNEs’ dynamic capabilities: A case study of global identity at Lenovo," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    14. Merendino, Alessandro & Dibb, Sally & Meadows, Maureen & Quinn, Lee & Wilson, David & Simkin, Lyndon & Canhoto, Ana, 2018. "Big data, big decisions: The impact of big data on board level decision-making," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 67-78.
    15. Ulrich Lichtenthaler & Eckhard Lichtenthaler, 2009. "A Capability‐Based Framework for Open Innovation: Complementing Absorptive Capacity," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(8), pages 1315-1338, December.
    16. Pierre Barbaroux & Cécile Godé, 2007. "Acquiring core capabilities through organizational learning: Illustrations from the U.S. military organizations," Post-Print hal-00293534, HAL.
    17. Tobias Pehrsson & Navid Ghannad & Anders Pehrsson & Tobias Abt & Siyuan Chen & Fabian Erath & Tobias Hammarstig, 2015. "Dynamic capabilities and performance in foreign markets: Developments within international new ventures," Journal of International Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 13(1), pages 28-48, March.
    18. Robertson, Jeandri & Caruana, Albert & Ferreira, Caitlin, 2023. "Innovation performance: The effect of knowledge-based dynamic capabilities in cross-country innovation ecosystems," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(2).
    19. Roberto Grandinetti, 2022. "A Routine-Based Theory of Routine Replication," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-23, July.
    20. Forliano, Canio & Ferraris, Alberto & Bivona, Enzo & Couturier, Jerome, 2022. "Pouring new wine into old bottles: A dynamic perspective of the interplay among environmental dynamism, capabilities development, and performance," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 142(C), pages 448-463.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:crpeac:v:70:y:2020:i:c:s1045235418301576. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/critical-perspectives-on-accounting/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.