Intellectual capital, knowledge management practices and firm performance
Inkinen, Henri (2016-05-23)
Väitöskirja
Inkinen, Henri
23.05.2016
Lappeenranta University of Technology
Acta Universitatis Lappeenrantaensis
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-265-951-4
https://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-952-265-951-4
Tiivistelmä
Researchers have widely recognised and accepted that firm performance is increasingly
related to knowledge-based issues. Two separately developed literature streams,
intellectual capital (IC) and knowledge management (KM), have been established as the
key discussions related to knowledge-based competitive advantage of the firm.
Intellectual capital has provided evidence on the strategic key intangible resources of the
firm, which could be deployed to create competitive advantage. Knowledge management,
in turn, has focused on the managerial processes and practices which can be used to
leverage IC to create competitive advantage. Despite extensive literature on both issues,
some notable research gaps remain to be closed. In effect, one major gap within the
knowledge management research is the lack of understanding related to its influence on
firm performance, while IC researchers have articulated a need to utilise more finegrained
conceptual models to better understand the key strategic value-creating resources
of the firm.
In this dissertation, IC is regarded as the entire intellectual capacity, knowledge and
competences of the firm that can be leveraged to achieve sustained competitive
advantage. KM practices are defined as organisational and managerial activities that
enable the firm to leverage its IC to create value. The objective of this dissertation is to
answer the research question: “What is the relationship between intellectual capital,
knowledge management practices and firm performance?” Five publications have
addressed the research question using different approaches. The first two publications
were systematic literature reviews of the extant empirical IC and KM research, which
established the current state of understanding regarding the relationship between IC, KM
practices and firm performance. Publications III and IV were empirical research articles
that assessed the developed conceptual model related to IC, KM practices and firm
performance. Finally, Publication V was among the first research papers to merge IC and
KM disciplines in order to find out which configurations could yield organisational
benefits in terms of innovation and market performance outcomes.
related to knowledge-based issues. Two separately developed literature streams,
intellectual capital (IC) and knowledge management (KM), have been established as the
key discussions related to knowledge-based competitive advantage of the firm.
Intellectual capital has provided evidence on the strategic key intangible resources of the
firm, which could be deployed to create competitive advantage. Knowledge management,
in turn, has focused on the managerial processes and practices which can be used to
leverage IC to create competitive advantage. Despite extensive literature on both issues,
some notable research gaps remain to be closed. In effect, one major gap within the
knowledge management research is the lack of understanding related to its influence on
firm performance, while IC researchers have articulated a need to utilise more finegrained
conceptual models to better understand the key strategic value-creating resources
of the firm.
In this dissertation, IC is regarded as the entire intellectual capacity, knowledge and
competences of the firm that can be leveraged to achieve sustained competitive
advantage. KM practices are defined as organisational and managerial activities that
enable the firm to leverage its IC to create value. The objective of this dissertation is to
answer the research question: “What is the relationship between intellectual capital,
knowledge management practices and firm performance?” Five publications have
addressed the research question using different approaches. The first two publications
were systematic literature reviews of the extant empirical IC and KM research, which
established the current state of understanding regarding the relationship between IC, KM
practices and firm performance. Publications III and IV were empirical research articles
that assessed the developed conceptual model related to IC, KM practices and firm
performance. Finally, Publication V was among the first research papers to merge IC and
KM disciplines in order to find out which configurations could yield organisational
benefits in terms of innovation and market performance outcomes.
Kokoelmat
- Väitöskirjat [1036]