Culture and intellectual capital: towards a conceptual framework. Issue 3 (11th July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gupta, Uma G; Massa, Nathaniel P; Azzopardi, Joseph
• Editors: Stokes, Peter; Stokes, Peter
• Is Part Of: International journal of organizational analysis. Volume 24:Issue 3(2016)
• Publication Date: 2016-07-11
• Subjects: Management -- Periodicals; Organization -- Periodicals; Electronic journals; 658
• DOI: 10.1108/IJOA-06-2015-0871
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1934-8835

Abstract

Abstract : Purpose: This paper represents the first phase of an ongoing research project whose primary goal is to identify the most significant organizational internal and external cultural variables that leverage and enable a firm's IC to make it more competitive in the marketplace. Design/methodology/approach: We build on our earlier work in which Ulrich's definition of IC as Competence x Commitment was expanded to include two additional dimensions, Creativity and Culture. Our previous model explored the relationship between IC and the following five critical variables: Competence, Commitment, Control, Creativity, and Culture. Here we identify the most significant organizational internal and external cultural variables that leverage and enable a firm's IC to make it more competitive in the marketplace. Findings: We demonstrate the inter-play between different cultural types and levels of business volatility on IC. We argue that the more volatile the industry is, the greater the need to secure and capitalise on IC, and the more critical it is for firms to adopt a flexible and adaptive organic culture that encourages the creation and leveraging of IC. Originality/value: Our framework is original and expands on Ulrich's classical work on Intellectual Capital. It helps senior leaders and managers explore how to effectively and proactively capitalise on IC and leverage complex IC assets. Our preliminary exploration into these convergent strands has provided a foundation to further develop and establish the interrelationships between organizational culture and IC.