WHAT MAKES A FIRM INNOVATIVE? AN INTER-ORGANISATIONAL SOCIAL CAPITAL PERSPECTIVE ON EXTERNAL PARTNERS’ INFLUENCE ON A FIRM’S INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL

Heinz-Theo Wagner (), Daniel Beimborn and Bernhard Moos
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Heinz-Theo Wagner: Neu-Ulm University of Applied Sciences, Germany
Daniel Beimborn: University of Bamberg, Germany
Bernhard Moos: EGC Eurogroup Consulting, Germany

International Journal of Innovation Management (ijim), 2023, vol. 27, issue 07n08, 1-43

Abstract: This research investigates how and to which extent the social capital inherent in a firm’s external relationships to diverse business partners contributes to the firm’s intellectual capital and in turn fosters its innovativeness. We apply the Social Capital Theory to an inter-organisational context and show how a firm’s social relationships with its various external partners contribute to its intellectual capital, and how these contributions differ between different types of partners (e.g., customers vs. suppliers). In contrast to intra-organisational contexts, we show that the association between social capital and intellectual capital is positive, neutral, or even negative depending on the external partner’s position vis-à -vis a firm’s supply chain and the type of knowledge. Using data from 153 German manufacturing firms, the results of a PLS-based analysis provide important insights into how and through which mechanisms firms can become successful innovators.

Keywords: Uncertain relevance of knowledge; social capital; innovativeness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1142/S1363919623500378

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