• The Influence of Intellectual Capital and Dynamic Capabilities on R&D Teams’ Innovative Performance

Abstract

This research applied the theory of intellectual capital (IC) to stable environments, but did not appropriately explain why an organization has the capability to respond to rapidly changing external environments. This research suggests that, the dynamic capabilities (DCs) of R&D teams are the key factors in utilizing IC and have further effect on innovative performance. On the other hand, tools with reliability and validity for measuring DCs remain insufficient and require construction. Based on the above research gap, this paper mainly contributed to: 1) research on the combination of IC and DCs to compensate the insufficiencies of the IC theory; 2) the development of DCs measurement items; 3) empirically demonstrate the significanteffects of IC and DCs on innovative performance.

There are four studies included in this research. The goal of Study 1 is to generate initial research items and address the issue of content validity. Next, 111 and 138 valid questionnaires are returned in Studies 2 and 3, respectively. Finally, Study 4 collects the samples from the R&D teams of ITRI (Industrial Technology Research Institute of Taiwan). The researchers visited each R&D team in ITRI with no less than two staff members. More than 140 supervisors and researchers were interviewed in this study. After making pairs, 66 valid teams completed the process of entire questionnaires. After hypotheses testing, ten of thirteen hypotheses are supported. The results verify the major viewpoints of this research, as follows; there is no significantly direct effect of IC on R&D team’s innovative performance. However, the R&D team’s DCs play key and significant roles between IC and innovative performance.

Keywords: Intellectual Capital, Dynamic Capabilities, Combinative Capabilities, Absorptive Capacity, Flexibility