National Intellectual Capital: Examining the implications of intellectual capital elements in national and innovation system model context through a comparative study of Finland, Singapore and Malaysia

Sammanfattning: This paper seeks to examine the relationship between intellectual capital (IC) elements – human capital, market capital, process capital and renewal capital – and innovation system models (ISMs), on a national level, to determine if specific IC elements have a higher degree of influence in supporting economic competitiveness, and if both IC and ISM mutually influence and reinforce one another. Through a detailed analysis of three countries – Finland, Singapore and Malaysia – with each representing a type of ISM, we find that each IC element has differing effects on economic competitiveness. Further, we find that there exists a common initial adoption of the focused factory ISM, and the presence of a virtuous cycle linking subsequent IC development with ISM adoption. Our study also highlights the importance and influence of contextual differences between nations on IC profiles and development, with the need to consider “necessary conditions” for success in achieving national strategic intent and economic competitiveness through the chosen ISM adoption at each stage of IC and economic development.