Title: Use of intellectual capital as a surrogate for productivity measurement

Authors: Kongkiti Phusavat; Apinat Lertritwittya; Petri Helo

Addresses: Center of Advanced Science in Industrial Technology, Faculty of Engineering, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand ' Center of Advanced Science in Industrial Technology, Faculty of Engineering, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand ' Networked Value Systems, Department of Production, University of Vaasa, FIN-65101 Vaasa, Finland

Abstract: The ongoing trends in global outsourcing and use of knowledge workers greatly impacted how productivity is measured. As a result, the research explores a possible surrogate for productivity measurement, especially at the organisational level. In this study, the term intellectual capital or IC is selected. The research methodology applies the correlation analysis which pairs the IC with key productivity indicators at the organisational levels. The correlation analysis shows that all selected key organisational productivity indicators such as value-added labour productivity demonstrate the positive relationships with the IC. In conclusion, under the emerging changes in business environment which the intangible assets have been very influential in an organisation's value creation, it is possible to use the IC as a surrogate for productivity measurement.

Keywords: productivity measurement; intellectual capital; intangible assets; global outsourcing; knowledge workers; value creation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPQM.2015.068474

International Journal of Productivity and Quality Management, 2015 Vol.15 No.3, pp.357 - 380

Published online: 18 Apr 2015 *

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