The Relationship Between Intellectual Capital and Competitive Advantage: A Meta-Analysis Study

Abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study is to examine the results of previous studies examining the relationship between intellectual capital (IC) and competitive advantage (CA) with a meta-analytic approach. Design/Methodology: Studies examining the relationship between IC and CA were reached by scanning a total of 14 national and international online academic databases. The Pearson correlation (r) coefficient was taken as a criterion in studies examining the relationship between IC and CA. Analyzes were performed using CMA software. A total of 15,625 samples from 71 studies were included in the meta-analysis process. In this study, the random effect model was used when interpreting the mean effect size. Findings: As a result of the study, it was understood that the calculated average effect size was 0.490 and this value corresponded to a high effect. This suggests that a higher IC is associated with a higher CA. This result supports common hypotheses and salient findings in the literature. Limitations: The meta-analysis applied in this study has some limitations due to its inherent shortcomings. Originality/Value: As a result of a comprehensive literature review, no studies examining the relationship between IC and CA with a meta-analytic approach were found. This study, which deals with the relationship between IC and CA with a meta-analytic approach for the first time, will provide a broader perspective on the literature in this field by calculating the average effect value between the mentioned variables over a large sample of 15.625.