Intellectual Capital and Technological Innovation: The Mediating Role of Supply Chain Learning

Abstract

This paper analyzes the influence of intellectual capital on firms’ technological innovation, and the intermediary effect of supply chain learning in the relationship between different dimensions of intellectual capital and technological innovation. Using a questionnaire to survey 167 Chinese high and medium-high technological manufacturing firms, our research provides a new insight with interesting results. (1) Among the four dimensions of intellectual capital, only two dimensions, internal social capital and external social capital, exert positive effect on technological innovation; (2) Among the two dimensions of supply chain learning, learning from both suppliers and customers exerts a significant effect on technological innovation, and learning from the customer has a more significant effect; (3) A complete intermediary effect occurs from supply chain learning in the relationship among human capital, structural capital and technological innovation, while an incomplete intermediary effect occurs from supply chain learning in the relationship among external social capital, internal social capital, and technological innovation.