Intellectual Capital In Mexican SMEs From The Perspective Of The Resource-Based And Dynamic Capabilities Views

Abstract

This paper combines the resource-based and dynamic capabilities views to examine intellectual capital in Mexican small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and its relation to competitive advantage. Following an exploratory approach, this paper relies on face-to-face interviews with managers to take an in-depth look at the three components of intellectual capital: human, organizational, and relational capital. Further, a SME typology is proposed and the examined companies are categorized accordingly. Dynamic SMEs have instituted internal and external processes to respond rapidly to change, allowing them to sense opportunities and threats and subsequently benefiting from competitive advantages. This analysis can help both managers and policymakers put appropriate programs in place to encourage SME development and growth by identifying the impact of intellectual capital. The generalizability of the results is limited by the small sample size and the focus on one geographic region in Mexico. This study contributes to the limited literature on intellectual capital in SMEs in emerging markets. Moreover, very few papers have analyzed intellectual capital from the perspective of the dynamic capabilities view.