Absorptive Capacity and Intellectual Capital as Catalysts of Innovation: A Cross-Sectoral Perspective from Industry 4.0 to Hospitality Transformation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55606/ijemr.v4i3.494Keywords:
Intellectual Capital, Absorptive Capacity, Industry 4.0, Artificial Intelligence, 5G, Hospitality Innovation, Dynamic Capabilities, Innovation EcosystemsAbstract
The synergy between intellectual capital (IC) and absorptive capacity (ACAP) plays a crucial role in driving innovation across both manufacturing and service sectors. This paper bridges insights from Industry 4.0 and the AI- and 5G-enabled transformation of hospitality to explore how firms can leverage IC and ACAP for sustained innovation. Drawing upon a multidimensional conceptual framework, this study explores the dynamics between human, structural, and relational capital, and the potential and realized dimensions of ACAP in enhancing innovation performance. Industry 4.0’s emphasis on cyber-physical systems and data-driven manufacturing is juxtaposed with the hospitality sector’s pivot toward hyper-personalized services enabled by AI and 5G. The study reveals that both sectors share a dependence on dynamic knowledge capabilities, even as they diverge in application. This article proposes a sector-spanning integrative model of innovation and provides actionable managerial and policy-level recommendations to build knowledge-rich, adaptive, and innovation-driven organizations.
References
Ahmed, S. S., G. J. G., M. M. M., K. M. K., and K. E. K., "Intellectual capital and business performance: the role of dimensions of absorptive capacity," Journal of Intellectual Capital, vol. 21, no. 1, pp. 23–39, 2020.
Benitez, G., N. A., and F. F., "Industry 4.0 innovation ecosystems: An evolutionary perspective on value cocreation," International Journal of Production Economics, vol. 228, p. 228, 2020.
Budianto, Y., and H. Y. I., "The Importance of Absorptive Capacity and Innovation in Improving Company Performance," INFLUENCE, vol. 3, no. 3, p. 1, 2021.
Cassol, A. G. C., and R. R. R., "Redefining the relationship between intellectual capital and innovation: The mediating role of absorptive capacity," 2016.
Engelman, R., F. E., S. S., and Z. A., "Intellectual capital, absorptive capacity and product innovation," Management Decision, 2017.
Lucas, G., "How AI in the Hospitality Industry Is Changing the Game," 2023.
Naumann, D., "Five Ways 5G Will Transform the Hospitality Industry," 2024.
Petty, R., and J. Guthrie, "Intellectual capital literature review: Measurement, reporting and management," Journal of Intellectual Capital, vol. 1, no. 1, pp. 155–176, 2000.
Pulic, A., "Intellectual capital – does it create or destroy value?," Measuring Business Excellence, vol. 8, no. 8, pp. 62–68, 2004.
Zahra, S. A., and G. George, "Knowledge absorptive capacity: New insights for its conceptualization and measurement," Journal of Business Research, vol. 63, no. 1, pp. 707–715, 2010.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal of Economics and Management Research
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
