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Article
Publication date: 2 February 2021

Qian Long Kweh, Wen-Min Lu, Kaoru Tone and Mohammad Nourani

The purpose of this study is twofold. First, this research estimates banks' efficiencies from the perspectives of resource utilization and investment after incorporating risk…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is twofold. First, this research estimates banks' efficiencies from the perspectives of resource utilization and investment after incorporating risk measures as an exogenous input in the investment-efficiency stage. Second, the current study examines the relationship between intellectual capital (IC) and banks' efficiencies.

Design/methodology/approach

First, this study uses a dynamic network data envelopment analysis approach in investigating the efficiencies of 24 Taiwanese banks in 2007–2018 from two perspectives. Second, this research utilizes various regression techniques, namely, ordinary least squares (OLS), robust least squares and truncated regression, to gauge the impact of IC on banks' efficiencies. Typically, IC is determined based on a monetary value-based measure and value-added intellectual coefficient (VAICTM).

Findings

Resource-utilization (investment) efficiencies were observed as 0.941 (0.964), thereby contributing to the mean overall efficiency of the sample banks at 0.952. However, the related efficiency changes decline over the sample period, thereby suggesting that the average banks' efficiencies hardly increase. Regression analyses show a significantly positive relationship between IC and banks' overall resource-utilization and investment efficiencies.

Research limitations/implications

Overall, this study suggests that researchers should consider risks when estimating banks' efficiencies owing to their connection to banks' investment performance. From banks' dynamic two-stage efficiencies, this study demonstrated that investments in IC will bring improved future economic benefits.

Originality/value

Different from prior studies, this study improves banks' efficiency evaluation models by incorporating risk measures and assuming weighted periods for the 2007–2008 global financial crisis. Moreover, the use of monetary value-based measure of IC provides consistent results as the commonly-used VAICTM does.

Details

Journal of Intellectual Capital, vol. 23 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1469-1930

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 July 2023

Nguyen Huu Thien, Jawad Asif, Qian Long Kweh and Irene Wei Kiong Ting

This study analyses the effects of firm efficiency on firm performance and how controlling shareholders moderate the link between the two variables.

Abstract

Purpose

This study analyses the effects of firm efficiency on firm performance and how controlling shareholders moderate the link between the two variables.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs data envelopment analysis to estimate firm efficiency and the panel regression method to assess the hypothesised relationships among 1,295 firm-year observations of publicly listed firms in Malaysia from 2015 to 2019.

Findings

The results indicate that firm efficiency (technical efficiency, pure technical efficiency and scale efficiency) has mixed relationships with firm performance (return on assets, market-to-book ratio and operating cash flows), all of which are being moderated by controlling shareholdings.

Practical implications

This study highlights the importance of assessing firm efficiency as the key success factor for improving firm performance. Industrial managers should manage efficiently their resources or operating costs in achieving their corporate financial goals. Moreover, this study notes the presence of controlling shareholders, who can be either self-interested or company goal aligned.

Originality/value

This study suggests becoming efficient in transforming inputs into outputs is a prerequisite before investigating accrual-based and cash-based firm performance measures, and the presence of controlling shareholders matters in these regards.

Details

Benchmarking: An International Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-5771

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 April 2023

Qian Long Kweh, Hanh Thi My Le, Irene Wei Kiong Ting and Wen-Min Lu

First, this study assesses the link between research and development (R&D) expenses and firm efficiency. Second, this study explores how family control moderates the link between…

Abstract

Purpose

First, this study assesses the link between research and development (R&D) expenses and firm efficiency. Second, this study explores how family control moderates the link between the two.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses two measures of time-based firm efficiency, namely, a window slacks-based measure (WSBM) and a window epsilon-based measure (WEBM) of data envelopment analysis (DEA). Then, 216 firm-year observations are analyzed in the Taiwanese cultural and creative industries from 2005 to 2017.

Findings

This study finds that R&D expenses significantly worsen firm efficiency, and that family control positively moderates this effect. A further test separating the sample into family-controlled and nonfamily-controlled firms indicates that R&D expenses negatively affect the efficiency of nonfamily-controlled firms but positively affect that of family-controlled firms.

Research limitations/implications

The existing literature has examined the link between R&D expenses and corporate performance. However, the process by which R&D expenses affect corporate performance from a production perspective remains unknown.

Originality/value

Overall, this study provides insights for policymakers to scrutinize resource management and R&D expenses from the production and resource-based perspectives.

Details

International Journal of Emerging Markets, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-8809

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 12 May 2021

Qian Long Kweh, Wen-Min Lu, Irene Wei Kiong Ting and Hanh Thi My Le

First, this study assesses firms’ efficiency of transforming intellectual capital (IC) components into firm performance. Second, this study examines (1) cubic S-curve relationship…

Abstract

Purpose

First, this study assesses firms’ efficiency of transforming intellectual capital (IC) components into firm performance. Second, this study examines (1) cubic S-curve relationship between board independence and IC efficiency and (2) how firm size moderates the cubic S-curve relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs a stochastic nonparametric envelopment of data (StoNED) framework to estimate IC efficiency, which is derived from the estimation process of transforming structural, relational and human capitals into accounting- and market-based performance indicators. This study conducts regression analyses on 1,104 firm-year observations of Taiwanese semiconductor firms over the period of 2011–2018.

Findings

StoNED results suggest that sample firms' IC efficiency can be relatively improved by approximately 80%. Regression results indicate that a cubic S-curve relationship between board independence and IC efficiency exists, and firm size moderates the nonlinear effects.

Practical implications

Overall, this study highlights the importance of examining the nonlinear effect of board independence on IC efficiency from the perspective of agency theory, and the moderating effect from firm size, which may suggest availability of resources from the resource-based view of the firm.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature through the innovative application of an efficiency-based tool for evaluating IC efficiency. The cubic S-curve relationship between board independence and IC efficiency also points to the policy concerning the appropriate number of independent directors on board.

Details

Journal of Intellectual Capital, vol. 23 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1469-1930

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 16 August 2021

Qian Long Kweh, Irene Wei Kiong Ting, Wen-Min Lu and Hanh Thi My Le

Consensus on how intellectual capital (IC) affects corporate performance is limited because of various measurement models of IC and corporate performance. This study thus aims to…

Abstract

Purpose

Consensus on how intellectual capital (IC) affects corporate performance is limited because of various measurement models of IC and corporate performance. This study thus aims to further the debate on the relationship between IC and corporate performance from the perspectives of nonlinearity, the capital values of IC and the use of a holistic measure of corporate performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Using 1,395 firm-year observations derived from Vietnamese listed companies from 2010 to 2018, this study focuses on (1) presenting an IC model benchmarked on value-creating expenses; (2) using a directional distance function (DDF)-based stochastic nonparametric envelopment of data (StoNED) framework to scrutinize multiple performance indicators and the capital values of people, structures and relationships simultaneously; and (3) adopting firm-year cluster-robust regressions to analyze the nonlinear association between IC and corporate performance empirically with an appropriate U test.

Findings

Results suggest that human capital (HC), structural capital (SC) and relational capital (RC) are the main contributors of high corporate efficiency, whereas only HC and RC contribute to high corporate profitability. These results are absent when this study employs the conventional data envelopment analysis (DEA), which is also a multidimensional framework, as the dependent variable. More importantly, IC and its components can improve corporate performance, namely, both corporate efficiency and corporate profitability up to a critical point, after which the effects would drop.

Practical implications

Overall, this study highlights not only the need to invest in IC but also its associated costs. That is, policymakers also need to note the marginal cost of investing in IC, which may in the end outweigh the benefits from IC.

Originality/value

This study extends IC-related studies by investigating the nonlinear relationship between IC and corporate performance. Moreover, the value of this study also lies in the multidimensional DDF-based StoNED framework.

Details

Journal of Intellectual Capital, vol. 23 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1469-1930

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 September 2021

Irene Wei Kiong Ting, Wen-Min Lu, Qian Long Kweh and Chunya Ren

This study examines the effect of value-added (VA) intellectual capital on business performance from the perspective of productive efficiency, which is derived from its main…

Abstract

Purpose

This study examines the effect of value-added (VA) intellectual capital on business performance from the perspective of productive efficiency, which is derived from its main contributors, namely, profitability and marketability efficiencies in two stages.

Design/methodology/approach

First, this study applies a dynamic network slacks-based measure in a data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach to estimate productive efficiency and its components of 766 Taiwan listed electronics companies over the period of 2010–2018. Second, this study performs regression analyses of the association between intellectual capital (IC), which is proxied by VA intellectual coefficient (VAICTM) and estimated DEA efficiency scores through various regression techniques.

Findings

Empirical evidence shows a significantly positive association between VAICTM and productive efficiency. This study finds the same result from the IC components after splitting VAICTM into (1) IC efficiency, which comprises human capital efficiency (HCE) and structural capital efficiency and (2) capital employed efficiency. Further examination reveals that HCE is the sole main contributor of the productive efficiency, and profitability and marketability efficiencies of a company.

Practical implications

The findings of this study highlight the need to discuss the values of intellectual coefficient (IC) from the perspective of productive efficiency for better comprehensiveness.

Originality/value

Although previous studies have shown that IC is a contributor of business performance, this study further zooms in VAIC and examines its effect on the efficiency of a company in transforming its inputs into outputs.

Details

International Journal of Emerging Markets, vol. 18 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-8809

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 8 March 2021

Irene Wei Kiong Ting, Fu-Chiang Chen, Qian Long Kweh, Hai Juan Sui and Hanh Thi My Le

This study aims to investigate the association between intellectual capital (IC) and bank efficiency of Taiwanese bank branches.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the association between intellectual capital (IC) and bank efficiency of Taiwanese bank branches.

Design/methodology/approach

This study manually collects sample data from 107 non-public financial reports of the bank branches of Taiwan Business Bank Company Limited. As this study concerns bank branches, this study uses questionnaires related to IC to measure the implementation of IC at branch level. This study employs data envelopment analysis (DEA) models (BCC, EBM and BootBCC) to identify bank branches' efficiency. This study uses partial least square-based structural equation modeling analysis to assess the impact of IC and bank efficiency.

Findings

Result reveals that relational capital (RC) significantly and negatively impacts bank efficiency. Findings also imply that human capital (HC) and structural capital (SC) do not contribute to bank efficiency in Taiwan.

Practical implications

Spending effort in building relationships with customers diverts banks' resources. More inputs that are used may not be converted to outputs immediately. Bank branches should focus on enhancing their service quality to attract customers to use the facilities provided by branches.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this empirical study is the first to examine the association between IC and bank branches' efficiency in Taiwan by integrating primary and secondary data. For IC components, this study conducts a survey by designing the questionnaires related to IC to assess the implementation of IC at bank branches in Taiwan. In terms of efficiency, this study uses bank financial data and DEA models to identify bank branches' efficiency.

Details

Journal of Intellectual Capital, vol. 23 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1469-1930

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 February 2021

Irene Wei Kiong Ting, Hai Juan Sui, Qian Long Kweh and Gusman Nawanir

This study aims to examine the effect of knowledge management on firm innovative performance and the moderating effect of transformational leadership in the relationship between…

1789

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effect of knowledge management on firm innovative performance and the moderating effect of transformational leadership in the relationship between knowledge management and firm innovative performance.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 200 managers of participating Malaysian public listed service companies responded to a self-report set of the survey questionnaire. Partial least squares-structural equation modelling technique is used to estimate the main effects of knowledge management, particularly its infrastructures and processes, on firm innovative performance and the moderating effects of transformational leadership on the relationship.

Findings

Knowledge management infrastructures and knowledge management processes both have statistically significant and positive effects on firm innovative performance. In addition, transformational leadership significantly and negatively moderates the relationships.

Practical implications

The findings of this study can be a reference for the Malaysian public listed service companies to understand how and why managing well knowledge management infrastructures and processes can improve firm innovative performance. Moreover, this study highlights the role of transformational leaders in the context of knowledge management.

Originality/value

This study brings about managerial viewpoints of the relationship between knowledge management and firm innovative performance, with the moderating role of transformational leadership.

Article
Publication date: 13 June 2023

Thu Huong Tran, Wen-Min Lu and Qian Long Kweh

This study aims to examine how environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives and ISO 14001, which is an internationally agreed standard to set out the requirements for an…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine how environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives and ISO 14001, which is an internationally agreed standard to set out the requirements for an environmental management system, affect firm performance in the context of the Industry 4.0 supply chain.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors develop a new chance-constrained network data envelopment analysis (DEA) in the presence of non-positive data to estimate innovation, operational and profitability performances for three main relation groups (suppliers, partners and customers) in Microsoft's supply chain.

Findings

Results of this study show the following: (1) the application of ISO 14001 will reduce profitability but increase overall performance (OP); (2) ESG implementation has a convex U-shaped influence on profitability and OP, which means that firms will benefit when ESG investment goes beyond a particular level; (3) the nonlinear U-shape is presented in the E and G components, but not in the S of the individual ESG initiatives, and (4) only specific subcomponents of S and G in the subcomponent of individual ESG initiatives are nonlinearly connected to OP. Research's results reveal that the customer group has a higher performance value than the other two groups, which suggests that this group will create competitive advantages for Microsoft.

Originality/value

Overall, the authors provide an insightful viewpoint into supply chain management by examining the ESG initiatives, ISO 14001 and performances of Microsoft's supply chain.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 March 2020

Irene Wei Kiong Ting, Chunya Ren, Fu-Chiang Chen and Qian Long Kweh

The question of whether intellectual capital (IC) is beneficial to firm performance is debatable because of the diverse effects of IC and its components on firm performance…

Abstract

Purpose

The question of whether intellectual capital (IC) is beneficial to firm performance is debatable because of the diverse effects of IC and its components on firm performance. Building on the concept of pay–performance relation, this study aims to provide new insights into how changes in IC affect changes in firm performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Data envelopment analysis is employed to measure firm performance, and value-added intellectual coefficient (VAIC™) is selected to evaluate the IC and its components, namely human capital efficiency (HCE), structural capital efficiency (SCE), and capital employed efficiency (CEE). Ordinary least squares regression is applied to study the relationship between changes in IC and changes in firm performance using 6,408 firm-year observations of electronics companies listed in Taiwan from 2006 to 2017.

Findings

Empirical results suggest that IC efficiency and CEE significantly and negatively affect firm performance, thereby suggesting a contradictory common sense with the resource-based view on the beneficial effects of IC. However, changes in IC efficiency and HCE are significantly and positively related to changes in firm performance, including changes in firm efficiency and sales growth.

Practical implications

This study suggests that managers should continuously pay attention to adjusting their IC, especially human capital (HC) for better decisions that help grow firm performance. Moreover, investors can grasp how sensitive firm performance is to IC.

Originality/value

This study argues the relationship between IC and firm performance in the same vein as a pay-for-performance link, suggesting that future studies should account for increases or decreases in IC.

Details

Journal of Intellectual Capital, vol. 21 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1469-1930

Keywords

1 – 10 of 31