COMPETITIVENESS ENHANCEMENT - A FUNCTION OF STRATEGIC HUMAN CAPITAL IN MOBILE TELECOMMUNICATION COMPANIES IN RWANDA

DR. IRECHUKWU EUGENIA NKECHI (PhD)

Abstract


One of the most significant elements in every organization is human capital. When managed strategically, human capital will establish attributes of value, rare, inimitable and non-substitutability for the enhancement of competitiveness. This study investigated the relationship between human capital and competitiveness enhancement in mobile telecommunication companies in Rwanda. Human capital factors in this study include knowledge and experience, innovation and creativity as well as skills and abilities. A cross-sectional study conducted in three mobile telecom companies in Rwanda used structured questionnaire filled and returned by 183 respondents. It was discovered that a statistically significant relationship exists between competitiveness enhancement and human capital. Therefore, the researcher recommended that mobile telecommunication companies should devote a lot of time, effort and money for the update and enhancement of employees’ knowledge, skills, abilities, innovativeness, creativeness and experience for the enhancement of their competitiveness. 

Keywords: Human Capital, Strategic, Competitiveness, Innovation, Creativity, Knowledge, Skills, Telecom

CITATION: Irechukwu, E. N. (2022). Competitiveness enhancement - a function of strategic human capital in mobile telecommunication companies in Rwanda. The Strategic Journal of Business & Change Management, 9 (3), 447 - 462.


Full Text:

PDF

References


Abdulai, M. S., Kwon, Y., & Moon, J. (2012). Intellectual capital and firm performance: an empirical study of software firms in West Africa. The African Journal of Information Systems, 4(1), 1-31.

Ahangar, G. R. (2011). The relationship between intellectual capital and financial performance: an empirical investigation in an Iranian Company. African Journal of Business Management, 5(1), 88-95.

Amit, R., & Schoemaker, P. J. H. (1993). Strategic assets and organizational rent. Strategic Management Journal, Vol 14(1), 33-46.

Barney, J. B. (1991). Firm Resources and Sustained Competitive Advantage. Journal of Management, Vol. 17, 99–120.

Barney, J. B., & Hesterley, W. S. (2006). Strategic Management and Competitive Advantage. New Jersey: Pearson Education Incorporation.

Bontis, N., & Fitzenz, J. (2002). Intellectual capital ROI: A current map to human capital antecedents and consequences. Journal of Intellectual Capital, vol. 3(3), 223-247

Cabrita, M., & Bontis, N. (2008). Intellectual capital and business performance in the Portuguese banking industry. International Journal of Technology Management, Vol. 43(1-3), 212-37

Chen, C., Lee, Y., Tung, C. & Kao, K. (2008), The Evidence and insights from Taiwanese Publicly Listed IT Corporations. The Business Review, Vol.10(1) 236-245.

Coff, R., & Kryscynski, D. (2011). Drilling for micro-foundations of human capital-based competitive advantages. Journal of Management, vol. 37, 14-29.

Crook, T. R., Todd, S. Y., Combs, J. G., Woehr, D. J., Ketchen, D. J. (2011). Does human capital matter? A meta-analysis of the relationship between human capital and firm performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol 96(3), 443-456

Curado, C., & Bontis, N. (2006). The knowledge based-view of the firm and its theoretical precursor. International Journal of Learning and Intellectual Capital, 3(4), 367-381

Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) (2004). Critical Success Factors: Creating Value from your Intangibles. UK Government White Paper. London: Department of Trade and Industry.

Fahy, J. (2002) A resource-based analysis of sustainable competitive advantage in a global environment, International Business Review, 11, 57-78.

Galbreath, J. and Galvin, P. (2004).Which resources matter? A fine-grained test of the resource-based view of firm, Academy of Management Best Paper Proceedings, New Orleans, LA.

Galbreath, J. and Galvin, P. (2006). Accounting for performance variation: how important are intangible resources? International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 14(2)

Galende, J. & De la Fuente, J. (2003). Internal factors determining a firm’s innovative behaviour. Research Policy, 32(5), 715-736.

Green, F. (1993). The determinants of training of male and female employees in Britain. Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, 55(1), 103-122.

Grossman, R. J. (2000). Measuring up: Appropriate metrics help HR prove its worth. HR Magazine, 45(1), 28–35.

Hall, B. H. (2011). Innovation and productivity. Draft paper for the Nordic Economic, Policy Review, Working Paper No: 17178

Han, T., Shian, C., & Yeh-Yun, L. (2008), “Developing human capital indicators: a three-way approach. International Journal of Learning and Intellectual Capital, Vol.5 (3/4), pp.387-403.

Hitt, M.A., Bierman, L., Shimizu, K., & Kochhar, R. (2001). Direct and moderating effects of human capital on strategy and performance in professional service firms: A resource-based perspective. Academy of Management Journal, 44(1), 13-28.

Hsu, I. C., Lin, C. Y. Y., Lawler, J. J., & Wu, S. H. (2007). Toward a model of organizational human capital development: Preliminary evidence from Taiwan. Asia Pacific Business Review, 13(2), pp. 251-275.

Ichrakie, F., (2013). Intangible Resources as Key Determinants of Job Network Providers’ Success: A Resource-based Study. Australian Journal of Business and Management Research Vol.2 (11), 43-63

Khalique, M., Jamal, A.N., Abu, H., & Adel, A. (2011). Relationship of Intellectual Capital with the Organizational Performance of Pharmaceutical Companies in Pakistan. Australian journal of Basic and Applied Sciences, Vol. 5(12), 1964-1969

Longo, Mariolina; Mariani & Marcello M. (2009). The effect of intellectual capital attributes on organizational performance. The case of the Bologna Opera House. Knowledge Management Research & Practice, 7(4), 365-376.

Maddocks, J., & Beaney, M. (2002). See the invisible and intangible. Knowledge Management, pp. 16-17.

Marimuthu, M., Arokiasamy, L., & Ismail, M. (2009). Human Capital Development and Its Impact on Firm Performance: Evidence from Developmental Economics. The Journal of International Social Research, Volume 2(8).

Marr, B. (2006). Strategic Performance Management: Leveraging and measuring your intangible value drivers. Boston: Elsevier.

Martin, G. & Staines, H. (2008). Managerial competencies in small firm. Journal of Management Development, 13 (7), 23-34.

Martín-de Castro, G., Delgado-Verde, M. Navas-López, J. E. & Cruz-González, J. (2013). The moderating role of innovation culture in the relationship between knowledge assets and product innovation. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, vol. 80(2), 351-363

Michael A. H., Leonard, B., Katsuhiko, S. & Rahul, K. (2001). Direct and Moderating Effects of Human Capital on Strategy and Performance in Professional Service Firms: A Resource-Based Perspective. The Academy of Management Journal, 44(1), 13-28.

Montequin, V.R., Fernandez, F.O., Cabal,V.A., and Gutierrez, N.R. (2006). An integrated framework for intellectual capital measurement and knowledge management implementation in small and medium-sized enterprises. Journal of Information Science, 32, 525-538.

Newbert, S. L. (2007). Empirical Research on the Resource-Based View of the Firm: An Assessment and Suggestions for Future Research. Strategic Management Journal, 28: 121–146

Newbert, S. L. (2008). Value, Rareness, Competitive Advantage, and Performance: A Conceptual Level Empirical Investigation of the Resource-Based View of the Firm. Strategic Management Journal, 29: 745–768

Ngari, J. M., Gichira, R., Aduda, J., & Waitutu, A. (2013). Analysis of the relationship between intellectual capital accounting and business performance of Pharmaceutical Companies in Kenya. African Journal of Business and Management, Vol. 3(3-4)

Noe, C. F., Hollenbeck, J. R., Gerhart B., & Wright, P. M. (2000). Human Resource Management – Gaining Competitive Advantage. New York: Irvin McGraw Hill.

Norma, J. (2006). The relationship between intellectual capital and new venture performance: an empirical investigation of the moderating role of the environment. International Journal of Innovation and Technology Management, 3(4), 1-29.

OECD. (2005). Oslo Manual: Guidelines for collecting and interpreting innovation data, (3rd ed.). Paris: OECD.

Ployhart, R. E., & Moliterno T. P. (2011). Emergence of the human capital resource: A multilevel model. Academy of Management Review, vol.36, pp. 127-150.

Rastogi, P. N. (2000). Sustaining enterprise competitiveness - is human capital the answer? Human Systems Management, No.19, 193–203

Reed, K. K., Lubatkin, M., & Srinivasan, N. (2006). Proposing and testing an intellectual capital-based view of the firm. Journal of Management Studies, 43(1), 867-893.

Romero, I., & Martine-Roman, J. A. (2012). Self-employment and innovation: Exploring the determinants of innovative behaviour in small business. Research Policy, 41(1), 178-189.

Seleim, A., Ashour, A., & Bontis, N. (2007). Human capital and organizational performance: A study of Egyptian software companies. Management Decision, 45(4), 789-801.

Selvarajan, T. T., Ramamoorthy, N., Flood, P. C., Guthrie, J. P., MacCurtain, S., & Liu, W. (2007). The role of human capital philosophy in promoting firm innovativeness and performance: Test of a causal model. International Journal of Human Resource Management, 18(8), 1456-1470.

Shrader, R., & Siegal, D. S. (2007). Assessing the relationship between human capital and firm performance: Evidence from technology-based new ventures. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 4(5), 893-908.

Snell, S. A., Lepak, D. P., & Youndt, M. A. (1999). Managing the architecture of intellectual capital: Implications for strategic human resource management. In M. A. Wright, L. D. Dyer, J. W. Boudreau, & G. T. Milkovich, Research in Personnel and Human Resource Management, supplement, 4(1), 175-193.

Subramaniam, M., & Youndt, M.A. (2005). The influence of intellectual capital on the types of innovative capabilities. Academy of Management Journal, 48(1), 450-463.

Syed, N. (2005). An empirical investigation of the relationship between intellectual capital and firms’ market value and financial performance in context of Commercial Banks of Bangladesh. Retrieved from http://www.sb.iub.edu.bd/internship/autumn2005/0220175

Taie, E. S. (2014). The effect of intellectual capital management on organizational competitive advantage in Egyptian Hospitals. International Journal of Business and Social Science, 5(2), 160-167.

Urbancová, H. (2013). Competitive Advantage Achievement through Innovation and Knowledge. Journal of Competitiveness, Vol. 5(1), pp. 82-96.

Wernerfelt, B. (1984). A resource-based view of the firm. Strategic Management Journal, Vol. 5(2), 171-180.

Wolff. J.A. & Pett. T.L. (2006). Small-firm performance: Modeling the Role of Product and Process Improvement. Journal of Small Business Management, 44(2), 268-284.




DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.61426/sjbcm.v9i3.2378

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.

PAST ISSUES:
20242023202220212020201920182017201620152014
Vol 11, No 2 [2024]Vol 10, No 4 [2023]Vol 9, No 4 [2022]Vol 8, No 4 [2021]Vol 7, No 4 [2020]Vol 6, No 4 [2019]Vol 5, No 4 [2018]Vol 4, No 4 [2017]Vol 3, No 4 [2016]Vol 2, No 2 [2015]Vol 1, No 2 [2014]
 Vol 11, No 1 [2024] Vol 10, No 3 [2023] Vol 9, No 3 [2022]Vol 8, No 3 [2021]Vol 7, No 3 [2020]Vol 6, No 3 [2019]Vol 5, No 3 [2019]Vol 4, No 3 [2017]Vol 3, No 3 [2016]Vol 2, No 1 [2015]Vol 1, No 1 [2014]
  Vol 10, No 2 [2023] Vol 9, No 2 [2022]Vol 8, No 2 [2021]Vol 7, No 2 [2020]Vol 6, No 2 [2019]Vol 5, No 2 [2018]Vol 4, No 2 [2017]Vol 3, No 2 [2016]  
  Vol 10, No 1 [2023] Vol 9, No 1 [2022]  Vol 8, No 1 [2021]Vol 7, No 1 [2020]Vol 6, No 1 [2019]Vol 5, No 1 [2018]Vol 4, No 1 [2017]Vol 3, No 1 [2016]   


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.