Unlocking Knowledge Potential in Social Economy Organizations: A Strategic Perspective on Intellectual Capital Management for Innovation and Sustainability
Keywords:
Intellectual Capital, Social Economy, Knowledge Management, Sustainability, Third SectorAbstract
Social Economy Organizations (SEOs) have emerged as pivotal actors in fostering inclusive development, democratic governance, and sustainable transitions. Despite their growing societal relevance, these organizations frequently encounter structural constraints in consolidating strategic knowledge, retaining qualified human resources, and articulating value creation processes aligned with their social missions. Intellectual Capital Management (ICM) offers a comprehensive framework to address these challenges, integrating human, structural, and relational capital to promote innovation, organizational learning, and long-term sustainability.
This study explores how SEOs conceptualize and operationalize ICM within their organizational contexts. Employing a qualitative research design, the investigation is grounded in semi-structured interviews with managers from a diverse range of SEOs across multiple sectors and territorial scopes. The empirical focus centers on practices such as human capital development, mechanisms of knowledge sharing, stakeholder engagement, and the alignment of strategic processes with the generation of social value.
Findings reveal heterogeneous levels of awareness and formalization of ICM practices, with some organizations intuitively embedding knowledge-based strategies, while others lack systemic approaches to managing intangible assets. These dynamics underscore the need for tailored policy instruments and management frameworks that enhance the capacity of SEOs to structure and scale their innovative potential.
By contributing to the theoretical and empirical understanding of knowledge-based strategies in the third sector, this study aims to inform both academic debate and the design of supportive ecosystems for SEOs operating in increasingly complex and interconnected environments.
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