Most human resource management (HRM) researchers adopt the positivism research philosophy; thus, they choose quantitative approach. However, there are also calls for research to employ qualitative methodologies. Methodological triangulation using quantitative and qualitative methodologies provides multidimensional insights into many HRM research problems. This study used triangulation method in which two data collection phases were incorporated, specifically by combining quantitative and qualitative methods. In quantitative approach, the data of 327 Bumiputera SME entrepreneurs, selected by proportionate stratified sampling method, were analysed using PLS-SEM. The qualitative results were obtained from interview sessions using NVivo. The results provided support to SME entrepreneurs to understand the effects of intellectual capital on business performance and facilitate them in making the right decision. For the interview session, three entrepreneurs (regarded as the key informants) provided a deeper understanding on how intellectual capital influences SME business performance. This study demonstrated that intellectual capital elements (human capital and organizational capital) directly affect the business performance of Bumiputera SME entrepreneurs. All in all, the results of this study contributed significantly to the development and success of Bumiputera SME business performance either from theoretical or empirical aspects.
11MP. (2016). Eleventh Malaysia Plan 2016-2020: Anchoring Growth on People. Speech by the Prime Minister in the Dewan Rakyat on 21 May 2015. Available at: https://www.pmo.gov.my/dokumenattached/speech/files/RMK11_Speech.pdf
Awang, A., Khalid, S. A., Yusof, A. A., Kassim, K. M., Ismail, M., Zain, R. S., & Madar, A. R. S. (2009). Entrepreneurial orientation and performance relations of Malaysian Bumiputera SMEs: The impact of some perceived environmental factors. International Journal of Business and Management, 4(9), 84-96.
Abdirahman, M. D., & Tarique, R. (2020). Impact of structural capital and innovation capability on firm performance (Case study of Pharma industry in Karachi-Pakistan). The Strategic Journal of Business & Change Management, 7(1), 736-748.
Agil, S. O. S. (2008). The muqaddimah of Ibn Khaldun: Religion, human nature and economics. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: Selangor International Islamic College (KUIS).
Agil, S. O. S. (2010). An Inquiry Into the Causes and Costs of Economic Growth: What Policy Makers Today Can Learn from the Muqaddimah of Ibn Khaldun. Universiti Tun Abdul Razak.
Alay, K. J., & Jeppe, H. J. (2013). Knowledge management practices in a public sector organization: the role of leaders cognitive styles. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 17(3), 349-351. https://doi.org/10.1108/JKM-11-2012 035 8
Alomari, Z. S. (2019). Does human capital moderate the relationship between strategic thinking and strategic human resource management? Management Science Letters, 10(3), 565-574.
Andreeva, T., & Garanina, T. (2017). Intellectual capital and its impact on the financial performance of Russian manufacturing companies. ???????, 11(1 (eng)).
Bainbridge, H. T., & Lee, I. (2014). Mixed methods in HRM research. Research methods for human resource management, 16-33.
Borhan, J. T., & Sa’ari, C. Z. (2009). Modal insan dan kependudukan dalam pembangunan negara menurut Ibn Khaldun. MIQOT: Jurnal Ilmu-ilmu Keislaman, 33(2).
Coy, S. P., Shipley, M. F., Omer, K., & Khan, R. N. A. (2007). Factors contributory to success: A study of Pakistan's small business owners. Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, 12(02), 181-198.
Creswell, J. W. (1998). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing among Five Traditions. Sage Publications: London.
Easterby-Smith, M., Thorpe, R., & Lowe, A. (1991). Management Research. An Introduction. Sage: London.
Ekaputra, A. E., & Fuadah, L. (2020). Intellectual Capital, Profitability, and Good Corporate Governance Effects on Company Value. Binus Business Review, 11(1), 25-30.
EPU. (2015). The Malaysian Economy in Figures (EPU). Available at: http://www.epu.gov.my
ETP Annual Report. (2014). Narrowing Disparity. Available at: http://etp.pemandu.gov.my/annualreport2011
Forbes (13 March 2019). Available at: https://www.forbes.com/profile/syed-mokhtar-albukhary/#3e7e402518ee
Gaskill, L. R., Van Auken, H. E., & Kim, H. S. (2015). Impact of operational planning on small business retail performance. Journal of Small Business Strategy, 5(1), 21-36.
Greene, J. C., Caracelli, V. J., & Graham, W. F. (1989). Toward a conceptual framework for mixed-method evaluation designs. Educational evaluation and policy analysis, 11(3), 255-274.
Hashim, M. J., Arifin, N. A. M., Kamarudin, M. F., & Khamis, R. (2020). Intellectual capital components and its relationship to Microfinance institutions’ performance. Advances in Business Research International Journal, 6(2), 69-80.
Hashim, M. J., Osman, I., & Alhabshi, S. M. (2017). Intellectual capital contribution to organizational performance in Malaysian banking and non-banking sectors. Advanced Science Letters, 23(1), 406-409.
Hashim, H. (2013). Propelling Malaysian SMEs into a higher economic contributor. In Saudi International SMEs Forum (Vol. 29).
Hussey, J., & Hussey, R. (1997). Business Research methods: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. USA Pearson Education.
Kasoga, P. S. (2020). Does investing in intellectual capital improve financial performance? Panel evidence from firms listed in Tanzania DSE. Cogent Economics & Finance, 8(1), 1802815.
Khaldun, I. (1967). The Muqaddimah, trans. Franz Rosenthal. The Muqaddimah: An Intro.
Khan, E. A., & Quaddus, M. (2018). Dimensions of human capital and firm performance: Micro-firm context. IIMB Management Review, 30(3), 229-241.
Kong, E., & Thomson, S. B. (2009). An intellectual capital perspective of human resource strategies and practices. Knowledge Management Research & Practice, 7(4), 356-364.
Lentjušenkova, O., & Inga, L. (2016). The Transformation of the Organization's Intellectual Capital: From Resource to Capital. Journal of Intellectual Capital, 17(4), 610-631. doi:10.1108/JIC-03-2016-0031
Malay Mail (10 August 2020). Tok Pa: Bumiputera empowerment agenda needs bold, radical strategies. Available at: https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2020/08/10/tok-pa-bumiputera-empowerment-agenda-needs-bold-radical-strategies/1892665
Marcin, K. (2013). Intellectual capital as a key factor of socio-economic development of regions and countries. Procedia Economics and Finance, 6, 288-295.
Morse, J. M. (Ed.). (1994). Critical issues in qualitative research methods. Sage.
Nhon, H. T., Thong, B. Q., & Van Phuong, N. (2018). The impact of intellectual capital dimensions on Vietnamese information communication technology firm performance: A mediation analysis of human and social capital. Academy of Strategic Management Journal, 17(1), 1-15.
Nguyen, V. (2020). Human capital, capital structure choice and firm profitability in developing countries: An empirical study in Vietnam. Accounting, 6(2), 127-136.
Prasetyo, P. E., & Kistanti, N. R. (2020). Human capital, institutional economics and entrepreneurship as a driver for quality & sustainable economic growth. Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, 7(4), 2575-2589.
Ravallion, M. (2020). Ethnic inequality and poverty in Malaysia since May 1969. Part 2: Poverty. World Development, 134, 105039.
Razak, A. Q. A., Suyurno, S. S., & Nordin, R. (2020). The ‘Umr?nic Thoughts of Ibn Khald?n and Its Contributions to the Studies of Islamic Sociology and Civilization. Jurnal Akidah & Pemikiran Islam, 113-136.
Sardo, F., & Serrasqueiro, Z. (2017). A European empirical study of the relationship between firms’ intellectual capital, financial performance and market value. Journal of Intellectual Capital, 18(4), 771-788. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIC-10-2016-0105
Sekaran, U. (1992). Research Methods of Business. Canada: John Wiley & Sons.
SME Corp Malaysia (2018). SME Annual Report 2017/2018, SME Corp Malaysia. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Steward, T. A. (1997). Intellectual capital. New York: Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group.
Ting, I. W. K., Ren, C., Chen, F. C., & Kweh, Q. L. (2020). Interpreting the dynamic performance effect of intellectual capital through a value-added-based perspective. Journal of Intellectual Capital, 21(3), 381-401. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIC-05-2019-0098
Tran, N. P., & Vo, D. H. (2020). Human capital efficiency and firm performance across sectors in an emerging market. Cogent Business & Management, 7(1), 1738832.
Wang, F. S., & Yuan, B. (2017). Research on the Impact of Intellectual Capital on Corporate Value—Based on the Panel Data of Companies Listed on GEM. Journal of Computational and Theoretical Nanoscience, 14(1), 151-156.
Y?lmaz, O., & Çömez, P. (2016). The Effect of Structural Capital on Enterprise (Qualitative and Quantitative) Performance. International Business Research, 9(6). 143-156.
Yusof, N.M., Mahmood, R., Zin, S., & Puteh, M. (2014). An Investigation of the Small Business Start-up Performance. Journal of Basic and Applied Scientific Research, 4(3s), 10-17.
Yusoff, Y. M., Omar, M. K., Zaman, M. D. K., & Samad, S. (2019). Do all elements of green intellectual capital contribute toward business sustainability? Evidence from the Malaysian context using the Partial Least Squares method. Journal of Cleaner Production, 234, 626-637.
Zin, S. M., & Ashari, E. H. M. E. H. (2020). How Do Intellectual Capital and Islamic Work Ethics Affect SME Business Performance? Jurnal Intelek, 15(1), 77-88.
Zin, S. M., & Abd Manaf, K. (2019). Role of Intellectual Capital in Women Entrepreneurs' Business Performance. In Women Entrepreneurs and Strategic Decision Making in the Global Economy (pp. 209-230). IGI Global.
Zin, S. M., & Adnan, A. A. (2016). How do Intellectual Capital and Islamic Values Relate to Small Business Performance? A Conceptual Framework. J. Appl. Environ. Biol. Sci, 6(3S), 42-49.
Zulkiffli, S. N. A., & Perera, N. (2011). A Literature Analysis on Business Performance for SMEs: Subjective or Objective Measures? In Society of Interdisciplinary Business Research (SIBR) 2011 Conference on Interdisciplinary Business Research.
In-Text Citation: (Zin et al., 2022)
To Cite this Article: Zin, S. M., Adnan, A. A., & Mat, R. C. (2022). Intellectual Capital and Bumiputera SME Performance: A Methodological Triangulation. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 12(3), 129–142.
Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s)
Published by Knowledge Words Publications (www.kwpublications.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode