Intellectual capital, leadership and competitive advantage: a study of the Malaysian electrical and electronics industry

The primary objective of this study was to examine the mediating role of intellectual capital in the association between strategic leadership capabilities and competitive advantage. The secondary objective was to examine the role of knowledge management in the association between strategic leadership capabilities and intellectual capital. Data was collected from 184 Malaysian electrical and electronics sector firms using previously published scales. Partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed to analyse seven hypothesised relationships. Results revealed that strategic leadership capabilities play an apex role in attaining competitive advantage, whereas intellectual capital mediates the association between SLC and competitive advantage. Knowledge management further amplifies the role of human capital but does not play a significant role with relational or structural capital. This study represents a novel assessment of the role of intellectual capital in the association of strategic leadership capabilities and competitive advantage in the Malaysian electronics context.