STRATEGIC INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL IN SUSTAINABLE COMPETITIVE PERFORMANCE: SMES IN THE PLASTIC MANUFACTURING SECTOR
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18623/rvd.v22.n5.3820Palabras clave:
Strategic Intellectual Capital, Sustainable Competitive Performance, SMEs, Circular Economy, Emerging Capabilities, Financial ResilienceResumen
This study aims to analyse the role of strategic intellectual capital in Sustainable Competitive Performance among manufacturing SMEs facing pressures from foreign direct investment and the circular economy. A hypothetical-deductive approach was employed, surveying 168 SMEs in the plastic manufacturing sector within the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area. Data were analysed using Principal Component Analysis for dimensionality and ANOVA. The results demonstrate that Sustainable Competitive Performance is driven by the dynamic interaction of SIC components, supporting the development of regenerative and circular capabilities. This research empirically confirms the role of SIC as a catalyst for circular and Sustainable Competitive Performance, providing a framework that combines intangible resources within strategic responses to global and environmental challenges.
Citas
Aassouli, D., & Ahmed, H. (2023). Supporting SMEs financial resilience during crises: A framework to evaluate the effectiveness of financial literacy programs targeting SMEs. Malaysian Journal of Economic Studies, 60(1), 105-121. https://doi.org/10.22452/MJES.vol60no1.6
Abbas, A., Ekowati, D., Suhariadi, F., & Anwar, A. (2024). Human capital creation: a collective psychological, social, organizational and religious perspective. Journal of Religion and Health, 63 (3), 2168–2200. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-022-01665-8.
Abedsoltan, H. (2024). Applications of plastics in the automotive industry: current trends and future perspectives. Polymer Engineering & Science, 64 (3), 929–950. https://doi.org./10.1002/pen.26604
Adama, H., Popoola, O., Okeke, C., & Akinoso, A. (2024). Theoretical frameworks supporting IT and business strategy alignment for sustained competitive advantage. International Journal of Management & Entrepreneurship Research, 6 ( 4), 1273–1287. https://doi.org/10.51594/ijmer.v6i4.1058
Ahmed, S., Ahsan, N., Alam, S., & Kokash, H. (2025). Advancing Circular Economy Implementation in Malaysian SMEs: the role of financial resources, operational alignment, and absorptive capacity. Circular Economy and Sustainability, 5. https://doi.org/10.1007/s43615-025-00533-3
Alharthi, S. (2025). Harnessing knowledge: the robust role of knowledge management practices and business intelligence systems in developing entrepreneurial leadership and organizational sustainability in SMEs. Sustainability, 17 (14), 6264. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17146264
Asgari, A., & Asgari, R. (2021). How circular economy transforms business models in a transition towards circular ecosystem: the barriers and incentives. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2021.06.020
Cobbinah, J., Osei, A., & Amoah, J. O. (2025). Innovating for a greener future: do digital transformation and innovation capacity drive enterprise green total factor productivity in the knowledge economy?. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 1–39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-025-02673-1
Contini, R. (2024). Exploring the epistemology and methodology of social sciences: from positivism to complexity, Sociology, 14 (6), 263–269. https://doi.org/10.17265/2159-5526/2024.06.001
De la Mora, A., Alarcón, G., & López, J. (2020). Capital social y disponibilidad de mano de obra calificada como impulsores de la competitividad de las empresas que forman parte de clústeres aeroespaciales. El caso de México. Información Tecnológica, 31 (1), 171–182. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-07642020000100171
Deepa, A., & Elangovan, A. (2024). Unveiling the disruptive force: analyzing the impact of digital shopping. Mercados y Negocios, (53), 27–50. https://doi.org/10.32870/myn.vi53.7745
Digitemie, W., Onyeke, F., Adewoyin, M., & Dienagha, I. (2025). Implementing circular economy principles in oil and gas: addressing waste management and resource reuse for sustainable operations. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research and Growth Evaluation, 6 (1), 99–104. https://doi.org/10.54660/.IJMRGE.2025.6.1.99-104
Ferronato, N., Maalouf, A., Mertenat, A., Saini, A., ... & Mohandas, V. J. (2024). A review of plastic waste circular actions in seven developing countries to achieve sustainable development goals. Waste Management & Research, 42 (6), 436–458. https://doi.org/10.1177/0734242X20955457
Govindan, K. (2025). Analyzing the dynamic capabilities of emerging technologies for industrial emergency situations. International Journal of Production Economics, 281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2024.109495
Guggemos, J. (2024). To fear or not to fear–Human resource development professionals’ positioning towards artificial intelligence with a focus on augmentation. Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeai.2023.100260
Hahladakis, J. N., Iacovidou, E., & Gerassimidou, S. (2024). Plastic waste in a circular economy. In Environmental Materials and Waste, Elsevier, pp. 99–134.
Harris, B., & Brooker, J. (2025). Environmental Scanning: A Look to the Future. In New Directions for Evaluation, 2025(185-186), 33-41.
Hassan, S. T., Baloch, M. A., Bui, Q., & Khan, N. H. (2024). The heterogeneous impact of geopolitical risk and environment‑related innovations on greenhouse gas emissions: the role of nuclear and renewable energy in the circular economy. Gondwana Research, 127, 144–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gr.2024.04.021
Helinski, C., Englisch, C. L., Westmattelmann, D., & Schewe, G. (2024). Profit before principle? An experimental assessment of incentive schemes encouraging consumers’ role in product end‑of‑life returns. Journal of Cleaner Production, 454. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.142267
Hofmann, F. (2019). Circular business models: business approach as driver or obstructer of sustainability transitions?. Journal of Cleaner Production, 224, 361–372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.03.002
Husain, S., & Ermine, J. L. (2025). Knowledge management systems design: innovation and strategy. Taylor & Francis.
Huynh, T., Nguyen, D., & Nguyen, H. (2025). Effecting to knowledge distribution, green human resource management on organizational performance: evidence from Vietnam tourism enterprises. Veredas do Direito, 22(2), e3360-e3360. https://doi.org/10.18623/rvd.v22.n2.3360
Köhler, J., Sönnichsen, S. D., & Beske‐Jansen, P. (2022). Towards a collaboration framework for circular economy: the role of dynamic capabilities and open innovation. Business Strategy and the Environment, 31 (6), 2700–2713. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.3178
León, A., Santos, J., Palacios, M., & Garza, H. (2025). Unlocking sustainable competitive advantage: exploring the impact of technological innovations on performance in Mexican SMEs within the tourism sector. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 27(2), 3481-3511. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-023-04025-y
Liu, Q., Martinez, S., Wang, S., Ngoc, N., Kammoun, M., ... & Richel, A. (2024). The role of plastic chemical recycling processes in a circular economy context. Chemical Engineering Journal, 498. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2023.147950
Meral, H., Ersoy, B., & Cavga, S. H. (2023). Closing the insurance gap in Turkey. Journal of Insurance Issues, 46 (2), 226–255.
Mpanza, S. S., Aboluwodi, D., & Rajaram, R. (2025). The Link Between Strategic Cost Management and Value Creation. The Journal of Accounting and Management, 15(1), 73-78.
Naoum, V. C., Ntounis, D., & Vlismas, O. (2023). Strategy, intellectual capital and operating performance. International Journal of Managerial and Financial Accounting, 15 (1), 50–87.
Nordahl, S. L., & Scown, C. D. (2024). Recommendations for life‑cycle assessment of recyclable plastics in a circular economy. Chemical Science, 15 (25), 9397–9407. https://doi.org/10.1039/d4sc01234k
Oliva, F. L., Bution, J. L., Motta, F. G., Fenner, G., Randolph-Seng, B., Papa, M., & Naqshbandi, M. M. (2025). Appetite for risk: theoretical framework and practical application in a technology‑based environment. Journal of Intellectual Capital, 26 (1), 71–103. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIC-12-2024-0254
Polas, M., Afshar Jahanshahi, A., Islam, M., Kabir, A., Sohel‐Uz‐Zaman, A., & Fahad, A. (2025). A journey from traditional supply chain processes to sustainability‑oriented blockchain supply chain: the critical role of organizational capabilities. Business Strategy and the Environment, 34 (3), 3522–3543. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.3560
Prasasti, E., Fadah, I., & Paramu, H. (2025). Impact of intellectual capital, firm performance, firm size, and intangible assets on firm value: evidence from LQ45 companies. Research Horizon, 5 (2), 247–260.
Puerta, M., Pindado, J., & González, T. (2023). The resilience of corporate tourism: Bleisure, digitalization, and sustainability. Mercados y Negocios, 24(48), 53-74.
Rani, A., Negi, S., Fan, C., Lam, S., Kim, H., & Pan, S. (2024). Revitalizing plastic wastes employing bio‑circular‑green economy principles for carbon neutrality. Journal of Hazardous Materials. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.134394
Rodríguez, F., Vivanco, M., & Gómez, M. (2024). Management of Intellectual Property as a Generator of Resources in Mexican Higher Education Institutions. Mercados y Negocios, 25(51), 77-102.
Rouhani, S., Wardley, L., & Amin, S. (2025). A comprehensive survey into reverse logistics and Closed‑Loop Supply Chain aspects to provide analyses and insights for implementation. Journal of Cleaner Production. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2024.144743
Schöggl, J., Stumpf, L., & Baumgartner, R. (2024). The role of interorganizational collaboration and digital technologies in the implementation of circular economy practices—empirical evidence from manufacturing firms”, Business Strategy and the Environment, 33 (3), 2225–2249. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.3290
Shen, L., & Worrell, E. (2024). Plastic recycling. In Handbook of recycling, 497-510. Elsevier.
Singh, N., & Walker, T. (2024). Plastic recycling: a panacea or environmental pollution problem. npj Materials Sustainability, 2 (1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41545-024-00217-5
Supriadi, I., Maghfiroh, R., & Abadi, R. (2025). Circular accounting and regenerative business models: how environmental foresight drives SME competitive advantage through dynamic capabilities. Jurnal Inovasi Akuntansi (JIA), 3 (1), 38–47.
Sutrisno, S., & Susanti, I. (2024). Optimising global competitiveness of MSMEs through innovative strategies for digital business development. Journal of Contemporary Administration and Management, 2 (1), 307–312.
Van Hoang, D., Thi Hien, N., Van Thang, H., Nguyen Truc Phuong, P., & Thi-Thuy Duong, T. (2025). Digital capabilities and sustainable competitive advantages: the case of emerging market manufacturing SMEs. Sage Open, 15 (2). https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440251329967
Zhou, B., Siddik, A., Zheng, G., & Masukujjaman, M. (2023). Unveiling the role of green logistics management in improving SMEs’ sustainability performance: do circular economy practices and supply chain traceability matter?. Systems, 11( 4). https://doi.org/10.3390/systems11040198
Zorpas, A. (2024). The hidden concept and the beauty of multiple ‘R’ in the framework of waste strategies development reflecting to circular economy principles. Science of the Total Environment, 952, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.175508
Descargas
Publicado
Cómo citar
Número
Sección
Licencia
I (we) submit this article which is original and unpublished, of my (our) own authorship, to the evaluation of the Veredas do Direito Journal, and agree that the related copyrights will become exclusive property of the Journal, being prohibited any partial or total copy in any other part or other printed or online communication vehicle dissociated from the Veredas do Direito Journal, without the necessary and prior authorization that should be requested in writing to Editor in Chief. I (we) also declare that there is no conflict of interest between the articles theme, the author (s) and enterprises, institutions or individuals.
I (we) recognize that the Veredas do Direito Journal is licensed under a CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE.
Licença Creative Commons Attribution 3.0




