Intellectual capital and business performance: An exploratory study of the impact of cloud based accounting and finance infrastructure
Purpose The purpose of this paper, building on previous studies of intellectual capital (IC) and business performance, is an exploratory study of how the use of cloud based accounting/finance infrastructure affects the business performance of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach A survey method is used to capture perceptions of how cloud based accounting/finance infrastructure affects business performance in SMEs. The study assumes that although accounting/finance systems are generally regarded as one element of a firm's structural capital; the introduction of a cloud based infrastructure in the accounting/finance area has the potential to positively impact on all three elements of a firm's IC. Based on the survey data collected, a conceptual model was formulated to test the relationship between cloud based accounting/finance infrastructure and business performance through the prism of firms' IC. Findings The results indicate