The Impact of Intellectual Capital on Enhancing Strategic Capabilities

Abstract

This study aims to examine the impact of intellectual capital (human, structural, and relational) on enhancing strategic capabilities (foresight, adaptability, creativity, and strategic leadership) among administrative leaders in the Iraqi public universities . A descriptive analytical correlational approach was adopted, utilizing a structured questionnaire to collect data from a stratified random sample of department heads and administrative managers. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS and AMOS. Results revealed a significant positive impact of intellectual capital on strategic capabilities, with human capital emerging as the strongest predictor, followed by relational capital, while structural capital demonstrated a significant yet comparatively weaker effect, highlighting an institutional need to strengthen knowledge-support systems. The study concludes that transforming intangible assets into dynamic capabilities requires systematic integration of human expertise, institutional structures, and external networks. Practical recommendations are provided to develop knowledge management frameworks, promote administrative decentralization, and embed strategic capability indicators into accreditation standards. This study gains significance from the scarcity of literature empirically linking intellectual capital dimensions to dynamic strategic capabilities within the Iraqi higher education context, which faces rapid environmental shifts and global quality accreditation pressures