Measuring intellectual capital efficiency: A case of football clubs in the UEFA Champion League

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the intellectual capital efficiency of football clubs in the UEFA Champion League between 2010 and 2019. We measure the intellectual capital efficiency of each football club through Value Added Intellectual Coefficient (VAIC) method developed by Pulic (1998, 2004), Ghosh and Mondal (2009), Yalama (2013), Ozkan, Cakan, and Kayacan (2017). Using a sample of 10 football clubs from 7 countries, we find that almost all clubs use their intellectual capital efficiently with great coefficients. We also document that human capital, as the core of intellectual capital, has a positive impact on structural capital. Our finding is significant for sports managers to make strategic management of intellectual sources to create value in the football industry. It suggests that football clubs should pay more attention to intellectual capital like fan loyalty and talented players. Meanwhile, it helps the sports industry to play a great role of human capital in intellectual capital and to increase the competitive advantage of the enterprise.