Intangible Resources Management and Sustainability of Selected Manufacturing Organizations in Nigeria

Organization managers have rarely recognized the link between intangibles and entrepreneurial activity, consequently many firms are unable to identify and evaluate the contributions of intangible resources management to organizational sustainability. This unparalleled significance of intangible resources in contemporary business world has made intangible resources management necessary. Presently, many organizations are yet to adopt this practice. Thus, there is need to develop strategies to match the new paradigm shift.  To this end, the study sought to ascertain the impact of intangible resources management on the sustainability of manufacturing organization in Nigeria. The researchers adopted survey design. Data were collected by structured questionnaire in Likert’s five scale format.  The sources of data were through primary and secondary sources.   Sample size of 503 was derived from the application of Cochran’s formula for finite population while Bowley’s proportional allocation method was adopted to determine the allocation of questionnaire to each organization. .  A test-retest method was used to determine the reliability of questionnaire using Spearman’s Rank Order Correlation Coefficient. The result gave a reliability coefficient of 0.93.   The two hypotheses were formulated and tested through Simple Linear Regression at 0.05 level of significance.  The findings revealed that: firm’s resources and capabilities significantly enhanced competitive advantage (r = 0.895801; p <0.05). Employees’ competences had significant positive effect on organization’s image (r = 0.763; p <0.05). The study concluded that it in the present dispensation, the global business is no more dependent upon the tangible resources as such intangible resources imbedded in organization members are the enablers of other corporate resources and the base for sustained organizational viability. The study recommends that in this economic paradigm where sustainable competitive advantage is tangled to individual workers’ and organizational knowledge; there is need to develop strategies heavily on improving intangible resources imbedded in individuals to march the new situation that imposes new requirements on the management of manufacturing organizations. 

Keywords: intangible resources; employee competence; resources capabilities; sustainability; competitive advantage