Importance of intellectual capital disclosure in Spanish universities

Abstract

Purpose: The increasing social concern about establishing procedures of accountability and ensuring information transparency in public universities prompted us to raise the need to disclose information on their intellectual capital.Design/methodology/approach: In this study we developed a questionnaire which was sent to members of the Social Councils of Spanish public universities, in order to identify which intangible elements university stakeholders demand most.Findings: The results of this research demonstrate how important it is for Spanish public universities to provide information on their intellectual capital in order to satisfy their stakedolders’ information needs.Practical implications: The results of this research lead us to recommend that universities include in their accounting statements the information on intellectual capital demanded by the different stakeholders.Originality/value: No previous research was conducted for Spanish universities. Our results represent a starting point for public universities to identify which is the most requested information about intellectual capital.

Keywords

• institutions of higher education, intellectual capital, disclosure