Intellectual capital and digital technologies in academic entrepreneurship: premises for a revolution?

The increasing attention to the third mission of universities is increasing the impact and the social value a university creates in the surrounding environment. In this scenario, a major focus on intellectual capital (IC) management and performance management is required, where IC is considered at the same time as mission and performance in the university context. Simultaneously, digital technologies, such as social media, mobiles, business analytics, Internet of Things, Big Data, Advanced Manufacturing, 3D printing, cloud and cyber-solutions, MOOCs and artificial intelligence, are nowadays permeating all private and public organizations. Digital technologies can enhance the development of IC and strategic assets within the academic entrepreneurship process. However, even if their disruptive role has been widely recognized at the business level, and the IC field reached its cusp in the mid-2000s, new research is needed to understand the potentiality of digital technologies on IC management. In this scenario, our analysis is directed to investigate how emerging digital technologies could impact on the development, management and disclosure of IC in academic entrepreneurship. Findings show a renewed framework based on the “input–output logic” promotes an understanding of how digital technologies support the creation, management and disclosure of IC in universities. Implications for theory and practices, and avenues for future research to inform this novel field of investigation are discussed.