Gender Innovation as Strategic Dynamic Capability Integrating Intellectual Capital, Cost Management, and FinTech for MSME Sustainability
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61194/ijtc.v7i2.2175Keywords:
Gender Innovation, Dynamic Capability, Intellectual Capital, Strategic Cost Management, FinTechAbstract
This study examines the role of Gender Innovation as a strategic dynamic capability integrating Intellectual Capital, Strategic Cost Management, and Financial Technology (FinTech) to enhance MSME sustainability. Drawing on Dynamic Capability Theory and the Resource-Based View, the study conceptualizes Gender Innovation as an organizational capability that enables firms to sense emerging opportunities through diverse perspectives, seize these opportunities by integrating inclusive knowledge resources into strategic decisions, and transform organizational practices through adaptive managerial and technological innovation. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected from 100 MSMEs in Medan City, Indonesia, and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The results show that FinTech adoption significantly influences MSME sustainability, highlighting digital financial integration as a key mechanism for long-term business viability. Gender Innovation significantly strengthens Intellectual Capital and Strategic Cost Management, indicating its role as a higher-order dynamic capability. In this study, Gender Innovation is conceptualized as a second-order construct integrating inclusive managerial practices and innovation orientation through a hierarchical component model. However, Intellectual Capital does not directly influence sustainability, suggesting that intangible resources require digital financial mechanisms to generate measurable outcomes. Strategic Cost Management contributes indirectly by facilitating FinTech adoption. This study contributes to the dynamic capability literature by positioning Gender Innovation as an integrative capability linking inclusivity, knowledge resources, cost efficiency, and digital finance to sustainable MSME performance.
References
Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), 179–211. https://doi.org/10.1016/0749-5978(91)90020-T
Akhtar F., Senadjki A., & Kumaran V. V. (2025), "Sustainability meets digital culture: the influence of ESG on financial performance in Malaysian manufacturing SMEs". Journal of Innovative Digital Transformation, Vol. 2 No. 1 pp. 90 108, doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/JIDT 10 2024 0031
Al-Edenat M (2026;), "Sustainable performance based on talent management and entrepreneurship orientation in e-business firms: the mediating role of knowledge management practices". EuroMed Journal of Business, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/EMJB-04-2025-0164
Alsos, G. A., Hytti, U., & Ljunggren, E. (2019). Gender and innovation: State of the art and future directions. International Journal of Gender and Entrepreneurship, 11(4), 375–395. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJGE-06-2019-0090
Asad M, Ghazalat A, Mansour AZ, Asif MU, Campbell AC (2025;), "Fintech adoption and sustainable performance of SMEs: moderated mediated analysis of technological turbulence and competitive advantage". Management & Sustainability: An Arab Review, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/MSAR-10-2024-0183
Asiaei, K., & Jusoh, R. (2021). A multidimensional view of intellectual capital and digital transformation. Journal of Intellectual Capital, 22(3), 457–478. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIC-10-2019-0229
Atashi Asemanjerdi S, de Frutos Madrazo P, Khosraviniya M, Martín-Cervantes PA (2025;), "The role of female managers’ financial literacy on the relationship between fintech and corporate sustainability performance". Journal of Islamic Accounting and Business Research, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIABR-12-2024-0506
Barney, J. (1991). Firm resources and sustained competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 17(1), 99–120. https://doi.org/10.1177/014920639101700108
Bashir N, Alsaeed GR (2026;), "Dynamic capabilities for open innovation: knowledge management, digitalisation and leadership". Business Process Management Journal, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/BPMJ-10-2025-1781
Bass, B. M., & Avolio, B. J. (2019). Transformational leadership: A response to critiques. Routledge. (No DOI available)
Bebbington, J., Unerman, J., & O’Dwyer, B. (2020). Sustainability accounting and accountability (2nd ed.). Routledge. (No DOI available)
Birnberg, J. G. (2011). A proposed framework for behavioral accounting research. Behavioral Research in Accounting, 23(1), 1–43. https://doi.org/10.2308/bria.2011.23.1.1
Bontis, N. (1998). Intellectual capital: An exploratory study that develops measures and models. Management Decision, 36(2), 63–76. https://doi.org/10.1108/00251749810204142
Chen B, Zhang W, Zhang R, Wang J, Zhang X, An Y (2025;), "Alliance management capability and platform business model innovation of SMEs: findings from SEM and fsQCA". Business Process Management Journal, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/BPMJ-04-2025-0410
Chenhall, R. H. (2007). Theorizing contingencies in management control systems research. Handbook of Management Accounting Research, 1, 163–205. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1751-3243(06)01006-6
Chenhall, R. H., & Moers, F. (2015). The role of innovation in the evolution of management accounting and its integration into management control. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 47, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aos.2015.10.002
Davis, F. D. (1989). Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user acceptance of information technology. MIS Quarterly, 13(3), 319–340. https://doi.org/10.2307/249008
Di Berardino D, Antenozio L (2026), "Driving financial performance in innovative SMEs: does gender matter?". Management Research Review, Vol. 49 No. 13 pp. 1–26, doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/MRR-02-2025-0094
Dinh CT, Van LT, Tran NP (2026;), "Does green intellectual capital influence SMEs sustainable performance? The roles of green innovation and artificial intelligence". Journal of Asia Business Studies, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JABS-08-2025-0473
Edvinsson, L., & Malone, M. S. (1997). Intellectual capital: Realizing your company’s true value by finding its hidden brainpower. HarperBusiness Publishers. (No DOI available)
Faizulayev A (2026), "Empirical examination of ESG and fintech factors on financial sustainability: a comparative study of Islamic vs conventional banks in Islamic finance-oriented countries". Asian Journal of Accounting Research, Vol. 11 No. 1 pp. 2 21, doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/AJAR 09 2024 0382
Faraz AZ, Deng Y, Arshad S, Rui S (2025;), "Digital transformation as a catalyst: linking green CSR to sustainable development through environmental strategy and innovation in Pakistani SMEs". Kybernetes, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/K-12-2024-3338
Goleman, D., Boyatzis, R., & McKee, A. (2018). Primal leadership: Unleashing the power of emotional intelligence. Harvard Business Review Press. (No DOI available)
Gomber, P., Koch, J. A., & Siering, M. (2018). Digital finance and FinTech: Current research and future research directions. Journal of Business Economics, 87, 537–580. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11573-017-0852-x
Hair, J. F., Hult, G. T. M., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2022). A primer on partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) (3rd ed.). Sage.
Haqqani K, Aleem M, Mahmood S, Alhussan AA, Khafaga DS, Eid MM, El-kenawy EM (2026), "Green intellectual capital and organizational learning: pathways to sustainable innovation and firm performance in Pakistani SMEs". Journal of Intellectual Capital, Vol. 27 No. 7 pp. 22–48, doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/JIC-08-2025-0330
Henseler, J., Ringle, C. M., & Sarstedt, M. (2015). A new criterion for assessing discriminant validity. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 43(1), 115–135. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11747-014-0403-8
Herzberg, F., Mausner, B., & Snyderman, B. (2020). The motivation to work. Routledge. (No DOI available)
Hoobler, J. M., Masterson, C. R., Nkomo, S. M., & Michel, E. J. (2018). The business case for women leaders: Meta-analysis. Journal of Management, 44(6), 2473–2499. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206316628643
Huang, Y., Guo, F., & Zhu, H. (2022). Digital financial inclusion and firm performance: Evidence from China. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 175, 121346. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2021.121346
Kaur A, Negi PS (2025), "Fintech and SDGs: a bibliometric analysis of the nexus between digital finance and sustainability". Fintech and Digital Accounting Review, Vol. 1 No. 1-2 pp. 1–14, doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/FDAR-06-2025-0006
Kotter, J. P. (2021). Change: How organizations achieve hard-to-imagine results in uncertain and volatile times. Wiley. (No DOI available)
Krejcie, R. V., & Morgan, D. W. (1970). Determining sample size for research activities. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 30(3), 607–610.
Kurniawan, S. B., Ningsi, E. H., Utomo, L. P., Safriliana, R., & Assih, P. (2025). Digital Transformation and Accounting Integrity: Harmonization of Moral Ethics and Accountability. East Asian Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 4(6), 2681-2694.
Lubis, I. T., Ningsi, E. H., Manurung, L., & Widodo, S. (2024). Digital Financial Management of MSMEs: The Impact of Financial Literacy and Financial Technology. Atestasi: Jurnal Ilmiah Akuntansi, 7(2), 1164-1172.
Manurung, L., & Ningsi, E. H. (2023). The Influence of Financial Performance and Profit Management on Company Value. Neraca Keuangan: Jurnal Ilmiah Akuntansi dan Keuangan, 18(2), 101-114.
Masdupi E, Imran M, Sintya R (2025;), "Financial literacy and sustainability of SMEs: the mediating and moderating effect of entrepreneurial financing choice, risk-taking and social capital". Management & Sustainability: An Arab Review, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/MSAR-01-2025-0003
Nazaruddin I, Sofyani H, Rahmawati E, Utami TP, Amalia R (2026;), "The role of strategic management accounting adoption in shaping financial and innovation performance of SMEs: testing a mediating model". Journal of Accounting & Organizational Change, Vol. ahead of print No. ahead of print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JAOC 07 2025 0232
Ningsi, E. H., Manurung, L., & Siregar, M. F. (2025). The 6-Go Digital Intellectual Capital Model: Enhancing Financial Sustainability Through Green Innovation in Small and Medium Enterprises. International Journal of Accounting and Economics Studies, 12(6), 684-695. https://doi.org/10.14419/6qqb7b27
Ningsi, E. H., Rahmad, I. F., & Manurung, L. (2025). A DECISION SCIENCE FRAMEWORK FOR INTEGRATING GREEN FINANCIAL TECHNOLOGY AND INCLUSION TO ENHANCE SME FINANCIAL STABILITY. Veredas Do Direito, 22(6), e223933. https://doi.org/10.18623/rvd.v22.n6.3933
Noland, M., Moran, T., & Kotschwar, B. R. (2016). Is gender diversity profitable? Evidence from a global survey. Peterson Institute for International Economics Working Paper, 16–3.
OECD. (2019). FinTech and the digital transformation of financial services. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/4c1b1a65-en
Pedro, E., Leitão, J., & Alves, H. (2018). Intellectual capital and performance: Taxonomy and research agenda. Journal of Intellectual Capital, 19(2), 407–452. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIC-11-2016-0118
Podsakoff, P. M., MacKenzie, S. B., & Podsakoff, N. P. (2012). Sources of method bias in social science research. Annual Review of Psychology, 63, 539–569. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-120710-100452
Porter, M. E. (1985). Competitive advantage: Creating and sustaining superior performance. Free Press. (No DOI available)
Ringle, C. M., Sarstedt, M., Mitchell, R., & Gudergan, S. (2020). Partial least squares structural equation modeling. Journal of Business Research, 109, 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585192.2017.1416655
Schaltegger, S., & Burritt, R. (2018). Contemporary environmental accounting: Issues, concepts and practice. Routledge.
Senyo, P. K., Addae, E., & Boateng, R. (2022). Cloud computing and FinTech adoption: Implications for SME sustainability. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 180, 121716. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2022.121716
Setiawan, D., Yusliza, M. Y., Saputra, J., & Faezah, J. N. (2022). Linking green intellectual capital, financial literacy, and firm performance. Journal of Cleaner Production, 366, 132887. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.132887
Shank, J. K., & Govindarajan, V. (1993). Strategic cost management: The new tool for competitive advantage. Free Press. (No DOI available)
Sirmon, D. G., Hitt, M. A., Ireland, R. D., & Gilbert, B. A. (2011). Resource orchestration to create competitive advantage. Journal of Management, 37(5), 1390–1412. https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206310385695
Teece, D. J. (2018). Business models and dynamic capabilities. Long Range Planning, 51(1), 40–49. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lrp.2017.06.007
Teece, D. J., Pisano, G., & Shuen, A. (1997). Dynamic capabilities and strategic management. Strategic Management Journal, 18(7), 509–533. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1097-0266(199708)18:7<509::AID-SMJ882>3.0.CO;2-Z
Terjesen, S., Sealy, R., & Singh, V. (2016). Women directors on corporate boards. Corporate Governance: An International Review, 24(2), 127–148. https://doi.org/10.1111/corg.12179
Yusliza, M. Y., Norazmi, N. A., Faezah, J. N., & Saputra, J. (2020). Green intellectual capital and firm performance. Journal of Cleaner Production, 272, 122947. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Etty Harya Ningsi, Putri Wahyuni

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.



