Thriving in scarcity: harnessing intellectual capital for open frugal innovation

Private higher education institutions (PHEIs) are struggling to invest in the facilities, tools, and staff required to build a complete IR4.0 education ecosystem due to a lack of funding and technological resources. This research investigates the role of intellectual capital elements (Human, Relational, and Structural Capital) in promoting frugal innovation in Malaysian private universities utilizing knowledge-based theory. Using a quantitative research approach, we collected survey data from 308 respondents affiliated with Private Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs) in Malaysia. The study found that human capital is not statistically significant in its relationship with frugal innovation in higher education, while structural capital and relational capital do show significant relationships. These findings contribute to our understanding of intellectual capital's role in frugal innovation in Malaysian PHEIs.