STAP International Journal of Accounting and Business Intelligence

ISSN: 3105-3726

The Strategic Importance of Intellectual Capital and Cloud Accounting: The Interactive Role in Enhancing the Financial Performance

by 

Mohammad Ghabayen

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Published: 2025/03/18

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of cloud accounting on financial performance, specifically examining the moderating role of intellectual capital. The research was conducted on a sample of 42 Jordanian industrial companies listed on the Amman Stock Exchange. Data was collected from financial managers, heads of accounting departments, and accountants using a specially designed questionnaire. A total of 164 questionnaires were distributed. The Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) method, using SmartPLS software, was employed for data analysis and hypothesis testing. The findings revealed a significant impact of cloud accounting on the financial performance of Jordanian industrial companies. Furthermore, the study identified a significant moderating role for intellectual capital (both as a comprehensive concept and through its components) in the relationship between cloud accounting use and financial performance. Specifically, both human capital and structural capital were found to play a positive and statistically significant moderating role, indicating that higher levels of these two components enhance and strengthen the positive impact of cloud accounting on financial performance. In contrast, relational capital did not demonstrate a moderating role in this relationship. The unexpected complexity regarding relational capital suggests a need for careful management of the interaction between technology and external relationships. The study recommends an integrated approach that emphasizes developing intellectual capital (especially human and structural) in conjunction with investments in cloud accounting.

Keywords

Intellectual CapitalCloud AccountingFinancial PerformanceJordan

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