Abstract :
Very little systematic research has examined the applicability of strategic management
concepts including SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis,
industrial organization, resource-based view and core competency, knowledge-based view,
Balanced Scorecard and intellectual capital (IC) through the lens of strategic management
development in the non-profit context. This paper aims to examine the above concepts in
the light of the unique non-profit environment and determine which one is most applicable
to social service non-profit organizations (SSNPOs) in the knowledge economy. Based on a
review of the development of strategic management with a focus on the above concepts
within the non-profit context, this paper argues that the IC concept is more effective
compared with the other concepts in the social service non-profit sector. The paper is
considered as a starting point and serves as a milestone in applying IC as a strategic
management conceptual framework in the social service non-profit sector. It helps to build
a nascent body of literature suggesting that IC can be used as a competent strategic
management conceptual framework in the social service non-profit sector. A better
understanding of the strategic management development in the non-profit context also
helps non-profit leaders to appreciate that IC is the most appropriate strategic management
concept in SSNPOs. The increased awareness of the IC concept in SSNPOs, as a result of this
paper, will pr
