Marketing

Innovation management

Public relations

Downstream (manufacturing)

Operating system

Originality

Bridge (graph theory)

Computer science

Social innovation

Business

Qualitative research

Open innovation

Intellectual capital

Political science

Value (mathematics)

Social capital

Internal medicine

Sociology

Intellectual property

Medicine

Knowledge management

Knowledge creation

Machine learning

Knowledge economy

Social science

Journal of Intellectual Capital

Purpose This paper reviews the development of knowledge creation theory in the last quarter-century and how it has contributed to innovation management and looks into social and human aspects of innovation in the era of “Society 5.0”. Design/methodology/approach This research aims to relate basic theoretical concepts: knowledge creation and knowledge assets, purpose, leadership, and place (Ba) for innovation to drive innovation and its management as a whole ecosystem. It also discusses the application to innovation management systems open innovation, and social innovation. Findings Today's innovation demands socio-economic fusion that goes beyond current corporate boundaries. By preparing the system (knowledge ecosystem) as the basis, we could build the bridge, and such fusion would be possible. Research limitations/implications This paper shows the framework of the idea. Evidence-based research based on “knowledge assessment” will be discussed on another occasion. Originality/value This research is to explain knowledge management, innovation, and social innovation beyond the corporate framework.

Intellectual capital in Society 5.0 by the lens of the knowledge creation theory