The Future of Sustainable Intangibles: Culture, Human Capital, Competencies, and Strategic Foresight in Leveraging Sustainable Resources

The rapid pace of technological advancement, coupled with the growing urgency of global sustainability challenges, has shifted organizational focus toward intangible assets, such as culture, human capital, competencies, and strategic foresight. These intangible resources are becoming critical for businesses to thrive in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. The concept of sustainable intangibles, as explored through frameworks like the X.0 Wave Theory, offers a fresh perspective on how companies can navigate the digital transformation and global crises ahead. Industry 4.0 and Society 5.0 models represent the convergence of technological innovation with cultural and human factors, while the emerging Society 6.0 paradigm promises further integration of sustainability into business strategies.

This Research Topic aims to explore how organizations can effectively manage and leverage these intangibles to foster long-term resilience, adaptability, and sustainability.

To achieve this, the Research Topic will focus on understanding how organizations can strategically harness these intangible assets to enhance their sustainability efforts. By incorporating frameworks like the X.0 Wave Theory and the 7PS Model, the research will examine the intersection of culture, human capital, competencies, and foresight in sustainable resource management. Contributions will explore practical approaches for integrating these intangibles into business strategies, fostering resilience, and ensuring long-term value creation in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. This research will offer actionable insights for organizations looking to leverage sustainable intangibles to address future global risks.

The scope of this Research Topic is to explore the role of sustainable intangibles—culture, human capital, competencies, and strategic foresight—in driving organizational sustainability and value creation. Contributors are invited to address the following themes:

• The integration of culture, human capital, and competencies in sustainable resource management.

• The application of the X.0 Wave Theory in understanding and forecasting future sustainability challenges.

• The role of strategic foresight in navigating global risks such as climate change, technological disruptions, and socio-economic instability.

• The impact of Industry 4.0 and Society 5.0 on organizational sustainability strategies.

• The intersection of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and intercultural communication in achieving global sustainability.


We welcome various types of manuscripts, including theoretical papers, empirical research, case studies, and conceptual frameworks that offer actionable insights for businesses seeking to leverage intangible assets for long-term sustainability and resilience.