A Comparative Study of Intellectual Capital Disclosure Practices: RMG Sector vs. Banking Sector in Bangladesh: A Synthesis review

Intellectual capital (IC) which denotes to human capital and rational capital has become a crucial intangible asset for knowledge-based economy organizations. But for the emerging nations like Bangladesh is reported voluntary and inconsistent. Thus, a synthesis review examined the present scenario of IC disclosure based on banking and readymade garments (RMG), two most significant sectors of the country. Stakeholder, legitimacy, and institutional theories used for systematically synthesizes of fifty-two peer-reviewed journal articles, organizational reports, and regulatory documents in the period of 2010-2024. It compared sector-specific patterns, drivers and barriers to IC disclosure. Findings revealed that overall recommended IC disclosure score in banking industry (average 42-58 percent) is higher than RMG sector (average 28-40 percent), which is due to stronger regulatory oversight (e.g., Bangladesh Bank guidelines) and higher transparency requirements by stakeholders. It also found most relational capital (e.g., customer relationships, brand value) a banking sector but least human capital (e.g., employee training, skills) disclosure identified in both sectors respectively. The review concludes with the need to develop a sector-specific regulatory framework, capacity building for organizations and standard IC reporting tools to enhance disclosure standards. Future work should investigate longitudinal trends, the impact of disclosure on firm performance and the impact of digital platforms on enhancing IC transparency.