Bibliothek

Notizen: This paper takes a resource-based view of the R&D process. Based on the literature, we forward a theory that allows us to predict the dynamic interaction and transformation of five key resources, namely human, relational, organizational, monetary, and physical. Utilizing visualization tools allows us to test this theory on various levels in order to draw insights from the data. The output of the analysis improves the strategic understanding of an organization. In particular, it improves the understanding of how intangible resources drive the value creation in an R&D organization. Further analysis of the data allows us to identify resources that are either under utilized or over utilized, which might indicate inefficiencies in the organizational performance.

Notizen: The importance of intellectual capital (IC), as a prime value driver in today's knowledge-based economy, is undisputed. Benchmarking is seen as a tool for identifying, understanding, and adopting best practices in order to increase operational performance. The paper explores techniques of benchmarking the operational management of IC. The research is based on a longitudinal action and case research in an R&D organization. The failure to benchmark IC management practices between two seemingly identical subsidiaries has implications for the measurement and benchmarking of IC. The research concludes that it is critical to understand the context, organizational epistemology and value-creation pathways before organizations start any attempt to compare or benchmark IC.

Notizen: The paper highlights the importance of visual representations of strategic intent in order to understand how organizational resources - especially intangible assets and intellectual capital - are used to create value. Based on the literature the paper provides a taxonomy of organizational value drivers. Grounded in the resource-based view of the firm, which argues that organizational resources or assets are bundled together and interdependent, it then highlights shortcomings in the strategy map approach based on the balanced scorecard. The paper then introduces the value creation map that utilizes both direct and indirect dependencies to map value creation. It is suggested that this approach complements the strategy map approach by extending its view of value creation from direct to both direct and indirect dependencies. Subsequently, the paper presents a case study of how the value creation map was applied to understand the new product development process in a leading furniture manufacturing firm.

Notizen: Business performance measurement (BPM) is a fast evolving and diverse research field which features highly on the agenda of academics and practitioners from functions including general management, accounting, operations research, marketing, and human resources. Utilizing a citation analysis this paper identifies the following challenges for the field of BPM. The balanced scorecard seems to be the most influential and dominant concept in the field. Researchers are encouraged to further test and discuss its theoretical foundation and research methodology. The second challenge is to create a cohesive body of knowledge in the field of BPM.

Notizen: Building on the complexities of organizational knowledge creation the paper explores the alignment of knowledge management practices with the epistemological beliefs of individuals or groups in organizations. A pan-European research project investigated individual's philosophy about truth, knowledge and the optimum approach of knowledge creation. These individual viewpoints and requirements are then contrasted with the knowledge management practices implemented in organizations. The results highlight significant misalignment between knowledge management requirements in epistemological terms and individual's perception of organizational knowledge management activities. The paper claims these differences lie at the heart of problems companies experience with extracting value from knowledge management initiatives. The paper suggests ways of identifying and evaluating resource transformations in organizations, in order better to understand and manage knowledge creation to grow the intellectual capital of organizations.

Notizen: Measuring intellectual capital is on the agenda of most 21st century organisations. This paper takes a knowledge-based view of the firm and discusses the importance of measuring organizational knowledge assets. Knowledge assets underpin capabilities and core competencies of any organisation. Therefore, they play a key strategic role and need to be measured. This paper reviews the existing approaches for measuring knowledge based assets and then introduces the knowledge asset map which integrates existing approaches in order to achieve comprehensiveness. The paper then introduces the knowledge asset dashboard to clarify the important actor/infrastructure relationship, which elucidates the dynamic nature of these assets. Finally, the paper suggests to visualise the value pathways of knowledge assets before designing strategic key performance indicators which can then be used to test the assumed causal relationships. This will enable organisations to manage and report these key value drivers in today's economy.

Notizen: It is now generally believed, within the current literature, that an academic and practitioner focus on intellectual capital (IC) is important and that the measurement of a company's intangibles provides real business benefits. However, it is essential for researchers in the field of IC to be able to justify these newly formed theoretical assumptions through rigorous empirical testing. This paper reports on the results of a systematic investigation into the theoretical underpinnings of why firms measure their IC and existing empirical evidence that helps to prove that the measurement of IC is really worthwhile. The paper then critically reviews the state of research evidence in the field. The major finding of this paper is that the majority of research within the IC measurement field is at the theory building stage, and that very little of the proposed measurement theory has yet been fully tested. This paper outlines possible avenues scholars might pursue in order to further the development of the IC measurement field.

Notizen: This introductory editorial to the special issue "IC at the crossroads: theory and research" explains the rationale and background to the studies. In addition it outlines reasons why the field of intellectual (IC) capital is at the crossroads. It seems that awareness of the importance of IC has been created. It is now the role of researchers as well as practitioners to move to the next level. This next level involves issues around taxonomies as well as research methodologies. In order to move on, precise definitions of concepts such as IC, better justifications of why organizations need to measure and manage IC, and increased clarity about terms such as measurement, assessment, or valuation are needed. In addition, more rigorous research methods are needed in order to test and validate existing theories in the field.

Notizen: Purpose - With intellectual capital and intangible assets high on the agenda of executives around the world, and little practical evidence of good practice in measuring and managing these assets, there is a great need for help. This editorial to a special issue on the topic introduces the problem and highlights key issues. The special issue provides an overview of how management consulting companies acting in this space suggest tackling the problem. The purpose is therefore to bring together the approaches of different management consulting firms and to make their differences explicit. Design/methodology/approach - All major general management consulting firms as well as specialist consulting firms focusing in the area of intellectual capital and intangible assets were directly invited to submit a paper for this special issue. The call for papers was also made publicly available in the journal and through e-mail campaigns by Emerald. All submissions underwent a double-blind refereed selection process. Findings - Even though many submissions were received for this special issue, most of the authors were not able to demonstrate a sufficient understanding of the constructs nor were they able to justify the tools and methodologies developed. Reviewers were made aware of the practical background of many of the authors and it was ensured that sufficient and constructive feedback was provided. Even with various rounds of reviews many papers had to be rejected as they resembled marketing brochures rather then logical discussions. This unfortunately shows that there still is a massive skills gap in the industry and companies should be careful before they engage with any management consulting firm to help them measuring or managing their intangibles. Practical implications - The focus of potential papers was not academic rigor (as opposed to the Special Issue Vol. 5 No 2) but the provision of an overview of the state of the art in intellectual capital consulting practice. The papers therefore provide practitioners with good insights into current practice. Originality/value - This special issue is the first to bring together in a structured and rigorous format different management consulting approaches to the measurement and management of intellectual capital and intangible assets.

Notizen: Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to provide a new and systematic approach towards strategic foresight by combining traditional external scenarios (market-based approach) with internal scenarios (resource-based approach) into a future scorecard, which can be used to describe alternative internal development paths for an organization. Design/methodology/approach - The paper builds on the existing literature as well as on multiple case examples to illustrate the application of the future scorecard. Findings - The findings of this paper are that it is possible to combine the external (market-based) and internal (resource-based) view to create a strategic early warning system. Practical implications - The implications for practitioners are twofold, first, the paper outlines the importance of integrating a future perspective into performance measurement systems, second, it demonstrates the applicability of scenario thinking for the internal resource-based view of the firm. Originality/value - The paper combines thinking of the market-based and the resource-based view of the firm in order to provide a new tool to supplement most static measurement approaches with a tool that monitors the future developments - externally and internally. Scenarios are traditionally used to describe possible alternative future developments in the external environment, which then inform current strategy assessment and future strategy development. However, with a shift in focus away from the market-based paradigm and towards a resource-based view of strategy, scenarios can also be used to describe alternative internal development paths for an organization. These two types of scenarios can then be systematically developed and combined to form a significant element of a strategic early warning system - the future scorecard.