Conceptualising intellectual capital as language game and power

Date01 January 2006
DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1108/14691930610639787
Published date01 January 2006
Pages78-92
AuthorKenneth Mølbjerg Jørgensen
Subject MatterAccounting & finance,HR & organizational behaviour,Information & knowledge management
Conceptualising intellectual
capital as language game
and power
Kenneth Mølbjerg Jørgensen
Department of Education and Learning, Aalborg University,
Aalborg, Denmark
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper, drawing mainly on insights from Foucault and Wittgenstein, is
to conceptualise intellectual capital (IC) in very generalist terms as both language game and power in
order to initiate a critical understanding of IC.
Design/methodology approach IC is viewed as knowledge about knowledge, knowledge
creation and how such processes might be leveraged into value. It is argued that a critical
understanding of IC requires a historical, contextual and linguistic understanding of how IC has
emerged and how IC is used. Perceiving IC as language game and power is one way of initiating such
critical understanding.
Findings – IC is perceived as a social construction and the genealogical focus is on how actors,
positions and interests influence this process of social construction.
Practical implications – The paper offers concepts and methods that facilitate historical and
contextual research on how IC emerges and how IC is used. Further historical studies are necessary in
order to reflect upon and improve extant IC concepts and methods
Originality/value – The paper offers a critical understanding of IC by introducing concepts from the
organisational discourse literature. Further it offers practical methodological guidelines for conducting
critical genealogical research.
Keywords Intellectualcapital, Genealogy
Paper type Conceptual paper
A picture held us captive. And we could not get outside it, for it lay in our language and
language seemed to repeat it to us inexorably (Wittgenstein, 1983, § 115)[1].
Introduction: towards a critical understanding of intellectual capital
It has by now perhaps become somewhat trivial to note that knowledge and learning
have become increasingly important in creating economic and social value (DMSTI,
2003; Lundvall, 1992). Intellectual capital (IC) has emerged as a key concept in
encompassing this development. The name itself indicates the basic idea behind IC
that knowledge and learning are becoming more important factors of production than
the traditional capitalistic triad of land, labour and financial capital. IC is supp osed to
be knowledge about knowledge, knowledge generation and how these processes might
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/1469-1930.htm
The author acknowledges the critical comments and suggestions made by the anonymous
reviewers, the Guest Editors David O’Donnell, Lars Bo Henriksen and Sven Voelpel, and
participants at the IC Stream in Cambridge on earlier versions of this paper. He is particularly
indebted to David O’Donnell for his encouragement and guidance throughout this process.
JIC
7,1
78
Journal of Intellectual Capital
Vol. 7 No. 1, 2006
pp. 78-92
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
1469-1930
DOI 10.1108/14691930610639787

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