Intellectual capital management: pathways to wealth creation
| Pages | 81-92 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/14691930910922914 |
| Date | 16 January 2009 |
| Published date | 16 January 2009 |
| Author | Robert G. Isaac,Irene M. Herremans,Theresa J.B. Kline |
| Subject Matter | Accounting & finance,HR & organizational behaviour,Information & knowledge management |
Intellectual capital management:
pathways to wealth creation
Robert G. Isaac and Irene M. Herremans
Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada, and
Theresa J.B. Kline
Faculty of Psychology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
Abstract
Purpose – The management of intellectual capital (IC) within organizations depends on appropriate
organizational structures and characteristics. This paper seeks to argue that certain structural,
cultural, and climate characteristics will lead to more effective IC management.
Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews the theoretical and empirical IC literature, as
well as the literatures regarding organic environments, trust, participative decision making, and
creative renewal processes, to develop a model relating to the antecedent conditions necessary for the
management of IC.
Findings – The model developed will assist researchers in the identification and exploration of
variables linked to the effective management of IC within organizations.
Practical implications – It is concluded that managers of organizations need to create organic
structures, build trust with employees, encourage creative renewal, and develop participative
decision-making processes.
Originality/value – By integrating several fields of the literature that relate to IC management, the
paper suggests propositions that deserve future research consideration.
Keywords Intellectualcapital, Decision making, Trust, Wealth
Paper type Conceptual paper
1. Introduction
There has been little empirical research relating to the conditions necessary for the
effective management of intellectual capital (IC) within organizations. Therefore, we
know very little about internal organizational structures, systems, practices, and
characteristics that enable organizations to manage such assets. What antecedent
conditions are necessary for the harvesting of rich inventories of IC? In this paper we
explore enablers of good IC management and contribute to the IC literature by
establishing a path for researchers to follow when they investigate the management of
important IC assets. Our paper does not try to study inventory levels of IC within
organizations, but rather it examines the relationship among a number of variables
(structure, renewal, participative decision making, and trust) that might well explain
antecedent conditions necessary for the effective management of IC. Such conditions
may prove necessary for the maintenan ce of a competitive position among
organizations within the knowledge economy.
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/1469-1930.htm
This work is dedicated to the memory of the late J. Edwin Boyd, who was involved at the
beginning and who was a friend, mentor, teacher and colleague in his differing roles to the
authors.
Intellectual
capital
management
81
Journal of Intellectual Capital
Vol. 10 No. 1, 2009
pp. 81-92
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited
1469-1930
DOI 10.1108/14691930910922914
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