ABSTRACT
In a global competitive economic environment, resources that are scarce or irreplicable are a source of sustained competitive advantage for companies and organizations. Knowledge-based resources are a major and increasing driver of long term competitive advantage. Most accounting standards however do not allow for knowledge-based resource calculations, including the most important of these, intellectual capital. Intellectual capital is the collective knowledge, documented and otherwise, of individuals in an organization. In the absence of accounting standards to numerically evaluate intellectual capital, some institutions have devised their own reports and statements. But why should companies, universities, and research centers measure these resources? How are intellectual capital statements built? How does one set targets, and what indicators should they include?
This book reviews the development of the field of intellectual capital reporting, including core concepts, latest developments, the main components of intellectual capital, how a statement is built, and key indicators of each component. It further analyzes experiences from a variety of pioneering companies and institutions around the globe in measuring intellectual capital, including case studies from educational and research institutions, and provides crucial transnational comparisons. Authors Ordóñez de Pablos and Edvinsson examine the challenges and next steps for the harmonization of intellectual capital reports, consider the creation of a special international agency for intellectual capital reporting standards, and evaluate the weaknesses of current standards and how they might be overcome.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
part I|50 pages
Knowledge-Based Resources as the Basis for Competitive Advantage for Countries and Regions
chapter 1|13 pages
Identifying Knowledge-Based Factors Supporting Regional Development
part II|40 pages
The Importance of Measuring Knowledge-Based Resources
chapter 3|14 pages
Toward Measurement of Intangible Capital
part III|73 pages
Intellectual Capital Reports in Europe
chapter 5|16 pages
Intellectual Capital Statement as a Strategic Management Tool
chapter 7|14 pages
Shaping New Managerial Models for European Universities
part IV|64 pages
Intellectual Capital Reports in Asian Institutions
chapter 10|26 pages
IC in Japan
part V|15 pages
Intellectual Capital in Latin America
chapter 12|9 pages
Evaluating Intangibles Assets and Competitiveness in Brazilian Firms
part VI|30 pages
Asian versus Western Approaches to Intellectual Capital Reports
chapter 13|28 pages
Varieties of Capitalism vs. Varieties of "Soft Regulatory" Theories
part VII|32 pages
Trends and Challenges for Intellectual Capital Reports