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This paper aims to bring together the existing theory from knowledge management (KM), competitive intelligence (CI) and big data analytics to develop a more comprehensive view of the full range of intangible assets (data, information, knowledge and intelligence). By doing so, the interactions of the intangibles are better understood and recommendations can be made for the appropriate structure of big data systems in different circumstances. Metrics are also applied to illustrate how one can identify and understand what these different circumstances might look like.

The approach is chiefly conceptual, combining theory from multiple disciplines enhanced with practical applications. Illustrative data drawn from other empirical work are applied to illustrate some concepts.

Theory suggests that the KM theory is particularly useful in guiding big data system installations that focus primarily on the transfer of data/information. For big data systems focused on analytical insights, the CI theory might be a better match, as the system structures are actually quite similar.

Though the guidelines are general, practitioners should be able to evaluate their own situations and perhaps make better decisions about the direction of their big data systems. One can make the case that all the disciplines have something to add to improving how intangibles are deployed and applied and that improving coordination between KM and analytics/intelligence functions will help all intangibles systems to work more effectively.

To the authors’ knowledge, very few scholars work in this area, at the intersection of multiple types of intangible assets. The metrics are unique, especially in their scale and attachment to theory, allowing insights that provide more clarity to scholars and practical direction to industry.

Background Whether termed intellectual capital, knowledge management, or something else, the practice of managing an institution's knowledge base has received increasing attention in recent years. After some of the highly publicized downsizings of the late eighties and early nineties, a number of organizations discovered that an enormous amount of institutional memory and unique knowledge was walking out the door with exiting employees. Further, the nineties have seen tremendous growth in firms with few assets besides what is between the ears of some of their key people. Both trends have focused managers on knowledge as an asset of the firm, to be developed and managed in the same manner as more traditional assets.

This chapter examines firm strengths and weaknesses from the standpoint of intangible assets. These are compared within and across industry sectors in order to better understand who might be a potential collaborator (or competitor) in different contexts. Establishing the conceptual basis of a range of intangibles, including data, explicit knowledge, tacit knowledge, and intelligence, the chapter moves to metrics for assessing industry averages and individual firm capabilities. Finally, several sectors in healthcare are examined, specifically identifying what kinds of collaborators would best fit with a technology-driven start-up like Theranos.

Technology makes knowledge management easier. Knowledge sharing is essential for organizational development. Job satisfaction fosters knowledge sharing. Hence, this study aims to develop an understanding of the mutual relationship between knowledge sharing and job satisfaction when both are predicted by information technology (IT)-competency dimensions such as IT-operations, IT-knowledge and IT-infrastructure in the context of company performance.

The results were achieved based on the examination of 910 Polish knowledge workers with different roles and experiences across various sectors. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling method.

The findings suggest that the company’s IT-competency drives job satisfaction and knowledge sharing more strongly for IT industry knowledge workers than for other industries. Also, a stronger mediation function of knowledge sharing and job satisfaction is observed for IT-operations when the IT industry is controlled.

The main value of the study is the empirical evidence that the influence of a particular IT-competency dimension varies for industries when it comes to job satisfaction and knowledge sharing processes.

The collapse of market valuations for many internet retailers has unfairly tarred other web‐based firms with the same brush. Despite anxiety in the equity markets, firms are embracing the world wide web as a business tool. Spending on business‐to‐business, or B2B, applications is particularly strong. But a quick jump to B2B systems is not for everyone. As with any major investment, spending on B2B applications needs to be reviewed from a strategy perspective, particularly if a firm is a player in international markets and seeking to stay competitive during this revolution.

To analyze the legal and ethical standing of the most promising business applications of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology.

High potential RFID installations are identified in the supply chain, in operations, and in consumer applications. Pertinent legal precedents are noted and discussed as are some ethical issues beyond legislation and regulation.

Although an extremely attractive technology, legitimate concerns exist about RFID, particularly in consumer applications. Legal protections vary widely by country and are generally not fully applicable to some areas of potential information abuse.

This research is not exhaustive to all countries, it concentrates mainly on the USA and EU. Further, legislation and regulation change all the time, so the situation is highly variable. This analysis is only a snapshot at one point in time.

Practitioners looking to install RFID technology should be able to better judge the environment within which they operate and where the risks are greatest for change in the legal and regulatory atmosphere.

This paper draws together the practical discussion concerning RFID's applications with specific legal analysis. It also begins to draw in different national legal systems.

Patent citation statistics, used to measure the technological standing of firms and nations, uniquely suggest that the quality of Japanese technological output is superior to that of the USA. This study explores whether there is something in Japanese citation practices which may inflate citation ratings without any underlying technological superiority. Using telecommunications equipment industry patent citation data, suggests that Japanese companies do appear to cross‐cite one another’s patents much more heavily than is the practice among their North American or European competitors.

This study aims to examine the installation of a garden at an elementary school. Bringing in elements of healthy eating choices, the local food movement and social marketing implications for all stakeholders, this study examines the genesis and launch of the garden and related activities. It reviews initial results, again with an eye to different stakeholder groups.

The case study methodology was applied.

The case study method provides some depth of detail to a unique and specific circumstance. As such it allows bringing together so many streams of the literature in a social marketing context and illuminates how and why such an installation works (and does not work).

This analysis focuses on a specific example, in a specific location and at a specific time. While potentially extendable, any such attempt should be made with care.

Social marketing installations are hard. This example demonstrates how even the best-intentioned program, with almost universal agreement on its positive aspects, can be difficult to execute.

This case illustrates full range of social marketing concepts applied to an initiative but is particularly illustrative of the potential and importance of including all stakeholders in co-creation while fully understanding their context, perceived benefits and perceived costs/barriers.

This study uniquely brings together several strains of theory (food literacy, health eating choices by children, institutional food services and local food) and applies them separately and together in a single application.

This article seeks to examine the use of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology in commercial applications and to discuss whether regulation is needed to balance commercial economic interests versus consumer privacy and libertarian concerns.

This paper covers discussions and comparative studies of others' work and thinking.

RFID technology provides enormous economic benefits for both business and consumers, while simultaneously potentially constituting one of the most invasive surveillance technologies threatening consumer privacy.

The use of RFID technology has profound consumer privacy, civil liberty and security implications.

RFID technology is at an embryonic stage. Like many new technologies, it poses both potential benefit and harm to society. The article recommends that legislation is needed to tip the balance enough to provide adequate privacy protection without unduly harming economic efficiency.