Search results

This study aims to empirically investigate the role of organizational culture and climate in supporting intellectual capital (IC) management systems. Specifically, it seeks to investigate the relationship between organizational characteristics (culture and climate) and IC management systems in the Middle East (Iran and Lebanon) and Canada.

Data were gathered via a survey instrument and statistical analysis was used to test for significance between dependent and independent variables. Then a two‐stage hierarchical multiple regression was used to test for the nature and effects of country of origin as a moderating variable.

The findings suggest that both culture and climate play significant roles in developing management systems for IC. In addition, for country, when organizational climate improves, Middle Eastern respondents perceived an even greater improvement in IC management systems compared to their Canadian counterparts.

There is limited research that has been undertaken to compare developed and developing countries with regard to the influence of organizational characteristics on IC management systems. This research is timely given the recent publication of the Arab Human Development Report and the Arab Knowledge Report. This study provides insight into the ability of organizations in the Middle East to develop a knowledge base and reduce the knowledge gap between the Arab world and countries currently classified as knowledge intensive.

This study sets out to examine how organizational characteristics are related to intellectual capital and how these variables are different between Canadian and Middle East contexts.

A questionnaire was developed to measure the four major study constructs, i.e. intellectual capital, culture, climate, and organizational traits. Each of these constructs was represented by a number of subscales that were subjected to ANOVA and correlations to test the hypotheses.

The analysis showed that all three categories of characteristics (culture, climate, and other traits) are significantly correlated with IC management. The results also indicated significant differences in all organizational characteristics and IC management between Canada and the Middle East.

Culture, climate, and other traits are important enablers for the effective management of IC. Although the research tested three culture variables, four climate variables, and two other traits, future research should investigate these variables and the interactions among them more thoroughly.

The results have implications for organizations operating in different international contexts. Managers can use the results for more effective and efficient management of organizational characteristics that would foster IC management.

The research provides a comprehensive study of enablers of effective IC management, an area of study that has not received much attention in the past. It also provides insight as to why effective IC management may be more successful in certain countries.

The Intellectual Capital Realization Process (ICRP), developed by the authors, permits the leaders of an organization to develop strategies to realize the potential of intellectual capital (IC). This process is consistent with the resource‐based view of the firm, which suggests looking inward to develop core competencies for building competitive advantages. By utilizing a public sector organization as an example, this paper seeks to inform the reader of the preliminary work and subsequent steps to follow when implementing the ICRP. The Canadian Sport Centre Calgary (CSCC) organization serves this purpose, although the ICRP has also proven equally successful when used in a private sector company. The ICRP helped the CSCC identify and plan the development of its unique capabilities, relationships, and processes that benefit the organization through the creation of leadership ability and the generation of wealth.

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.

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.

The model developed will assist researchers in the identification and exploration of variables linked to the effective management of IC within organizations.

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.

By integrating several fields of the literature that relate to IC management, the paper suggests propositions that deserve future research consideration.

The purpose of this paper is to develop propositions for empirical validation regarding appropriate management planning and control systems (MPACS) in knowledge‐intensive organizations.

The propositions were developed from interviews with members of a knowledge‐intensive virtual organization that is known for its innovative practices regarding intellectual capital (IC) development and surveys from low to middle range managers, using a semi‐structured questionnaire, from a variety of companies. Trends in responses permitted us to identify issues of importance in developing innovative MPACS for knowledge‐intensive companies.

The paper proposes that two variables, the level of IC intensity and the uncertainty of knowledge, are important for determining the degree of adaptive versus generative characteristics that an organization's MPACS should contain. Regarding IC, the paper further proposes that organizations must give careful thought to ensure that both adaptive and generative characteristics are aligned with four MPACS elements of focus, commitment, capability, and learning.

As organizations develop programs to realize the potential from their intellectual capital, many fail to develop MPACS that are appropriate for knowledge‐intensive environments. MPACS should support knowledge creation, as well as knowledge sharing, and contain elements of both adaptive and generative systems.

Communications regarding this column should be addressed to Mrs. Cheney, Peabody Library School, Nashville, Term. 37203. Mrs. Cheney does not sell the books listed here. They are available through normal trade sources. Mrs. Cheney, being a member of the editorial board of Pierian Press, will not review Pierian Press reference books in this column. Descriptions of Pierian Press reference books will be included elsewhere in this publication.

Almost all libraries collect fiction. Of course the nature, scope, and organization of the collection varies with the type of library and its clientele. In this column scholars, fans, and just plain readers of diverse fiction formats, types, and genres will explore their specialty with a view to the collection building needs of various types of libraries. In addition to lists of “good reads,” authors not to be missed, rising stars, and rediscovered geniuses, columnists will cover major critics, bibliographies, relevant journals and organizations, publishers, and trends. Each column will include a genre overview, a discussion of access to published works, and a core collection of recommended books and authors. Janice M. Bogstad leads off with a discussion of science fiction. In the next issue of Collection Building, Ian will focus her discussion on the growing body of feminist science fiction with an article entitled, “Redressing an Interval Balance: Women and Science Fiction, 1965–1983.” Issues to follow will feature Kathleen Heim on thrillers, and Rhea Rubin reviewing short story collection building. Should you care to suggest an area or aspect of fiction collection building for discussion or try your hand as a columnist contact the column editor through Neal‐Schuman Publishers.

This note presents new archival evidence about John Maynard Keynes’ attitudes toward Jews. The relevant material is composed of two letters sent by Robert G. Wertheimer to Bertrand Russell and Richard F. Kahn along with their replies. Between 1963 and 1964, Wertheimer – an Austrian-born Jewish immigrant then professor of economics at Babson College – wrote to Russell and Kahn asking for their personal reminiscences concerning Keynes’ anti-Semitic utterances. In their brief but still significant responses, both Russell and Kahn firmly denied any hint of anti-Semitism in Keynes, thereby providing significant first-hand testimonies from two of his closest acquaintances.

Property performance assessment has become increasingly important in property management because of the emergence of a number of trends as issues of concern of property owners and occupiers. There are, however, many problems facing the consideration of performance measurement. Perhaps the main obstacle is the lack of a structured process for property performance measurement. The prime objective of the research work that underpins this paper therefore is to address this gap by the development of a structured model for property performance measurement. This involved three main steps. First, basic characteristics of an effective performance assessment in property managements are identified and the framework for a generic model is outlined. Next, key processes of performance measurement and property management tasks are identified. Then, these processes are set out into steps for better understanding and applicability of the model to actual property management practices. Some unique features of the model include consideration of clients and tenants requirements, integration of the functions of property management in the model and the inclusion of two property and resource databases to aid storage and retrieval of information. Besides, it is the first step in developing a dedicated computer tool for property performance assessment.

It is now forty years since there appeared H. R. Plomer's first volume Dictionary of the booksellers and printers who were at work in England, Scotland and Ireland from 1641 to 1667. This has been followed by additional Bibliographical Society publications covering similarly the years up to 1775. From the short sketches given in this series, indicating changes of imprint and type of work undertaken, scholars working with English books issued before the closing years of the eighteenth century have had great assistance in dating the undated and in determining the colour and calibre of any work before it is consulted.