The Role of the Expert in Intangible Capital – Can We Open Source ICManagement Practices?

Before the holidays, I was at an international gathering of experts in IC and innovation. Over dinner one evening, I listened in on a conversation among several of my dinner partners about the role of the expert in helping companies leverage their intangible capital (aka intellectual capital).

They were firmly in agreement. Corporate managers could not enter into a project related to IC alone. They needed an expert.

To be honest, I didn’t chime in. I wasn’t really sure what to say. We moved on to another topic but in quiet moments (there haven’t been that many this month which is why I am just now getting back to this) the question would haunt me.

On the one hand, I guess they were right. This is certainly how I earn my living, as an expert in helping companies leverage their unique intangible capital for performance and value.

But, on the other hand, there is something wrong with this perspective. Companies should not need an expert. They should be educated and empowered to do a lot of their IC work themselves. The role of the expert should not be to lead the project and hold onto the “best practices.” The experts need to find ways to build IC capabilities inside every business. ICManagement is too important to outsource. Read more

Twitter updates by maryadamsICA for 2009-12-28

• Allen Falcon 1 wacko tries 2 ignite shoes & we all have 2 take them off at airports; Another sets pants on fire … how will TSA respond? #
• Sungard talks about the benefits from not panicking and laying off people during the downturn http://bit.ly/83LGxl #
• Business IT questions for 2010 from BigFatFinance http://bit.ly/5ljzoi “TIme for IT to think strategic”…to optimize intangible capital #
• The Next Decade’s Top 10 Growth Industries http://blogs.bnet.com/ceo/?p=3471 #
• @SwampFox Do you think open source works with management tools (ideas, not software)? Are you aware of any examples? in reply to SwampFox #

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Twitter updates by maryadamsICA for 2009-12-23

• David Brooks on The Protocol Society http://bit.ly/89KoUS which is as good an explanation as any of structural capital http://bit.ly/4XoYpd #
• Who is Responsible for Innovation? – Innovation America: http://bit.ly/67a7rB Here’s related research http://bit.ly/7MN7TU #
• Let me know what you think of my blog post on Leadership and Intangibles http://bit.ly/6ckPQq #
• Good job Kevin! RT @openskye: Open Skye just launched a new website for the NH Womens Bar Association. Check it out! http://bit.ly/6foiSO #
• The story of the Saab brand and a call to revive it at Portfolio http://bit.ly/7BcWob #

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Twitter updates by maryadamsICA for 2009-12-22

• @S_Eriksson I see IC management as all those things. Includes inventory, modeling, investment, assessment, strategy and perf mgmt. in reply to S_Eriksson #
• Roger Cohen in NYT on the end of the decade: “and so America in its lacerating imperfection must ever aim high.” http://bit.ly/8AioDj #
• FT: Accountants seek standards more relevant to investment decisions http://bit.ly/5nGWIs Are they thinking about intangibles investments? #
• US stimulus spending on renewable energy paying off. Creating jobs and doubling generation by 2012 http://bit.ly/5jBPSo #

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Twitter updates by maryadamsICA for 2009-12-21

• @S_Eriksson What do you consider second generation? It’s a good thing if IC research and ideas are moving beyond pure academics. in reply to S_Eriksson #
• Great review of IC literature over the years http://bit.ly/4N6vHY #
• RT @jdpuva Innovate on Purpose: The difference between innovation, invention and entrepreneurs http://bit.ly/63FTxd #
• Corporate Library: unreported content in Immelt’s recent speech – executive greed and income equality http://bit.ly/8OnWF6 #

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Tiger Woods and Intangibles

Yesterday in the New York Times, Frank Rich called for making Tiger Woods, Person of the Year. Rich said

What’s striking instead is the Enron-sized gap between this golfer’s public image as a paragon of businesslike discipline and focus and the maniacally reckless life we now know he led. What’s equally striking, if not shocking, is that the American establishment and news media – all of it, not just golf writers or celebrity tabloids – fell for the Woods myth as hard as any fan and actively helped sustain and enhance it.

Enron and Tiger Woods. He got me there. I couldn’t resist despite all that has been written about Tiger, as we all had come to call him.

You see, in both cases, we saw success in one sphere and assumed success in all others. Read more

Twitter updates by maryadamsICA for 2009-12-18

• @midmarketplace Thanks Mike! I think IC is going to be an important topic in 2010. #ssz #intcap in reply to midmarketplace #
• Government-backed venture capital funds outperform rivals – Innovation America: http://bit.ly/4qStgW “by addressing obvious market failures” #
• IT is the critical infrastructure of IC . If CIO reports to CFO, IT seen as expense, not asset http://bit.ly/4sH6Zi #intcap #

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Twitter updates by maryadamsICA for 2009-12-17

• RT Patrick O’Malley LinkedIn tip I guarantee you don’t know – put the name of your city in text your #linkedin profile http://bit.ly/4GC2mi #
• Just had coffee with a scientist that sold one of her patents last year through an Ocean Tomo auction. Still consults with the buyer. #
• Please pass this on: Institute of Management Consultants on-line course on consulting essentials http://bit.ly/6K1Tu7 #

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Twitter updates by maryadamsICA for 2009-12-16

• One more E 2.0 idea: Who’s In Charge? http://bit.ly/7l8oW9 #e2conf please comment! #
• Check out and comment on my E 2.0 proposal: The ROI Question http://bit.ly/7pzVYA #e2conf #
• Just submitted speaking idea for E2.0 conference called “Networks Are the New Org Chart” Please comment http://bit.ly/6xJpRS #
• RT @JimOlick: A look at the tangible and intangible aspects of college value Weighing the Value of College Diploma @WSJ http://ow.ly/MFfA #
• More challenges to our thinking about free and paid, this time in education with FinalsClub, Harvard course notes http://bit.ly/8bprmx #

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Five Reasons to Focus on Optimizing Intangibles in 2010

I am more and more convinced that 2010 will be the year of intangibles, intangible assets, intangible capital, intellectual capital, knowledge assets or whatever else you want to call them. There are five big reasons why:

1. Intangibles already get the majority of your  investment dollars. Estimates are that at least 60% of the money organizations invest in their future productive capacity is in intangibles. If you are already spending money, isn’t time you created a way to track intangibles performance? Read more

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