Knowledge Assets in the Global Economy: Assessment of National Intellectual Capital

Abstract

“Our government is filled with knowledge…We have 316 years ' worth of documents and data and thousands of employees with long years of practical experience. If we can take that knowledge, and place it into the hands of any person who needs it, whenever they need it, I can deliver services more quickly, more accurately and more consistently.” From “Knowledge Management: New Wisdom or Passing Fad? ” in Government Technology, June 99 This article has the following objectives: developing the need for assessing knowledge capital at the national economic level; review of a national case study of how intellectual capital assessment was done in case of one nation state; suggesting implications of use of such assessment methods and needed areas of advancement; and highlighting caveats in existing assessment methods that underscore the directions for future research. With increasing emphasis on aligning national information resource planning, design and implementation with growth and performance needs of business or nation, better understanding of new valuation and assessment techniques is necessary for information resource management policymakers, practitioners and researchers.