Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) play a significant role in Europe's economy. Since SMEs have distinct organisational practices and structures (e.g. owner-run, continuity over several generations, regional engagement), their intellectual capital (IC) differs from large enterprises. However, there is little research on IC in SMEs. Placing special attention on the craft industry, this research aims at closing this gap. It will present a cross-disciplinary review of research on craft to explore the role of knowledge and human capital in the craft industry. The findings point to overall characteristics which can guide future research and inform policy-making in the craft industry.

The existing literature proposes a broad spectrum of methodologies to measure firm's superior operating capabilities, referring to them under different names such as 'knowledge assets', 'intellectual capital', 'organisation capital', etc. Through the work reported in this thesis, I intend to contribute to the research field by exploring one specific measure of a firm's operating capabilities proposed by Lev, Radhakrishnan and Zhang (Abacus, 2009). These researchers empirically construct an organisation capital measure and argue it has predictive ability for future performance and is able to explain future abnormal stock returns in the USA. I extend their research to the UK. In doing so, I also critically discuss the organisation capital estimation process and propose potential improvements to the technique. I find evidence of its construct validity in the UK. I examine the organisation capital measure's predictive ability for future performance. The results suggest that this measure is positively associated with future sales growth in the UK. Additionally, the organisation capital measure seems to explain persistence of the operating income and sales of firms in the UK. Via value relevance tests, I obtain empirical evidence that the organisation capital measure is positively associated with equity market value in the UK. Moreover, it is positively associated with the earnings multiplier in value relevance tests. This finding is consistent with empirical evidence that the organisation capital measure is positively associated with one-year ahead earnings and positively affects earnings persistence in such an association in the UK. Finally, I fail to find evidence of the organisation capital measure's ability to explain future excess stock returns in the UK. This suggests that information on firm-specific operating capabilities captured by the organisation capital measure is recognised by the capital market participants and contemporaneously incorporated into stock prices. This result, however, contrasts with the Lev et al. (2009) findings in the USA that organisation capital is mispriced.

Thesis (PhD)--Macquarie University, Graduate School of Management, 2004. / "December 2003". Bibliography: p. 210-272.

<p>Intelektualni kapital je neopipljivo jedinstvo obično nevidljivih resursa i aktivnosti baziranih na znanju koje dodaju vrednost organizaciji u očima internih i eksternih aktera (stejkholdera).<br />U radu se istražuje mogućnost merenja ovog nematerijalnog konstrukta, sačinjenog od ljudskog, organizacionog i relacionog kapitala.<br />Metoda za merenje, odnosno monetarnu valuaciju, uspešno je razvijena, a predloženi model verifikovan je statističkom analizom. Metoda je namenjena prvenstveno eksternom izveštavanju, ali se usled velike preciznosti, pouzdanosti i proverljivosti rezultata može koristiti i kao kontrolna alatka menadžmenta.</p> / <p>Intellectual capital is the intangible unity of usually invisible knowledge-based<br />resources and activities that add value to an organization in the eyes of<br />internal and external stakeholders.<br />This study explores the possibility of measuring that intangible construct<br />composed of human, organizational and relational capital. The method for<br />measurement and monetary valuation has been successfully developed and<br />the proposed model was verified by statistical analysis. The method is<br />intended primarily for external reporting, but due to high accuracy, reliability<br />and verifiability of results can also be used as a tool of management control.</p>

Submitted by Mario Mesquita (mbarroso@fiocruz.br) on 2014-11-18T17:30:31Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Monica_Portes_EPSJV_Mestrado_2010.pdf: 829440 bytes, checksum: f07b26b8c0d6c9c1cf00137bd37ddea1 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Mario Mesquita (mbarroso@fiocruz.br) on 2014-11-18T17:31:35Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Monica_Portes_EPSJV_Mestrado_2010.pdf: 829440 bytes, checksum: f07b26b8c0d6c9c1cf00137bd37ddea1 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2014-11-18T17:31:35Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Monica_Portes_EPSJV_Mestrado_2010.pdf: 829440 bytes, checksum: f07b26b8c0d6c9c1cf00137bd37ddea1 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010 / Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Escola Politécnica de Saúde Joaquim Venâncio. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação Profissional em Saúde. / Esta pesquisa analisou a incorporação da Educação Corporativa como uma política pública situada no âmbito do Ministério do Desenvolvimento, Indústria e Comércio Exterior. Esta análise considerou o período de 2003 a 2009, momento em que Luís Inácio “Lula” da Silva ocupou a Presidência da República (2003-2010). A expansão das unidades de Educação Corporativa vem sendo considerada uma “revolução silenciosa” nas empresas brasileiras. Há muitos estudos não-críticos, com base na teoria do capital humano/ capital intelectual que defendem a implantação de unidades de educação corporativa, entretanto, poucos são os estudos que procuram analisar este fenômeno sob a luz das reformas de ajuste estrutural, especialmente aquelas advindas do cumprimento da agenda das políticas neoliberais. Este estudo investigou esta proposta numa perspectiva crítico-emancipatória, analisando seu contexto de surgimento, sua influência e impacto na formação do trabalhador. A educação profissional em saúde estando inserida neste movimento maior das políticas e propostas de formação e qualificação dos trabalhadores é fortemente influenciada pelos processos de reestruturação mais amplos com desdobramentos significativos na prática profissional. / This research examined the incorporation of Corporate Education as a public politic located in the extend of the Ministry of Development, Industry and External Trade. This analysis considered the period from 2003 to 2009, when Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva held the presidency (2003-2010). The expansion of the unit Corporate Education has been considered a "silent revolution" in Brazilian companies. There are many non-critical studies, based on human capital theory / intellectual capital that favor the deployment of units of corporate education, however, there are few studies to examine this phenomenon in light of structural adjustment reforms, especially those coming compliance with the agenda of neoliberal politics. This study investigated this issue in a critical-emancipatory perspective, analyzing the context of its appearance, its influence and impact on worker training. Professional education in health being placed in this larger movement of the politics and proposals for training and qualification of workers is strongly influenced by wider processes of restructuring with significant developments in professional practice.