Gloria H. W. Liu

Intellectual capital accounting: an alignment between the motive and the accounting approach

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to reflect upon applicability of different intellectual capital (IC) accounting techniques with considerations of accounting motives. This has been achieved by comparing major foci and measurement issues related to two generic accounting motives, namely internal management and external reporting.Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on the taxonomy of accounting approaches reported by Fincham and Roslender and is an appreciation of the importance of this taxonomy in the field of IC accounting, as well as an illustration of how the organization decides on applicable accounting approaches.Findings – The paper concludes that there is no universally applicable accounting technique or approach. For internal management, the scorecard and narrative approaches help generate actionable plans, whereas the hard valuation and scorecard approaches help generate comparable and methodologically reliable reports for external reporting.Originality/value – The paper contrib...

A Teleological Perspective towards the Definition and Measurement of Intellectual Capital

The employee-centered thinking bears the hallmark of a post-industrialization era, which culminates in the attempt to manage and measure intangible assets. Nevertheless, invisibility of the IC construct per se generates insurmountable divisions ontologically and methodologically. We adopt a teleological perspective to classify and simplify extant IC metrics so as to single out the fundamental issues concerning its measurement. Moral considerations are stressed to materialize the faithful marriage between the human focus and the efficiency focus of business conducts related to IC reporting. In the conclusion, we articulate theoretical and practical opportunities implied by the teleological perspective, which encompasses both utilitarian and moral considerations, in improving operationalization and measurement of IC.

Investigating Self-control in New Product Projects: A Context Perspective

Behavioral control theory attempts to explain how a controller can ensure a controlee works towards the controllers goals. Most prior studies underinvestigate self-control, one of the four modes of control. Furthermore, the little research that has been done produces mixed results. This paper theorizes and elaborates on the construct of self-control, and how controllers can motivate self-control of controlees. Two case studies of control in new product development are conducted. The cases demonstrate how an identical control can be applied (unsuccessfully) as a formal control in one site, while being applied (successfully) as a self-control in another. We find that self-standards, self-monitoring, and motivation form the three dimensions of self- control. Furthermore, self-control can be fostered by the controller through the judicious application of formal and clan control and by removing distractions from the controlees environment.