Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
  • Publication
    Identifying the Dynamics of Intangible Resources for Industry 4.0 Adoption Process
    ( 2022)
    Prim, Marcelo Fabricio
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    Oliveira Gomes, Jefferson de
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    ; ; ;
    Vargas, Gabriel Bertholdo
    Industry 4.0 is a socioeconomic phenomenon that affects all industries, transforming not only products, processes, and services, but also business models, organizational structures, and strategies, placing human beings at the center of this digital transformation. Researchers have already demonstrated the importance of intangible resources in the Industry 4.0 adoption process. Nevertheless, there is still a gap in empirical research on how these factors evolve during the process. Therefore, the main objective of this study is to identify how these factors influence each other across different Industry 4.0 maturity levels. To achieve this goal, a qualitative approach was used with multiple case studies comparing responses from companies at higher Industry 4.0 maturity levels and contrasting them with the responses from companies at lower levels, distilling aggregate dimensions through an inductive coding procedure. Experts evaluated the results to find relations between the aggregate dimensions, their evolution and influence on each other. As a result, a conceptual framework was developed that demonstrates the dynamics of intangible factors that could be used by any company to nurture its own Intellectual Capital as a groundwork for the adoption of Industry 4.0. Among these dynamics, the central role of engaged leaders was highlighted in developing structural capital factors. Future studies should conduct interviews with more companies from other industrial sectors as well as on the implementation and management of Intellectual Capital in manufacturing companies to assess the applicability of the proposed conceptual framework.
  • Publication
    Strategy development based on intangibles in SMEs - an integrated approach
    ( 2013) ;
    Mertins, Kai
    The approach in this paper is based on the principles of action research and rapid prototyping. The paper shows the current status of a 'bottom-up' research process dedicated to continuously developing and improving management instruments that suit the requirements of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs): pragmatic, easy-to-use and generating direct practical benefit. As a result, this paper links the concept of intangibles to the practical strategy development process in SMEs. The integration shown concerns several challenges: (1) Integrate the internal and external perspective on intangibles, and, by that, link the concept of intellectual capital (IC) as a resource-based view with the concept of customer value as a market-based view. (2) Integrate the theoretical concept of IC with a methodology for comprehensive strategy development. (3) Integrate the formulation and implementation of business strategies taking into account the actual practice in SMEs.
  • Publication
    Germany towards a knowledge-based economy
    ( 2011)
    Mertins, Kai
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    Wuscher, Sven
    Due to changes in the value creation processes the management of Intellectual Capital (IC) is of increasing importance for the industrialised nations. Previous research has indicated that material resources are less important than intangible assets. We confirm that this is true and that it applies in particular to small and medium-sized enterprises (SME). SMEs are the backbone of the German economy and therefore the target group for IC management. Unlike large scale enterprises, SMEs are incapable of facing the increasing cost pressure by volume growth or relocation due to their specific characteristics. Against this background, the purpose of this paper is to assess and describe Germany as a knowledge site. The paper shows the stage of development of German enterprises on the way to a knowledge-based economy from a practitioner's perspective. The results of the analysis are used to derive recommendations for the management of Intellectual Capital. For this purpose, the research group "Arbeitskreis Wissensbilanz" has undertaken an empirical study. The data for the survey was collected in the time period of July 2009 and August 2010 under the supervision of the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Systems and Design Technology (IPK) within the initiative "Wissensbilanz-Made in Germany". The initiative is funded by The Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology of germany (BMWi). In the course of the empirical study more than 2300 managers and decision makers of German enterprises of various sizes in various branches were questioned. They were asked to which degree different factors of the Intellectual Capital influence their business success and how well these different factors are developed in their enterprise from their point of view. The most important factors of the IC of German enterprises were identified for different sub-groups of the sample, e.g. enterprises of different size, from different sectors etc. The sub-groups were compared and significant differences were analysed.