8: Intangible Resources and Capabilities
- Page ID
- 23076
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)This chapter explains the following:
- why intangible factors matter, and what you can do to understand, measure, and manage them
- how intangibles behave through time, responding to influences from elsewhere
- the impact of capabilities in driving business performance
- how intangibles influence the core architecture of simpler tangible factors
Earlier chapters explained how a few simple resources lie at the heart of any organization, determining how it performs through time. These systems contain people, though, and people have feelings and capabilities that determine how they behave: doing more or less of what you would like, or deciding to change from one state to another.
- 8.1: Why Intangibles Matter
- This page emphasizes the critical role of soft factors—such as employee motivation, market reputation, donor commitment, and electoral support—in enhancing competitive performance and resource acquisition. It highlights the need for organizations to assess and nurture these intangible elements, despite the challenges in managing them. Once established, these factors can significantly drive growth and create sustainable competitive advantages, often remaining hidden from rivals.
- 8.2: Measuring Intangible Resources
- This page emphasizes the significance of measuring intangible factors in organizations, disputing the belief that they are unmeasurable. It highlights the impact of elements like employee motivation, product quality, and investor sentiment on performance. Effective management can improve these intangibles and organizations should prioritize specific measures.
- 8.3: Problems Caused by Soft Factors
- This page details the challenges faced by a medium-sized IT service firm following an aggressive growth strategy that resulted in client losses, poor service, and high employee turnover. The management recognized the unsustainable pressures causing these issues and decided to improve internal morale and reputation first by cutting problematic clients and freezing hiring, rather than continuing with aggressive client acquisition.
- 8.4: The Growth and Decline of Intangible Resources
- This page discusses how intangible resources, like reputation and employee motivation, can fluctuate and impact customer loyalty based on leadership and staff experiences. It emphasizes the need for effective management to balance addressing negative perceptions and enhancing positive ones. Additionally, positive product reviews from lead customers serve as a crucial resource, attracting potential buyers and boosting sales through increased trust and confidence.
- 8.5: Capabilities - Activities You Are Good At
- This page discusses the importance of capabilities in business performance, emphasizing their role in resource building and retention. Unlike tangible resources, capabilities focus on organizational excellence in specific activities. Evaluating capabilities requires understanding resource acquisition, best practices, and benchmarks. Effective teamwork combines individual skills with procedures to boost performance.