Ahmed Bounfour – författare

There is much debate as to how companies carry out their activities in the context of new information and communication technologies influencing organizations to decentralize and develop new managerial practises including outsourcing and networking. Recent theories have emphasized the importance of organization as a key component for building corporate competitive advantage and scholars have looked at this from a range of perspectives including in relation to intangible assets, human capital, work training and the process dimension. Yet the concept of organisational capital as such – in spite of its indubitable relevance and attractiveness- is still to be clarified until now.

In this book the subject is approached in four ways. Firstly from an analytical perspective: what is the status of organisational capital as a concept and how is the defined; secondly from a ontological perspective: what type of (implicit) orders can be designed and implemented around organisations; thirdly from the measurement perspective: what kind of frameworks and what type of metrics can be prototyped; and finally the implementation perspective: how should organizations integrate the organisational capital perspective in the definition and implementation of their strategies for resources’ allocation. The book provides the first multifaceted and international effort from a broad perspective, aiming at clarifying the concept of organisational capital and determining its analytical and operational implications.

There is much debate as to how companies carry out their activities in the context of new information and communication technologies influencing organizations to decentralize and develop new managerial practises including outsourcing and networking. Recent theories have emphasized the importance of organization as a key component for building corporate competitive advantage and scholars have looked at this from a range of perspectives including in relation to intangible assets, human capital, work training and the process dimension. Yet the concept of organisational capital as such – in spite of its indubitable relevance and attractiveness- is still to be clarified until now.

In this book the subject is approached in four ways. Firstly from an analytical perspective: what is the status of organisational capital as a concept and how is the defined; secondly from a ontological perspective: what type of (implicit) orders can be designed and implemented around organisations; thirdly from the measurement perspective: what kind of frameworks and what type of metrics can be prototyped; and finally the implementation perspective: how should organizations integrate the organisational capital perspective in the definition and implementation of their strategies for resources’ allocation. The book provides the first multifaceted and international effort from a broad perspective, aiming at clarifying the concept of organisational capital and determining its analytical and operational implications.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and platforms are closely related. Most investments in AI, especially in critical technologies, are provided by large platforms. This book describes how platforms invest in AI and how AI will impact the next generation of competences, following a twofold approach to do so: on the one hand, the book seeks to understand how platforms for investment in intangibles and AI are organized, but on the other hand, it provides a framework to describe how AI will change jobs and competences in the future.

Moreover, the book addresses five main themes: 1. platforms, platformization, and the foundations of their business models; 2. artificial intelligence, technological tendencies, and the policy agenda; 3. artificial intelligence, productivity, and the next generation of competences; 4. artificial intelligence, productivity, and the digital divide; 5. artificial intelligence, ethics, and the post-truth society.

The book’s content is mostly based on papers presented at the last two installments of the World Conference on Intellectual Capital for Communities. It brings together the views of leading scholars and experts on how artificial intelligence and platformization will impact competences in the near future.