Despite increasing research efforts, there is still much confusion regarding the nature and contribution of the most intangible forms of capital. This book develops a comprehensive and unifying conception of intangible capital in order to understand its role with respect to economic growth, well-being, and rationality. As the book illustrates, utilizing the intangible capital concept enables many new and important economic insights. Intangible capital is defined to include standard human capital, noncognitive human capital (including personal capital), social capital, and other intangible manifestations of human capacity. Understanding intangible capital is a key to realizing the full human potential of our economic systems.
Explaining how the main components of intangible capital contribute to economic growth, this book will be of great interest to social scientists in the fields of heterodox, behavioural and social economics, social capital, HRM, and economic and organizational change. It will also be of considerable value to government policymakers and business managers interested in the role and implications of intangible capital and intangible assets for productivity, growth and the performance of firms. Philosophers and psychologists, among others, should find the chapters dealing with intangible capital in relation to well-being and rationality of particular interest.