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Abstract:

Purpose – To explore the nature of the university's knowledge processes and to specify the library's role in these processes.

Design/methodology/approach – A theoretical framework for strategic management based on the concepts of the value constellation of networked enterprises and the knowledge processes is applied along with the concept of a strategic partnership to indicate the library's new role within the university.

Findings – The library's role in the generative knowledge processes is likely to become the major managerial challenge. Its role in the productive knowledge processes will increase, and in the representative knowledge processes it will diversify.

Research limitations/implications – The same research object could be approached empirically from a multidisciplinary perspective, i.e. the transforming research and teaching processes and enhancement of the library's role in them. The impact of the library's intellectual capital on the university's intellectual capital should be examined in terms of performance assessment in theory and practice.

Practical implications – Illuminative examples indicate how libraries can take a more proactive, strategic role in practice.

Originality/value – This timely paper develops a sound theoretical basis on which the library can be understood as a vital member of a strategic partnership in the management of the university's intellectual capital. It is a significant application to library management of theory from outside the field. The paper is rich in stimulating ideas, and should be of considerable interest to a wide readership.

Keywords:

Academic libraries, Intellectual capital, Knowledge processes, Strategic alliances

Article Type:

Conceptual paper

Article URL:

http://www.emeraldinsight.com/10.1108/01435120410609743

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