A conversation with Sharon L. Oriel of The Dow Chemical Company

Abstract

Conversations create the wealth of knowledge organizations. This conversation with Sharon Oriel focuses on the evolution of the capture and leverage or intellectual capital assets at The Dow Chemical Company. Ms Oriel is the Director of the Global Intellectual Capital Management Technology Center and Government Contract R&D at Dow. Ms Oriel discusses the journey to become an organization that has come to understand how to value, develop and manage its intangible assets, by making intangible value visable. Part of that has involved the creation of an intellectual capital network across the organization. Reframing the culture as a global organization sensitive to local situations is key to that initiative. This requires extensive collaboration which is facilitated by the integration of the Internet. Ms Oriel also comments on the increasing value globally of intellectual property and its impact as an engine of change on accounting and valuation practices.