Managing School Intellectual Capital for Strategic Development : Lessons from Asia and Europe

Cheng articulates the extent to which knowledge management approaches can create Intellectual Capital (IC) and contribute to improvements in education quality.

He argues that public schools have long contended with the requirements of quality assurance in a competitive environment of decreasing student numbers, increasing parental choice and rising standards of accountability. As public organisations, schools have to demonstrate appropriate resource management and show evidence that they are meeting defined development plans and goals. Cheng proposes a strategic approach, IC management, to help schools respond to and cope with the increasingly competitive environment while enhancing school capacity for improving student learning.

First, the book guides readers to understand the development of IC theory in the context of education to address the requirements of quality assurance and accountability. It then introduces Lesson Study, e-Learning, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as key resources and drivers for building school IC, and examines the organisational factors that enable knowledge management approaches for developing IC in schools from both Asia and Europe. It concludes by offering strategies and implementation methods to manage school IC for sustainable development.

Combining research from Asia and Europe, this edited volume will be useful for school leaders and policy makers, as well as those researching school leadership and IC.

Eric C. K. Cheng is a specialist in knowledge management, educational management, and Lesson Study. He is currently Associate Professor of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the Education University of Hong Kong.