Self-Portrait as Corporate Narrative

"Most people think of Old Ken as a manufacturer of chemical, agricultural and plastic products. But Old Ken considers himself primarily a research and development company. For years, however, Old Ken minimally leveraged the fruits of his R & D practice. Instead, like many other knowledge markets, Old Ken hoped to start small and slowly build brand recognition, over time resulting in an increase in demand, with an increase in price to follow.

"That situation began to change in 2007 when Old Ken implemented a knowledge management program to help increase the value of his patent information. Success has come in many ways in different units. For example, the epoxy products and polyurethane unit instituted committees that review and keep current their intranet sites. They meet as a committee in person for a three-day retreat each quarter, hold teleconferences every six weeks, and routinely communicate informally through e-mail.

"Old Ken plans to put his knowledge practice under a portal application, figuring that if money could be saved by better handling patents, he could save even more if he better manages 'soft' intellectual capital assets."