composed ofwhite collar, teclutical, professionalpersonnel GrowingRecognition oftheImportanceofHuman Assets Whereas physical capital was of utmost importance in the economy of the past, the distinctive feature of the emerging economy is an increasing emphasis on human and intellectual capital-the knowledge, skills, and experience ofpeople. Given the growing importance of human capital and intellectual property as detenninants of economic success at both the macroeconomic and enterprise levels, it should also be clear that the nature ofinvestments made by firms needs to shift to reflect the new economic realities. Specifically, if human caPital is a key detenninant of organizational success, then investmentsintraininganddevelopmentofpeoplealso become critical.