An ‘Intangible Assets Model’ – A New Way Of Thinking About Doing Business…

Michael D. Moberly    July 3, 2008

It’s literally indisputable today; 75+% of most companies’ value, sources of revenue and future wealth creation lie in intangible assets (which include IP, know how, competitive advantages, and brand, etc.)

One product of this economic fact – business reality is that a rationale for a new way of doing business must be on every decisions makers’ and business strategists’ dashboard!

I am not suggesting that an ‘intangible asset officer’ (or department) is necessary or right for every company.  I am suggesting however, that requiring regular and practical insight regarding the intangible assets a company has and will produce will compliment (add value) to the work of the security executive, compliance officer, chief knowledge officer, CIO, risk manager, internal auditor, legal counsel, business unit managers, and others within c-suites and board rooms.

This added value (stemming from the intangible assets model proposed here) will manifest itself in many ways within a company, one of which is greater emphasis on aligning designated intangible assets with company strategic planning, i.e., those intangibles that deliver goodwill, image, reputation, customer satisfaction, and brand integrity, for example. (Adapted by Michael D. Moberly from Dr. Richard Post)

Another product of integrating an intangible assets model is that companies will have timely and strategic focus for:

1. Utilizing, leveraging, and extracting as much value as possible from its intangible assets, by

    a.  Providing the necessary stewardship, oversight, and management of those assets, to

    b.  Assess, monitor, and sustain control, use, and ownership of those assets, as well as

    c. Protect, preserve, and monitor the value of those assets.

The intangible assets model espoused here reaches well beyond conventional IP protections which no longer serve as stand alone deterrents to an ever exanding global cadre of infringers, misappropriators, counterfeiters, data mining and competitor-business intelligence operations and, equally important, insiders!