Insights
Intellectual property monetisation strategies needgreater focus. Until this can be achieved, the globalinvestment community will remain wary of IP as anasset class. A recent high-level symposium held inupstate New York marked a commitment to drive thisissue into the mainstream
Google’s purchase of YouTube again shows that the company is prepared to embrace internet users rather than to see them as a threat. Traditional copyright-owning companies would do well to follow suit.
Features
Company market value is often tied to intellectual assets, yet mostmanagers still cannot simply turn to their computer and generate a reporton what those assets are and how they are performing. Some companies,however, are wising up
You do not have to be a top 10 academic or research institution tohave a high-class tech-transfer programme, as three very different USuniversities show
When conversation turns to IP and offshoring, things can often get heated.But whether people like it or not, moving certain types of IP work tocountries such as India is here to stay. And, if done properly, it can alsobring major cost savings without any drop in quality
The US brand licensing industry is in crisis and unless action is takenquickly things will continue to stagnate if they do not get even worse
Further interdisciplinary training on IP management is vital if the fullpotential in IP rights is to be realised. What is needed is a master’sprogramme that helps to overcome current educational shortcomings
An in-depth analysis of the companies inside private equity portfolios shows thatin many sectors they are less likely to own patents than their publicly ownedcounterparts. Unless this problem is addressed these companies will continueto operate at a disadvantage that could have an affect on their profitability
In force in the UK since the end of 2005, IFRS 3 was supposed to ensurethat company accounts were generally more transparent for businessacquisitions and specifically provided more information about the value ofintangibles. In reality, this has not happened
Management report
Nothing signifies Germany’s determination to position itself as a hub in theknowledge economy better than its life sciences industry. And, as in othercountries, companies in the sector have contrasting approaches tocommercialising their intellectual property
In this special roundtable, three leading experts discuss major issuescurrently facing IP owners in Germany
In the field of automotive component production, Webasto AG is a seasonedplayer. Its slick and streamlined IP department, along with excellent lines ofcommunication, means it is well placed to extract maximum value from itsrights, as well as get an edge in the market
Although German companies have a strong innovative tradition, they mustuse intellectual property creatively if they are to be successful in meetingthe economic challenges of the 21st century
Columns
Two ECJ decisions mean thatpatent holders can no longer makeuse of cross-border infringementproceedings when seeking toenforce their rights in Europe.Instead, they will have to go countryby country. Blocking torpedo actions,however, remain a distinct possibility
If we look closely at the links betweenIP behaviours and mathematicaltheory we may be able to get closerto developing universally acceptedvaluation methods
Some patents are broad anddifficult to enforce. It does notnecessarily make them anyless inventive
There are any number of excitingIP strategies being advocated andpursued these days. Whether theycan be applied to high-tech startups,however, is not so clear
Industry insight
While the registration of a URL canprove to be one of the most valuableinvestments a company can make,writes Dominic Speller of CPA, thestrategic importance of domainnames is seldom recognised atcorporate level – often becausecompanies are unaware of how tomeasure the value of their domainname portfolios
