across the bar

Why do businesses need to protect their IP?

by Steve - Posted 26 March 2006

In today's environment, we are dealing in intangibles. An innovative and dynamic business no longer owes its wealth to its physical assets. The rules of the game have changed and the new sources of wealth and business success are largely invisible!

These new sources of wealth in your business include:

- Intellectual capital  -  knowledge truly is power - yours, your employees and what you learn from your customers every day

- Human capital - your people are all temps who decide where and who to contract their heads and hearts to each day

- Social capital - it's definitely who you know   

All of these things make up your company's Intellectual Property or IP. The real value in all this IP is the way that it can be integrated into your overall business strategy. The wise modern business uses IP to market itself, make its products and services better, to retain hot talent and to make it more competitive long into the future.