Getting a grip on intangibles (TT May02 p26-27)

That intangible assets contribute to the profitability of the company and therefore have a value for the firm is not a new notion.We are all aware that certain industries such as the pharmaceutical industry or the entertainment sector rely heavily on such ‘soft’ assets. What is new is the growth in the proportion and importance of these soft assets in almost all industries, and the emergence of new industries in which most, if not all, of the profit-making ability of the firm lies there.