preview

Intangible Assets as a Source of Competitive Advantage

Better Essays

Intangible Assets as a Source of Competitive Advantage
Look No Further
Managing Intangibles seems to be a smart idea. But to bet on it, one has to create a whole new organization. The concept of intangibles is not new, but across the globe, companies are slowly coming to grips with it. tury back physical, tangible assets created wealth; today, it’s intangible assets that are creating wealth. It’s a concept that packs a lot of punch but has no form as such. It questions capitalism for its emphasis on buying assets like plant and machinery, and hiring executives and workers to run those to make money in the process. Managing Intangibles seems to be a smart idea. But to bet on it, one has to create a whole new organization. Management …show more content…

His paper on “Best Practices of the organization” was adjudged the 2nd best paper in the Outstanding Young Managers Competition conducted by Baroda Management Association. He can be reached at swarup@ibsindia.org

The story of intangible assets is one of the changing faces of business globally. Consider the shifts that have happened in the modern industrial era. The first phase of industrialization which commenced some 200 years ago and lasted roughly till World War II belonged to entrepreneurial capital. Following the footsteps of the English East India Company, entrepreneurs built huge empires across businesses as diverse as railroad, oil, shipping, steel and trading. This gave way to the second phase of industrialization, which came to the fore roughly in the last six decades, thanks to the amount of managerial capital invested. The same entrepreneurs who built business empires graciously withdrew to allow professional managers to manage their business affairs. However, while these managers have, over time, become better at managing their companies, there’s been a sea change in the nature of business, as well as its conduct, as the environment has changed dramatically. The argument is still going on as to what’s kicking off the third shift in the series? The third shift is an era of intangible assets. Something is of competitive advantage if it is not openly

Get Access