ABSTRACT

The time has come for global business to truly take account of the value of its intellectual property and, for that matter, all its intangible property. In the last 10 to 15 years there has been a patent race, particularly seen in the US, as industries woke up to the potential benefits of exclusive rights. The acknowledgement and clarification of intellectual property matters has, in this time, been recognised by the World Trade Organisation, and reform of IP cross-boundary rights was again highlighted in the TRIPS agreement.1

Yet, once these rights are obtained there appears to be the misunderstanding that they are indestructible and their value assured. Those who understood the importance of IP value often failed to take those final steps to safeguard and protect it.