ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book offers new insights into the measuring, reporting, evaluation, and management of intangibles, and the use of associate information in a variety of contexts and settings, not only linked to profit-making entities and the micro level. It assesses the amount of disclosure originally released by European companies to the US market in respect to the new accounting treatment of goodwill and its component parts. The book highlights how a real options lens can be utilised for interpreting some characteristics of intangible assets, hence delineating the theoretical foundations to the adoption of such an approach for valuing the resources. It underlines the ontological importance of these resources for cultural organisations, their objectives, and day-by-day operations. The book suggests an innovative categorization of intangibles suitable for opera houses, which can be fruitfully used either on a quantitative or a qualitative/descriptive basis.
