ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses the question "How should innovating firms report their corporate IP assets?" It focuses on patent assets to illustrate the concepts. The chapter considers the content and structure for voluntary disclosure of patent information. It introduces the views of the Financial Reporting Council on the subject of intangibles, intellectual capital reporting and the relevant literature. The chapter presents a mini-case study that qualitatively analyses the specific narrative "patent disclosures" made in a publicly listed corporation's annual report. It discusses thinking by European Union and UK multidisciplinary subject matter experts to derive a basis on which to build a guide for UK innovating Small and Medium Sized Enterprise voluntary patent information and strategy disclosure. Many companies continue to devote significant time and effort to improving their narrative reporting, but there are always opportunities for further enhancement as experience and best practice develop.
