December 12, 2010


Take a moment to explore the space between book value and market capitalization and you’ll find it’s laden with intangible assets. The value of an enterprise was once the sum of its physical parts, but not anymore. Intangibles assets, such as brand equity, reputation, recognition, stakeholder relationships, knowledge, patents, and human capital, play a growing importance in the valuation of a business. How important? Well, have a look at these numbers…the majority of which were calculated based upon an analysis of S&P 500 companies.
 
  Composition of Company Value*
Year
Intangible (%)
Tangible (%)
1982
38
62
1992
62
38
1998**
71
29
2000
85
15







This shift in the source of company value has required a new view of how an organization captures, creates and delivers value and a re-prioritization of business risks and opportunities. 

*   Ulrich, Dave and Smallwood, Norm. 2003. Why the Bottom Line Isn't! John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Pg.11.
** Willard, Bob. 2007. The Business Case for Sustainability. SustainabiliTV.

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