The wealth of knowledge: converting intellectual property to intellectual capital in co-opetitive research and technology management settings

The emerging global trends in intellectual property (TP) commercialization and intellectual property rights (IPR) enforcement and harmonization such a s technology globalization, 'niching', and licensing strategies, the diffus ion of IPR standards and the divergence of IPR enforcement practices, are c omponents of an emerging view of the importance of intellectual capital in corporate and national competitiveness. This paper presents the role of IPR enforcement and harmonization and IP commercialization strategies in a glo bal, intra and inter firm and industry context. IP management is examined f rom the perspectives of the knowledge management and technology management fields, paradigms which facilitate rather than impede research collaboratio ns in co-opetitive, technology-driven environments. Intellectual property rights (IPR) are shown to be the emerging currency of the global, knowledge-based economy and the intellectual property (IP) aud it is a key strategic competitive 'weapon' for firms.