Artists create opulent paintings, musicians compose one-of-a-kind symphonies, and inventors conceive valuable new solutions. However, as creative entities, companies and their staff members also generate intangible assets. With the growing digitalization of all areas of life, the intellectual property of the business and working environments of the future will require a new kind of interaction. Many of today’s structures and approaches will not be able to meet tomorrow's needs.
The company of the future will be confronted with new realities due to sweeping changes in the management, creation, use, and protection of intellectual property: Rapid innovation cycles mean that companies will act at a much faster pace than patent offices, leading to a subsequent speed gap and the creation of new protective mechanisms. Company staff will become more important not only due to demographic change,but also as carriers of know-how. They will be intensely wooed by tomorrow's caring companies and fluid companies. Omni-IP management will become indispensable for every company's growing pool of knowledge. Intellectual property rights will remain an important element here; however, companies will use them in a more targeted way in the future. The need for individualization will make all standardized products irrelevant; the importance of brands will change. The growing amount of data will become the foundation of intellectual property, and interaction with the customer will be the place where new knowledge is generated. The result will be the death of plagiarism.
The following study has identified the most important drivers for the future within this radical new restructuring process. It explains what players are driving which trends, and for what reasons. Using the roadmaps, plans, and expectations of trendsetting stakeholders, it compiles a picture of the future of intellectual property through 2030. However, none of this is set in stone or inevitable – it is after all the future. And it will be shaped by all of us.
Be skeptical of trend studies which forecast that the management of intellectual property will completely change overnight. This is pure nonsense. Most companies will be able to continue their current approach for many years – continue with steadily declining revenues, but continue nonetheless. The present study invites you start preparing for the future today. It provides you with specific strategic options and concrete steps towards continued success tomorrow. It offers you valuable support for the strategic orientation of your business.
