What Do They Have That We Haven't? The Power of Intangible Assets

The elusive secret to business success lies in intangible assets, according to new research from the Australian School of Business. Organisations that perform well in slippery areas, such as leadership, innovation and customer orientation, also outstrip their competition significantly. But as the term suggests, intangible assets are hard to pin down because they fail to fit standard accounting measures. And managers must learn to identify, quantify and continually improve on these assets to create a positive change if those prized hardcore tangibles - including profits and share prices - are going to add up.