Beyond Demographics and Psychographics: Taking into Account Intellectual Property Assets

Stanislas Bigirimana, Africa University

Population studies have focused on demographic characteristics such as age, gender, income, profession and psychographic characteristics such as behavioural patterns, migration patterns and social mobility. An intangible asset is an asset that lacks physical substance; in contrast to physical assets, such as machinery and buildings, and financial assets such as government securities (Webster & Jensen, 2006). Generative intangible assets comprise human capital, internal and external structures while commercially exploitable assets comprise cost efficiency, Intellectual Property Rights, customer capital, expanding markets and management trust (Hussi & Ahonen, 2002). Henceforth, managing intangible assets implies identifying the primary intangibles of the organisation and determining their relationships with other intangible through integration and striking the right balance between various types of intangibles (Hussi & Ahonen, 2002). A population's intellectual property assets, know-how, risk taking propensity, indigenous knowledge systems and ability to invest in creative rather than extractive industry are key success and prosperity in the knowledge economy.