The accounting of intangible

Abstract

The accounting of intangible assets addresses new information needs in today’s business environment, where traditional accounting often fails to capture intangible values that generate company value, such as scientific knowledge, patents, or intellectual property. These intangibles represent implicit added value and can include licenses, like those used by Droguería Inti in Bolivia for medicines under German licenses. Proper management of intangibles can be supported by tools like the Balanced Scorecard, which balances training, internal processes, customer focus, and financial aspects. According to IAS 38, there is a clear distinction between the research phase (expense) and the development phase (intangible asset). Furthermore, strategic availability measures the resources to achieve business goals, promoting external networks to boost research. In conclusion, intangible assets are valuable resources that generate future benefits for the company.