The recently launched World Intellectual Property Report 2017 focuses on intangible capital (including intellectual property) in global value chains.
The report investigates intangible capital worth and the role it plays in global value chains. It also looks at:
- types of intangibles most valuable at different production stages for different products
- how companies manage their intangible assets in global value chains
- the role intellectual property (IP) plays in generating a return on investment.
Key findings are include:
- intangible capital accounts for around one third of production value
- food products, motor vehicles and textiles accounted for around one-half of income from intangibles
- income from intangibles in the 19 manufacturing industries increased by 75 percent from 2000 to 2014
- the intangible capital for coffee mostly consists of downstream technological innovations and branding.
This last point reflects the importance of downstream activities in the global value chain. The World Intellectual Property Report is published every two years, with each edition focusing on specific trends in an area of IP.