Predictions For Post-Recession IP Climate
The role of intellectual property in the economy will be even stronger post-recession than it was prior to when the economy began faltering, according to James Malackowski, president of Ocean Tomo, a bank that specializes in providing IP related financial products and services. "The recession gives people the opportunity to focus on what's important [and] will help to prove that IP adds significant value and then when the recession is over, IP will remain on the front burner," Malackowski said.
Some have said the 6-year-old firm is ahead of its time -- and that can be both a positive and a negative. In the last six months, the 80-plus employee company has given about 20 staffers their walking papers including 11 last week. Malackowski said those decisions reflect the bank's attempt to adapt to a changing market. Going forward, their will be some great IP deals on the market and more emphasis on IP quality, he said. He added that because the economy is bad, IP holders and countries "need every dime of value that there IP provides them" and there will be more anti-piracy efforts.
"The U.S. continues to be a leader in recognizing IP rights. With this recognition comes additional value. IP value is stronger here than elsewhere but other countries are quickly catching up by having a national policy focus on IP as an asset - such as Japan, Taiwan, to some extent China," who understand that they have to catch up, Malackowski said. "Typically IP is a counter-cyclical asset and in a modest recession companies turn to their IP as an underutilized value whether it be for sale or enforcement. This cycle is different." "We didn't slide into a recession we collapsed into one," he added. -- Winter Casey
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Intellectual Property
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