MANAGEMENT OF KNOW-HOW AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, PRACTICAL APPROACH (Zarzadzanie wiedza i kapitalem intelektualnym, aspekty praktyczne)

Nowadays, enterprises have to face new challenges. Today, it is not enough to manufacture an unusual brand with new features. Now, a competitive advantage is based on know-how. Therefore, it is in the interest of any firm to introduce or improve the system of intellectual property management. Various firms use different approaches to achieve an improvement in their know-how. The first companies to implement the system of management of know-how were organizations where know-how is a key product and, at the same time, a main resource - consulting companies mentioned in this paper, e.g. HUTMEN S.A. which, through cataloguizing of their know-how wants to ensure an easy access to relevant information; Skandia Group - undertakes a number of initiatives promoting the intellectual property; Toyota - know-how management processes are based on specific organizational culture whose particular elements constitute their chief assets which determine key competence. One can note that the complexity of management of know-how and the intellectual property of an enterprise correlate strongly with its financial condition. Therefore, one should develop and enhance the know-how management methods in order to successfully increase the intellectual property of their enterprise.