Know-how, information, knowledge, trade secrets, industrial and intellectual property, i.e. patents, utility models, industrial designs, trademarks, trade names, appellations of origin of goodsand geographical identifi cations: these terms cover different components of an organization ´s "industrial property", the importance of which in intangible economy is well-known. These components require new forms of "management"-with this term covering strategy. They also require expertise with

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... l, fi nancial and legal tools to convert them into "accounting assets" and legal objects.By giving them a legal form and organizing their ownership, they become a source of value for the business, quantifi able using objectives and rigorous fi nancial methods. The term "intangibleassets" involves rigorous organization of the ownership of rights, which involves strategic choices for their exploitation.The most important part of the study is devoted to the legislative environment valid in the former 15 member states of the EU with most of the provisions and laws already incorporated in the Czech laws.