Although formal legal powers provide different possibilities for protecting and appropriating intangibles, less formalistic instruments, such as trade secrets, can also create considerable economic levers for successful management, according to Alfred Radauer, Head of Institute of Business Administration and Management at IMC University of Applied Sciences, Krems,

He explains that IP management can also be integrated with other disciplines to support wider objectives such as meeting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The 2024 R&D Management conference includes a section called:Intellectual property management and includes a reflection of the impact of digital technologies.

IP management is becoming more complex with the wider adoption of digital technologies. These promise more rapid and effective innovation processes and outcomes, but at the same time, pose a set of complex challenges for instance: blurring boundaries between innovation processes and outcomes.

Additionally, IP  management is not always well coordinated at an organisational or  interorganisational levels, leading to a potential chasm and then need for new strategies and approaches.