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IP Transaction Management Readiness Scorecards
How to Use Them
(See Accompanying "Scorecard" Presentation by Steve Parmelee & Dr. Jan Jaferian)
  1. INTRODUCTION
    This first edition of Taskforce Scorecards is designed to enable management to monitor and assess its internal capabilities to perform the IP sale and purchase transaction. It is based on the modules presented during this conference and serves as an introduction to the Taskforce Executive and Organization Development services available to all of its members.

  2. PURPOSE
    IP transactions are still new and the body of knowledge and structures incomplete and evolving. The Conference is designed to bring structure to the sale-purchase process to reduce cycle time and facilitate the transactions between the parties by adopting procedures, protocols and standards that are agreed upon by the member companies.

  3. IMPORTANCE
    Companies must be proficient in the myriad of knowledge and skills required to effectively engage in the IP transaction. This internal proficiency is one of the biggest impediments to IP commerce today. This proficiency is increasingly critical in global markets.

  4. JOURNEY
    The Taskforce recognizes its role as a catalyst and draws upon it "business league" corporate charter to facilitate these transactions among its members just as a trading association or the NFL would. This is a multiple stage process (a journey to refined definition) that begins with the decision support for the sale/purchase transaction and moves into the arenas of decision support for assertion, defense, litigation, licensing and the Merger and Acquisition.

  5. VALIDITY
    The Taskforce members serve as subject matter experts (SMEs) who establish the initial benchmark/competency criteria. As the program grows, more actual data will be introduced to correct or fine-tune the SME criteria. Initially, the validation is based on the agreements among the participants in the Taskforce.

  6. UTILITY
    The scorecard enables management to evaluate its own individual and corporate performance capabilities using the Taskforce SME criteria/benchmarks and identify levels of competitiveness and readiness to engage in IP related transactions. That evaluation results in strengths to exploit and needs that must be addressed through internal development or outsourcing.

  7. PROCESS
    The process of capabilities assessment is described in the graphic 7.1 Transaction Capabilities Assessment Process.


  8. START UP
    The company just starting up may want to use the Taskforce Transactions Network consisting of people who will offer their help until a few successful transactions are completed. Those initial successes will enable management to better assess its needs to support the business strategy. Known procedures and proven players in the Network offer a way to ease the effort and improve confidence in the transaction.

  9. COMPETITIVENESS
    Presumably the corporate goal is both cash flows and competitiveness. The Taskforce Network provides continuing update and support in practice and protocol for valuation and transactions as your company grows from the sale/purchase to other income producing transactions.

  10. HOW TO USE THE SCORECARDS
    1. Take a few minutes to review the Power Point Presentations for each module the scorecards are based on these presentations that can also be found in the Member's Section. (See links below) They presentations are:
      • Scorecards - Instructional presentation by Steve Parmelee & Dr. Jan Jaferian
      • IP Strategy Alignment - no power point; ref: Chapter 10, Business Power: Creating New Wealth from IP Assets book (to order, click here)
      • Basic Concepts in Intellectual Property Management
      • Obtaining Optimal Value from IP Assets within the Constraints of GAAP
      • Advanced Patent Valuation
      • Corporate IP Decision Making(Order accompanying book by Tracey Thomas. Driving IP Deals: Internal Decisions and Processes click here.
    2. Review the Taskforce scorecards for the 5 modules presented.
    3. Make sure you have a solid integration of IP & corporate business strategy or stop there until you do (call the Center for help from member service support companies if you need help.)
    4. Score your perception of your company's proficiency level on the 5-point rating scale 0-4. Your score is subjective, but will reflect your perception of where you are now "as is'.
    5. Repeat the process with where you would like to be - the "Goal" column and score.
    6. Evaluate the differences more in content than score, but allow the score to define the gap in capability and establish a sense of competitive urgency in your company.
    7. Repeat the process a 3rd time to record your perception of your competitors using as much information a possible from appropriate sources. It is best to pick your closest competitor for this "benchmark" rather than a number of companies. The focus gets more narrow and relevant.
    8. Take appropriate action to outgrow your competitor's proficiency levels so your company's tactical and strategic position will improve market share and earnings, but also move up in the eyes of Wall Street to increase your company's market cap.


    11. IP Transactions Scorecards



    HELP NUMBER: Center for Advanced Technologies 972/490-9100 or e-mail bshearer@km-iptask.org


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The K & IP Task Force is coordinated by the
Center for Advanced Technologies,
a non-profit corporation that helps accelerate the development and
commercialization of new technologies.