intangibili

Intangibili refers to things that do not have a physical form but can carry value, significance or rights. The term is used across several domains, including economics, law and culture, and its precise meaning depends on the context.

In economics and accounting, intangible assets are identifiable non-monetary assets without physical substance that provide future economic benefits to an entity, such as goodwill, brands, patents, copyrights, software, licenses, customer relationships, and technology. They are recognized on balance sheets when present, controlled by the entity, and when their cost can be measured reliably, in line with IFRS IAS 38. Finite versus indefinite life affects their treatment: finite-lived intangibles are amortized; indefinite-lived ones are not amortized but subjected to annual impairment testing.

In law and property, intangible rights include intellectual property rights, contractual rights, and other legally enforceable claims that do not have physical form. In culture and society, intangible cultural assets encompass knowledge, practices and expressions such as languages, rituals and traditional crafts; UNESCO recognizes intangible cultural heritage as a distinct category of heritage.

In business, intangible capital is crucial for value creation but difficult to measure; reputations, brands, networks and know-how often drive competitive advantage. Intangibles pose challenges for valuation, accounting standards and disclosure, yet they are essential components of modern economies and many organizations.