The book “Intellectual Property: The Key to your competitive advantage” is self-published as an e-book by Maria Boicova-Wynants and has 158 pages. Maria is an experienced IP lawyer, IP strategy consultant.

The book is aimed at economic decision-makers and shows the possibilities of using IP as a tool for innovation success. It is not so much about legal details as it is about the economic-strategic contexts and considerations that one should make in order to benefit from investing in IP. The book is intended as a practical handout and assistance with simple and clear language and many examples. It is written in an entertaining way and is quick and easy to read. One should think very carefully about some of the explanations, since the heeding or non-heeding of the author’s advice can have a significant impact on the economic success of the reader and his organization.

After an introduction to the topic, the book is divided into five main sections:

  • The question of the sensible, successful, and practical use of IP in economic contexts
  • The role of IP in collaborations, partnerships, and other forms of collaboration
  • Converting IP into cash flows
  • The Role of IP in Digital Transformation

As well as a concluding checklist collection that generates very helpful and added value.

The author understands how to describe very complex issues in a clear and comprehensible way. She formulates without embellishments, straightforwardly concise. Above all, the book is able to overcome the often perceived barrier to IP. The book almost completely dispenses with technical language and where it is used, the terms are explained in a way that is easy to understand. Also, the text always has a motivating and downright encouraging effect to apply and implement the advice and methodologies given yourself.

The author also cleverly addresses common prejudices and misunderstandings around IP. She not only uncovers them, but also explains the facts correctly and profitably for the reader. The author always pursues a business perspective, looking for the useful, the practical and the concrete. This can be seen particularly well in the following passage. It is about the question of which IP is needed from the reader’s point of view and then she writes: “IP rights must make sense – to you.” And then further quoting, implicitly referring to the many case studies and the general image of IP from hearsay: “Not for Tesla. Not for Coca-Cola. Not for the local butcher in the neighbourhood. There’s no wisdom in investing a hefty sum in obtaining a legal document that lacks any relevance to your business model or isn’t tooted in your company strategy.” There is nothing more to add to this in its clarity, urgency and elegance.

The book follows its inner logic very stringently as a handout and guideline for the absolute beginner. You can fill entire libraries for each of the topics – and they have already been filled. This is perhaps the biggest shortcoming that I see as an (academic) reader, it lacks the connection to the existing discussion and literature. It is difficult to understand the good and correct recommendations or their derivation without references to the literature, you have to trust the experience of the author. It also means that there is no possibility to find further literature that the author is certainly aware of and could recommend to her.

But this renunciation of any literary apparatus fits into the concept of the first handout and is therefore only consistent. If you want to delve deeper into the topic, you can easily find more fodder for reading and thinking in digital media.

It is a great project of its own kind that Maria Boicova-Wynants has presented here and I am already busy recommending it. I am not aware of anything comparable and this gap has been closed here. My thanks to the author for this.