Accounting for Intangible Assets a Review of Practice in the United Kingdom : A Longitudinal Approach

This study was conducted to address changes in practice regarding accounting for intangibles between 1987 and 1996. This research adopts a longitudinal approach as to
observe reporting of accounting for intangibles. We studied the companies who had reported intangibles other than goodwill on balance sheet.
Data was obtained from annual reports that are available in the Ward’s Library Archive. Extel Financial Services and internet were used to collect certain information that was not available elsewhere. We separated findings in two groups to constitute the change of standards regarding intangibles, other than goodwill. The first group consisted of reports from 1987-1990, and the second group for reports from 1991-1996. Before 1990, it was found that companies used various types of bases for valuation. Some
companies complied with the standards but to a minimal level of compliance. Most companies failed to report and disclose information regarding intangibles as the
standards required. These practise made comparability between companies in the same industry impossible.
Academics admitted that issues regarding intangible assets are complex and little understood. A group of accounting academics and business experts in the US is working together to crack this problem. They are developing a new way of measuring and reporting intangibles. Service sectors are now valuing their non tangible assets and
present them in the financial reports.