IP Outreach Research > IP Use and Awareness
Reference
| Title: | Use of Patent Information: Empirical Evidence from Innovative SMEs |
| Author: | Enno Masurel [VU University Amsterdam] |
| Source: | |
| Year: | 2005 |
Details
| Subject/Type: | IP Knowledge |
| Focus: | Patents |
| Country/Territory: | Netherlands (Kingdom of the) |
| Objective: | To study the use of patent information by innovative small and medium-sized enterprises. |
| Sample: | 15 directors of innovative SMEs |
| Methodology: | Questionnaire, in-depth interviews |
Main Findings
Using patent information may be very important for businesses: it can yield inspiration for innovations, inform on the state of the art concerning specific products and processes, and reveal the progress of competitors and other market players. However, just 53% of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) surveyed reported having used patent information in the last 12 months. Likely, the real number of patent information users is considerably lower than 53%, because quite a number of would-be respondents declined to participate in the study, stating that they had nothing to do with patents/patent information.
Larger SMEs, SMEs with highly educated directors, SMEs undertaking market research and SMEs using patents were most likely to have used patent information. Reasons given for using patent information are: “mapping competitors’ activities” (cited by 75% of patent information users), followed by “investigating the possibility of patenting an invention” (75%), “inspiration and problem solving” (62.5%), “keeping informed about technical progress” (50%), and “checking possible patent rights violations” (37.5%). No respondent mentioned “finding new licensing possibilities” as a reason. The two most often used methods of searching for patent information were searching on the Internet and assistance of a patent attorney.
Just 28% of non-users of patent information reported wanting to make more use of it. Reasons given for not using patent information are: “high costs” (cited by 71.4% of non-users of patent information), followed by “unclear procedures” (57.2%), “lack of time” (42.9%), and “not familiar with patent information” (42.9%). “Use of the Internet and CDROMS” and “development of user-friendly interfaces” were considered helpful in promoting the use of patent information.
Given the usefulness of patent information, the author recommends that the use of patent information be promoted through national intellectual property offices, trade associations and educational institutions.
[Date Added: May 1, 2009 ]