Making intellectual property work for business - World Intellectual ...
Making intellectual property work for business - World Intellectual ...
Making intellectual property work for business - World Intellectual ...
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Introduction | Why <strong>intellectual</strong> <strong>property</strong> is important <strong>for</strong> <strong>business</strong><br />
2 <strong>Making</strong> <strong>intellectual</strong> <strong>property</strong> <strong>work</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>business</strong><br />
Use of IP is one of the key strategies that <strong>business</strong>es may rely upon to improve<br />
their competitiveness. Innovative enterprises may also rely on lead time, speed to market,<br />
contractual agreements, or technical means of preventing copying.<br />
The role IP plays in a <strong>business</strong> can vary depending<br />
on different factors such as:<br />
■■<br />
the <strong>business</strong> model - some models will have IP as a key element while IP may<br />
play a less central role in other models. Different types of IPRs will also be<br />
relevant to different <strong>business</strong> models e.g. patents, know-how and trade secrets<br />
will be central to technology companies, while trademarks and designs will be<br />
more important to consumer brand sector;<br />
■■<br />
the market - different tools <strong>for</strong> protecting IP assets will be relevant according<br />
to market conditions such as the length of product cycles, the risks of IPR<br />
infringement by competitors and the effectiveness and cost of en<strong>for</strong>cement of<br />
IPRs against competitors;<br />
■■<br />
the type of IP used - different types of IPRs play different roles (e.g. trademark<br />
protection will be used to protect brands; patents to protect technology;<br />
copyright to protect software; design rights to protect new designs). Most <strong>business</strong>es<br />
will utilize more than one type of IPR;<br />
■■<br />
the stage of the <strong>business</strong>’ evolution: the role of IPRs in a <strong>business</strong> will usually<br />
become more sophisticated as the <strong>business</strong> evolves; and<br />
■■<br />
the awareness of its managers about the role of IP: the importance given to in a<br />
<strong>business</strong> will depend on how its managers approach the IP function.<br />
Despite the growing importance of the value of intangible assets, many <strong>business</strong>es<br />
do not make full use of the IP system, often through lack of awareness or understanding,<br />
lack of expertise, or concern about costs.<br />
The level of understanding of how to manage and commercialize IP varies between<br />
companies, though small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in particular lag behind<br />
in this area. It is essential <strong>for</strong> <strong>business</strong>es and their advisors to understand that legal<br />
protection of IPRs in itself is not sufficient and that a successful IP management strategy<br />
has to integrate the role of IP in the wider <strong>business</strong> context. 1<br />
1 Austrian Institute <strong>for</strong> SME Research, “Benchmarking National and Regional Support Services <strong>for</strong> SMEs<br />
in the Field of <strong>Intellectual</strong> and Industrial Property”, page 6, point 29 b