Benchmarking National - PRO INNO Europe

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BENCHMARKING NATIONAL AND REGIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES FOR SMES IN THE FIELD OF INTELLECTUAL AND INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY
knowledge in IPR issues (40 %, see Graph 54) were recorded. The usage of patents
in the business IPR strategy increased in 20 % of the companies, that of trade
secrets for 16 %. Relatively little effects where achieved with respect to IP training
needs, and the – already high – trade mark usage. Unsurprisingly, the measured
effects are less in magnitude than with dedicated IPR support measures; however,
as IPR is only part of an innovation programme, IK2 may have succeeded in making
its users IPR aware exactly at the right time, when actually the topic of using IPR
had arisen for the company.
Almost all users believed that individual contacts are one of the most important key
factors of a service comparable to that of IK2 (see Graph 55). This underlines the
coaching function. In addition, the competence of staff, matters of costs, timely
delivery and the ease of access were also considered as key factors. Interestingly,
spatial distance received high attention levels compared to other IPR support
services. This might be explained by the fact that IK2 heavily relies on long-term
close-tie relationship (coaching) from IK2, which needs some form of geographical
proximity.
Questions on why to patent and how to patent were less important, probably as
IPR is not the primary thrust of the programme. However, the little significance
given to referral activities is surprising; it could be explained by the informal
character of the service and the coaching character: specially the latter may
overshadow many of the service activities that the user base does not actually
recognise referral activities as a distinctive service element but rather takes it as part
of the personal know-how of his/hers IK2 contact.
3.3 Elements of good practice
The service exhibits the following success factors (resp. good practice elements):
� IPR embedded into broader innovation management and innovation support;
� Customer-tailored and also informal coaching aiming to offer advice for
different phases of innovation development;
� Individual contact;
� Long supportive period (throughout the innovation cycle);
Graph 54 Behavioural additionality of IK2, percentage of respondents*)
General awareness
Knowledge management Know-How
Patent usage in IPR strategy
Formal IPR responsibilities within enterprise
(Trade) secrecy usage in IPR strategy
Patent knowledge in business environment
Trademark usage in IPR strategy
Design pattern/utility model usage in IPR strategy
IPR training
Copyright usage in IPR strategy
Out-licensing
Reliance on design complexity in IPR strategy
Reliance on lead-time advantage in IPR strategy
In-licensing
*) multiple answers allowed. Source: User Survey, n = 50
2
2
2
8
8
6
16
14
12
20
18
42
40
-40 -20 0 20 40 60 80
increased decreased
%