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IP Guide for SMEs
Modern SMEs
Internet Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurship: Barriers and Keys To Success
ICT for SMEs
Internet Power
Customer-focused Website
Social Media Marketing
Small Business Growth Strategies
e-Ventures
Guidelines on Technology Management for SMEs
Enterprise survey and
technology auditing
Formulation of a Technology Strategy
Technology-driven Business Strategy
Competitive
Excellence
Why is IP Relevant to Your SME?
IP for Competitiveness and Development
Why is IP Critical to Marketing
of Your Products?
How Can IP Enhance the Market
Value of Your SME?
How Can IP Enhance Export
Opportunities?
Case Studies
Business Financing
Using IP Assets to Finance Your
Business
IP Management
Primer on IPR
Start-Up Company's IP Strategies
Protecting Your Business Name
Managing Intellectual Assets of
Your SME
Auditing Your IP
Developing IP Strategy
How can Your SME Acquire and
Maintain IPR?
Protecting the IPR of Your SME
Abroad
Protecting Trade Secrets of
Your SME
Licensing of IPR
Trademarks
Protecting Your Business Name
Why Trademarks are Relevant to
Your SME?
Trademark Registration
Patents
Using Patent Information
Turning Your Inventions into
Profit-making Assets
Procedures for the Grant and
Maintenance
Utility Models
Protecting Innovations by
Utility Models
Copyright
How Can Your SME Benefit from
Copyright
Resolving Disputes
How To
Resolve Disputes Related to IP? |
Before your
SME can take
advantage of intellectual property (IP) assets it has to acquire IP rights. A
number of IP rights need to be granted or registered.
→
Systemic Innovation: 7 Areas
At the national level, IP offices
of the respective countries are the only institutions entrusted with granting or
registering IP rights. The procedure for their acquisition and maintenance may
differ from country to country, but the basic principles and features of these
procedures are common to most countries. One should also note that IP rights
could also, where certain conditions are met, be acquired at a regional or
international level (see "Protecting
the Intellectual Property Rights of Your SME Abroad.")
Before seeking IP protection for
your SME in a particular country, you are advised to study the country’s legal
system that governs IP issues. There are various sources of information on IP
legislation. Probably the best place to start would be the national IP office or
copyright office to obtain the details of IP protection in your country. You
may, in addition, consult the WIPO Collection of Laws for Electronic Access (CLEA).
It is often advisable to seek guidance from an IP agent or attorney particularly
when the relevant IP laws require that an applicant who is not residing in the
country be represented by an agent or attorney entitled to practice in that
country. The IP office or IP agent/attorney should be able to advise you as to
whether special incentives, in terms of reduced fees, are available to SMEs for
IP acquisition and maintenance.
Procedures for Different IP Rights
The procedure for obtaining
protection and maintenance of intellectual property rights by your SME is
outlined below:
Patents
Utility Models
Trade/Service Marks
Collective
Marks
Well-known Marks
Geographical Indications
Industrial Designs
Copyright
Challenges in Intellectual Property
Acquisition
Challenges that most SMEs face in acquiring IP protection include the
following:
inadequate manpower to undertake the necessary groundwork needed for IP
acquisition, for example, initial searches and other pre-filing procedures;
high costs involved,
particularly, in the patenting process which may go hand in hand with
expenses for the translation of documents and fees for IP agents or
attorneys;
inadequate “in-house” knowledge of IP rights and procedures for their
protection.
To some extent, the burdens
associated with IP acquisition may be diminished if you have a greater
understanding of how the IP system can be used effectively.
SMEs may also reduce
the workload and costs of acquiring IP by applying for IP protection through
regional or international arrangements when seeking IP protection abroad (see “Protecting
the IP Rights of Your SME Abroad”), making use of special
services offered to SMEs, wherever available, or opting for lower levels of
protection as in the case of utility model protection, where the legislation of
the country or countries in question allow such forms of protection.
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