Barriers to the use of patent information in UK small and medium-sized enterprises. Part I: Questionnaire survey

A survey was carried out of a large number of UK-based small and medium-siz ed enterprises to assess their use of, and attitudes towards, patents and p atent information. Use of patent information is closely linked to use of th e patent system for protection purposes. There appears to be little correla tion between attitudes towards patents and patent information and education al background or with the type of industry the company was active in. The u se of intermediaries, such as patent agents, to carry out patent searches a ppears at times to create as many barriers as it overcomes. The general app roach of Patent Offices, that failure to use patent information is dangerou s and that the way tot overcome this is to make patent information easier o r cheaper to use, may be misguided. The situation appears to be more comple x. Small and medium-sized enterprises should not be treated as a single hom ogeneous group and, arguably, such companies do use patent information in t he most appropriate way.