Title: Innovation protection in the Dutch printing industry

Authors: Mischa C. Mol; Enno Masurel

Addresses: School of Information Sciences, Windesheim University of Applied Sciences, Campus 2, 8027CA Zwolle, The Netherlands ' Amsterdam Center for Entrepreneurship, VU University Amsterdam (ACE@VU), De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Abstract: Although the scholarly attention for innovation by SMEs is beyond discussion, much of the protective behaviour of SMEs concerning their innovations is unknown. A survey was sent to 1,337 SMEs from the Dutch Printing Industry, containing questions on: the firm; the entrepreneur; and a recent product or process innovation. The degree of formality of the protection of product innovations turns out to be influenced by: innovativeness; public financial support; cooperation; the educational level of the entrepreneur; the experience of the entrepreneur; and, surprisingly, by lower innovation investments, and rural locations. The degree of formality of the protection of process innovations is influenced by: public financial support; the newness of the innovation; the innovativeness of the innovation; and, again contrary to what we expected, lower innovation investments and the rural location of the firm. The lifespan of the innovation and firm size turned out not to play any role at all.

Keywords: innovation protection; small and medium-sized enterprises; SMEs; patents; designs; trademarks; copyright; Dutch printing industry; The Netherlands; product innovation; process innovation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIPM.2014.062796

International Journal of Intellectual Property Management, 2014 Vol.7 No.1/2, pp.84 - 99

Received: 01 Mar 2014
Accepted: 03 Mar 2014
Published online: 26 Jul 2014 *

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