At this time of year our thoughts turn to technology, right? You did know April 26 is World Intellectual Property Day didn’t you? The “T” in OTC is for “Technology” not “Tee” for golf – but you knew that, right?
Technology has the potential to revitalise this industry and the UKCS in particular. Almost irrespective of the oil price we need increased production at lower cost. And we need it soon.
It’s not rocket science (or is it?). We need to promote, protect, resource and reward innovation. As for the “World Intellectual Property Day” I don’t expect you to wear the lapel badge.
I’m a fan of Geeks, but for this brand they need a new PR company. However we all can, and should, be innovation champions.
It’s true that more European Patent Applications where filed from Aberdeen last year than from Edinburgh and Glasgow. But not Edinburgh and Glasgow combined. Given our human capital resource and sheer need for innovation we should be eclipsing them. How many patents do brewers and bankers need?
On a personal level some potential inventors excuse themselves by saying their creativity is constrained by their employment contract.
Allegedly inhibited by the risk that if they come up with a brilliant invention their employer will own it and they will be consumed by the injustice.
Whilst, generally speaking, there is a presumption that an employer will own inventions created in the ordinary course of their business which employer is going to want to lose a generator of great ideas?
What about ideas outwith the ordinary course of the day job? What about ideas that come to you between assignments?
I’m not suggesting your business adds a Chief Technology Officer to its overhead this year. I’m saying empower everyone to be your Innovation Champions. We hire (and pay) for creativity but at peak production we risk all our people becoming processors not thinkers.
If there is now some capacity in the system let’s do some thinking (but if you call it “thinking out of the box” you’re using the Geek’s PR).
For those contemplating a trip to Houston in May, it’s a sobering thought that the Americans filed more than twice as many patents in Europe last year than the British did.
Yes, there are more of them; but how many did your organisation file in America? Did your innovators get a mention in your in-house magazine? Champagne? A 9256 mile round trip to play golf?
Peter Murray is a partner at Scottish law firm Ledingham Chalmers where he specialises in UK corporate law and international projects.
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