Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.
Steve Jobs
EDUCATION
Innovations in General
Innovation is the driving force of the society. Each invention is a part of the mosaic development of the industrial age. The main fact of the invention is the basis for the prosperity of civilization. If we compare the historical development of Western and Eastern civilizations, e.g. Israel each year declare’s approximately 7.000 inventions, in Pakistan 60 only. Looking at the economic balance of these countries, we see a significant difference.
Together with the development of innovation, also a local population is developing, there are many possibilities for new jobs, cultural, sociological and health programs are also improving, etc., this leads to the overall satisfaction within the population, which is extending the average lifespan, etc.
There are more evidences for the prosperity of the population in harmony with innovation, general industrial and social progress. In a certain period, e.g., historically advanced Prussia decided unprecedented progress. Religion were separated from national interests. They built a series of cultural centers (theater, opera, etc.), military facilities, technology centers, universities, etc. Innovation is the species during the various wars they have ruled and developed in parallel because of advanced military technology (EU continual war at that time). Remarkable progress has been flat in innovation and not only industrial but also for other cultural and social progress.
In recent history, you can find many examples in the “awakened” cities around the world: Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, San Francisco, etc.
Where the progress of civilization brought very advanced ideas in general or local environment, in practice, in terms of known centers of Silicon Valey in the United States.
For various reasons, the most important in different segments are innovations because they represent the only way to run a evolutionary wheels and encourage future generations.
If we take civilization without prosperity and limited development opportunities we get society as the population in the Middle Ages. Any reduction of mateorite was not the actual particle which through our atmosphere due to the high entry speed burn but by then the criteria God’s punishment, God’s announcement of a new destructive force, etc. Life expectancy was extremely low, health or social security did not exist, no waterworks, schools barely existed, let alone that ordinary workers and farmers saw the theater, opera, collected and freely debated, etc.
If on the other hand, take today’s civilization, based on the progress can while acknowledging that in many ways is not ideal but it is in many ways extremely advanced than previously mentioned. Today, almost every industry in the world can afford much more. Lifespan is longer, we have effective health and social programs, can attend every debate in many places at the same time (the Internet), opportunities for personal advancement we have almost infinite, distribution and storage of food have made impressive progress, the relationship between nations is growing, etc.
What happens civilization in the Middle Ages, where there is a severe natural disaster (super volcanoes, meteorites, etc.)? Extinct without any chance of survival.
What happens extremely advanced civilization in such cases? We already have many more chances of survival and further evolution in the near future we will have an almost infinite (interstellar travel, planetary migration, improved food products, etc.).
A little plastic but nevertheless, we show the impact of the population, a process that is called innovation.
About Innovation
Art begins in imitation and ends in innovation.
Mason Cooley
An innovation is the implementation of a new or significantly improved product (good or service) or process, a new marketing method, or a new organizational method in business practices, workplace organization or external relation. The minimum requirement for an innovation is that the product, process, marketing method or organizational method must be new (or significantly) to the firm.
PRC Institute supports high tech products with high added value as a result of increasingly rapidly growing economy, in which only top innovation projects survive. So far we are proud owner and inventor of at least 30 high innovative projects.
The success of PRC Institute’s businesses is becoming increasingly dependent on the production and creating attractive, innovative and useful products and services. Price is far from the most important differentiating factor between the products / services, but their quality, innovation and functionality.
The PRC Institute develops and retains the market only to users always offers something new, improved or advanced, according to the needs that arise in the market. It is very important to what extent company succeeds to satisfy users’ needs better than its competitors. The long run, so successful that companies that give greater emphasis on innovation.
Innovation is any innovation, which confirm the usefulness of the market. It can be new or significantly improved product, service, process, procedure, etc. Which provides more functionality, solves a problem, meets the specific needs, reduces costs, etc.
Resources for innovation can be developed within the company (egg, necessary improvements in manufacturing or business process, structural changes in the industry or in the market, a discrepancy between the existing and what it should be) or externally (egg, demographic changes, changes in the axiomatic population, new knowledge).
The success of innovation in the PRC Institute must be provided with adequate air creative and financial, technological and information (market analysis, competition, trends) support.
The main purpose of development / innovation function in the company is introducing new features to enhance the functionality, reduce costs and increase competitive advantage. The ultimate goal is to increase the volume of demand and increase profits.
Development / innovation activity of the company is in most cases associated with research activities. They can be defined as a vehicle for the production of changes in the company and the most important element of entrepreneurship.
About Invention
Necessity… the mother of invention.
Plato
An important distinction is normally made between invention and innovation. Invention is the first occurrence of an idea for a new product or process, while innovation is the first attempt to carry it out into practice (Fagerberg 2004).
Eco-Innovation
Necessity… the mother of invention.
Plato
It presents all forms of innovation activities resulting in or aimed at significantly improving environmental protection. Eco-innovation includes new production processes, new products or services, and new management and business methods, the use or implementation of which is likely to prevent or substantially reduce the risks to the environment, pollution and any other negative impact of the use of resources throughout the lifecycle of related activities. BHRI Institute is totally favorable to the eco innovation environment with the compliance of all regulatory laws and standards in this area.
This year we have also applied on the CIP – eco innovation call and we are waiting for the results.
Research and Innovation
An invention has to make sense in the world it finishes in, not in the world it started.
Tim O’Reilly
Research and innovation contribute directly to our level of prosperity and the well-being of individuals and society in general. The main aim of policy in the field of research and technological development is to establish the European Union as a leading knowledge-based economy. To this end, making a common research area a reality should mean, in time, that we have the best possible cooperation at every level, that there is more coordination between European and national policies. Structural capacities are expanded and more teams are able to form research networks, based on that it should also stimulate the free movement of persons and ideas.
PRC Institute’s Research & Innovation serves the purpose of exploring and testing new technologies and building new knowledge within selected technology areas that are believed to be of particular significance for PRC’s own development and business activities in the future. PRC Institute’s Research & Innovation is currently focused on six major strategic research programmes.
We also develop and maintain relationships with external partners, to help maximise the commercial and societal impact of our research outputs.We seek synergies among universities and other institutions in order to achieve a critical mass of knowledge in a certain field.
For further information, visit the website of the European Commission’s Directorate General for RESEARCH
Improve Innovative Products
Without the playing with fantasy no creative work has ever yet come to birth. The debt we owe to the play of imagination is incalculable.
Carl Jung
This chapter is fully dedicated to innovators, professionals, companies and others who have a good product and are at the point where the idea or a product have been fully developed but do not have an idea how to proceed.
Many times we were forced to evaluate past work of individuals, companies and others where the project is developed but then there is no significant market reaction despite of some revolutionary products. Although the whole process is extremely complex but it can be argued that it is simple at the same time because it is always necessary to rely on at least 6 main reference points:
- Product development to prototype stage;
- Development of the product support elements (internet, catalogues, strategies etc.);
- Development of the product for small industrial use;
- Development of the experimental local market;
- Product development for large industrial uses;
- Development of a global market.
The designers of products often do not realize what they are doing. To make a prototype or a small batch of product is one thing, while the extensive industrial use is completely different. It usually takes at least 2-3 years to develop the product, sometimes as much as 5-10 years, depending on the direction of the industry.
Creators are often ill-prepared, not progressing strategically but mostly they are unprepared for the “long way” or are financially weak.
In large and successful multinational corporations, it is clear that the path is difficult and only few can actually afford the “long way”. Few of the largest companies in this branch are very successful so consequently these companies are also the decision makers in the global marketplace.
Built an Idea
Once we rid ourselves of traditional thinking we can get on with creating the future.
James Bertrand
Do you have an idea but you do not know how to use it?
This is the most crucial point in developing ideas because people generally overlook the hidden traps when realizing them. Often inventors or scientists fail in realizing their ideas because they have not reflected the idea itself (borrowing money from friends, banks, etc., which led to countless personal distresses. Innovativeness can be compared with gambling where success is not always the end result. Anyway, without risks it would be difficult to imagine any evolutionary progress, as we know it today for the ideas and the freedom to create are the wheels of humanity. We support ideas but we suggest that they should be built step by step with all the available information.
In the following we briefly describe our practical experience in this area
When someone gets an idea it does not necessarily mean that it is a good one or a new one.
For this reason it is essential to be sure what this idea really means. We propose that one explores as many as possible variations in the “sea” of information – on the Internet. When you search the Internet and the existence of similar or perhaps the same application you will be able to decide whether the idea is worthwhile your time and money.
If it turns out to be a good and a brand new idea you go to 2nd phase of the process, which is more reliable and realistic from the Internet. You can order a patent query in one of the patent offices. This will enable you to see what and how they are potential other applications in the global database of inventions.
Layout the industrial field
Based on the previous steps we suggest finding the industrial field in which our idea would be useful. Once we decide on the field we can also establish what should be the characteristics of the final product.
Based on these findings we suggest that the idea should be thoroughly elaborated. Then one can accurately set a goal in marketing, design, production and distribution of the product.
Creating a prototype and testing it thoroughly
If you discover that you have “the right idea” start thinking how to develop a prototype model. There is no more places for half-made “ideas” because suddenly competing with a host of innovators, who would all like to be the best, is not easy. So it is extremely important to develop every detail to perfection.
Once you have built and tested a prototype in practice you want to look up the database of inventions to make sure you are the only one to have this idea.
When you complete all of these steps you will find yourself in a new stage of product development, which we describe in the next section.
Launch New Ideas
Of all the creative work produced by humans anywhere, a tiny fraction has continuing commercial value. For that tiny fraction, the copyright is a crucially important legal device.
Lawrence Lessig
You have tested the idea and a finished prototype?
Next step is planning on how to launch the idea. First, decide whether it is suitable for local or for global market. We will give some practical tips based on our experiences and we will disclose the two most common options that the innovator has.
Sale of intellectual property rights
The first option is to adequately protect the innovator’s idea and then to present the idea to selected industries in a way that they could exploit opportunities, royalties or percentage of sales of the final product, all resulting from your ideas. This payment is called – payment from intellectual property rights.
Hidden traps of these decisions in several areas are:
- Length of the procedure;
- Low payments of the intellectual property rights. Companies cover all the details of the product/idea meaning that every expense must be carefully planned. Negotiations can be time consuming and extremely hard and the outcome is not guaranteed since it depends on financial calculations and strategic planning;
- New ideas should be within reason. Companies have usually a wide range of different products. They want to know how successful is going to be the new product and what will be the cost of this particular idea/product.
Make your own presentation, production and marketing!
The second option is to create the final product and placing it on the market by yourself. This option is as lengthy as the first one but in practice quite usual. It depends on what scale one wants to do it. It is a big difference whether you are thinking of a small manufacture or a big industrial production. In any case one needs to be prepared and persistent.
In this case, we suggest that you place the so called “alpha” or experimental series of product on the market and see what the response of potential customers is going to be. If it is a good product and the customers are willing to pay for it then you are ready to move forward.
Innovators usually value their product based on personal, subjective observations while the market might give it completely different value. The best reference is always the customer’s feedback.
We, for instance, always make a trial batch, which is tested by potential future clients. If they like the product and they are willing to pay for it, it is the best possible reference and the “ticket” for further development.
Acknowledge the observations of the potential customers. Use these results to upgrade your product. Then you can go to production of so-called “beta” series, which is typically suitable for real marketing.
Patent Innovation Regulations
Genius is one percent inspiration, and ninety-nine percent perspiration.
Thomas Edison
When drafting patent specifications we recommend consultation with a professional expert who has the knowledge and experience in industrial law.
It is always necessary to foresee how and in what way we can protect parts of the idea, which are essential for usability of the product. Competition is still considering how to avoid patent application without legal consequences. In this case the competition can be successful because you have not protected the key element of the whole idea.
Here is a comical example: you protect a room described as four walls but you forget to patent / protect the door. The room is useless without door so you get stuck because somebody else patented the door. Then a third person patents the door knob and the whole process of patenting the room and the door is in vain.
One should anticipate more patent claims for a single idea since it should be the topic for consultation with the patent lawyer since this is usually cost related.
We suggest that the process of patent application starts after you have built a prototype or even better the end product for production or sale. Often someone gets an idea, protects it quickly and only then begins the process of product development. Not knowing the pit falls of usually long process the patent application often becomes local or international patent. This is not cost effective and most people cannot cover them.
There are millions of ideas and only few are successfully put into practice. The competition usually does not want to steal the idea from you but they rather wait for you to try it out in practice. If it is successful they will try to “copy” it.
The fact is that similar or even the same idea can arise at the same time in different parts of the world. Before patenting any idea we advise you to check out if any such patent solution already exists. Put in a “Request for patent check” at your national patent office.
However, even patent protection is not all-powerful. Usually only financially strong companies can afford the real patent protection. It might happen that the end product of your idea is already being sold somewhere else. The patent offices and agents are not obligated to alert you if the same patent already exists in another country. They only bring it to your attention if somebody tries to patent the same or very similar idea after you have already done it. This could mean that the second applicant is already producing the idea without having applied for patent earlier. This means you could not have been aware of the existing idea.
Large and small development companies know that the best protection is constant development of new ideas and products so they can always be one step ahead of the competition.
Because of our vast experience in patenting, manufacturing, development, international settlements and lawsuits we can help you prepare and advise you on how to avoid potential problems and pit falls of patenting processes.
Trade Mark Regulations
I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.
Thomas Edison
With intellectual property rights we are able to protect name / title / logo of the product or project through specific mechanisms, which apply in the world of brand protection.
Rules for trademark protection are different then for patent protection.
For protecting your own brand it is also recommended that before proceeding you seek professional advice from patent / brand offices. It is imperative to verify if the same name / brand / logo already exists. Few years ago when we were trying to protect one of our own new brands Baby Shell, the Shell Oil Company corporation requested that the Baby Shell word remains one word (BabyShell), thus not separated and never to use similar colours to the recognizable brand Shell Oil (yellow, red). This was brought to our attention at early enough at the beginning of the whole process. Sometimes it happens that the brand is already protected but a third party notices it when the product is already being sold and is bringing back revenue. This can cause major complications and one might also lose the brand.
When preparing for the procedure for protection of a new brand, we recommend that you pay attention to every little detail in terms of colour and uniformity. Working on a trademark it usually makes sense to follow the rule of “less is more”. Successful brands are mostly easy to remember, very recognizable and have catchy names, which are easy to pronounce in different languages.
Since brand design and protection are cost related one has to decide on how and in which segment to classify the brand. Classification means the branch of industry under which the product of your brand will be protected.
One needs to be precautious. There are millions of brands on the global market, some dormant other active. In order to avoid various problems in a long-term process of securing a place on the market for your brand seek advice from professionals in the field.
Model Innovation Regulations
A problem well stated is a problem half solved.
Charles F. Kettering
When a certain shape or a design feature of the product is protected by intellectual property rights it is called “mock” or model protection.
This branch of intellectual law is particularly “open”. To fully protect a certain shape or smaller features is extremely difficult. If the product is based only on a particular feature there is a very small possibility of “proper” protection. In practice we often observe sort of silent copying the competition. With minor adjustments of these features that bypass the part of intellectual property law, which could constitute the basis for an appeal.
It happens that the design sometimes presents some kind of unicum, in conjunction with the specific technical characteristics of a product can not copy the competition. For example, such a case may be in improving design a flying machine that would simultaneously lead in its particular technical characteristics.
However, it is true that just a little of these cases are for everyday, general use. Nevertheless, the design of such protection should consist of intellectual thinking about this question.
Useful Links
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is the United Nations agency dedicated to the use of intellectual property (patents, copyright, trademarks, designs, etc.) as a means of stimulating innovation and creativity. Find out more, visit web site at: WIPO
European Patent Office
Find out more, visit web site at: EPO
United States Patent and Trademark Office
Find out more, visit web site at: USPTO