With the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Gujarat emphasising more on production than on innovation, intellectual property (IP) experts are calling for shift of focus.
Speaking at a workshop on 'Role of IPR to enhance Business of SMEs' organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Gujarat chapter, Pradyumna Vyas, Director, National Institute of Design said, "Protection of knowledge is very important in today's global competitive world. To get the edge over the competitor a company must invest in R&D. Also MSMEs should be OBM (original brand manufacturing) and possess complete documentation of its product and its process rather than being an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturing) / ODM (Original Design Manufacturing) where they depend on someone else's design and IP. Among MSMEs, entrepreneurs are not paying enough importance to R&D and innovation."
Talking about the workshop, Yatindra Sharma, Chairman – CII Gujarat State Council & Joint Managing Director KHS Machinery Pvt. Ltd said, "CII's two-day workshop aims to impart in-depth knowledge to understand the nitty-gritty’s of IP regime with focus on select clusters for exploitation of rights granted through various IP to the best advantage of the Indian MSME's. The crux of intellectual property lies in: to give credit where, and when, it is due."
He also added that SMEs are the hotbed of innovations and they should work towards taking maximum advantage of IPR.
Meanwhile, according to Padmin Buch, managing director In-charge GITCO said, "IPR is vital as it has significant bearing on industry and economy; it is an essential component of new business model. To encourage innovation government of Gujarat is providing up to 50 per cent subsidy to obtain domestic patent. Gujarat is the only state which provides such assistance to protect the interest of enterprises involved in R&D."
Day one of the workshop also saw sessions focusing on the policies initiatives, awareness creation, capacity development, IPR services, international networking and also combating the menace of counterfeiting and piracy which have reached new heights, in terms of the range and numbers of products being copied and new depths, with criminals’ willingness to copy anything regardless of the risk to human life.
