A Critical Review of Swedish Patent Bureaus’ Services - An evaluation of the market situation and tools for improved communication and quality of patenting services

Abstract: Patents are a central part of the increasingly intellectualized economy. However, little has been done within the industry to ensure that the creation and management of patents are working properly. The purpose of the thesis is to identify problems in the Swedish patent bureau market and present a remedy for identified problems. The empirical studies conducted show that the patent bureaus and their customers do not perceive the situation in the same ways. They do not consider the same issues to be of relevance nor do they have the same idea about the quality of the services given by the patent bureaus. The communication between the two groups is poor and there is an evident lack of certain competences among the patent attorneys. This leads to unsatisfied customers. The conclusion is that it is of high importance that the patent bureaus improve the situation in order to remain competitive and keep customers satisfied. There is a need for improved communication and tools for follow-up of given services. In the end of the thesis two developed tools are presented.