Developing new technologies, improving existing ones or transfering in other technologies brings another important issue to surface: the protection of intellectual property rights.

The monopoly right that is given to the proprietor of an invention provides increasing profit returns, the development of commercial activities and a rise in the market share. Moreover, as the features of an invention and the process leading to the invention are revealed to the public in detail, the firms and specialists conducting R&D activities can be informed of the state of the art. In this way they channel their R&D activities according to the developments in their field.

Trademarks are an essential tool by which firms can differentiate their products and services from those of their competitors. The value of a trademark represents goodwill that has been established by reputable and succesful trading over a period of years or decades, and will be enhanced if firstly a distinctive name and logo has been selected and secondly the necessary registration have been made and maintained up to date. Easily identifiable and enforceable trademarks are important both to protect against bad competition and in todays global marketplace to protect against piracy.