Intellectual Property in Mexican Small Business: An Empirical Research

Abstract

Intellectual property is an important topic that has been usually analyzed in big enterprises from developed countries but it has been overlooked a lot in its analysis and discussion within the context of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from both developed and economically emergent countries even when they represent more than 98% of all enterprises, provide jobs to more than 50% of the labor force and produce more than 50% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of any country. Thus, the main goal of this empirical research is the measurement of intellectual property in small and medium-sized enterprises through three factors: patents, brand registration and image investment by considering a sample of 125 enterprises established in Aguascalientes State (Mexico). The results obtained show that patents, brand registration and image investment seem to be good measurements of intellectual property in small and medium-sized enterprises.