1.First of all

　There are many companies that provide IP-related search services in Japan alone, including patent offices (Aztec is one of them).Many people in the IP industry may have experience in using or considering the use of such so-called outsourcing to outsourced companies.This time, I would like to sort out the advantages and disadvantages of search consignment from the perspective of the research company.However, in order to objectively discuss the "viewpoint of the research company" so that it does not become a water draw, we will proceed in line with the general theory of outsourcing.

(Continued to the latter half of the article below.)
4. Disadvantages of patent search
　G) Efforts to standardize operations
　H) Difficult to accumulate know-how
　I) Weakened governance
5. Finally

2. General advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing

　First, let's look at the effect, which is the purpose of outsourcing.The general effects of outsourcing, not limited to patent searches, are as follows.

[General benefits]

• Reduced burden on employees
• Correspondence to busy business
• Personnel adjustment (adjustment of increase / decrease)
• Variable cost of fixed cost
• Utilization of external specialized know-how
• Organize operations and clarify core operations
• Utilization of external equipment
• Cost reduction

[General disadvantages]

• Efforts to standardize operations
• Difficult to accumulate know-how
• Weakened governance

　But what if we apply these to patent searches?We'll look at the details next.

3. Benefits of patent search

A) Adjustment of personnel (adjustment of increase / decrease), handling of busy business, variable cost of fixed cost

　The reasons I often hear about outsourcing are "insufficient manpower" and "however, the number of departments cannot be increased".This is a case where it is difficult to replenish human resources due to budget and organizational reasons, such as lowering fixed costs and streamlining the organization.The same applies when the department's work is busy and it is difficult to plan personnel during peak hours.
　Outsourcing of searchs can be requested each time a search is required, so flexibility according to the actual situation is an easy-to-understand merit.

B) Organize operations and clarify core operations

　When requesting an search outside the company, the information is naturally organized by verbalizing the subject and getting the eyes of a third party, and it is possible to clarify the points of invention and the response policy as the IP department.Not only that, by being aware of the division of labor with the outside, you can be aware of your core business and "what you should be" such as "where should you outsource and how much should be in-house manufactured" and "what is the original role?" It also leads to the organization of business, such as becoming like.

C) Reducing the burden on employees (focusing on core business)

　As much as the search is outsourced, you will be freed from the search work, and you will be able to secure time to respond to other than the search work.In that time, you will be able to invest resources in the core business that you should have focused on.When members can focus on their core business, what can they do and how much value can they create?Outsourcing should be considered including such lost profits.
　For example, if the mission of "acquiring a strong patent right" is imposed, you can formulate an intellectual property strategy and build a patent portfolio, and if you already have them, you will be able to support the invention in cooperation with the inventor. ..
　Other than that, it may be different just by increasing the density of hearings of inventions, reviewing methods, and getting to know the development and manufacturing sites more deeply.It can be said that outsourcing buys not only its deliverables but also these resources.

D) Utilization of external specialized know-how

　Each research company has accumulated know-how through a large amount of research practice.You can immediately incorporate it into your business as your own ability.
　In addition, the essence of know-how is included in the search design and reports.Since there are many methodologies, it is not absolutely correct, but it may be a good teaching material for your company's skill education just by referring to the method of the research company and understanding the difference from your company. .. (In fact, I'm grateful to hear that the search formula created by Aztec is being used for in-house education.)

E) Utilization of external equipment

　The equipment required for patent search is limited, but for example, if you do not use a commercial patent DB so much, you have outsourced the patent DB without contracting (or limiting the number of contracts) just for searching. It may be more cost effective in total.
　In addition, the research company is not limited to the patent DB, and the contract of the search system is different from that of general users.Especially in non-patent systems, there may be a pay-as-you-go fee system, so if the search estimate includes DB costs or system usage fees, compare it with your own costs.

F) Cost reduction

　The general theory is that outsourcing contractors are efficient because they perform the contract work professionally and constantly, but is it the same for patent searches?
　First of all, standardization is indispensable for efficiency.Certainly, various tools and formats can be standardized, and while some searchs are easy to standardize depending on the type, there are some cases that are not familiar with the standardization of searchs.
　In addition, since each search has a custom-made property that the content, method, and output are different for each search, the overhead of the search such as sharing, understanding, and adjusting such content is a fixed amount for each search. It will occur (one of them is the disadvantage "G) Work standardization work" described later).For this reason, if the overhead ratio increases, it is possible that a single search alone will not be as economical as expected.

For example,

• It took time to sort out the complicated contents and get the contractor to understand it, and the report was revised, so it was faster to investigate by myself.
• There was no problem with the search, but the ratio of business trip expenses increased and the cost effectiveness did not improve.

　Due to these properties in patent search, it is necessary to consider the total cost merit including the merits A to E that have been seen so far, and when pursuing cost reduction, a device to reduce the search overhead. Is also required.

　So far, we've looked at the benefits of outsourcing patent searches.In the second half, we will touch on the opposite disadvantages. (Continued to the latter half of the article)

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