Managing Your Intellectual Property (IP)

当企业考虑知识产权管理时，他们经常考虑protecting their own assets，以受版权保护的材料，商标，专利和商业秘密的形式。但是，根据旅行者全球技术领导者Kirstin Simonson的说法，企业还需要确保他们管理他人的IP权利。Simonson说：“在技术领域尤其如此，这面临一些最复杂的IP问题。”

对知识产权的一种普遍侵犯是软件侵权。一个常见的情况可能包括一家为400名员工购买软件许可权的公司，然后未能更新额外添加到员工的100名员工的许可。根据BSA全球软件调查，他们发现2013年安装在个人计算机上的43％的软件未获得许可。

为什么企业需要IP风险管理计划

该调查还报告说，只有35％的公司已经制定了需要使用适当许可软件的政策。它还发现，对工人和IT经理之间的软件政策存在意识差距。适当确保他人的权利是您组织风险管理的重要组成部分，因为IP以所有形式的IP是关键的商业资产。

Companies need an IP Risk Management plan because:

• 他们可能面临侵犯版权和其他IP违规行为的法律诉讼。
• They may have to perform an intensive software audit to prove they have resolved the problem.
• Use of unlicensed software may put the business at risk for data breaches, data loss or other forms of information security and network security threats.
• 保护IP的法律在世界范围内可能有很大差异，因此了解哪些适用于您的业务很重要。

在IP风险管理计划中包括什么

“Like all risk management, a good IP Risk Management Program needs to be proactive and comprehensive from an enterprise perspective,” says Simonson. “Consider IP rights management as a tool for growth, and not something to consider once the product is out to market.”

IP权利管理计划应包括：

• The ability to track licensing relationships and royalty obligations.
  
  • Companies should consider some form of automated tracking to ensure they are not only managing their own IP rights that are licensed to others, but they are living up to the licensing agreements they have in place with third parties.
• 正式清除程序和注册策略。
  
  • Engaging legal counsel to perform an IP search may be appropriate in many instances or at the very least, determining whether there are automated tools that can assist in the process.
  • 有一个明确定义的策略来确定IP是否清楚标题，是否应该注册以及如何维护注册。
• 合同和许可协议应包括适当的规定。
  
  • Whether it is a work-for-hire arrangement where the IP rights would be assigned to the business or a licensing agreement to use the IP, it is critically important these be spelled out and managed.
• Response plan or dispute resolution plan in the event someone challenges your IP rights.
  
  • 就像企业可能面临的任何危险或损失一样，无论是飓风，由于产品的失败而引起的责任指控或网络事件 - 发生事件时的强大响应计划将节省小时和美元。
• 教育of all employees of what constitutes IP and how their misuse or mishandling can put the company at risk.
  • 培训公司中的每个人，以便他们了解如何使业务处于危险之中。

¹http://globalstudy.bsa.org/2013/