Proposal of a methodology to elicit maturity curves: Application to innovation and protection capabilities of SMEs

This article aims at studying the link between the innovation capability of SMEs and knowledge management, particularly aspects related to industrial property (IP). IP is indeed a strategic component of the innovation capability of a company, where as this issue is not still taken into account by most of the SMEs. In order to study the SMEs behavior concerning innovation and IP, a proposal of methodology for the creation of maturity curve is proposed with the aim of visualizing the possible evolution of companies in terms of performance. This methodology is inspired by two approaches: the Potential Innovation Index (PII) and the AIDA approach (research center Henri Tudor). The creation of these maturity curves leans on a survey with SMEs in Lorraine concerning the management of their IP. Then the analysis of these data allowed proposing theoretical profiles of performance. This study allowed to obtain precise data on the IP management of SMEs in Lorraine and to define levels of maturity thanks to information from companies themselves and based on concrete observations. This method is applied here to connect innovation and IP, but other numerous applications could be envisaged.