Creative and Innovative Women on the Stage on World Intellectual Property Day!
Publication | Update:
Apr 2023
World Intellectual Property Day is celebrated every year to raise awareness on intellectual property on 26 April which is the establishment date of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) and this year’s theme is creative and innovative women. The importance of gender equality is apparent in the field of intellectual property, as it is in every field. Throughout history, women made undeniable contributions to science, art and technology despite all difficulties and obstacles. Today, despite the glass ceiling syndrome women might expose in their professional life and the limited opportunities that women have in their daily lives compared to men, women are obviously behind the most important inventions, innovations, and designs. The development of science, technology and creativity, which play an important role in the development of countries, depends on the global protection of intellectual property rights and gender equality in the field of intellectual property.
According to TURKSTAT data, women represent 49.9 per cent of the population in Turkey. Even though the ratio of the number of women and men in the population is very close, the ratios change drastically when we look at the business world or students studying in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) departments or lecturers in these academic departments. Thus, TURKSTAT data shows that the employment rate of women is less than half of that of men. Similarly, the rate of female professors among the professors working at universities with the highest level of innovation opportunities is 33.2 per cent. Men are at the forefront both in the business world and in fields such as engineering, technology and science compared to women. Women put aside their innovator and creativity and are more involved in the service sector. Apart from statistical ratios, men are the first ones that come to mind in the majority of the society throughout history and even today when the words science, invention, inventor, creativity and entrepreneurship are mentioned. In its simplest form, the word "scientist" in English does not imply any gender, yet this word has entered our language as “bilim adamı” which can be roughly translated as "science man". "Scienceman" is defined as "a person who is engaged in scientific studies, science woman, scientist, scholar," in the dictionary of the Turkish Language Institution, which also includes the women engaged in science. In recent years, there has been a shift from the usage of the term “science man” to “science person” in order to eliminate the reflections of gender inequality in language. But when exactly will the concept of “science man” transformed into “science person” in our social perception and our biases will cease to exist? One of the most recent examples is that Dr Özlem Türeci is referred to as Dr Uğur Şahin's wife in some newspaper articles or interviews. Dr Özlem Türeci and Dr Uğur Şahin are outstanding scientists who developed the vaccine against the coronavirus epidemic disease that threatens the whole world and who also carry out significant studies in cancer research. This is the outcome of the prejudice that women as individuals cannot contribute to science and technology on their own. However, we come across inventors and innovative women in every field, from inventions and studies in the field of health to the tools and machines we use in our homes or workplaces. Numerous examples we can list include Marie Curie, the founder of radiology, Grace Murray Hopper, the pioneer of computer programming, Tabitha Babbitt, who invented the first circular saw and Mary Anderson who produced a windscreen wiper.
Women stand out not only with their inventions in the field of science and technology but also with their works in the field of industrial rights such as trademarks, designs, and utility models, which are also included in intellectual property and with the works they create in the field of intellectual and artistic works. At this point, the successful and dynamic life story of Ms Esin Öney, who is currently working as the clerical manager of the IP Law Court, can inspire many women. The designers she met in her court inspired her to accomplish her dreams. After becoming familiar with the branches of art and how the artist's ideas and works are protected with the help of the court files, Ms. Öney started to study Industrial Design and Stylist at the Istanbul Design Centre. She achieved the registration for her design of a bag garment including a bag and a vest that can be attached and detached to children's clothes during play and does not cause any restriction and discomfort in movement during her training. She also received various design awards, including the silver medal in the Women Inventor category at the Korea International Women's Invention Competition hosted by Seoul, South Korea.[1]
At this point, one of the most important questions is the awareness level of women on the protection of the ideas they introduce and the products they produce and design with intellectual and industrial rights. Although the number of women like Ms. Öney who are aware of their rights and protect their designs and inventions is constantly increasing, the rate of women enjoying intellectual property systems is evidently much lower than men both in Turkey and worldwide.
According to WIPO data, the number of Turkish women inventors applying for international patents in Turkey has increased from 17.8% to 34.2% in the last decade. The data given in "PCT Yearly Review 2022" report published by WIPO shows that Turkey ranked second after Spain with 24.2% women in international patent applications where at least one of the applicants is a woman.[2] Despite the gradual increase of the figures, they are obviously still much lower than that of men. The data clearly shows the gradual increase in women's success in the field of science and technology along with the increase in their presence in the academic studies of universities and in the R&D departments of corporate companies.
Empowerment of women and protection of their rights in the field of intellectual property, raising awareness in this field and providing incentives for women will lead to an increase in women's contribution to the economy. In this context, 'Special Expertise Commission Report on the Role of Women in Development' prepared within the Eleventh Development Plan (2019-2023) highlights the various incentives for women to be more active in the fields of research and development, trademark-patent development and innovation, which are important for the production and use of technology, and a special category is reserved for women inventors of most of the inventions in the Turkish Patent Awards held every year.[3] For gender equality in the field of intellectual property, these incentives should be organized as accessible to women, and the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office should keep the data showing the ratio of women to men in patent, utility model, design and trademark applications filed like WIPO. It should also monitor the balance of this ratio over the years with concrete data. Happy World Intellectual Property Day, which this year focuses on creative and innovative women in order to achieve gender equality in the field of intellectual property as in every field in the shortest time possible!
[1] https://www.essin.com.tr/kategori/essinin-hikayesi.html
[2] https://www.wipo.int/edocs/pubdocs/en/wipo-pub-901-2022-en-patent-cooperation-treaty-yearly-review-2022.pdf
[3] https://www.sbb.gov.tr/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/KadininKalkinmadakiRoluOzelIhtisasKomisyonuRaporu.pdf
ICLG.com is a leading global platform for legal reference, analysis and news, hosting comprehensive comparative legal guides and research tools that cover law in more than 191 jurisdictions across 59 practice areas. ICLG.com also provides daily legal news and legal conference directories, as well as online purchasing of the renowned International Comparative Legal Guide series of print publications. https://iclg.com
Delivery Format:
HTML
Immediate Delivery
Access Rights | Content Availability: 
The content of this subscriber knowledge library area, the technology platform and tools are provided for information purposes only. No legal liability or other responsibility is accepted for any errors, omissions, or any loss, damage or inconvenience caused as a result of reliance on such information, or statements on this site, or any site to which these pages connect, since we cannot control the content or take responsibility for pages maintained by external providers. Where we provide links to sites, we do not by doing so endorse any information or opinions appearing in them. This courseware includes resources copyrighted and open educational resources (OER) by multiple individuals and organizations. If someone else is given access to your account login information, that person has read, understands and accepts the Conditions of Use for this platform.
Objectives and Study Scope
This study has assimilated knowledge and insight from business and subject-matter experts, and from a broad spectrum of market initiatives. Building on this research, the objectives of this market research report is to provide actionable intelligence on opportunities alongside the market size of various segments, as well as fact-based information on key factors influencing the market- growth drivers, industry-specific challenges and other critical issues in terms of detailed analysis and impact.
The report in its entirety provides a comprehensive overview of the current global condition, as well as notable opportunities and challenges.
The analysis reflects market size, latest trends, growth drivers, threats, opportunities, as well as key market segments. The study addresses market dynamics in several geographic segments along with market analysis for the current market environment and future scenario over the forecast period.
The report also segments the market into various categories based on the product, end user, application, type, and region.
The report also studies various growth drivers and restraints impacting the market, plus a comprehensive market and vendor landscape in addition to a SWOT analysis of the key players.
This analysis also examines the competitive landscape within each market. Market factors are assessed by examining barriers to entry and market opportunities. Strategies adopted by key players including recent developments, new product launches, merger and acquisitions, and other insightful updates are provided.
Research Process & Methodology
We leverage extensive primary research, our contact database, knowledge of companies and industry relationships, patent and academic journal searches, and Institutes and University associate links to frame a strong visibility in the markets and technologies we cover.
We draw on available data sources and methods to profile developments. We use computerised data mining methods and analytical techniques, including cluster and regression modelling, to identify patterns from publicly available online information on enterprise web sites.
Historical, qualitative and quantitative information is obtained principally from confidential and proprietary sources, professional network, annual reports, investor relationship presentations, and expert interviews, about key factors, such as recent trends in industry performance and identify factors underlying those trends - drivers, restraints, opportunities, and challenges influencing the growth of the market, for both, the supply and demand sides.
In addition to our own desk research, various secondary sources, such as Hoovers, Dun & Bradstreet, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Statista, are referred to identify key players in the industry, supply chain and market size, percentage shares, splits, and breakdowns into segments and subsegments with respect to individual growth trends, prospects, and contribution to the total market.
Research Portfolio Sources:
Global Business Reviews, Research Papers, Commentary & Strategy Reports
M&A and Risk Management | Regulation
The future outlook “forecast” is based on a set of statistical methods such as regression analysis, industry specific drivers as well as analyst evaluations, as well as analysis of the trends that influence economic outcomes and business decision making.
The Global Economic Model is covering the political environment, the macroeconomic environment, market opportunities, policy towards free enterprise and competition, policy towards foreign investment, foreign trade and exchange controls, taxes,
financing, the labour market and infrastructure.
We aim update our market forecast to include the latest market developments and trends.
Review of independent forecasts for the main macroeconomic variables by the following organizations provide a holistic overview of the range of alternative opinions:
As a result, the reported forecasts derive from different forecasters and may not represent the view of any one forecaster over the whole of the forecast period. These projections provide an indication of what is, in our view most likely to happen, not what it will definitely happen.
Short- and medium-term forecasts are based on a “demand-side” forecasting framework, under the assumption that supply adjusts to meet demand either directly through changes in output or through the depletion of inventories.
Long-term projections rely on a supply-side framework, in which output is determined by the availability of labour and capital equipment and the growth in productivity.
Long-term growth prospects, are impacted by factors including the workforce capabilities, the openness of the economy to trade, the legal framework, fiscal policy, the degree of government regulation.
Direct contribution to GDP
The method for calculating the direct contribution of an industry to GDP, is to measure its ‘gross value added’ (GVA); that is, to calculate the difference between the industry’s total pretax revenue and its total boughtin costs (costs excluding wages and salaries).
Forecasts of GDP growth: GDP = CN+IN+GS+NEX
GDP growth estimates take into account:
Market Quantification
All relevant markets are quantified utilizing revenue figures for the forecast period. The Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) within each segment is used to measure growth and to extrapolate data when figures are not publicly available.
Revenues
Our market segments reflect major categories and subcategories of the global market, followed by an analysis of statistical data covering national spending and international trade relations and patterns. Market values reflect revenues paid by the final customer / end user to vendors and service providers either directly or through distribution channels, excluding VAT. Local currencies are converted to USD using the yearly average exchange rates of local currencies to the USD for the respective year as provided by the IMF World Economic Outlook Database.
Industry Life Cycle Market Phase
Market phase is determined using factors in the Industry Life Cycle model. The adapted market phase definitions are as follows:
The Global Economic Model
The Global Economic Model brings together macroeconomic and sectoral forecasts for quantifying the key relationships.
The model is a hybrid statistical model that uses macroeconomic variables and inter-industry linkages to forecast sectoral output. The model is used to forecast not just output, but prices, wages, employment and investment. The principal variables driving the industry model are the components of final demand, which directly or indirectly determine the demand facing each industry. However, other macroeconomic assumptions — in particular exchange rates, as well as world commodity prices — also enter into the equation, as well as other industry specific factors that have been or are expected to impact.
Forecasts of GDP growth per capita based on these factors can then be combined with demographic projections to give forecasts for overall GDP growth.
Wherever possible, publicly available data from official sources are used for the latest available year. Qualitative indicators are normalised (on the basis of: Normalised x = (x - Min(x)) / (Max(x) - Min(x)) where Min(x) and Max(x) are, the lowest and highest values for any given indicator respectively) and then aggregated across categories to enable an overall comparison. The normalised value is then transformed into a positive number on a scale of 0 to 100. The weighting assigned to each indicator can be changed to reflect different assumptions about their relative importance.
The principal explanatory variable in each industry’s output equation is the Total Demand variable, encompassing exogenous macroeconomic assumptions, consumer spending and investment, and intermediate demand for goods and services by sectors of the economy for use as inputs in the production of their own goods and services.
Elasticities
Elasticity measures the response of one economic variable to a change in another economic variable, whether the good or service is demanded as an input into a final product or whether it is the final product, and provides insight into the proportional impact of different economic actions and policy decisions.
Demand elasticities measure the change in the quantity demanded of a particular good or service as a result of changes to other economic variables, such as its own price, the price of competing or complementary goods and services, income levels, taxes.
Demand elasticities can be influenced by several factors. Each of these factors, along with the specific characteristics of the product, will interact to determine its overall responsiveness of demand to changes in prices and incomes.
The individual characteristics of a good or service will have an impact, but there are also a number of general factors that will typically affect the sensitivity of demand, such as the availability of substitutes, whereby the elasticity is typically higher the greater the number of available substitutes, as consumers can easily switch between different products.
The degree of necessity. Luxury products and habit forming ones, typically have a higher elasticity.
Proportion of the budget consumed by the item. Products that consume a large portion of the
consumer’s budget tend to have greater elasticity.
Elasticities tend to be greater over the long run because consumers have more time to adjust their behaviour.
Finally, if the product or service is an input into a final product then the price elasticity will depend on the price elasticity of the final product, its cost share in the production costs, and the availability of substitutes for that good or service.
Prices
Prices are also forecast using an input-output framework. Input costs have two components; labour costs are driven by wages, while intermediate costs are computed as an input-output weighted aggregate of input sectors’ prices. Employment is a function of output and real sectoral wages, that are forecast as a function of whole economy growth in wages. Investment is forecast as a function of output and aggregate level business investment.
APU Content Aggregation Service