The European Patent System is facing major challenges resulting from an extension of patentable subject matter leading to an increasing number of patent applications. The European Patent Office has responded with admirable flexibility, but continuing technological change and greater importance...

Introduction -- Building a strategy -- Why patent? -- Invention harvesting -- Core activities of patent creation -- The inventor community -- Other key interfaces -- Organising your patent factory -- The management of external patent agencies -- Metrics -- Quality -- Patent cost management --...