The U.S. patent and trademark office: A case study in business process reengineering

Abstract

In spite of Vice President Al Gore's initiative, few federal government agencies have actively embraced the concept of business process reengineering. One notable exception is the Patent and Trademark Office of the Department of Commerce. Already one of the best managed agencies in the federal government, the PTO is revamping the application process for both patents and trademarks and expects to save lens of millions of dollars every year once the redesigned systems are fully implemented. The new processes will take full advantage of electronic technology to achieve huge reductions in labor and printing costs, as well as allow innovative and flexible management techniques such as work-at-home programs. Responsibility and authority will be concentrated in fewer employees through job enrichment and restructuring, and the level of service provided to PTO's customers will improve. The redesigned trademark application process also will meet up coming international trademark requirements.