Patent Law

Greenhorn Parade

By Gary Odom and Jordan Kuhn

Every competent manager knows, if you have a morale problem with the troops, step one is simple: ask the troops. Instead, Margaret Peterlin, Deputy Doodah for the USPTO, is tickled pink to ask the kids in a local bidness skool what they think.

The George Washington University School of Business has partnered with the Department of Commerce's United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for its 2008 International Business Case Competition. The competition has brought together 18 teams of MBA students from around the world, each of whom will present proposed solutions to the pressing issues of patent pendency and backlog at the USPTO. The competition will culminate on March 28-29 at the Washington Marriott Hotel, when the teams will present their proposals to a panel of judges, including USPTO senior management executives and business leaders from an array of industries including finance, technology, hospitality, consulting and others.

It's a contest. Will there be mud wrestling?

Oh, it's going to "culminate" at a Washington Hotel. Isn't that what got that New York Spitz feller in a world of hurt?

Vanna Margaret, show them the valuable prizes. Actually, prizes weren't announced. Even better, it's a crackerjack box contest. How clever. How motivating.

Ms. Peterlin: "MBA students are able to see concepts and relationships which may not be readily apparent to the people so close to the issues." Did you hear the one about the young dame up shit's creek without a paddle?

In vaudeville days, the master of ceremonies would hook the lout getting the boos with a cane and pull them offstage. Alas, Ms. Peterlin is still onstage. Sometimes, the old ways are the best.

Hal Wegner's take:

Deputy Director Peterlin has thrown in the towel and now looks to an MBA business student competition to solve the problems of the PTO. As part of a press release she says that she "look[s] forward to the recommendations of these talented business students as they apply their business operations coursework to our real-life challenges."

The more Ms.Peterlin speaks the more it is apparent that the Number One challenge for a new President is the appointment of patent-experienced leadership to head the PTO.

Hal likes a dash of oblique on his critique, a sunny-side up on a summing up.

Full post as published by The Patent Prospector on March 29, 2008 (boomark / email).