Analyzing the Process of Patent Submission with a Special Emphasis on the Phases of the Research Process - the Case of Slovenia

This article presents some findings about the process of patenting of Slovenian and foreign researchers in scientific research. Based on the reviewed literature and with help of our conceptual model, we establish that the patenting process can be divided into three separate phases: knowledge detection phase, knowledge dissemination phase and knowledge transfer phase. During the process of researching and patenting, a variety of factors affect the results, which can be divided into two groups: internal and external factors. In Slovenia, patents are statistically significant for researchers working and exploring in the fields of natural science and engineering. Research results in the form of a patent largely depend on financial support and work experiences of individual researchers or research groups. The commercialization of a patent means a successful ending of the research process, as many positive benefits are expected.