Usually, the two main means to bring technical and scientific knowledge to the public are patent applications and journal publications. With the advent of the internet two alternative means are available: the defensive publications and the open access model.
The European IPR Helpdesk has issued a new fact sheet examining the different aspects of these knowledge dissemination tools, also taking into account the different needs and objectives of research organisations/universities (ROs) and small and medium sized enterprises/industry (SMEs). There is not a general rule to apply when choosing the right means of dissemination, but one needs to ensure that the chosen tools are in line with the overall organisation's strategy.