Elanor Chapman, HR and Culture Specialist, Wrays Brand, Research and Culture services

As experts in the brand and culture space, we are seemingly forever answering the question 'so what is this organisational culture thing?'.  With new ways to answer that question always on my mind (mainly so I don't bore myself, more so I don't bore my listener) a recent article on my Flip Board dash caught my attention. It was a design article....about chairs.

Before questioning my reasoning, let me explain a bit about organisational culture. Organisational culture is complex;  has many facets and layers.  Organisational culture is influenced by internal and external factors. Organisational symbols, mindsets, processes, structure, systems, leadership and behaviours all impact upon the creation of culture.

Craig Humphris, Senior Associate, Wrays Adelaide
David McCarthy, Associate, Wrays Perth

Australia is attempting to raise its patentability threshold and specification requirements. Significant amendments have been made to Australia's patent laws through enactment of the Intellectual Property Laws Amendment (Raising the Bar) Act 2012. Most provisions will take effect from 15 April 2013.

Joe Seisdedos, Senior Associate, Patent Attorney
Wrays Sydney

Last Friday, US time, a jury in a San Jose, California courtroom awarded Apple damages of close to US$1.05 billion, finding that Samsung had infringed a series of patents owned by Apple.

Joe Seisdedos, Senior Associate, Patent Attorney
Wrays Sydney

Yesterday we attended a very interesting presentation at the University of Technology, Sydney, by Yu Xiang, who is a patent attorney and a professor at Huazhong University of Science and Technology. He is also a director of the Chinese-German Institute for Intellectual Property. His presentation challenged some of the commonly held notions that many software companies (and indeed many patent attorneys) hold about the patentability of software and business methods in China. While software per se and “mental schemes and business plans” are not patentable in China, the law does in fact allow some types of software and business processes to be patented. Professor Xiang explained that where software or business methods result in some type of technical advantage or solution, they may be patentable, so long as the claims and description are crafted in the right manner. This information gives a ray of hope to many patent applicants who want to seek protection for software and/or business method inventions in China.

If you currently have a software or business method invention and wish to discuss the possibility of seeking patent protection in China, please contact Joe Seisdedos ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) to discuss.

Joe Seisdedos, Senior Associate, Patent Attorney
Wrays Sydney

The Economist has reported the creation of a new financial exchange, IPXI (http://www.ipxi.com) which attempts to simplify the trading of patent rights (http://www.economist.com/node/21554540).

Joe Seisdedos, Senior Associate, Patent Attorney
Wrays Sydney

After a long and drawn out battle, a software patent that first surfaced many years ago and was the subject of much controversy appears to have survived a sustained challenge. ZD Net recently reported (http://www.zdnet.com.au/amazon-telstra-patent-battle-nears-end-339337820.htm) that the Amazon ‘one-click’ patent, which was opposed by Telstra many years ago, may finally be granted.  The ‘one-click’ patent covered a web based application that allowed a user to complete the purchase of an item by simply clicking once on the item displayed on a website.