Business Branding for Small and Medium Enterprises in Zimbabwe: The Role of Trademarks

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the extent of the use of trademarks for business branding by small and medium enterprises in Zimbabwe. The researcher relied on both primary and secondary sources of data. For primary data, a close ended questionnaire was used to examine the extent of the problem under investigation whilst and interview guide was used to get the views of the parties affected by the problem. The size of the population was fifty-nine, all drawn from Harare. Forty questionnaires were distributed to SMEs, whilst interviews were conducted with ten owner/managers of SMEs, three officials from the Department of Companies, Deeds and IP, three from the Ministry of SMEs and three from the SMEs association of Zimbabwe. The samples of the study were selected using random, purposive and snowball sampling methods. Data analysis for the close ended questionnaire was done using SPSS, whilst for interview guides, content analysis was done. The close ended questionnaire revealed low levels of usage of trademarks in business branding. It was also revealed that the levels of IP awareness amongst SMEs were low, and this was attributed to lack of exposure to information as regards the subject matter. ZIPO, which is the office responsible for IP in Zimbabwe, was found not to be making use of information dissemination methods that are readily available to a greater part of the population (the television and the radio), thus leading to the low levels of awareness about IP in the majority of the population. Another factor leading to the low usage of trademarks by SMEs exposed by both the close ended questionnaire and the interviews is that there is lack of appreciation for trademarks thus most SMEs do not consider them when coming up with their business strategies. Interviews further revealed that trademarks are costly for SMEs and thus some of them opt for the common law trademark whilst some do not even bother themselves with trademarks as they regard them as an unnecessary expense that they can do without. Some proposals that were made to help increase the usage of trademarks in business branding by SMEs were that there be awareness raising on the subject of IP amongst SMEs and that structures and measures be put in place to help SMEs with trademark applications. Finally, the researcher proposed that a system of feedback be put in place by ZIPO so that if the proposals do not yield the expected increase in the usage of trademarks by SMEs, then other strategies can be adopted.