A more significant reflection of innovation achievements of SMEs will be in terms of
recognitions won by them in the previous five years. Table 5 gives a view of different
recognitions such as product and process patents, citations, and awards won by the
innovative SMEs. None has received process patents whereas two of the electronic and
three of the machine tool SMEs have got national product patents and two machine tool
SMEs have won international product patents. The recognitions won in terms of citations
and particularly national awards, are more impressive in all the three sectors. Overall the
‘patenting culture’ is low among innovative SMEs, as has been observed internationally
(Freeman and Soete 1997). The limited resources of SMEs generally constrain them from
going for obtaining product and process patents.