Intellectual property (IP) systems depend on awareness of intellectual property yet study and measurement of this has hitherto been neglected. Components of and measures for IP awareness are discussed and studied using a large scale survey of UK industry. This addressed three main issues of: 1 IP knowledge and understanding 2 IP management practises 3 awareness and use of IP information and advice. IP awareness scales were constructed using both classical measurement theory and Rasch model scales. The survey showed that larger companies are more IP aware whilst SMEs and the mass of micro-enterprises are often effectively unaware of the IP system. The findings showed the importance of promoting IP awareness not just to firms but also within firms and that promoting IP awareness to smaller companies is vital to the system’s success.