National Intellectual Property Systems Innovation And Economic Development

This publication addresses the role of national systems of IP in the socio-economic development of emerging countries, notably through their impact on innovation.

Christine Greenhalgh explains the complex process of innovation & how it sustains the growth of firms, industries & economies, combining microeconomic & macroeconomic analysis.

Speaking very roughly, countries with advanced economies tend to be those displaying intellectual property protection systems in which the public has a basic degree of confidence. Those systems, when they are thought about at all rather than taken for granted, are thought of as reasonably effective in safeguarding innovation and creative expression

This open access book analyses intellectual property codification and innovation governance in the development of six key industries in India and China. These industries are reflective of the innovation and economic development of the two economies, or of vital importance to them: the IT Industry; the film industry; the pharmaceutical industry; plant varieties and food security; the automobile industry; and peer production and the sharing economy. The analysis extends beyond the domain of IP law, and includes economics and policy analysis. The overarching concern that cuts through all chapters is an inquiry into why certain industries have developed in one country and not in the other, including: the role that state innovation policy and/or IP policy played in such development; the nature of the state innovation policy/IP policy; and whether such policy has been causal, facilitating, crippling, co-relational, or simply irrelevant. The book asks what India and China can learn from each other, and whether there is any possibility of synergy. The book provides a real-life understanding of how IP laws interact with innovation and economic development in the six selected economic sectors in China and India. The reader can also draw lessons from the success or failure of these sectors.

This book is the English version of the text published by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean in April 2008 and entitled Generación y protección del conocimiento: propiedad intelectual, innovación y desarrollo 1 económico. Since then, the year that has passed has been fraught with uncertainty but has also brought signs of hope. Indeed, the past year was marked by the outbreak of the deepest and most p- vasive nancial and economic crisis since the Great Depression of 1929, a crisis generated in the United States but whose negative repercussions have spread at a phenomenal rate throughout the planet. The impact of this crisis on the p- ples of Latin America and the Caribbean will undermine the region’s prospects for economic growth, employment, and poverty alleviation. This was the year in which United States citizens elected Barack Obama as their President, a clear sign of new hope. This hope was tangible at the Fifth Summit of the Americas, held in 2009 in Port of Spain, which marked a turning point in the relations between the countries that make up this hemisphere. The open posture of the United States and that country’s readiness to listen rather than to impose any particular position and its willingness to engage in dialogue on an equal footing were positive signs. Moreover, it was generally admitted that there is not just one model for advancing successfully toward development.

Protection of intellectual property rights (IPRs) serves a dual role in economic development. While it promotes innovation by providing legal protection of inventions, it may retard catch-up and learning by restricting the diffusion of innovations. Doe

Over the course of history, different legal instruments for protecting intellectual property have emerged. These instruments differ in their subject matter, extent of protection, and field of application, reflecting society's objective to balance the interests of creators and consumers for different types of intellectual works. These legal instruments are just one of the pieces that form a national system of intellectual property protection. Also crucial to the system's overall effectiveness are the institutions administering these instruments, the mechanisms available for enforcing IPRs, and the rules regarding the treatment of non-nationals. To address some of the issues concerning IPRs, this paper defines what they are and attempts to evaluate the relationship between the protection of intellectual property and economic activity in developing countries. It also summarizes the economic effects of IPRs in terms of creation and diffusion of knowledge and information; and market structure and prices. Furthermore, it discusses the reformation of IPRs regimes and makes recommendations for their administration and enforcement. This paper consolidates some of the research from the 'World Development Report 1998/1999: Knowledge for Development' and some contributions made at an Internet-moderated conference conducted by the Bank's TechNet program. It will be of interest to governments, investors, and international organizations.

The series of papers in this publication were commissioned from renowned international economists from all regions. They review the existing empirical literature on six selected themes relating to the economics of intellectual property, identify the key research questions, point out research gaps and explore possible avenues for future research.