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Digital piracy and firms' strategic interactions: The effects of public copy protection and DRM similarity

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  • Choi, Pilsik
  • Bae, Sang Hoo
  • Jun, Jongbyung

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how different types of strategic interaction affect firms' optimal levels of digital rights management (DRM). In our game-theoretical duopoly model, the firms do not directly compete with prices, but they become interdependent while coping with digital piracy. Our analysis shows that (1) stricter public copy protection by the government leads to lower DRM levels and more piracy when the firms regard their DRM levels as "strategic substitutes," but to higher DRM levels and less piracy when the firms perceive their DRM levels as "strategic complements," and (2) a higher degree of similarity between the DRM systems leads to lower DRM levels and more piracy. We also discuss the policy implications of these findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Choi, Pilsik & Bae, Sang Hoo & Jun, Jongbyung, 2010. "Digital piracy and firms' strategic interactions: The effects of public copy protection and DRM similarity," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 354-364, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:iepoli:v:22:y:2010:i:4:p:354-364
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Žigić, Krešimir & Střelický, Jiří & Kúnin, Michael, 2023. "Copyright and firms’ own IPR protection in a software market: Monopoly versus duopoly," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    4. Tsai, Ming-Fang & Chiou, Jiunn-Rong & Lin, Chun-Hung A., 2012. "A model of counterfeiting: A duopoly approach," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 283-291.
    5. Dan Wu & Guofang Nan & Minqiang Li, 2020. "Optimal Piracy Control: Should a Firm Implement Digital Rights Management?," Information Systems Frontiers, Springer, vol. 22(4), pages 947-960, August.
    6. Kresimir Zigic & Jiri Strelicky & Michael Kunin, 2014. "How Does Public IPR Protection Affect its Private Counterpart? Copyright and the Firms' Own IPR Protection in a Software Duopoly," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp518, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    7. Derek Eaton, 2013. "Innovation and IPRs in the Agricultural Seed Sector," CIES Research Paper series 19-2013, Centre for International Environmental Studies, The Graduate Institute.
    8. Éric Darmon & Thomas Le Texier, 2014. "Private or Public Law Enforcement? The Case of Digital Piracy Policies with Non-monitored Illegal Behaviors," Economics Working Paper Archive (University of Rennes 1 & University of Caen) 201403, Center for Research in Economics and Management (CREM), University of Rennes 1, University of Caen and CNRS.
    9. Kresimir Zigic & Jiri Strelicky & Michal Kunin, 2020. "Private and Public IPR Protection in a Vertically Differentiated Software Duopoly," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp671, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    10. Kresimir Zigic & Jiri Strelicky & Michael Kunin, 2013. "The Interaction between Private and Public IPR Protection in a Software Market: A Positive and Normative Analysis," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp490, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    11. Eaton, Derek, 2014. "A model of IPRs in the international supply chain of seeds and agricultural production," 2014 International Congress, August 26-29, 2014, Ljubljana, Slovenia 182643, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    12. Bae Sang Hoo & Kim Myungsup & Yoo Kyeongwon, 2017. "The Effect of Piracy and Digital Rights Management on Vertically Related Content Industries," Review of Network Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 16(1), pages 1-26, March.
    13. Jiri Strelicky & Kresimir Zigic, 2011. "Intellectual Property Rights Protection and Enforcement in a Software Duopoly," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp435, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    14. Kresimir Zigic & Jiri Strelicky & Michael Kunin, 2015. "Modeling Software Piracy Protection: Monopoly versus Duopoly," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp551, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.

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