Intellectual property rights. Imperatives for the knowledge industry

This paper provides a broad-ranging review in a global context of many aspects of developing changes in intellectual property rights (IPR) in response to the currently rapidly changing technological and information industries. As such, it covers such matters as knowledge ownership, the IPR framework, TRIPS and WTO in relation to developing countries, technology transfer and balance in a world-wide context, and developments in dealing with counterfeiting and piracy - with particular reference to the Asia/Pacific region. Brief snapshots are also provided of a number of specific and significant IPR enforcement decisions and their implications. Further policy and practical matters also discussed include domain names and cyber squatting, traditional knowledge as prior art, bio-prospecting, and software patenting. Finally, a list of steps need to be considered in formulating IPR policy, with especial reference to India and countries in a similar situation, is set out.