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Copyrights for the technology transfer of government software

Author

Listed:
  • David P. Leech

    (Economic Analysis & Evaluation, LLC)

  • John T. Scott

    (Dartmouth College)

Abstract

With only a few exceptions, U.S. copyright law does not allow copyrights for software created by the U.S. federal agencies’ government-operated laboratories. This paper explains the public policy concern that the inability to copyright the software causes a barrier to the transfer of government software to the private sector. Using a survey of developers and managers of custom software developed within the federal agencies, the paper presents and interprets new evidence supporting the view that allowing copyright protection would dramatically increase the transfer of the technology.

Suggested Citation

  • David P. Leech & John T. Scott, 2023. "Copyrights for the technology transfer of government software," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(6), pages 2161-2178, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jtecht:v:48:y:2023:i:6:d:10.1007_s10961-022-09939-9
    DOI: 10.1007/s10961-022-09939-9
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alfonso Gambardella & Bronwyn H. Hall, 2010. "Proprietary versus Public Domain Licensing of Software and Research Products," Chapters, in: Riccardo Viale & Henry Etzkowitz (ed.), The Capitalization of Knowledge, chapter 6, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    2. Vidita Choudhry & Todd A. Ponzio, 2020. "Modernizing federal technology transfer metrics," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(2), pages 544-559, April.
    3. Albert N. Link & John T. Scott, 2019. "The economic benefits of technology transfer from U.S. federal laboratories," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(5), pages 1416-1426, October.
    4. Jacob H. Rooksby & Christopher S. Hayter, 2019. "Copyrights in higher education: motivating a research agenda," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(1), pages 250-263, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Copyright; Copyright Act of 1976; Federal agencies; Federal laboratories; Federal Technology Transfer Act of 1986; Government-owned contractor-operated (GOCO) laboratories; Government-owned government-operated (GOGO) laboratories; Government Works software; Invention licenses; Patents; Software; Software copyrights; Software licenses; Software patents; Technology transfer;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • O34 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy
    • H42 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Publicly Provided Private Goods

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