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The globalisation of intellectual property rights: four learned lessons and four theses

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  • Archibugi, Daniele
  • Filippetti, Andrea

Abstract

Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) have become ubiquitous in the current debate and have emerged as the key issue of global innovation policy. The ‘Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights’ (TRIPS) Agreement, signed in 1994 as a founding element of the World Trade Organisation, represents the most important attempt to establish a global harmonisation of Intellectual Property protection. The aim of this article is to re-examine critically what has become the common wisdom around IPRs, TRIPS and their effects. We argue that supporters of IPRs in western corporations and governments as well as detractors in global movements and developing countries have overestimated their importance in the process of generation and diffusion of knowledge and innovation. On the basis of some key learned lessons on the nature of innovation and technological change, we assess four theses about TRIPS and its impact on the global generation and distribution of knowledge. Finally, the policy implications concerning international organisations and technological transfer are discussed

Suggested Citation

  • Archibugi, Daniele & Filippetti, Andrea, 2010. "The globalisation of intellectual property rights: four learned lessons and four theses," MPRA Paper 21930, University Library of Munich, Germany.
  • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:21930
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    Cited by:

    1. Gnangnon, Sèna Kimm, 2023. "The Least developed countries' TRIPS Waiver and the Strength of Intellectual Property Protection," EconStor Preprints 271537, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics.
    2. Rapone, Tancredi, 2022. "Measuring human capital in the united states using copyright title pages, 1790-1870," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 113448, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    3. Leonhard Dobusch & Markus Lang & Sigrid Quack, 2017. "Open to Feedback? Formal and Informal Recursivity in Creative Commons’ Transnational Standard-Setting," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 8(3), pages 353-363, September.
    4. Jean‐Frédéric Morin & Madison Cartwright, 2020. "The US and EU’s Intellectual Property Initiatives in Asia: Competition, Coordination or Replication?," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 11(5), pages 557-568, November.
    5. Ramani, Shyama V. & Urias, Eduardo, 2018. "When access to drugs meets catch-up: Insights from the use of CL threats to improve access to ARV drugs in Brazil," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(8), pages 1538-1552.
    6. Gnangnon, Sèna Kimm, 2023. "The least developed countries' transitional exemption in the TRIPS agreement and the strength of intellectual property protection," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    7. Helmut Wagner, 2012. "Is harmonization of legal rules an appropriate target? Lessons from the global financial crisis," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 33(3), pages 541-564, June.
    8. Jitamitra Behera & Akriti Jain & Ruchi Sharma, 2024. "The nexus between labour mobility and innovation: an empirical analysis," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 51(3), pages 551-584, September.
    9. Thiago Caliari & Tulio Chiarini, 2021. "Knowledge Production and Economic Development: Empirical Evidences," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 12(2), pages 1-22, June.
    10. Rogelio Madrueño & Magdalene Silberberger, 2022. "Dimensions and Cartography of Dirty Money in Developing Countries: Tripping Up on the Global Hydra," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 10(2), pages 25-39.
    11. Daniele Archibugi & Andrea Filippetti, 2016. "(English) The Retreat of Public Research and its Adverse Consequences on Innovation (Italiano) I cambiamenti nella ricerca pubblica e le conseguenze avverse sull’innovazione," IRPPS Working Papers 94:2016, National Research Council, Institute for Research on Population and Social Policies.
    12. Thakur–Wernz, Pooja & Wernz, Christian, 2022. "Impact of stronger intellectual property rights regime on innovation: Evidence from de alio versus de novo Indian bio-pharmaceutical firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 457-473.
    13. Lenka Pelegrinova & Martin Lacny, 2016. "Protection of Intellectual Property and its Economic Aspects," Journal of Economic Development, Environment and People, Alliance of Central-Eastern European Universities, vol. 5(3), pages 5-20, September.
    14. Matthew David & Debora J. Halbert, 2017. "Intellectual Property & Global Policy," Global Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 8(2), pages 149-158, May.
    15. Heman Khouilla & Cécile Bastidon, 2024. "Does increased intellectual property rights protection foster innovation in developing countries? A literature review of innovation and catch‐up," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 36(2), pages 1170-1188, March.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    globalisation of IPRs; innovation; technological transfer;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O34 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital
    • Q55 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environmental Economics: Technological Innovation
    • O3 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights

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