The value of intellectual property to firms and society

Christine Greenhalgh, Mark Rogers

Research output: Contribution to journalArticle

Abstract

Economists view intellectual property rights (IPRs) as policy tools for encouraging innovation, but they recognize that they can also inhibit competition. There are many types of IPRs and institutions concerned with their administration. We begin by outlining how these complex and varied rights are supposed to work and how they interact with other characteristics of firms and markets. We then survey the available literature on patents, trade marks, and copyright to assess the value of these IPRs to firms and the costs to firms of acquiring and defending their rights. The paper concludes with suggestions for topics requiring further research to inform public policy better.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)541-567
Number of pages27
JournalOxford Review of Economic Policy
Volume23
Issue number4
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2007

Keywords

  • innovation
  • copyright
  • patents
  • trade marks
  • intellectual property

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