Introduction

Intellectual property law is one of the fastest growing fields of law worldwide. This unprecedented, rapid evolution and the accompanying massive upsurge in the use of the intellectual property system had four main triggers-- the advent of the Internet (to many, the heart of the digital revolution); unprecedented advances in science and technology; the emergence of intangible assets, such as knowledge, information and innovation, as the main drivers of economic development; and the growing interdependence of nations resulting from the internationalization of commerce. Of these, the digital revolution alone has had a profound effect on all aspects of the creation, protection, and use of intellectual property. Trillions of dollars are forecast to change hands in electronic commerce transactions, most of which have an intellectual property component, spotlighting the key contribution of intellectual property law in securing the commercial viability of innumerable industries, employing millions of people and generating revenues essential to the economic well-being of Nations. The increasing prominence of intellectual property considerations in this, and many other areas, has given additional weight to the recognition by economists that the way in which a Nation uses intellectual property to capture the value of the creativity and innovation of its people and convert it into concrete economic assets, is part of the answer to the riddle of why some countries prosper while others do not. In a world marked by huge material disparities, intellectual property is a means by which individuals, companies of all sizes, universities and other research institutions, and economies at the local, national, and regional levels can empower themselves to compete more effectively in the international marketplace. Wielded in the correct way, intellectual property can be used as an effective power tool to help build sustainable economic growth. These factors have not only propelled intellectual property to the forefront of policy-making circles generally, but they have forced the intellectual property law community to re-think established paradigms. The debate and discussion that flow from publications such as the Fordham International Law Journal and its series of issues-related books are the seedbed for new ideas and approaches that are indispensable in ensuring that the intellectual property system continues to grow and adapt in a way that fosters the creativity and innovation that is the springboard of economic growth and social well-being, while serving the public good within a rapidly changing technological environment

Intellectual Property and Opportunities for Food Security in the Philippines

By 2050, the Philippine population is projected to increase by as much as 41 percent, from 99.9 million to nearly 153 million people. Producing enough food for such an expanding population and achieving food security remain a challenge for the Philippine government. This paper argued that intellectual property rights (IPR) can play a key role in achieving the nation’s current goal to be food-secure and provided examples to illustrate that the presence of sound intellectual property (IP) helps foster research, development, and deployment of agricultural innovations. This paper also offered key recommendations about how the IP system can be further leveraged to enable access, creation, and commercialization of new and innovative agricultural practices and technologies to enhance the nation’s agricultural productivity, meet rice self-sufficiency, and sustain food security

Innovation, Intellectual Property, and Development: A Better Set of Approaches for the 21st Century

This paper aims to provide an intellectual basis to think about the relationship between development, intellectual property and innovation; where we currently are and what alternatives are available. For the most part, we are concerned less with the implications of current IP laws for the advanced countries as we are with their impact on developing countries. We focus here not only on the current pathologies of the system and on potential alternative ways to tackle its most egregious excesses; but on a more positive note, on what kind of "system" would best promote development and well-being in the developing world. We are looking for a world with new and better rules for intellectual property. Just as some have begun to think about re-writing the rules of the American economy to ensure a more just and efficient system, the time is ripe for doing the same for the global economy, especially with regard to the IP system

Securing intellectual capital:an exploratory study in Australian universities

Purpose – To investigate the links between IC and the protection of data, information and knowledge in universities, as organizations with unique knowledge-related foci and challenges.Design/methodology/approach – We gathered insights from existing IC-related research publications to delineate key foundational aspects of IC, identify and propose links to traditional information security that impact the protection of IC. We conducted interviews with key stakeholders in Australian universities in order to validate these links.Findings – Our investigation revealed two kinds of embeddedness characterizing the organizational fabric of universities: (1) vertical and (2) horizontal, with an emphasis on the connection between these and IC-related knowledge protection within these institutions.Research implications – There is a need to acknowledge the different roles played by actors within the university, and the relevance of information security to IC-related preservation.Practical implications – Framing information security as an IC-related issue can help IT security managers communicate the need for knowledge security with executives in higher education, and secure funding to preserve and secure such IC-related knowledge, once its value is recognized.Originality/value – This is one of the first studies to explore the connections between data and information security and the three core components of IC’s knowledge security in the university context

Towards an Intellectual Property Rights Strategy for Innovation in Europe

On October 13, 2009 the Science and Technology Options Assessment Panel (STOA) together with Knowledge4Innovation/The Lisbon Forum, supported by Technopolis Consulting Group and TNO, organised a half-day workshop entitled ‘Towards an Intellectual Property Rights Strategy for Innovation in Europe’. This workshop was part of the 1st European Innovation Summit at the European Parliament which took place on 13 October and 14 October 2009. It addressed the topics of the evolution and current issues concerning the European Patent System as well as International Protection and Enforcement of IPR (with special consideration of issues pertaining to IP enforcement in the Digital Environment). Conclusions drawn point to the benefits of a comprehensive European IPR strategy, covering a broad range of IP instruments and topics

Overcoming India’s Food Security Challenges: The Role of Intellectual Property Management and Technology Transfer Capacity Building

The growth of the Indian economy after Independence has had little impact on the food security of the country. The paper analyses the development of advanced crop varieties through the use of agricultural technologies (hereinafter agbiotech ) within the technology transfer system, a framework which comprises of the interactions of intellectual property rights law and agricultural research and development in India. Through this, the author argues that agricultural innovation in India is failing due to the absence of connections within the technology transfer system and advocates for the creation of a national program aimed at advancing IP and tech-transfer capacity in agbiotech