Open Source Software: The New Intellectual Property Paradigm

Open source methods for creating software rely on developers who voluntarily reveal code in the expectation that other developers will reciprocate. Open source incentives are distinct from earlier uses of intellectual property, leading to different types of inefficiencies and different biases in R&D investment. Open source style of software development remedies a defect of intellectual property protection, namely, that it does not generally require or encourage disclosure of source code. We review a considerable body of survey evidence and theory that seeks to explain why developers participate in open source collaborations instead of keeping their code proprietary, and evaluates the extent to which open source may improve welfare compared to proprietary development.

French firms’ strategies for protecting their intellectual property.

In attempting to protect their innovations, firms can choose from a range of mechanisms, which may be either non-statutory (trade secrets, design complexity, and lead-time advantage over competitors) or statutory (patent, design registration, trademark, copyright). Yet, little is known about how firms do actually make their choices from among these different appropriability mechanisms. The aim of this paper is to determine how French firms’ use of intellectual property protection mechanisms relates to the type of innovation, the characteristics of the market sector in which they operate, the firms’ characteristics, and their human resources strategies. Our empirical model draws on four French databases covering the period 2001–2004. Our results show that the choice of a means of protection matters and emerges out of a complex strategy. Our results also reveal that the different statutory and non-statutory means of protection are complementary within their own categories but hardly so between categories.Intellectual property rights; Multivariate probit; Appropriability; Innovation; Human resources strategies;

Comparative analysis of national approaches on voluntary copyright relinquishment

The report considers first the question of how copyright is justified, as this may have some bearing on whether a country will allow an author to make a voluntary statement leading to the expiration of his/her rights. Copyright can variously be described as a natural right, as a reward for creators, as a stimulus for creativity, as a property right, as an economic reward and as part of the public interest. Two justifications are explored, the moral and the utilitarian. The moral justification places the existence of intellectual property as a natural result of the right of the creator to anything he or she produces. The moral element of copyright has given way to the economic one, but the existence of moral rights, particularly important in civil law jurisdictions, continues to strongly represent the elements of copyright as a personality right

From Social Data Mining to Forecasting Socio-Economic Crisis

Socio-economic data mining has a great potential in terms of gaining a better understanding of problems that our economy and society are facing, such as financial instability, shortages of resources, or conflicts. Without large-scale data mining, progress in these areas seems hard or impossible. Therefore, a suitable, distributed data mining infrastructure and research centers should be built in Europe. It also appears appropriate to build a network of Crisis Observatories. They can be imagined as laboratories devoted to the gathering and processing of enormous volumes of data on both natural systems such as the Earth and its ecosystem, as well as on human techno-socio-economic systems, so as to gain early warnings of impending events. Reality mining provides the chance to adapt more quickly and more accurately to changing situations. Further opportunities arise by individually customized services, which however should be provided in a privacy-respecting way. This requires the development of novel ICT (such as a self- organizing Web), but most likely new legal regulations and suitable institutions as well. As long as such regulations are lacking on a world-wide scale, it is in the public interest that scientists explore what can be done with the huge data available. Big data do have the potential to change or even threaten democratic societies. The same applies to sudden and large-scale failures of ICT systems. Therefore, dealing with data must be done with a large degree of responsibility and care. Self-interests of individuals, companies or institutions have limits, where the public interest is affected, and public interest is not a sufficient justification to violate human rights of individuals. Privacy is a high good, as confidentiality is, and damaging it would have serious side effects for society.Comment: 65 pages, 1 figure, Visioneer White Paper, see http://www.visioneer.ethz.c

Open Source Software: From Open Science to New Marketing Models

-Open source Software; Intellectual Property; Licensing; Business Model.

Intellectual capital reporting among large Malaysian companies and their determinants

In this new economy, intellectual capital (IC) plays an important role compared to the physical assets in achieving a company’s value and success. This study examines the IC disclosure practices in the 2006 annual reports of the 70 largest Malaysian companies listed on Bursa Malaysia. IC disclosures were captured using content analysis, and an ‘Operational Definition of IC’ was used to measure the extent of IC reporting. The results indicated that the sampled companies provided a generous quantity of IC information. However, the inconsistency in the application of content analysis, as well as an absence of specific guidelines on IC, had led to substantive difference in IC reporting practices. This study also examines the possible determinants of IC disclosure practices from three perspectives: IC value in a company, corporate governance structure and company characteristics. The results of the regression analyses based on the four measures of IC disclosure, i.e. total IC, total human capital, total structural capital, and total relational capital, indicated significant associations with certain variables under these three perspectives. These findings offer support for the proposition that Malaysian companies disclose their IC information to legitimise their activities and performance, since management considers these information as part of their value creation process and is considered as value relevant information to their stakeholders. This research also provides evidence that there is a need to have a guideline (IC disclosure index), which can be used as a basis for IC reporting framework. A set of guidelines for companies in measuring and reporting of IC would be advantageous to both preparers and users of financial information. Such practices would enhance the consistency of IC disclosure