Turning Pirates Into Proprietors: How and Why to Make Software Intellectual Property Work in Developing Countries

Abstract

Intellectual property (IP) assets are of paramount importance in the developed world. Yet the regulations used to protect these assets artifi cially limit their application in developing countries that could benefi t from the ideas these assets utilize. In the software industry, and because of distinct characteristics of software IP, this paper offers a solution that shares the value of these assets among various parties to improve outcomes for all. Through a partnership between local government and software IP owners, the labor enhancing benefits of software can be spread throughout the developing world legally and efficiently.