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Intellectual property rights: An international economics perspective

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Abstract

This paper considers the enforcement of intellectual property rights in an international setting. I consider some of the traditional problems associated with protection of such rights in a closed economy and discuss complications added by an international dimension. Globally-optimal and nationally-optimal policies are compared. A simple model of policy choices is derived and optimal tax/subsidy and rights enforcement policies demonstrated. The paper concludes with a brief discussion of the current U.S. approach of discriminatory treatment on the basis of the national origin of an infringing product and argues that it is inferior to subsidies for providing incentives for R&D and to tariffs for shifting profits to U.S. firms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Economics, Georgetown University, 20057, Washington DC, USA

    Martin Richardson

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  1. Martin Richardson
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Additional information

I am grateful to Marius Schwartz for helpful comments on earlier drafts of this paper. Any remaining errors are, of course, my own.

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Richardson, M. Intellectual property rights: An international economics perspective. Rev Ind Organ 6, 247–267 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00378125

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