IP and Technology Transfer and the Role of WIPO:
An Economist’s Perspective
Shubhashis GangopadhyayOctober 13, 2009
WIPO, Geneva
Intellectual Property
• Private property rights are at the core of a market economy as we know it
• Highest bidder usually the one who can generate the maximum value
• Maximizing the value of an asset
• So, any asset should go to the highest bidder
Interest• Knowledge-based societies
• Innovating for generation of social valueImproved agricultural productivityBetter healthMore educated and trained labour
• Can developing economies afford them?Buying price too highCosts of developing them too high
• IP is a generated asset; so, why generate it?
Innovation and Valuing IP
• Sliced bread
• Creating social value: “Pepsi” model in India
• Why would anyone innovate?
• Valuing innovations
Focus on Transfer
• Technology is out there
• Customization of knowledge
• Applied research versus application of research
• R&D labs versus public and networked production of knowledge
A New Legal Structure?
• Intellectual property and intellectual assets
• Public corporations as legal entity
• Do we need a new legal concept?
• What are the new boundaries of a firm?
Developing countries
• Need to take a front seat
• Current focus on how well do we protect IPs
• Do we respond or do we initiate?
• WIPO as a co-ordinating body