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

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