What Does a Good IP System Look Like? Good for Whom?

摘要

A "good" intellectual property (IP) system means different things to different stakeholders. Those in the IP rights-granting industry might say the system is "good" when it creates an incentive for innovation. Economists, however, focus on whether the incentive is set at the right level - recognising that IP rights that are too strong can impede subsequent innovation by others. It is clear, then, that getting right the balance between incentives to innovate and freedom to compete is the aim of IP policymakers. Pippa Hall, Chief Economist in the UK Intellectual Property Office, discusses the economist's perspective on IP rights and innovation, reflects on her experience in implementing the recommendations of the Hargreaves Review and explains how using a robust evidence base contributes to better policymaking. The lessons to be drawn from these experiences are timely and valuable, given the reviews being undertaken of the Australian IP system.