Expanding the boundaries of intellectual property : innovation policy for the knowledge society

The majority of countries in the world have already agreed to accept minimum standards of intellectual property protection and enforcement - the key issue now is how much control innovators should have over their creative works or inventions. The contributors to this book analyse and develop this issue, which is of increased importance in the new knowledge-based economy. One view is that broad and powerful rights give the creators the ability to trade information and push the frontiers of knowledge forward faster; the opposing view is that increased power over information will freeze development and chill intellectual interchange.