A note on disease burden and pharmaceutical R&D

We examine the relationship between research and development (R&D) expenditures and the expected impact of diseases in a simple theoretical framework that allows for intellectual property rights (IPR) protection to be strong or weak. In our theoretical model, an agent forms an expectation of the impact of a disease using a publicly available statistic on the (population level) disease burden, such as disability-adjusted life year. We show that a profit-maximising firm will exert relatively more R&D effort on diseases with intermediate expected impacts. We also discuss how a weak IPR regime alters the pattern of R&D investment.     

Intellectual property rights, technology transfer and exports in developing countries

We develop a model to analyze one mechanism under which stronger intellectual property rights (IPR) protection may improve the ability of firms in developing countries to break into export markets. A Northern firm with a superior process technology chooses either exports or technology transfer through licensing as its mode of supplying the Southern market, based on local IPR policy. Given this decision, the North and South firms engage in Cournot competition in both markets. We find that stronger IPR would enhance technology transfer through licensing and reduce the South firm's marginal production cost, thereby increasing its exports. Welfare in the South would rise (fall) if that country has high (low) absorptive capacity. Excessively strong IPR diminish competition and welfare, however. Adding foreign direct investment as an additional channel of technology transfer sustains these basic messages.     

Modern sector development: The role of exports and institutions in developing countries

A prospering modern sector is crucial for the successful long‐term development in developing countries as it provides income and job growth for large shares of society. While this idea is widely accepted, there is, perhaps surprisingly, far less analysis about the exact determinants of this economic modernization process. In this article we empirically investigate whether international trade and institutions, both much discussed in the debates on general growth and development, are particularly important for the diffusion of production in the modern sector within developing societies. In a large cross section time‐series sample, we provide robust estimation results that point to an important role of institutions and to a nonlinear impact of manufacturing exports. Our results, which are derived using a range of estimators and are ultimately less susceptible to endogeneity concerns, also provide interesting insights into the role of natural resources and official development aid.     

试论知识产权海关边境保护中刑事协作机制的障碍和解决对策

本文以当前海关与公安机关共同打击侵犯知识产权犯罪的刑事协作机制为视角，通过从立法与执法层面对知识产权边境保护刑事协作机制中存在有关障碍的揭示和分析，提出了完善立法、协调冲突、加强交流等多项障碍解决对策。     

The impact of trade liberalisation on exports, imports and the balance of payments of developing countries

This paper uses panel data and times series/cross section analysis to estimate the effect of trade liberalisation on export growth, import growth, the balance of trade and the balance of payments for a sample of 22 developing countries that have adopted trade liberalisation policies since the mid-1970s. We find that liberalisation stimulated export growth but raised import growth by more, leading to a worsening of the balance of trade and payments. To the extent that this has constrained the growth of output and living standards, the findings have important implications for the sequencing and degree of liberalisation.     

TRIPS协议弹性条款与中国知识产权立法的完善

知识经济时代,知识产权保护与国际贸易密切相关,催生了《与贸易有关的知识产权协议》(简称TRIPS协议)。TRIPS规则直接影响到各成员方的贸易利益,也极大地影响着社会公共利益。所以,TRIPS协议的产生和实施都围绕着成员间利益冲突的协调和平衡。发展中国家要充分利用TRIPS协议的弹性条款,在其设置的弹性空间中保护自身利益,寻求权利和义务的平衡。我国也要对TRIPS规则的转化和适用进行认真研究,使我国的知识产权立法更加完善。     

Open innovation and intellectual property strategy: the catch-up processes of two Chinese pharmaceutical firms

We explore the interaction of open innovation and intellectual property (IP) in two Chinese latecomer pharmaceutical firms in their catch-up process. Studying archival data, documentation, and interviews, we found that the two firms exhibited five periods that were characterised by different open innovation activities and R&D capabilities. In their early stages, the two firms lacked R&D functions; thus, they imported technologies and pursued production-oriented strategies. As they gradually entered into collaborations and established their R&D departments, open innovation and IP protection played important and dynamic roles in this process. Thus, a catch-up process involves not only acquiring technological capabilities and innovative competencies but also transforming a firm's capacity to strategies.     

The impact of software piracy on inclusive human development: evidence from Africa

The study examines the effect of software piracy on inclusive human development in 11 African countries for which software piracy data is available for the period 2000–2010. The empirical evidence is based on instrumental variable panel Fixed Effects (FE) and Tobit models in order to control for the unobserved heterogeneity and limited range in the dependent variable. The modeling exercise is based on the inequality adjusted human development (IHDI) and its constituents. The following main findings are established. First, from the FE regressions, software piracy consistently improves the IHDI and its constituents. Within this framework, the positive relationship between inclusive human development and software piracy is driven by all its constituents. Second, for Tobit regressions, the positive relationship between software piracy and inclusive human development is confirmed exclusively in IHDI and literacy specifications. Within the latter framework, the positive relationship between software piracy and inclusive human is driven fundamentally by the literacy rate. Policy implications are discussed.     

The impact of the post-1972 floating exchange-rate regime on US exports

By employing the techniques of cointegration and error-correction models, this article empirically investigates the impact of the post-1972 floating exchange-rate regime on the volume of US bilateral exports to Canada, Germany, Japan and the UK. The econometric models specified in the analysis were estimated using quarterly data for the sample period 1959:1–1997:4. The empirical results provide evidence that the post-1972 exchange-rate regime is less conducive to trade than the Bretton-Woods fixed exchange rate regime.     

The role of contracts and intellectual property rights in open innovation

Our exploratory empirical study, based on interviews and a survey of firms, addresses a number of questions on the role of formal contracts and intellectual property rights (IPR) in the context of firm-to-firm open innovation (OI). We find that firms active in OI have a very strong preference for the governance of their OI relationships with other firms through formal contracts. Also, despite the open nature of OI, firms still see IPR as highly relevant to the protection of their innovative capabilities. We find the degree of openness of firms, their formal legal attitude, and the competitive dynamics of their product market environment to be related to the preference of OI firms for IPR. Furthermore, the strength of firms’ internal R&D capabilities increases the positive relationship between openness and the preference for IPR.     

WTO内知识产权贸易争端发展动态与启示

TRIPS实施后,知识产权贸易摩擦可诉诸到WTO争端解决机制中,为知识产权贸易摩擦研究提供技术支持。WTO内知识产权争端格局分析表明,知识产权争端数目发展稳定,是国际贸易摩擦的潜在因素;发达成员间专利、地理标志、版权及邻接权争端是主要内容;发展中成员与发达成员间药品专利争端尖锐,并兴起版权执法争端;争端诉因丰富化,重点转向执法程序;争端解决以协商为主,更符合发达国家利益。厘清WTO内知识产权贸易争端的特点,有助于理性认识和解决中外知识产权贸易摩擦。     

对国防知识产权归属制度的思考

在我国国防知识产权领域长期存在着权益和责任不清的问题。这不利于调动承担国防科研项目单位或个人进行技术创新和成果转化的积极性,也不利于国防自主知识产权的形成。分析了我国国防知识产权归属制度的现状和国外的实践,对国防知识产权相关各方的利益进行了权衡,提出在国防科技领域必须在国家、单位、个人之间建立一种有效的利益均衡机制。     

知识产权保护力度与经济发展关系研究

就中国实际的知识产权保护强度与中国经济发展水平适宜度来说。中国目前的知识产权保护水平相对于中国目前的经济发展水平而言已经足够高了。结合中国目前所处的技术等级水平，中国现阶段不宜过分提高知识产权保护强度。同时要将知识产权的保护重点放在“外观和实用新型”专利的保护上。     

The long term impact of economic development in developed countries on developing countries since 1820

The linkages between the economic development of developed and developing countries are analyzed historically. The analysis is divided into epochs, distinguished by global trade regimes and by common characteristics of long term economic growth. The break throughs in long distance transport technology which occured during the industrial revolution created a global economy in which the rythm of economic activity in developing economies became linked to that of developed economies. The major transmission mechanisms were international trade, international migration and international capital flows. Exports were the main engine of growth in developing countries. But the effects of export expansion varied across countries. The speed of transmission of the industrial revolution to developing countries depended on their institutional readiness; countries with most developed capitalist institutions in factor markets were the first to develop. The extent of diffusion of the benefits of growth from export expansion within developing countries also depended on the nature of their institutions, both economic and political. Finally, policies with respect to international trade, investment and agriculture were also critical to the speed and diffusion of economic development.The research underlying this paper is the result of a twentyfive year collaboration with Professor Cynthia Taft Morris. She is indebted to the World Bank for financing the research in this paper as part of the background studies for the World Development Report 1991. She is also indebted to Sherman Robinson for his comments.     

A welfare analysis of global patent protection in a model with endogenous innovation and foreign direct investment

This paper constructs a North–South quality-ladder model in which foreign direct investment (FDI) is determined by the endogenous location choice of firms, and examines analytically how strengthening patent protection in the South affects welfare in the South. Strengthening patent protection increases the South's welfare by enhancing innovation and FDI, but it also allows the firms with patents to charge higher prices for their goods, which decreases welfare. However, the model shows that the former positive welfare effect outweighs the latter negative effect. Moreover, introducing the strictest form of patent protection in the South, that is, harmonizing patent protection in the South with that in the North, may maximize welfare in the South as well as in the North. Further, a similar result can also be obtained in a nonscale effect model.     

改善中国价格贸易条件的对策

近年来,中国对外贸易的规模迅速扩大,但价格贸易条件却出现了恶化的趋势。中国价格贸易条件恶化的诱因有不合理的外贸政策、外资结构以及外国贸易壁垒等。因此,改善中国价格贸易条件应采取合理调整外贸政策,合理利用外资以及发展绿色产业等对策。     

云南开拓东盟中医药市场的知识产权问题及对策研究

云南是中国—东盟自由贸易的"桥头堡",有着开拓东盟中医药市场的知识产权基础和政策支持。但目前的知识产权制度尚无法完全保护在东盟市场的云南传统医药遗传资源,且云南的中医药企业在本国和东盟诸国申请的专利数量也不容乐观,云南要加强对传统医药遗传资源的生物多样性保护、改变传统的保密保护方式,鼓励医药企业在本国和东盟申请专利,对道地中药材实行地理标志保护并建立和完善原产地规则,加强与东盟各国在中医药知识产权领域的合作。     

The determinants and impact of telecommunications reforms in developing countries

This paper has two related objectives. First, it seeks to identify the key determinants of some policies that have been at the heart of the reforms of the telecommunications industry in developing countries, namely, liberalization, privatization, and the (re)structuring of regulation. Second, it attempts to estimate the extent to which these policies have translated into actual deployment of telecommunications infrastructure. This simultaneous investigation is conducted by means of an econometric analysis of a 1985-1999 time-series-cross-sectional database on 86 developing countries. Sectoral as well as institutional and financial factors are found to be important determinants of the actual reforms implemented. We uncover a positive relationship between the decision to introduce competition in the digital cellular segment and the growth of the fixed-line segment, suggesting that these two segments have benefited from each other. We also find that countries facing increasing institutional risk and financial constraints are more likely to introduce competition in the digital cellular segment and to privatize the fixed-line incumbent, these policies being economically attractive to both investors and governments. In turn, these policies are those that enhance the deployment of fixed-line infrastructure. In contrast, competition in the analogue cellular segment and the creation of a separate regulator seem to be relatively less attractive policies as they are found to be less likely to be introduced in countries facing increasing institutional risk and budget constraints. Their impact on fixed network deployment is found to be negative or non significant.     

高校知识产权保护与管理问题及对策

高校不仅是人才培养基地,也是知识、技术和专利的发源地,因此,高校应该高度重视加强知识产权的保护与管理。虽然高校在知识产权的保护和管理方面作出了许多的成绩,但还存在许多的问题,在此基础上,提出了我国知识产权保护与管理的建议。     

“创意”的知识产权保护之探析

以知识创新为典型特征的创意产业应当受到知识产权法律制度的保护,但现行知识产权制度对“创意”的保护在著作权、专利权、商标法等方面有诸多局限。创意应回归到知识产权范畴才能得到有效保护,而其他法律制度的构建也能为创意提供有力保护。