Intellectual Property

Granting of intellectual property rights on biological materials could be very contentious issue from cultural, legal, ethical and religious points of view. This could be even more complicated, once it acquires an international dimension. The Agreement on Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) is the latest international arrangement under which, a complex structure for international protection of intellectual property rights has been created. However, while it embodies some provisions of pervious international documents on intellectual property rights, it reflects a unique and unprecedented scheme of protection of intellectual property rights, which also highlights a tension between developed and developing countries especially over the patentability of biological inventions. The provisions of TRIPs make it difficult for developing countries to deny such protection. However, it is possible for them to limit the scope of such protection by relying on exceptions provided by TRIPs and also by relying on the distinction between invention and discovery. These strategies would allow developing countries to exercise some discretion in defining the scope of patentable biotechnologies.

Given the paradigm shift from “Closed Innovation” to “Open Innovation”, there seems to be a need for a systematic mechanism for exploring and evaluating alternative external technologies, as well as the business models that may be appropriate for capturing value from such technologies. Although Traditional Technology Roadmapping (TTRM) used to play an important role in this regard, analyzing its utility in the context of Open Innovation reveals some shortcomings that need to be addressed in order to make the most of the Technology Roadmapping (TRM) concept. This paper elaborates on these limitations and suggests a modified approach, Open Innovation Roadmapping (OIRM), as an effective technological innovation management and planning tool in this new paradigm. The results of the application of the proposed approach in the case of the membrane technology roadmapping at the Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI) are also presented here. Further practical guidelines are also raised by the authors to give a more practical vision on the approach.

Purpose : The present study aimed to identify and analyze the determinants underlying Iran’s accession to international copyright treaties. Method : To achieve this objective, a combined exploratory and integrative methodology was utilized, integrating meta-synthesis (Sandelowski & Barroso’s model) using the Delphi technique. During the meta-synthesis phase, 51 studies were selected. Findings were obtained through open coding, organized into concepts, and arranged into thematic categories. A two-round Delphi process involving 23 experts—including publishers, copyright professionals, software and game developers, web developers, and artists—was conducted to validate the results. The data were analyzed using the mean, standard deviation, and coefficient of variation. Findings : The meta-synthesis revealed 114 concepts, divided into 34 categories across four domains: economic, cultural, political, and legal. In the initial Delphi round, the majority of the categories were deemed to be highly significant, whereas “Religious issues”, “Shortcomings of the Berne Convention,” and “legal/structural challenges” garnered lower consensus. In the subsequent round, expert agreement increased, with “Preparation of legal infrastructure,” “Preparation of managerial infrastructure,” and “Establishment of collective management organizations” identified as the most crucial. The category “limitations of the Berne Convention” was omitted due to a mean score falling below 4. Conclusion : In summary, 42 out of 43 categories (approximately 98%) attained mean scores of 4 or above, indicating a strong consensus among experts. The establishment of robust legal and managerial infrastructures was highlighted as the most essential factor. These findings provide both theoretical perspectives and practical recommendations for policymakers regarding the development and execution of effective copyright policies.

Orthodox readings of Hegels’ expressivist theory of property rights putatively assume he is an apologist for free market capitalism in all spheres of production and distribution. However, greater attention played to his discussion of intellectual property reveals that he is a pluralist about property rights and the particular manifestation of economic distribution and ownership is contingent on structural, economic and technological aspects of a society. The following essays seeks to show that intellectual property rights are an example of pure intentional activity that is best understood as public, social and collective labour when there is an overcoming of rivalrous material limitations. At the end of history, when economic and social conditions allow, private property can be superseded by collective sharing of resources and this is the dynamic nature of sprit, what moves it, the coming out of itself into the world. Recognition for the creator is to be protected and for this reason intellectual labour is both the alpha and omega of property – it is where it begins to where it ends, in the individual being-with the community.