Dear Reader,
in continuation of the Post series on "Intellectual Property" Today I would like answers to the question of why the abuse of intellectual property, or more accurately the illegal Anneignung and utilization of intellectual resources particularly easy or rewarding.
in the properties of intellectual property is the key:
first digitization of Intellectual Property
E first Starting point for a differentiated assessment of the economic protection-be-ACTION being allowed various forms of intellectual property is - as a counter-piece to the physical manifestation - its digitized. The degree of digitization determined, as shown in the description of other properties with examples, major opportunities and costs of reproduction and distri-bution of human intellectual achievements. Intellectual property, such as music, software, films, to transfer to digital units, means that he or associated inherent information in data chain (Binary code) to convert. These increasingly easy and less costly process can be symbolically described as a transition from atoms to bits. There are also intellectual property that can be digitized so far. These include materialized results of intellectual work, such as sculptures and paintings.
second first copy costs and the ability to reproduce intellectual property s
cost curves
the creation and specification of intellectual property are often high and also devoted to the initial investment (first copy costs) which bear the fixed cost nature. In relation bear in its reproduction is often much smaller variable costs. Such a cost structure draws in the majority of relevant cases to the economies of scale. The reasons for this are to be sought, in essence, that fall disproportionately with proportionally increasing production volume by fixed costs, average unit costs. The extent and the possibilities for the realization of economies of scale are particularly determined by the degree of digitized innovative and creative works.
The total cost curves of material not digitized intellectual goods in accordance with non-negligible variable costs approximately that of traditional physical production processes. One example of automobiles and give medical device, causing the relatively high development costs. These goods can not be reproduced without considerable effort. For their reproduction is required, to name just a few conditions,
- expensive technical aids, such as machinery and tools,
- infrastructure requirements, for example, extensive facilities, and
- physical inputs, intermediate products and materials.
also require manufacturers methodological skills, experience and know-how in both unerring ability to see the material in innovative and creative works contained information and for its transmission through materials processing to other physical objects.
Strong First Copy Cost structures can be found in industrial Strien-high empirical level, that is, industries in which innovation is often random or be found through great effort, but then by easy to copy (digitized) formulas, diagrams can be expressed and codified or descriptions. These include the chemical, pharmaceutical and microelectronics. But the production of digitized media products is usually characterized by relatively high first copy costs. Producers of such intellectual property, the use of digital reproduction technologies, the possibility of the creation of copies for resale to achieve economical. Compared to the conditions for the physical reproduction of intellectual property costs involved, although rather small, but crucial to the willingness to appropriate intellectual property against the will of the owners and use.
quality and time effects
quality and time effects of reproduction are also important. They are - as the cost of reproduction - closely related to digitized. A copy of digitized intellectual property is no different from the original, and each copy is an original. Digital copies can also produce no particular time in any quantity. For non-digitized results of intellectual work is, however, that making a copy is usually associated with a loss of quality and obviously requires a lot of time.
third Distribution of Intellectual Property
regard to the distribution possibilities for intellectual property is also an inherent differentiation is necessary. Not digitized intellectual property can be transported only in physical form through traditional channels of distribution between two geographically separate locations. In general, this requires support, sometimes even packaging and distribution services from supplier insofar economic calculations do not deliver or are not qualified to, the involvement of intermediaries.
intellectual property in the digital state, however, using electronic Data channels, such as the Internet, will be distributed directly to interested parties. Even considering the cost of using the transfer of technologies and knowledge relevant for the absorption components of the cost of digital distribution in relation to the physical transport is rather low. For a digital data transfer is needed, for example, no carrier in the conventional sense and packaging material. Finally, draw even in consideration that can be shortened depending on the transfer capacity of the networks at the time of distribution processes digitized intellectual property.
4th non-rivalry the use of Intellectual Property
Another feature different education imprints intellectual property is the non-rivalry of their consumption, which means they can be used multiple times or simultaneously by any number of market players in different places. Since the intellectual benefits of no worth even wear out, become obsolete, not by use and not the consumer, the satisfaction of needs from the use of individual actors is not affected in any way. Software works as unchanged even after many applications and copies. This representation is already clearly that can not rival intellectuals deprived of goods interested buyers first, hardly, even if they are not willing to pay the asking price. For as soon as you sell a copy, it is more than one potential provider of uses. couple
Taking into account the various possibilities, intellectual benefits of physical objects or to merge, the implied generalization of the positioning results of intellectual work as an unlimited resource must be qualified, however. There are intellectual assets origin or content to their economic recovery demand - divorced have to compete or their consumption of a "traffic jam risk 'subject - the possibility of reproduction. These include intuitive materialized intellectual property, for example, realized product innovations. Innovative and creative works that fall into this category combine property, located on properties that can be rather close to a limited availability.
outlook for the next post, "The calculus of harm"
