Overstating Proprietary Systems Dominance in the Age of Information Technology
This article questions the assumption that property and markets are the sole drivers of growth and innovation, pointing out the importance of non-proprietary systems in education, non-profits, social relationships, and other areas. It highlights the negative impact of expanding intellectual property rights and explores how information technology has made non-proprietary models of production and distribution more appealing.
Overstating Proprietary Systems Dominance in the Age of Information Technology
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Presentation Transcript
IP 6 Summary
Proprietary Systems Dominance • This is overstated since we have many systems and activities that are non-proprietary including education, non-profits, social relationships, and other areas where non-proprietary production is important • Assumption that property and markets are the roots of all growth and innovation is open to question
Expansion of IP rights • These act as a tax on nonproprietary means of production. • For example software patents • Access to scholarly information • Key question is who benefits?
Effect of Information Technology • IT makes nonproprietary models of production and distribution more attractive • Reduced barriers to entry • Reduced production costs • Reduced distribution costs
Peer Production • Rise of peer production and peer distribution • Blogs • P2P • Open source software • Challenge to the traditional thinking about the economics of information production
