China's Semiconductor Industry: IP Enforcement, Technology Transfer and Innovation

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Simon Winston Brinsmead in his article "Intellectual Property Enforcement, Technology Transfer and Innovation in China's Semiconductor Industry " look into the observations of several commentators that analyse the fact that China has enacted laws that give formal protection to intellectual property rights but that, to date, it has struggled to enforce these laws effectively. This is to some degree reflected in the recent decision of the United States Government to institute proceedings against China in the World Trade Organization regarding intellectual property issues.

The paper evaluates China's current protection of the intellectual property embedded in semiconductor chips, as well as the intellectual property of semiconductor manufacturing processes. Having reached a view regarding the effectiveness with which China's intellectual property laws, as they relate to its semiconductor industry, are currently being enforced, this paper then assesses the implications of this situation for technological progress by Chinese semiconductor firms.
The author examines the link between the protection of innovations via an intellectual property law regime, and the speed of technological progress. In particular, two issues are examined. The first is whether concerns by multinational firms about intellectual property enforcement might dissuade them from transferring leading edge technology into China. The second is whether enforcement concerns might be exerting a negative effect on the capacity of Chinese semiconductor firms to innovate.

The paper finally considers other government policies which, in conjunction with better enforcement, should encourage increased firm-level innovation.

To read the article click here.

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This page contains a single entry by Shashwat Purohit published on October 29, 2008 10:41 PM.

Material Transfer Agreements: A University Perspective was the previous entry in this blog.

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