Answer to Question #253787 in English for Comfort

Question

1. Discuss the factors that affect the enforcement of intellectual property rights (IPRs) positively and negatively in Zambia.

Answer 1

Intellectual property rights (IPRs) are legal rights granted by governments within their sovereignties that give patent, trademark, and copyright owners the exclusive right to utilize their intellectual property (IP) for a set length of time. The underlying argument for IPR protection is to offer an incentive for innovation by allowing IP owners to recoup their research and development costs. While Zambia has some type of intellectual property protection, the level of protection varies substantially. IPR protection is a compromise for Zambia between the advantages of innovation and the costs of exclusivity. Property rights promote the creation of new technology, products, music, and other forms of artistic expression. Exclusivity, on the other hand, shields IP owners from competition and can even confer monopoly power in some situations. As a result, IPR protection is always limited, either in terms of duration or breadth of protection. The knowledge embodied by a patent, for example, enters the public domain after it expires.

Lower-cost items or technology could provide an immediate benefit to Zambia. When compared to the higher prices that would prevail with stricter IPR protection, cheaper DVDs, access to AIDS medications, or other sorts of imitation can represent advances in consumer welfare. Aside from the potential benefits to consumers, current commercial activities in developing nations may already be in place and could contribute significantly to a country's economic progress. As a result, Zambia must balance these benefits against the loss of foreign incentives to invest in resources or develop products, as well as lower innovative production within the country. Others argue that increasing IPR protection will enhance the country's economic growth and welfare, while others argue that it will be ineffective or even harmful, lowering total welfare.