Copyright-Based Industries: Assessing their Weight
Evaluating the link between copyright and economic development has been a challenge for intellectual property (IP) professionals for years. Much has been written in academic literature about the economics of patents, while copyright has been somewhat neglected. But as copyright-based industries expanded in the 1970s, so did the interest in determining how copyright's contribution to development could be described in economic terms. Studies in a number of countries and regions began to gather evidence. But there was still little research in developing or transition countries; and differences in methodologies, practices and objectives made it difficult to compare results from existing surveys.
WIPO's Guide on Surveying the Economic Contribution of the Copyright-Based Industries (published in 2003) set out to fill some of these gaps. This article explains what the Guide offers, and reports on the latest findings from surveys using the WIPO-recommended methodology.
Triggered by interest from WIPO Member States, the Guide on Surveying the Economic Contribution of the Copyright-Based Industries provides a practical tool for evaluating the contribution of copyright-based industries. The Guide aims (a) to summarize existing experience in surveying the copyright-based industries, (b) to develop a practical set of recommendations and research methods, and (c) to establish a basis for meaningful comparisons to be made between different studies.
Why survey the copyright-based industries? At a time when fundamentals of IP are being questioned, policy makers need hard evidence of the positive effects of copyright on the economy. Statistical proof is required to demonstrate convincingly the competitive advantages that arise from a nation's creative and information sector, particularly if this feeds into government policy and legislative practices.
Caption: The Working Group of Experts, who contributed to developing the Guide.
In order to measure the size of the copyright-based industries, the Guide recommends that survey teams consider three main indicators: the percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is attributable to those industries (value added); employment in the industries; and international trade (share in exports and imports) generated. All three are industry-focused, statistical in character, and produced on a regular basis. The Guide sets out research methods to assist survey teams in compiling, extracting or calculating information on these indicators. It recommends a multidisciplinary approach, involving copyright professionals as well as economists and industry experts.
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