O10 - Economic Development: GeneralNávrat zpět

Presented paper is focused on the relationship of intellectual property rights and competitiveness of countries. First part describes various approaches to the country competitiveness definition and deals with its relation to economic growth. Productivity, as one of main factors of economic growth and competitiveness, is fairly determined by technological level in particular economy. Technological innovations then influence competitiveness. Nowadays economic policymakers try to support innovations through various instruments. Main aim of these instruments is to create innovation-friendly environment. Integral part of this environment is a consistent definition of intellectual property rights. Industrial property rights are an integral part of the protection of intellectual property rights. The second part of this paper introduces the most frequent types of industrial property rights and point outs its pros and cons. It also points out the specific features of intangibles and their relation to technological level. Generally can be industrial property rights considered as a barrier that restricts the process of diffusion of innovation. Adjustment of industrial property rights determines the effectiveness of those barriers. The effect of this barrier is ambivalent. Existence of barrier may motivate individuals to introduce new innovations on the one hand, but it can also negatively influence consumer surplus on the other hand. The third part of this paper clarifies above mentioned and others effects of barriers to individual and social benefits in partial equilibrium model in perfect competition and imperfect competition market structures. Effects of industrial property rights are different in different market structures. Further research may be directed to empirical evidence of industrial property rights.