Inaugural Lecture: Shackling the Digital Economy Means Less for Everyone

Professor Birgite Andersen

The public lecture took place 15th of June 2010, at 5pm, in Lecture Theater B01 in the Clore Management Centre, Birkbeck College, University of London.

Among other things, the lecture challenges the Digital Economy Act which was passed through Parliament 8th April, and entered into force 12th June, 2010.

VIDEO AND SLIDES

• The video (uncut) of the lecture is just below 50 min.
  Download the PowerPoint slides PDF used in the lecture.
• Download Invitation-card PDF

RELATED LINKS

• BLOG (18 July 2010): Why the DIGITAL ECONOMY ACT is bad for the music industry and the digital economy. The blog debates the policy measures designed to curb P2P file-sharing on the Internet.
• BT and TalkTalk challenge Digital Economy Act (8 July 2010)
• Andersen, B. and Frenz, M (2007) The Impact of Music Downloads and P2P File-Sharing on the Purchase of Music: A Study for Industry Canada . A consultancy contract of services for Industry Canada (funded under contract no 5016574)

ABSTRACT OF LECTURE

Sharing is an essential part of the digital economy, while Intellectual Property Right (IPR) protection forms an essential part of corporate strategies and policy. Professor Andersen discusses this paradox in her lecture on the relationship between intellectual property and wealth creation in the digital economy. Focus is on the use of intellectual property in the commercialization of knowledge assets embedded in ideas, creative expressions and public research. While debating the role of institutional failures in the intellectual property market places she also questions the effectiveness of IPR policies and corporate strategies in the digital economy. The lecture is at the interface between evolutionary and institutional approaches in economics, and strategic management. Her research on the changing music industry, the pervasive information and communication industry (software and hardware), and the commercial university sector provide evidence to support the conclusions.