Comparing Intellectual property policy in the Global North and South -- A one-size-fits-all policy for economic prosperity?

Abstract

This paper attempts to analyse policymaking in the field of Intellectual Property (IP) as an instrument of economic growth across the Global North and South. It begins by studying the links between economic growth and IP, followed by an understanding of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) development in the US, a leading proponent of robust IPR protection internationally. The next section compares the IPR in the Global North and South and undertakes an analysis of the diverse factors that result in these differences. The paper uses the case study of the Indian Pharmaceutical Industry to understand how IPR may differentially affect economies and conclude that there may not yet be a one size fits all policy for the adoption of Intellectual Property Rights.