Innovation and IP: Intellectual Property Law and Innovation by William Van Caenegem (Review)

Abstract

‘Innovation’ has become the watchword of the twenty-first century. It is used to describe everything from new communication technologies and businesses to the latest web postings. More to the point, ‘innovation’ has become a talisman for both those who support strong protection for intellectual property rights (IPR) as well as for those who reject intellectual property (IP) protection in favour of an exclusive ‘public domain’. In clear, concise language and easy to understand analogies, William van Caenegem in his latest work Intellectual Property Law and Innovation has placed himself wisely between these two warring camps. Neither an apologist for a system that is often described by its detractors as ‘imperialistic’ or based on out-moded property based values, nor a blind supporter of the public domain above all other interests, van Caenegem walks a difficult middle road, one that coldly views the conflicts inherent in any IP system while recognising that, despite its limitations, IPR can play an important role in supporting industrial innovation.

Keywords: Van Caenegem, innovation, Australia, intellectual property law, international, review

JEL Classification: O34