Intellectual Property and Behavioural Studies: Methodological Perspectives

Abstract

Intellectual property (IP) infringement is widely researched in behavioural studies with manifold quantitative and qualitative research. The current chapter focuses on qualitative research and gives an introduction to how data from expert interviews and websites of relevant stakeholders can be analysed to understand and interpret IP infringement applying triangulation. This chapter selects the comprehensive perspective of the entire business and institutional environment in an international context, focusing on the social-cultural, legal, economic, political, and technological framework in different countries, which determines business activities. It answers three research questions on past, current, and future activities regarding IP with data from forty-six organizations (expert interviews, website analyses). The analysis of the data with Computer Assisted/Aided Qualitative Data AnalysiS (CAQDAS) follows four steps: (1) organizing the material; (2) coding; (3) searching; and (4) modelling and interpreting. The analysis revealed that first, there were several activities regarding IP that have been applied by different stakeholders, second, the present status of IP from the point of view of the different stakeholders has a strong legal aspect, and third, a cross-national collaboration for enforcement and harmonizing legislation is seen important for the future of IP specifically by governmental bodies. Overall, these findings allow for recommendations not only for legislators but also for industry and organizations lobbying for more lenient IP rights leading to a bright future for IP.