EXPLORING CHINESE DESIGN BUSINESS OWNERS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS

Abstract

As Intellectual Property (IP) protection can nurture innovation, and since innovation is one of the critical sources of economic growth, it has become especially important since China surpassed a certain economic development stage, because China now has a growing number of its own innovations which need to be protected. This paper describes the construction of a new research model with which to explore and examine the impact of potential factors on attitudes towards Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) in China in the context of the creative design industry. The findings of a quantitative study of Chinese design business owners reveal the significant roles of Confucianism, perceived economic loss and perceived effectiveness of IPR law enforcement in shaping their attitudes towards IPR. Our findings support the idea that promoting Confucianism can help to develop an internalised respect for IPR, while sizable penalties for IPR infringement can enhance the effectiveness of IPR protection.