Liz Mason
Research Title
The effect of national IP enforcement on the IP management strategies of firms: The case of India and China
Research Topic:
intellectual property, management strategies, China and India
Research Description:
Abstract: Many empirical studies on the effect of a nations' intellectual property institution (IPI) on the international activities of firms rely upon various indices, or measures, of IP strength. These are generally derived from a nation's substantive and subordinate laws and regulations that govern terms of IP protection and enforcement procedures. However, most extant measures focus on the strength of IP 'protection' in countries and are weak at capturing the IP 'enforcement' dimension. This study investigates and compares institutional enforcement behaviour in India and China as experienced and perceived by EU and US firms and how this influences their IP management strategies. Initial findings indicate that institutional enforcement behaviour has a greater impact on firms' IP management strategies than do enacted IP protection and enforcement laws and regulations. This research involves interviewing UK and EU firms to establish their experiences and perceptions of the IPI in China and India and to identify the proactive and reactive strategies that they employ to minimise against the risk of infringement of their IPRs and knowledge leakage from within the firm. Interviews have already been conducted in China and a visit to India is planned in September 2010.
Start date and Research form:
1 October 2006 Part-time
Research supervisor(s):
(first) Mr Adam Cross; (second) Professor Peter Buckley
Background and Experience:
I have worked in the field of international business for over 20 years in both the private and public sector. I have worked for SMEs and MNEs in a variety of sectors trading across a range of international markets. I have also worked in an advisory capacity to businesses as a trade advisor working with UK Trade and Investment. My most recent employment was as the International Trade Manager at Yorkshire Forward, the Yorkshire & Humber Regional Development Agency, where I worked for 7 years. I commenced my PhD in 2006 with CIBUL on a part-time basis and now work as a part-time associate lecturer at both Leeds and Huddersfield Universities delivering lectures and seminars in a range of international business subjects. I am also involved in private consultancy work with the Institute of Export and provide training courses for a range of local and international organisations in international business subjects and contract law for business. I obtained a 2:1 LL.B law degree from the University of Leeds in 1995.
Publications and conference presentations:
Publication: Mason, E.L. & Cross, A.R. 2009. The effect of national IP enforcement on the IP management strategies of firms: the case of India and China, International Journal of Intellectual Property Management, 3(3): 195-222.
Conference Presentation:
(1) 2nd EPIP Conference September 2007 (European Policy for Intellectual Property), Lund, Sweden
Paper presented: IP Indices: A difference in practice and principles? A comparative analysis of UK firms investment decisions into China and India
(2) EAMSA 2008 (Euro-Asia Management Studies Association), Kyoto, Japan
Paper accepted (presented by supervisor, Adam Cross): The effect of national IP enforcement on the IP management strategies of firms: The case of India and China