Intellectual property is often described as either ‘industrial property’, comprising
patents, utility models, industrial designs, trademarks, service marks, trade
names, indications of source or appellations of origin, and the repression of unfair
competition,2 and/or ‘copyright’, which refers to literary and artistic works. In fact, the
correct use of the term ‘intellectual property’ comprises both industrial property and
copyright. The focus of this study is on the copyright subset of IPR.
The first objective of this study is to create an awareness of IPRs that are associated
with creative activities.
There are many explanations of the term innovation and for purpose of this study we
consider innovation as a process of introducing a new product, technology, service,
useful design, new process, artistic work, fabric, etc. to the market and the consumer.
Every new idea transformed into a new product or service is considered to be an
innovation – some innovations involve inventions, know-how and trade secrets, while
others are based on new artistic perceptions, addressing emotions and senses. For
example, innovations that result in a patent or trade secret, or the art and science of
building a trademark are creative activities. There is, however, a great deal of creative
activity that is not technology or brand related. Much of this creative activity is
performed by individuals or small organizations and its results are often not as obvious
to their creator or an observer or user as in the case of an invention (that may be
protected by a patent) or a brand protected by product or service trademark.