Intellectual Property Rights and Asean Development in the Digital Age

The trade-investment-service-intellectual property (IP) nexus remains at the heart of economic development and the main features of which are global value chains (GVCs) and digitalisation. The protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) has become a critical issue not only for advanced economies but also for emerging markets. This edited volume contributes to the debates on IPR protection and economic development from the perspective of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states. The book provides insights into the mechanism and evidence on how effective IPR protection will increase economic and social welfare via promoting innovation activities and providing incentives to diffuse knowledge and transfer technologies.

Written by economists and lawyers from the region, these experts share their latest findings and thoughts on how countries in Southeast Asia have been progressively improving IPR protection and increasing the interoperability of different IPR regimes through regional cooperation to facilitate business operations in the context of digital transformation.

Lurong Chen is Senior Economist at the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA). He obtained his PhD in International Economics from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, Geneva. His research interests include international trade and development, digital economy, and Asian regionalism. He advises governments, international organizations, and the private sector on development issues related to digitalization and regional integration.

Fukunari Kimura is Chief Economist at the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) and Professor at the Faculty of Economics, Keio University. He obtained his PhD in economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA. His research interests include international trade and development, economic growth, applied microeconomics, and Japanese and Asian economies. Dr Kimura was President of the Japan Society of International Economics (2010–2012) and Dean of the Graduate School of Economics, Keio University (2015–2017). He advises governments and international organizations on trade policy and development issues.