The Myths about Intellectual Property in Asia
Whenever I travel in Asia outside of Japan, I get asked the same question “What are you doing there?” The question always comes with one of two follow up statements. It's either “They don't really have any intellectual property of their own. They just make things for the real innovative companies.” or “They just steal everyone else's IP as well as each others.”
Both the question and the statements are pretty ugly and, even worse, ignorant. Two myths should immediately be dispelled about what is happening in Asia. First, there is a lot more going on in Asia than manufacturing. Second, they care very much about IP, and not just their own.
Myth 1: Asia only makes things for other people.
Ignoring for the moment that Asia is a big, diverse, place that simply can't be painted with the same brush, there is wholesale change going on in China, Taiwan, Singapore, and India. It is true that these countries have a vast, low cost manufacturing base. It is also true that they do tremendous business in contract manufacturing and low-cost services. However, it is no longer the case that this is all they do. Just look at companies like HTC, whose smart phone may give the Apple iPhone a run for the money. Another example is Lenovo, a major producer of laptops computers. Check out Huawei, a huge telecommunications equipment manufacturer just now making inroads in North America. All of these companies are in the business of creating their own innovative products. That means innovation and intellectual property.
Myth 2: They steal IP! They don't want to protect my IP or even their own.
Piracy happens throughout the world but that doesn't make everyone a thief. For example, The Pirate Bay, a bit torrent aggregator, known for their disdain of US intellectual property laws, are in Sweden. Yet, no one would accuse the Swedes of being IP thieves. In fact, people in Asia have the same issues, worries, and goals for intellectual property as the rest of the world. It's only that the people in China, Taiwan, and India came into the game a bit later. Many of legal protections, available in the US or EU are also available in Asia. Some are even better than what we have in the US. They are also investing in infrastructure for managing IP. Companies in Asia are keenly aware that they can't misappropriate other people's IP and expect other countries to protect theirs. That is no different than it is in the US or EU. So, no. Businesses in Asia are just as worried about IP and are as much spending time and money to protect it as anyone else in the world.
All in all, Asia is an exciting environment full companies that are creating really interesting products. Though nascent, Asia is on the road to becoming a technology powerhouse just like the US and EU.
Both the question and the statements are pretty ugly and, even worse, ignorant. Two myths should immediately be dispelled about what is happening in Asia. First, there is a lot more going on in Asia than manufacturing. Second, they care very much about IP, and not just their own.
Myth 1: Asia only makes things for other people.
Ignoring for the moment that Asia is a big, diverse, place that simply can't be painted with the same brush, there is wholesale change going on in China, Taiwan, Singapore, and India. It is true that these countries have a vast, low cost manufacturing base. It is also true that they do tremendous business in contract manufacturing and low-cost services. However, it is no longer the case that this is all they do. Just look at companies like HTC, whose smart phone may give the Apple iPhone a run for the money. Another example is Lenovo, a major producer of laptops computers. Check out Huawei, a huge telecommunications equipment manufacturer just now making inroads in North America. All of these companies are in the business of creating their own innovative products. That means innovation and intellectual property.
Myth 2: They steal IP! They don't want to protect my IP or even their own.
Piracy happens throughout the world but that doesn't make everyone a thief. For example, The Pirate Bay, a bit torrent aggregator, known for their disdain of US intellectual property laws, are in Sweden. Yet, no one would accuse the Swedes of being IP thieves. In fact, people in Asia have the same issues, worries, and goals for intellectual property as the rest of the world. It's only that the people in China, Taiwan, and India came into the game a bit later. Many of legal protections, available in the US or EU are also available in Asia. Some are even better than what we have in the US. They are also investing in infrastructure for managing IP. Companies in Asia are keenly aware that they can't misappropriate other people's IP and expect other countries to protect theirs. That is no different than it is in the US or EU. So, no. Businesses in Asia are just as worried about IP and are as much spending time and money to protect it as anyone else in the world.
All in all, Asia is an exciting environment full companies that are creating really interesting products. Though nascent, Asia is on the road to becoming a technology powerhouse just like the US and EU.
