IP Outreach Research > IP Creation
Reference
| Title: | Academic authors' perception on copyright protection |
| Author: | Shahren Ahmad Zaidi Adruce [Syracuse University] |
| Source: | PhD Dissertation |
| Year: | 2004 |
Details
| Subject/Type: | Creativity |
| Focus: | Success Factors |
| Country/Territory: | United States of America |
| Objective: | To better understand the perception of academic authors regarding copyright protection, and especially its duration. |
| Sample: | 106 academic authors |
| Methodology: | Online survey |
Main Findings
The study finds that academic authors are not primarily motivated by monetary rewards when they write/create their works. Esteem, intrinsic and job-related needs seem to play a much more significant role in explaining academic creativity.
The need to fulfil one’s self-esteem is seemingly the most important motivating factor behind academic creation: to get appreciation and acknowledgement, to gain recognition and popularity, and to leave an intellectual legacy to others.
Next in importance comes self-actualisation: writing/creating academic works is not done for any apparent reward, but for the activity itself: academic authors are motivated by the interest, enjoyment, satisfaction and challenge of the work itself, not external pressures/rewards.
Another motivating factor is writing/creating for job-related reasons: job security or enhancement, gaining tenure, job contract renewal, promotion, securing a better job.
These findings let the author conclude that most academic creations would still be created even in the absence of a financial reward achieved through copyright protection.
[Date Added: Oct 21, 2008 ]