Question

In regards to intellectual property, Do you think technology companies should be able to receive protection for allegedly basic ideas (eg store design or shape or color of a product) and functionalities? This question was asked in the opening story in chapter 8 of Kubasek, N. K., Browne, M. N., Barkacs, L., Herron, D., & Dhooge, L. (2016). Biblical worldview edition of dynamic business law.

Answer 1

In regards to the intellectual property, it is not necessary that technology companies should be able to receive protection for allegedly basic ideas, for instance, store design, shape or color of a product.It is mainly given on breakthrough research ideas which leads to development of unique products and thus needs to be patented so that others could not copy the product. Giving patents for basic ideas like store design, shapr or color hampers competition in the market and thus leads to monopoly conditions even for basic ideas. Thus, patents should be provided only for ideas of research that are exclusive in nature and not basic.