Intellectual+Property+Rights

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**Wiki By Ryan Turei**
=**How can Businesses Enforce their Intellectual Property Rights?**=

= What is intellectual Property? =

====Intellectual Property is an area of law which protects human innovations and ideas such as art, inventions and music. These innovations may often be intangible but are capable of being protected under national law.====



= = = = = = = Where does the law come from? =

====Intellectual Property law has developed over the centuries through common law. During the 15th century in England the rights behind copyright law began to develop due to the invention of the printing press. It was not until the 19th century when Intellectual Property gained prominence and the term began to be used. The development of Intellectual Property law has varied depending on the country. During the 19th century copyright law began to develop within Australia which can be seen with the introduction of the NSW Copyright Act 1879 which later became the [|Australian Copyright Act 1968]. In the early 20th century Intellectual Property law became common place in the United States through the __[|Statue of Anne 1710]__ and [|Statute of Monopolies 1623]. Intellectual Property Law reached New Zealand Shores in 1870 with the development of the New Zealand Patent Office and later became the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand who helped introduce the [|Patents Act 1953] and more recently the [|Trade Marks Act 2002].====



= Where can businesses register their Intellectual Property and what are the advantages? =

====Businesses within New Zealand are increasingly knowledge driven and it is important for businesses to understand and know how they can protect their products, designs and trademarks. By businesses being aware of the intellectual Property systems this allows them to profit from their design or product. By registering their innovation on the IP register on the Intellectual Property Office of New Zealand (IPONZ) website this records ownership as well as entitling the owner to exclusive legal rights to maximise the products commercial potential.This also allows businesses to establish a strong IP portfolio which will create a legal record of ownership.====

Advantages of registering Intellectual Property rights:

 * ====Prevents competitors from copying or imitating product====
 * ====Creates an identity for business e.g. Trademark====
 * ====Expansion of business through licencing and franchising====
 * ====Increases the value of the company====
 * ====Allows company to gain access to new markets e.g foreign markets etc====



= What is the impact of Intellectual Property on Business in New Zealand? =

==== ﻿ IP has had a tremendous impact on business within New Zealand which allows New Zealand companies to grow and profit from their original products and innovations thus helping the economy and even promoting New Zealand in the international arena. By businesses investing in IP this not only protects them from breaches of copy right but can also increase a businesses revenue. By protecting a businesses IP this can help enhance a businesses market value and future profit by expanding the business thorough franchising and licencing. "Kiwi ingenuity" is one of New Zealand s greatest assets. Kiwi ideas are great and innovative and it is important for New Zealand companies to protect their IP because New Zealand is such a small country. If businesses fail to see the importance and significance of protecting their IP the "number 8 wire" spirit of New Zealand innovations will be lost to overseas businesses who can copy the idea and manufacture as well as market the product at a much cheaper price. IP protects some of New Zealand's greatest exports which encompass the very culture of New Zealand society such as Air New Zealand, Watties, Marmite, Sanitarium, The All Blacks and The Haka. This shows that IP is of great importance to New Zealand business, the economy but more importantly to New Zealand Culture.====



= Where can you find more information? =