Implementation of Traditional Knowledge Protection Mechanisms in Africa: The Challenge of Trans-boundary Traditional Knowledge

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Temitope Kuti
2015 ◽  
Vol 16 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 9-25
Author(s):  
Champathong Phochanthilath

Lao People’s Democratic Republic is a multicultural country within the Association of South East Asian Nations. It recently adopted the Intellectual Property Law in the context of enhancing regional and global economic integration. The traditional handicraft textile sector is important in Laos. It is of benefit to the country’s economic development, as well as being recognized as an important element of both national culture and the identity of Lao women. However, Lao craftswomen are facing a strong challenge preserving their traditional knowledge due to the extremely cheap imitations of items such as scarves and Lao skirts, which are being sold in Laos. This article aims to discuss the existing international instruments and related national laws regarding intellectual property and protection of traditional knowledge with particular regard to women’s rights. Intellectual property and traditional knowledge issues attract more attention than intellectual property rights under the World Intellectual Property Organization regime; unesco, trips, cbd and human rights treaties, all to which Lao is a party, are also relevant. Nationally, Laos is still lacking adequate and appropriate means to protect rights of women as traditional knowledge holders in terms of national laws.


2011 ◽  
Vol 15 (03) ◽  
pp. 593-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
HEIDI OLANDER ◽  
PIA HURMELINNA-LAUKKANEN ◽  
PIA HEILMANN

In terms of innovation generation and management, creative employees are the most valuable resources in small firms. Thus, knowledge leaking and leaving are the major staff-related risks. Protecting HRM-related knowledge is one effective way of dealing with these challenges, although this is not always acknowledged by academics or by managers. It is particularly valuable in safeguarding the existing background knowledge of the firm, and thus the prerequisites for future innovation. The aim in this study is to shed light on what is a somewhat neglected protection and appropriability mechanism, and thus to enhance understanding of the role of HRM in protecting core company knowledge—especially in SMEs. These issues are explored in a review of the latest literature and a case study of 15 SMEs representing three industries. The theoretical contribution of the study is to introduce and empirically test a typology of five HRM-related knowledge-protection mechanisms: recruitment, education and training on matters of confidentiality, retaining employees, capturing and diffusing knowledge in-house, and monitoring.


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