IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/bpj/rneart/v16y2017i1p1-26n2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Effect of Piracy and Digital Rights Management on Vertically Related Content Industries

Author

Listed:
  • Bae Sang Hoo

    (Clark University, 950 Main St., Worcester, MA 01610, USA)

  • Kim Myungsup

    (University of North Texas, 1155 Union Circle #311457, Denton, TX 76203-5017, USA)

  • Yoo Kyeongwon

    (Sangmyung University, 7 Hongji-dong Chongro-gu, Seoul, Korea, Phone: +82 2 2287 5039, Fax: +82 2 2287 0059)

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how digitalization affects vertically related content industries with the threat of piracy. We construct a model of vertical relationship where an upstream [a downstream] firm is considered as a content provider [a retailer]. Three business models are proposed depending on who has the right to implement digital rights management (DRM): a vertically-integrated entity, an upstream, and a downstream. First, we analyze how different modes of control on DRM affect the optimal prices and the level of copy protection. The results are dependent upon the different control modes of DRM and the degree of opportunistic behavior responding to increasing piracy costs. Second, we analyze the effect of two types of piracy depending on distribution channels (non-digital versus digital). Strengthening intellectual property rights (IPR) protection results in a price hike for both cases, while we have opposite changes in quantities depending on the types of piracy.

Suggested Citation

  • Bae Sang Hoo & Kim Myungsup & Yoo Kyeongwon, 2017. "The Effect of Piracy and Digital Rights Management on Vertically Related Content Industries," Review of Network Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 16(1), pages 1-26, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:rneart:v:16:y:2017:i:1:p:1-26:n:2
    DOI: 10.1515/rne-2017-0035
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1515/rne-2017-0035
    Download Restriction: For access to full text, subscription to the journal or payment for the individual article is required.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1515/rne-2017-0035?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zentner, Alejandro, 2006. "Measuring the Effect of File Sharing on Music Purchases," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 49(1), pages 63-90, April.
    2. Stanley M. Besen & Leo J. Raskind, 1991. "An Introduction to the Law and Economics of Intellectual Property," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 5(1), pages 3-27, Winter.
    3. Hui Kai-Lung & Png Ivan, 2003. "Piracy and the Legitimate Demand for Recorded Music," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 2(1), pages 1-22, September.
    4. Martin Peitz & Patrick Waelbroeck, 2005. "An Economist's Guide to Digital Music," CESifo Economic Studies, CESifo Group, vol. 51(2-3), pages 359-428.
    5. Novos, Ian E & Waldman, Michael, 1984. "The Effects of Increased Copyright Protection: An Analytic Approach," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 92(2), pages 236-246, April.
    6. Liebowitz, Stan J, 2006. "File Sharing: Creative Destruction or Just Plain Destruction?," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 49(1), pages 1-28, April.
    7. Ahn, Illtae & Shin, Ilsoon, 2010. "On the optimal level of protection in DRM," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 341-353, December.
    8. Yoon, Kiho, 2002. "The optimal level of copyright protection," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 327-348, September.
    9. Liebowitz, S J, 1985. "Copying and Indirect Appropriability: Photocopying of Journals," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 93(5), pages 945-957, October.
    10. Yooki Park & Suzanne Scotchmer, 2004. "Digital Rights Management and the Pricing of Digital Products," Working Papers 04-09, NET Institute, revised Oct 2004.
    11. Michel Norbert J, 2006. "The Impact of Digital File Sharing on the Music Industry: An Empirical Analysis," The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, De Gruyter, vol. 6(1), pages 1-24, September.
    12. Choi, Pilsik & Bae, Sang Hoo & Jun, Jongbyung, 2010. "Digital piracy and firms' strategic interactions: The effects of public copy protection and DRM similarity," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 354-364, December.
    13. Peitz, Martin & Waldfogel, Joel, 2012. "The Oxford Handbook of the Digital Economy," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780195397840.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Stan J. Liebowitz & Richard Watt, 2006. "How To Best Ensure Remuneration For Creators In The Market For Music? Copyright And Its Alternatives," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(4), pages 513-545, September.
    2. Brett Danaher & Michael D. Smith & Rahul Telang, 2014. "Piracy and Copyright Enforcement Mechanisms," Innovation Policy and the Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 14(1), pages 25-61.
    3. Choi, Pilsik & Bae, Sang Hoo & Jun, Jongbyung, 2010. "Digital piracy and firms' strategic interactions: The effects of public copy protection and DRM similarity," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 22(4), pages 354-364, December.
    4. Joel Waldfogel, 2012. "Music Piracy and Its Effects on Demand, Supply, and Welfare," Innovation Policy and the Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 12(1), pages 91-110.
    5. Tsai, Ming-Fang & Chiou, Jiunn-Rong & Lin, Chun-Hung A., 2012. "A model of counterfeiting: A duopoly approach," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 283-291.
    6. Zentner, Alejandro, 2008. "Online sales, Internet use, file sharing, and the decline of retail music specialty stores," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 20(3), pages 288-300, September.
    7. Kresimir Zigic & Jiri Strelicky & Michal Kunin, 2020. "Private and Public IPR Protection in a Vertically Differentiated Software Duopoly," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp671, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    8. Paul Belleflamme & Pierre M. Picard, 2007. "Piracy and Competition," Journal of Economics & Management Strategy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(2), pages 351-383, June.
    9. Juan Montoro Pons & Manuel Cuadrado García, 2008. "Legal origin and intellectual property rights: an empirical study in the prerecorded music sector," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 26(2), pages 153-173, October.
    10. Kresimir Zigic & Jiri Strelicky & Michael Kunin, 2014. "How Does Public IPR Protection Affect its Private Counterpart? Copyright and the Firms' Own IPR Protection in a Software Duopoly," CERGE-EI Working Papers wp518, The Center for Economic Research and Graduate Education - Economics Institute, Prague.
    11. Bae Sang Hoo & Yoo Kyeongwon, 2021. "Is Imitation Bad for the Production of Creative Works?," Review of Network Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 19(2), pages 115-144, January.
    12. Peitz, Martin & Waelbroeck, Patrick, 2006. "Piracy of digital products: A critical review of the theoretical literature," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 449-476, November.
    13. Žigić, Krešimir & Střelický, Jiří & Kúnin, Michael, 2023. "Copyright and firms’ own IPR protection in a software market: Monopoly versus duopoly," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 123(C).
    14. Julie Holland Mortimer, 2007. "Price Discrimination, Copyright Law, and Technological Innovation: Evidence from the Introduction of DVDs," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 122(3), pages 1307-1350.
    15. William M. Volckmann, 2023. "The effects of market size, wealth, and network effects on digital piracy and profit," European Journal of Law and Economics, Springer, vol. 55(1), pages 61-85, February.
    16. Chao, Hong & Ho, Chun-Yu & Leung, Tin Cheuk & Ng, Travis, 2017. "To root or not to root? The economics of jailbreak," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 45(3), pages 481-497.
    17. Christophe Bellégo & Romain De Nijs, 2020. "The Unintended Consequences of Antipiracy Laws on Markets with Asymmetric Piracy: The Case of the French Movie Industry," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 31(4), pages 1064-1086, December.
    18. Stefan Buehler & Daniel Halbheer & Michael Lechner, 2017. "Payment Evasion," Journal of Industrial Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 65(4), pages 804-832, December.
    19. Tunay I. Tunca & Qiong Wu, 2013. "Fighting Fire with Fire: Commercial Piracy and the Role of File Sharing on Copyright Protection Policy for Digital Goods," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 24(2), pages 436-453, June.
    20. Arun Sundararajan, 2003. "Managing Digital Piracy: Pricing, Protection and Welfare," Law and Economics 0307001, University Library of Munich, Germany.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    copyright protection; digitalization; digital rights management; piracy; upstream-downstream;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets
    • L82 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Entertainment; Media
    • L86 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Information and Internet Services; Computer Software
    • O34 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Intellectual Property and Intellectual Capital

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:bpj:rneart:v:16:y:2017:i:1:p:1-26:n:2. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Peter Golla (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.degruyter.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.