This innovative and insightful book, written by some of the leading academics in the field, advances research frontiers on intellectual property and copyright issues. Topics addressed include: peer-to-peer music file sharing, optimal fair use standards, the benefits of copyright collectives, copyright and market entry, alternatives to copyright, the impact of copyright on knowledge production, the proper balance between copyright and competition law, and the application of systematic principles to issues that arise at the periphery of intellectual property law - all with an eye toward economics. Displaying a wide range of methodologies - from formal theoretical economic modeling to institutional and case study analyses - the volume explores the role that economics plays in copyright law and policy and shows how economic tools and analysis can be applied to help resolve copyright problems.

The diversity of topics and analyses will be of interest not only to economists, but also to legal scholars and other professionals interested in copyright law, management and policy.