Institutionalization of intellectual property rights in China

Following the 1978 political and economic reforms, China has undergone a significant transformation on the intellectual property rights (IPR) front. In this paper, we use neo-institutionat theory to examine the institutionalization of IPR in China. Specifically, we examine the perceptions of national elites and the public regarding IPR as well as IPR related pressures facing these actors, their negotiation with other actors and their responses. Regulative, normative and cognitive institutions formed around the IPR field in China are analyzed. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All. rights reserved.