The Social Construction of Copyright Ethics and Values

Authors: Slaughter, Sheila¹; Rhoades, Gary²

Source: Science and Engineering Ethics, Volume 16, Number 2, June 2010 , pp. 263-293(31)

Publisher: Springer

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Abstract:

This study is based on analysis of copyright policies and 26 interviews with science and engineering faculty at three research universities on the topic of copyright beliefs, values, and practices, with emphasis on copyright of instructional materials, courseware, tools, and texts. Given that research universities now emphasize increasing external revenue flows through marketing of intellectual property, we expected copyright to follow the path of patents and lead to institutional emphasis of policies and practices that enhanced universities' intellectual property portfolios, accompanied by an increase in copyrighting by professors. Although this pattern occurred with regard to institutions, professors offered a more varied pattern, with some fully participating in commercialization of copyright and embracing entrepreneurial values, while others resisted or subverted commercial activity in favor of traditional science and engineering values.

Keywords: Copyright; Patents; Intellectual property policies; Case studies

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11948-009-9162-1

Affiliations: 1: Institute of Higher Education, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30605, USA, Email: slaughtr@uga.edu 2: Center for the Study of Higher Education, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85721, USA, Email: grhoades@email.arizona.edu

Publication date: 2010-06-01