@workingpaper{Asongu2013bt,
title = {Global dynamic timelines for IPRs harmonization against software piracy},
author = {Simplice A Asongu},
editor = {African 2013 Governance and Development Institute WP/13/010},
url = {http://www.afridev.org/RePEc/agd/agd-wpaper/Global-dynamic-timelines-for-IPRs-harmonization-against-software-piracy.pdf},
year = {2013},
date = {2013-03-01},
abstract = {This paper employs a recent methodological innovation on intellectual property rights
(IPRs) harmonization to project global timelines for common policies against software piracy.
The findings on 99 countries are premised on 15 fundamental characteristics of software
piracy based on income-levels (high-income, lower-middle-income, upper-middle-income and
low-income), legal-origins (English common-law, French civil-law, German civil-law and,
Scandinavian civil-law) and, regional proximity (South Asia, Europe & Central Asia, East
Asia & the Pacific, Middle East & North Africa, Latin America & the Caribbean and, SubSaharan
Africa). The results broadly show that a feasible horizon for the harmonization of
blanket policies ranges from 4 to 10 years.},
keywords = {Software piracy; Intellectual property rights; Panel data; Convergence},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {workingpaper}
}

@workingpaper{Asongu2012bj,
title = {Harmonizing IPRs on Software Piracy: Empirics of Trajectories in Africa},
author = {Simplice A Asongu},
editor = {African 2012 Governance and Development Institute WP/12/025},
url = {http://www.afridev.org/RePEc/agd/agd-wpaper/Harmonizing-IPRs-on-Software-Piracy.pdf},
year = {2012},
date = {2012-07-01},
abstract = {In the current efforts of harmonizing the standards and enforcement of IPRs protection
worldwide, this paper explores software piracy trajectories and dynamics in Africa. Using a
battery of estimation techniques that ignore as well as integrate short-run disturbances in timedynamic
fashion, we answer the big questions policy makers are most likely to ask before
harmonizing IPRs regimes in the battle against software piracy. Three main findings are
established. (1) African countries with low software piracy rates are catching-up their
counterparts with higher rates; implying despite existing divergent IPRs systems, convergence
in piracy rate could be a genuine standard-setting platform. (2) Legal origins do not play a
very significant role in the convergence process. (3) A genuine timeframe for standardizing
IPRs laws in the fight against piracy is most likely between a horizon of 4 to 8 years. In other
words, full (100%) convergence within the specified horizon will mean the enforcements of
IPRs regimes without distinction of nationality and locality. Policy implications and caveats
are discussed.},
keywords = {Software piracy; Intellectual property rights; Panel data; Convergence},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {workingpaper}
}