Comparative Study of IP Law Enforcement in Developing vs. Developed Countries: Identifying Primary Challenges and their Implications

This study focuses on the identification of the main issues being confronted in the enforcement of IP laws in developing countries and presents a comparison that allows the observation of challenges faced in developed countries. By mapping the unique and common obstacles to IP protection effectiveness worldwide, the study focuses on socioeconomic, cultural, and institutional factors. It finds sharp contrasts between developing and developed countries regarding resources, legal infrastructure, corruption, and cultural attitudes toward recognition of IP rights. The most egregious issues are often found in the developing world, plagued by a lack of financial and human resources to devote to IP enforcement, poor technological infrastructure, high levels of corruption, and even cultural norms that may be less supportive of strict individual ownership rights. Developed countries also face the challenges of digital piracy, cross-border enforcement issues, and emerging technological threats in their ever-changing complexity. The mixed-method approach has been applied to this study, integrating systematic literature review, qualitative interviews, and quantitative analysis to understand challenges in both contexts comprehensively. This points to the need for customized capacity-building measures, anti-corruption strategies, culturally sensitive public awareness campaigns, and legal reforms that address the dynamic realities facing the evolving landscape of IP enforcement. These findings suggest that the challenges have to be addressed differentially by policymakers, international organizations, and IP stakeholders for innovation, fair competition, and sustainable economic growth to be promoted. The research thus attempts to contribute to the development of more effective and balanced global IP enforcement frameworks through the development of an understanding of the common issues and unique problems of both developed and developing countries.