Geographical Indication (GI) options for Ethiopian Coffee and Ghanaian Cocoa

Innovation & Intellectual Property
hoarding. Such hoarding has been found to lead to the “under- utilisation of
research findings” (NACI, 2003). Access is necessary to allow others to build on
prior knowledge, and IP should ideally improve conditions for sustained creativity
and innovation. This research was premised on a view that knowledge will
tend to have greater socio-economic impact where it is shared and utilised.
The aforementioned Hargreaves Report (2011) argues for increased flexibility
in the publishing of publicly funded research. Hargreaves addresses the potential
conflict between, on the one hand, facilitation by digital communication technologies
of “the routine copying of text, images and data” (2011, p. 3) and, on
the other hand, closed-off online sources operating within a framework of laws
that constitute a regulatory barrier to the creation of new knowledge and business
development. Hargreaves proposes the development of a “digital copyright
exchange” (2011, p. 3) designed to increase consumer confidence in the use of
copyrighted material for both private and public benefit. The Report advises that
“there should be a change in rules to enable scientific and other researchers to use
modern text and data mining techniques, which copyright prohibits” (2011, p. 4).
Commercialisation
Commercialisation of research output is typically premised on the acquisition of
IP protection. In order to realise the value contained in the IP, the entity seeking
to commercialise it must have an established proprietary right over the knowledge
via an IP right. Such a process of commercialisation requires a robust approach to
IP protection. It is important to note, however, that securing patent protection is
not a guarantee that commercialisation will succeed.
Knowledge socialisation
Knowledge socialisation, or “socialisation of knowledge” as it is referred to in
the relevant literature, involves the adoption or uptake of norms, customs and
ideologies through which social, cultural and economic continuity are sustained
(Halloran, 2011; Nonaka, 1991; Plaskoff, 2011). The concept applies to non-commercial
integration of knowledge in society. The socialisation of knowledge is
underpinned by one major imperative – that knowledge is shared. Sharing allows
the knowledge to develop, as it is adopted and adapted by various sections of society.
In the context of academic research and publishing, the ability of researchers
to disseminate knowledge into the public domain significantly determines the
extent to which such knowledge becomes socialised. Advances in technology
have opened up myriad ways for knowledge to be rapidly socialised. Some consequences
may be negative, i.e. in the internet age, untried, untested and sometimes
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