12_jwe_3-4 UDC: 005.336.4 (669) JEL: J24; I2 SCIENTIFIC REVIEW Economic Returns on Investment in Intellectual Property by University Lecturers in Nigeria Sabitu Olatunji Alimi∗, Iyiomo Akinrotimi Oyetakin, Adekunle Ajasin University, Faculty of Education, Department of Educational Management, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria A B S T R A C T The paper has identified the rationale and modus operandi for writing of text book, copyright, and patenting by university lecturers with some prescriptions for improving the returns from such investment e.g. avoiding the fallacy of misplaced concreteness, forensic auditing of the creations of ideas in print. As a descriptive research design, it makes use of some indicators for measuring the returns on university lecturers’ investment in print in Nigeria. Data were collected through the use of a validated self-developed questionnaire tagged, Returns on Investment on Intellectual Property Questionnaire (RIIPQ), with a reliability coefficient of r = 0.71. The study covered three Federal and three State universities in South West Nigeria selected through stratification. The participants cut across 300 academic staff of the sampled universities. Data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics tools to test the research hypotheses for the study. The result reveals that there is a significant difference between monetary and non-monetary returns on University Lecturers’ Investment in Intellectual Property in Print and that the copyright acts do not adequately protect the intellectual property of university lecturers in Nigeria. A cull from the findings denotes some recommendations such as strengthening the copy right act to assist in the returns from investment in writing and that appropriate sanctions against erring individuals and institutions drastic reduction of waste and graft adherence to due process on intellectual display and finally the need for moral and ethical rebirth for all and sundry the education industry ∗ E-mail: ailimiolatunji@yahoo.com Sabitu, O.A, et al., Economic Returns, JWE (2012, No. 3-4, 102-113) 103 KEW WORDS: human capital, capacity building, intellectual ideas, literary works, patenting, and returns on investmen Introduction Human capital theorists all over the world have convergent views that investments in human beings are productive investments in human skills, knowledge, and capabilities which yield significant benefits to the individual and the society at large. The acquisition of education and university education in particular, is a form of investment in human capital which provides and increases the much needed human resources to accelerate the growth and development of the economy since knowledge is valued as a major determinant of economic growth and development. The protagonists of human capital were of the view that ability to think in a logical way and putting it down in form of writing, modeling, or production denotes the surrender value of a fermented brain. The Federal Government of Nigeria (2004) in its National Policy on Education spelt the objectives of higher education that it is expected to contribute to national development through training of high level relevant manpower; inculcating proper values for survival; promoting and encouraging scholarship and community service. The strategies by which these objectives are to be achieved is teaching, research and development, virile staff development, generation and dissemination of knowledge, and a variety mode of programmes. Conceptual View of Intellectual Properties The World Intellectual Property Organization (2010) defined Intellectual properties as the creations of the mind: inventions, literary and artistic works and symbols, names, and images used in commerce. According to Oxford Advance learner’s dictionary (2005), intellectual property is an idea or a design created and that the law prevents other people from copying. Modern usage of intellectual property goes back to at least as far back as 1888 with the establishment of the Bern of the Swiss Federal Office for Intellectual Property. The merger of Paris Convention and Berne Convention in 1893 gave birth to the United International Bureaux for the Protection of Intellectual Property which subsequently Journal of Women's Entrepreneurship and Education (2012, No. 3-4, 102-113) 104 relocated to Geneva in 1960 and was succeeded in 1967 with the establishment of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Intellectual property is divided into two categories: Industrial Property which includes patents for inventions, trademark, industrial designs and geographical indications. Copyright, this includes literary works such as novels, poems and plays, films, musical works, artistic work. Intellectual property rights like any other property rights allow the creator, or owner, of a patent, trademark, or copyright to benefit from his or her own work or investment. Orji in Review of the Nigerian System of Intellectual Property (2009) reports that in Nigeria, intellectual property can be traced back to the colonial era when the English Trademark Ordinance was introduced into the colonies even before the amalgamation of the then British Northern Nigeria and Southern Nigeria Protectorates. The system of trade Trademark registration is governed by the Trademarks Act 1965 found in Cap 436 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990. Patents and designs registration on the other hand are governed by the Patent and Design Act 1970, to be found in Cap 344, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990. The Trademarks, Patents and Designs laws are currently administered by the commercial Law Department of the Federal Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Copyright on the other hand is protected in Nigeria by the Copyright Act and the Nigeria Copyright Commission (NCC), an agency under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Justice. (Review of the Nigerian System of Intellectual Property, 2009). The Nigerian Copyright Commission introduced the Copyright Notification Scheme, which allows authors of copyright works to notify the Commission of the creation and or existence of works and all other information relating to the work. This is a strategy to guide against the return to investment of a copyright owner. The unfortunate byline is the low patronage of the scheme by authors and copyright owners. Literary works ranked the highest patronage of 64.42% followed by sound recordings, cinematograph, artistic works, transfer of rights with 21.01%, 11.56%, 2.01%, .80% respectively while musical works ranked the least with 20%. Sabitu, O.A, et al., Economic Returns, JWE (2012, No. 3-4, 102-113) 105 Table 1: Application Received by Nigerian Copyright Commission Between 2005 and June 2008 Type of Copyright No of Application Percentage Literary Works 641 64.42 Sound Recordings 209 21.01 Cinematograph Film 115 11.56 Artistic Works 20 2.01 Musical Works 2 0.20 Transfer of Rights 8 0.80 Total 995 100 Source: Review of the Nigerian System of Intellectual Property (2009:10) Figure 1 depict a curve showing the percentage strength in the application received by Nigerian copyright commission on intellectual property. Figure 1: A Graph Showing the Application for Copyright Protection by Inventors of Intellectual Property in Nigeria between 2005 and June 2008 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 LW SR CF AW MW TR Lw= Literary Work, SR=Sound Recordings, Cinematograph Film, Artistc Works, MW=Musical Works, TR= Transfer of Rights P er c en ta g e A p p li c a ti o n Series1 Source: Derived from table 1. Journal of Women's Entrepreneurship and Education (2012, No. 3-4, 102-113) 106 The low patronage of operations of the NCC by authors and copyright owners is a cause for serious concern for any well meaning Nigerian in the education industry because the low figure of 995 of received applications does not reflect the capacity of the creative industries today in Nigeria. This low patronage corroborated Oyewale (2006) submission that Nigerian universities generated and research institutes generated some inventions but few of the inventions have been patented due to the fact that patent education is poor in Nigerian institutions and researchers are not sufficiently motivated. Nigerian University Lecturers and Intellectual Properties Through various capacity building programmes and self- development, several achievements have been recorded in the intellectual display of human resources globally (Oyetakin and Oyeyemi, 2011). The individuals that have consumed more of university education and engaged in teaching and research work have invested heavily which has direct and indirect costs implications. These humongous costs on the investments in writing and research reflect commitment and importance attached to education compared to other investment priorities which are usually determined by the choice of an individual (Oyetakin, 2011). The author of a book is the person who writes it. Therefore, it is safe to describe an author as the writer of a book. Microsoft Encarta Dictionary (2009) describes an author as “somebody who writes a book or other text such as a literary work or a report”. This position is a bit restrictive as we have observed that most contemporary writers have their main occupations aside writing. The Nigerian society is replete with writers who are professionals in fields other than writing. Examples are Late Cyprian Ekwensi, who was a Pharmacist, Wale Okediran, a Medical doctor, Aluko, T.M., an Economist and a host of others too numerous to be mentioned. However, many universities scholars in Nigeria, such as Wole Soyinka, Chinua Achebe, Babatunde Fafunwa etc. have cultivated intellectual ideas in their various fields of specialization. Writing involves making recourse into the recesses of the mind and bringing out what otherwise may remain hidden or dormant there. When one is required to write he does not instantly pick up a pen and begin to write. Rather, he takes some time to reflect on the topic and bring out ideas, release words Sabitu, O.A, et al., Economic Returns, JWE (2012, No. 3-4, 102-113) 107 and expressions which he must have stored in his sub-conscious mind over the years. The position of the lecturer as an instructor of knowledge confers on him a leverage of authority. He is a custodian of salient facts, which may be called truths, about his area of expertise and therefore reverse an unquestionable action to document such facts. Indeed, the university lecturer owns the prerogative of questioning other writers’ claim on the area of his own expertise having been interacted with the syllabus and the challenges of imparting such to the students. Given the lecturers’ vantage position, he is considered as a writer who document units of instructions from an insider point of view. He enjoys the honour of authority that could equate that of an oracle because of his length of experience in his subject area. He is accustomed with the principle guiding his profession as well as conversant with the rudiments of field practice. He is therefore an authority in his area of specialization. However, in Nigeria today, lecturers/teachers are not availing themselves of the opportunity and honour that attend a lecturer-author due to lack of motivation by the government and uncertainty on the returns to investment in writing a book. It is necessary to note that the task of writing books is at the mercies of interest and returns to monetary and non-monetary investments. Statement of the Problem Intellectual property as a concept is complex, thus, the study focused on the returns to investment on university scholars’ creations in print ideas. The challenge of low patronage by authors to copyright and patenting and the monetary and non-monetary commitment on the ideas put forward by Nigerian scholars and the returns from such investment demands a critical appraisal by the researcher for the purpose of drawing conclusion. The main purpose of this study therefore, is to investigate the monetary and non-monetary returns of university lecturers’ investment in print and non-print materials and its impacts on quality services. The importance of this study cannot be over emphasized considering the fact that little research has been documented on comprehensive study conducted on intellectual property returns among University lecturers in Nigeria to date. Journal of Women's Entrepreneurship and Education (2012, No. 3-4, 102-113) 108 Research Questions The study therefore is concerned with answering the following questions: 1. Is there any difference in the monetary and non-monetary returns to investment in intellectual property by University lecturers in Nigeria? 2. Does the copyright Acts adequately protect intellectual property of University lecturers work in Nigeria? Hypotheses For the purpose of the study, the following null hypotheses were generated and tested. H.o1: There is no significant difference in the monetary and non- monetary returns to investment in intellectual property by University lecturers in Nigeria? H.o2: Copyright Acts do not adequately protect intellectual property of University lecturers work in Nigeria? Methodology Design This study is designed to develop an indicator for University lecturers’ returns on intellectual property in Nigeria. It specifically adopted the survey method of descriptive research design. The population of this study comprised of all the 5 Federal Universities and 6 States in South West Nigeria as at 2011. Sample and Sampling Techniques Nigeria is made up of six geo-political zones namely: North-West, North-East, North-Central, South-South, South-East, and South-West. Thus, a purposive simple random sampling method was adopted. South- West geo-political zone was selected out of which three Federal universities (University of Ibadan, University of Lagos, Federal University Sabitu, O.A, et al., Economic Returns, JWE (2012, No. 3-4, 102-113) 109 of Technology, Akure) and three State universities (Lagos State University, Adekunle Ajasin University, and Ladoke Akintola University). 50 participants were randomly selected to fill the instrument in each of the universities, in all a total of 300 academic staffs responded to the research instrument. Instrumentation The instrument for data collection was a self developed questionnaire titled: Returns to Investment on Intellectual Property Questionnaire (RIIPQ), which consisted of 21-items based on Likert scale format of Strongly Agree (SA) =4 points, Agree (A)=3 points, Disagree (D)= 2 points, and Strongly Agree (SA)= 1 point. The questionnaire was subjected to face and content validity by colleagues, and test-retest reliability method. The reliability value was r = 0.71 which indicated that the instrument is reliable before administration. The researcher with the assistance of four graduate students administered the questionnaire to the respondents. Completed copies of the questionnaire were retrieved immediately. The statistical tool used to analyze the data comprised of simple descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation, t-test and chi- square at a level of 0.05. Results H.o1: There is no significant difference in the monetary and non- monetary returns to investment in intellectual property by University lecturers in Nigeria? Table 2: Summary of Mean Difference in Monetary and Non-monetary Returns on University Lecturers’ Investment in Intellectual Property in Print Source N Mean SD SEM df t-cal t-tab Sig. Monetary 300 476.25 312.95 78.24 299 2.12 1.96 P>.05 Non- Monetary 300 475.0 276.33 69.08 NS = Not Significant Journal of Women's Entrepreneurship and Education (2012, No. 3-4, 102-113) 110 In testing this hypothesis, respondents views on their returns after adopting the cost-benefit analysis mechanism was subjected to t-test statistics. Table 2 shows that from the t-test analysis on items revealed that there is a significant difference between monetary and non-monetary returns on University Lecturers’ Investment in Intellectual Property in Print in Nigeria (t (299) = 2.12 ; p> .05). Thus, the hypothesis is rejected. H.o 2. Copyright Acts do not adequately protect intellectual property of University lecturers work in Nigeria? Table 3: Summary of the Mean Difference in the Adequacy of Copyright Acts in the Protection of Intellectual Property of University lecturers work in Nigeria Source of variations Sum of Squares df Mean Square F- cal F- tab Decision Between Groups 77.8 5 9.64 .263 .610 P> .05 Within Groups 15938.2 276 7.68 Total 16016.0 NS = Not Significant The One way ANOVA performed indicates that the copyright acts do not adequately protect the intellectual property of university lecturers in Nigeria. Df = (5, 276) = .263 < F-tab .610; P>.05. Thus, the null hypothesis is upheld. Discussion The finding from this study reveals that there is a significant difference between the monetary and non-monetary rewards on intellectual properties in writing by University Scholars. The Classical economic perspective on investments is that it uses current inputs which generate higher level of output in the future. Donors and Lenders in Edwards and Todaro (1974) submitted that investment in education have received their share of blame to have been charged with indifference to unjust distribution of educational opportunities by the operators. Unlike the demand for education, which is essentially privately determined, and the Sabitu, O.A, et al., Economic Returns, JWE (2012, No. 3-4, 102-113) 111 supply of employment opportunities in the modern sector, which is partly privately determined, the supply of educational opportunities is almost universally a government responsibility, an important political variable, and a natural focus of government policy, often to the neglect of educational demand and employment considerations. According to World Bank (2002), investment in higher education especially university education is believed to generate external benefits that are crucial for knowledge driven economic and social development. The viability of any investment according to Oguntoye and Alani (1998), emphasis the importance of determining the viability of any investment before it is made. The situation necessitates the low returns on intellectual properties by University lecturers in Nigeria. Becker (2002) notes that intellectual works has its initial costs which must generate desired returns. It is however necessary to note that some critics of intellectual property, such as those in the free culture movement, point at intellectual monopolies as harming health, preventing progress, and benefiting concentrated interests to the detriment of the masses and argue that the public investment in education could be harmed by ever expansive monopolies in the form of copyright extensions, software patents and business method patents Conclusion and Recommendations Conclusively, the monetary returns on investment in writing have been eroded by modern technology and this demands that University scholars should be more creative and proactive in developing ultimately, unique ideas that could propel a great monetary reward locally and internationally. To sum it up, there is a big boom in university education in our time which necessitates the following recommendations: [1] Government should strengthen the copy right Act to assist in the returns from investment in writing by Scholars. [2] There should be effective and appropriate sanctions against erring individuals and institutions drastic reduction of waste and graft adherence to due process on intellectual display. [3] There is the need for moral and ethical rebirth for all and sundry the education industry. Journal of Women's Entrepreneurship and Education (2012, No. 3-4, 102-113) 112 [4] The use of ICT should be rebranded to give room for local examples expected to be addressed by Nigerian writers. References [1] Beckers, G.S. (2002). Human Capital, Concise Encyclopedia of Economic. The Library of economics and Liberty, Retrieved 22/9/11 from http://www.econlib.org/library/enc/humancapital.html [2] Edward, E.O. and Todaro, M.O. (1974). Education and Employment in Developing Countries in Ward (Ed.), Education and Development Reconsidered, New York: Praeger Publishers. [3] Elchanan, C and Terry, G.C (1990). The Economics of Education (2nd Edition) USA:Pergamon Press Limited. [4] Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004) National Policy of Education, 4th edition, Lagos: NERDC Press. [5] Microsoft Encarta (2009). Dictionary, US: Microsoft Corporation. [6] Nigerian System of Intellectual Property (2009). A Review of the Nigerian System of Intellectual Property, retrieved 17/12/2010 from http://www.cas- ip.org. [7] Oyewale, A.A. (2006). Nigeria’s Research System and the Culture of Patenting, Paper Presented at the Intellectual Property Rights for Business and Society, London Conference, September 14 and 15. [8] Oyetakin, A.I. (2011). Cost of Education: Determinant of Free Education and Human Infrastructure in Nigeria, Educational Thought, Faculty of Education, Adekunle Ajasin University. Vol. 8 (1), 171-185. [9] Oyetakin, A.I. and Oyeyemi, K. (2011). Managing Human Infrastructure in Nigeria Universities for Educational Development and Social Reconstruction, A Conference Paper Presented at Faculty of Education, Lagos State University, Ojo. 11th -14th October. [10] World Bank (2002). Constructing Knowledge Societies: New Challenges for Tertiary Education, Retrieved 2/12/11 from http://www.usc.es/economet/aeid.html [11] World Intellectual Property Organization (2010). WIPO Publication No. 450E, New York: retrieved 23/02/2011 from http://www.wipo.int/ebookshop Sabitu, O.A, et al., Economic Returns, JWE (2012, No. 3-4, 102-113) 113 Ekonomski prinos na investicije u intelektualnu svojinu univerzitetskih profesora u Nigeriji A P S T R A K T Danas, ulaganje u intelektualnu svojinu je postalo toliko skupo da je potrebno obezbediti da cilj opravdava sredstva. U radu se identifikuju razlozi istraživača za sprovođenje istraživanja, kao i modus operandi za pisanje udžbenika, autorska prava i patentiranje od strane univerzitetskih predavača uz preporuke za poboljšanje povraćaja takve investicije. Kao opisni istraživački projekt, studjia koristi neke od indikatora za merenje povraćaja ulaganja univerzitetskih predavača vezano za štampu u Nigeriji. Podaci su prikupljeni kroz korišćenje validnih sopstveno razrađenih upitnika, „Povraćaji ulaganja u intelektualnu svojinu“ (UPUIS), sa koeficijentom pouzdanosti r=0.71. Studija pokriva tri saveznih i tri državnih univerziteta iz jugozapadnoj Nigeriji, izabranih putem stratifikacije. Učesnici su tri stotine akademskog osoblja iz ispitivanih univerziteta. Kako bi se proverile istraživačke hipoteze studije, podaci su bili analizirani putem deskriptivnih i inferentnih statističkih alata. Rezultat pokazuje da postoji značajna razlika između monetarnih i nemonetarnih povraćaja investicija od strane univerzitetskih predavača koje se odnose na intelektualnu svojinu u pisanoj formi i da zakoni o autorskim pravima ne štite u dovoljnoj meri intelektualnu svojinu univerzitetskih profesora u Nigeriji. Srž istraživanja daje neke preporuke za jačanje zaštite autorskih prava sa ciljem poboljšanja u povraćaju ulaganja u intelektualnu svojinu KLJUČNE REČI: ljudski kapital, izgradnja kapaciteta, intelektualne ideje, književna dela, patentiranje, povraćaj ulaganja Article history: Received: 29 June, 2012 Revised: 7 September, 2012 Accepted: 17 October, 2012