How much debtors' punishment?

This paper investigates how the bankruptcy exemptions applied by the Personal Bankruptcy Law in each American state a§ect the aggregated level of individuals and small businessesí loans. Higher levels of bankruptcy exemptions imply in a lenient rule, motivating debtors to Öle for bankruptcy, what makes lenders worsen the terms of credit. On the other hand, lower levels of exemptions imply in a harsh punishment to debtors, inhibiting their demand for credit fearing a possible bankruptcy by bad luck. ConÖrming the theoretical claims, empirical tests show the existence of a non-monotonic shape in the relationship between the bankruptcy exemptions and the amount of credit to individuals and small businesses, where the optimal level of exemptions should be neither too high nor too low. Since the majority of the states in U.S. do not apply the optimal level, an intervention that brings the exemption level closer to the optimal one can be credit and welfare enhancing.

From free software to free culture: the emergence of open business

This paper provides an examination of the emergence of open business models — entrepreneurial strategies that take advantage of the ease of digital reproduction to distribute free content, while earning money from the sale of related products and services. Locating the origins of open business in the open source software phenomenon, the authors suggest that the business strategies innovated there have broader economic relevance. Through a case study of the tecnobrega music scene in Belém, the paper illustrates how open business models can be applied to the production of cultural materials more generally

Access to knoledge in Brazil: new research on intellectual property, innovation and development

The present volume is the fruit of a research initiative on Access to Knowledge begun in 2004 by Yochai Benkler, Eddan Katz, and myself. Access to Knowledge is both a social movement and an approach to international and domestic policy. In the present era of globalization, intellectual property and information and communications technology are major determinants of wealth and power. The principle of access to knowledge argues that we best serve both human rights and economic development through policies that make knowledge, knowledge-creating tools, and nowledgeembedded goods as widely available as possible for decentralized innovation and use. Open technological standards, a balanced approach to intellectual property rights, and expansion of an open telecommunications infrastructure enable ordinary people around the world to benefit from the technological advances of the information age and allow them to generate a vibrant, participatory and democratic culture. Law plays a crucial role in securing access to knowledge, determining whether knowledge and knowledge goods are shared widely for the benefit of all, or controlled and monopolized for the benefit of a few.

O gerenciamento de pesquisas fármaco-clínicas no Brasil

O autor realiza revisão da literatura internacional e nacional sobre o tema, descreve as várias fases de desenvolvimento de uma nova droga e faz uma análise crítica da si t uaç;ão do gerenciamento das pesquisas fármaco-clínicas. Discute as posições da Farmacologia Clínica e da Medicina da indústria farmacêutica no exterior e no Brasil. Aponta as dificuldades para realizações e controle destas pesquisas e propõe uma nova abordagem gerencial para as pesquisas fármaco-clínicas. Após um periodo de doze anos, de 1975 a 1987, atuando nos diversos setores do departamento médico-Científico, de algumas indústrias farmacêuticas, com mais de 80% deste período dedicado ao planejamento, implantação, monitorização, conclusão e publicação de pesquisas fármaco-clínicas. Responsável pela publicação de nada menos do que quinze (15) ensaios. Tendo participado em, pelo menos, outras 24 estudos publicados, e mais outros 31 ainda não publicados (anexo 3, neste espaço de tempo. O autor após uma análise da situação, vem propor um método de gerenciamento destas pesquisas fármaco-clínicos realizadas no Brasil, de' forma que' todas as etapas necessárias para que estes ensaios se realizem, sejam metodotizadas, planejadas e devidamente avaliadas, podendo ainda permanecer armazenado e à disposição para pronta recuperação a qualquer tempo. Transformando-se desta forma em um excelente banco de dados, para as mais diversas informações, incluindo as de cunho oficial.