The Pakistan Institute of Development Economics has awarded its 20th PhD degree in economics to Abdul Sattar. Sattar’s research work focuses on the role of intellectual property rights in economic development and growth.
The protection of intellectual property rights (IPRs) and transfer of technology through different technology transfer channels like patenting, trade, licensing and foreign direct investment have been considered as an integral component of economic growth.
The study analyzes the impact of IPRs and transfer of technology on economic growth for a balanced panel of 38 high income, middle income and low income countries over a period of 1975–2005. The results reveal that the impact of IPRs on economic growth is more significant in high income countries as compared to middle and low income countries.
Similarly, this impact has been found to be stronger in case of upper middle income countries as compared to lower middle income and low income countries.
For full sample countries, all channels of the transfer of technology except patenting have a significant impact on economic growth. In high income countries, due to protection of IPRs, all channels of the transfer of technology are positively and significantly affecting the economic growth.
In middle income countries, licensing and foreign direct investment have been found to be the most effective channels for the transfer of technology, which are positively and significantly affecting the economic growth. On classifying of these middle income countries, it has been found that in upper middle income countries patenting and licensing and in lower middle income countries licensing and foreign direct investment have been the effective channels for the transfer of technology.
In low income countries, only foreign direct investment is an effective channel for the transfer of technology, which has positive and significant effect on economic growth.
ANF foils heroin smuggling bid to UK: The Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) on Thursday arrested an employee of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and recovered more than one kilogram heroin of high quality which he allegedly wanted to take to the United Kingdom. According to ANF sources, PIA employee Javed hid 1,100 grams of heroin in his shoes with the plan to smuggle it to Birmingham (UK) through a flight PK-790 of the national flag carrier.
On a tip-off, a special team of ANF was formed which caught the accused red-handed at the Benazir Bhutto International Airport and recovered the drug. A case has been registered against the accused under the ANF act, while further investigation is under way.
