Exploring the economic contribution of copyright-intensive industries in Italy

Purpose In the last few years, a number of studies documented the economic impact of copyright in different national economies. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to increase these studies based on the assess of the economic impact of copyright-intensive industries in Italy. Design/methodology/approach Consistent with prior studies, this paper attempts to measure the impact of copyright on GDP and employment. In doing so, two different methodologies are applied: (1) WIPO’s guidelines “Wipo Guide on surveying the Economic Contribution of the Copyright-Based Industries” and (2) the Ernest & Young study entitled: “1 er Panorama des Industries Culturelles et Créatives. Au Couer du Rayonnement et de la Competitivité de la France”. The selected year for the survey is 2011. The main source data are collected by statistic databases like Istat, Eurostat and United Nations Statistics Division. The industrial classification starts with the International Standard Industrial Classification suggested in the WIPO Guide and, after the conversion, first in NACE and then in ATECO 2007, we identify the industries and their activities as relevant to copyright-based industries in Italy. Findings The results of our analysis support the thesis that copyright has a great impact on the aspects of economic growth, of the labour market and on the country development. Originality/value This study compares the classification and the methods used for determination of the economic impact of copyright-intensive industries. Practical implications By assessing the economic impact of this sector on Italian GDP, this paper raises awareness about the role and importance of such industries to the Italian economy.