This book is a compilation of papers presented at a workshop organised by the Copyright Division of Ministry of Human Resource Development and the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).
In ancient medieval times, India had the tradition of imparting knowledge at first by word of mouth or orally, be it in literature, music, painting, architecture or any other form of creativity. The thought of charging money for allowing people to take advantage of their creativity never arose. There was a free flow of knowledge and information with the rulers giving patronage to dancers, musicians and other artistes.
Today however, during the past 50 years, there has come about a lot of awareness on copyright of one'screative work in different fields. Any person can turn to the country'scopyright law to seek redressal in the law courts.
In the paper titled ?The Creative Industries: The Book Publishing Industry?, the term ?creative industries? refers to industries that have a meaningful commercial value and cultural impact on the individual citizen and on society as a whole. The modes of communication systems have determined the structures of social organisations as well as human cognition. At one point in time, conditions were such that the State was compelled to recognise, confer and protect works of the human mind ? those said to be of an intellectual nature and embodying philosophies, cultures, ideologies, politics, etc. Time arrived when the invention of Johann Gutenberg'sprinting press in 1436 influenced and changed the book trade in Europe. The new print technology revolutionised access to knowledge and led to the transformation of the role of the author, his or her literary creativity and relationship with the publisher, says this article.
As we already know, creativity emerges from the interaction of three entities: the individual, the domain and the field. This tenet applies to literary creativity where the individual uses his or her individual talent, personality and motivation to write and tell a story. At the same time, he or she is mindful of the domain in which he or she writes, that is, the discipline or craft in which he or she is engaged. And in tandem, he or she will prioritise the field, that is, the set of individuals and social institutions that render judgement on productivity and originality.
Sanjay Seth, in his paper titled ?Creating and Marketing Brands in Publishing? talks of branding, which comprises three components, leading the consumer to buy a particular brand instead of the product. According to the concept of branding, a brand becomes a differentiator, an identity card and a label of pride. As a differentiator, a brand stands out from other brands in the market. For instance, the USP of the Bajaj scooter lies in its affordability. As an identity card, a brand reflects its implicit ideas and personality, like the case of Air India, for instance. Finally, as a label of pride it represents values, ideals and even patriotic feelings.
This is a book which holds prime relevance for those engaged in the printing and publishing business.
(The Federation of Indian Publishers, 18/1-C Institutional Area, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, New Delhi-110 067.)
