This book is written for the creative company that wants to learn how to use intellectual property to build 'first owner advantage'. It will assist both the small creative player that wants to use intellectual property to build an exclusive market niche and the large company that wants to better leverage its knowledge base and creative power. Practical advice is backed up by real-life examples.

Witness the almost daily media reports of 'patent madness' and 'brand bullies' on one hand and 'napsterization' and the 'death of copyright' on the other. These however provide only a snapshot view that focuses mainly on the controversial aspects. In Virtual Monopoly, Chris Pike considers the bigger picture and offers fresh, pioneering insight into the major shifts taking place behind the headlines.