VietNamNet Bridge – Each 1% increase in the number of copyrighted software will generate an extra US$50 million for Vietnam, says a research project conducted by the Software Alliance (BSA) in collaboration with the U.S.-based business school INSEAD.

The research, whose results were published on Tuesday, is to prove that the extensive use of copyrighted software is meaningful to the economy of a nation. It is based on the data on software production and consumption collected from 95 countries, including Vietnam among 15 Asian nations.

The research reveals that every additional US$1 invested in copyrighted software will yield a return on investment (ROI) of US$94. Meanwhile, each extra US$1 spent on pirated software will bring in a ROI of only US$9.

Roland Chan, senior director of marketing for Asia-Pacific at BSA, said the companies using copyrighted software would face smaller risks and achieve higher efficiency.

Copyrighted software is not only favorable for businesses, but also an important driving force to boost economic growth.

“Vietnam should seize every opportunity to realize these benefits by reducing software piracy and encouraging the use of copyrighted software,” said Roland.

The research also shows that a 1% rise in the number of copyrighted software used in Asia-Pacific will generate an additional US$18.7 billion for this region, versus US$6 billion fetched by pirated software. Similarly, a 1% increase in the number of copyrighted software used worldwide will reap an extra US$73 billion for the global economy, US$53 billion higher than what pirated software can offer.

BSA remarks software copyright infringement in Vietnam is falling. The rate of software piracy in Vietnam was 80% last year, down two percentage points against 2011.

As such, over the past seven years, the rate has declined from 92% to 80%.

Software copyrights are highly respected by government agencies, as the State has signed many agreements on buying copyrights from software firms. Software piracy is mainly committed by end-users and companies, particularly computer trading firms.

BSA is an international organization supporting the software industry. Representing the world’s largest software makers, BSA every year spends billions of U.S. dollars creating software solutions to stimulate economic growth and improve life.

Source: SGT