文档介绍：Journal of Business Ethics (2005) 62: 163–168 Ó Springer 2005
DOI -005-0187-3
Ethical Issues in the Music Industry
Response to Innovation and Piracy Robert F. Easley
ABSTRACT. The current conflict between the record- ceived to be threatening, in particular with respect
ing industry and a portion of its customers who are to music piracy.
involved in illicit copying of music files arose from
innovations involving pression and electronic
distribution of files over the . This paper briefly
describes some of the challenges faced by the recording The difficulties inherent in responding to
industry, and examines some of the ethical issues that arise innovation
in various industry and consumer responses to the
opportunities and threats presented by these innovations.
There is a long history of research on the response of
The paper concludes by highlighting the risks associated
with responses that threaten further innovation, ulti- industry to threatening innovations, going back to
mately reducing the chances of finding solutions that hold Schumpeter’s gales petitive destruction
appeal for all parties. (Schumpeter, 1947). Eric von Hippel (1988), for
example, argues that examining the source of
KEY WORDS: disruptive innovation, music piracy, innovation is important in determining what
recording industry. advantage, if any, may be gained from it. He clas-