andicapped. Software producers are also in need of protection from the pirates who are hindering the establishment of a legitimate computer industry in China ("Making War" 33).
Therefore, in this paper, the variety of causes of IPR violations will be discussed. Proposed solutions will be provided and analyzed for their viability in addressing the causes of IPR violations. Because of the interconnected quality of these causes, a multi-pronged attack should be launched against IPR violations.
China's rocky transition from a centralized economic system to capitalism has provided a rife environment for piracy to flourish in the "gray" market. In addition to the fact that the lucrative nature of the business provides tremendous incentive for the suppliers to engage in piracy, the Chinese consumers constitute the other half of the problem. Although the Chinese people are demanding for the diversity of products available in the West, their needs are not met by the state-controlled sectors or the fledgling capitalist system. Furthermore, they can ill afford the prices of the legitimate productsù-a situation that makes pirated copies a highly desirable alternative.
Thus, consumers need to be educated about IPR violation. According to many insiders, like other developing countries, the Chinese population needs time to adapt to the idea of IPR. Therefore, American companies should invest their money in educating the local people on the importance of owning software legally (Preston A2). Microsoft is providing training and support to big clients who buy its software and promise to comply with IPR legislation. Another big software company has joined with a Hong Kong-based record company to co-produce a pop-music CD in which popular musicians from China and Hong Kong sing about the importance of honesty. Juliet Wu, general manager of Micrsoft's China operations, explains the purpose of such approaches: "I think this [CD] is v...