The multiple features of intellectual property rights and industrial competition are explored through the analytically rigorous lens of the frontier of the economics literature. The book covers a broad range of issues ranging from industrial espionage to collective property rights in cultural districts. The analyses are carried out both for advanced countries and in a North-South perspective. An appropriate protection of intellectual property rights plays a crucial role in promoting R&D activities and hence economic growth. The book explores theoretical issues and empirical evidence coming from different countries and sectors.