Comparative Law Researches

Comparative Law Researches

Challenges Caused by the Ownership of Joint Works in Software and Contractual Methods of Prevention

Author
parviz savrai
Associate Professor in Private Law, Faculty of Law, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
10.48311/CLR.29.2.6
Abstract
Joint work is a concept that is generally discussed in the realm of creative works and refers to a situation where two or more people with unique skills, ideas, and perspectives contribute to the creation of a software. Today, the emphasis is on software creation relying on teamwork. However, a specific legal framework for the optimal exploitation of this type of teamwork has not been foreseen, and there are many ambiguities and legal problems in national laws regarding the definition and consequences of this type of work. If the collaboration has an international aspect, these challenges can escalate and cause serious interruptions in the continuation of the work due to the emergence of disputes. A brief look at the copyright regulations in different legal systems indicates that there have been basic questions regarding the issues of joint works in the case of software and the different answers to each, in fact, have shown different approaches to its important issues. Therefore, the application of national laws regarding the case may not be able to meet the expectations of the parties, i.e. programmers. If such problems are not resolved in advance between the parties through a contract, they may create serious problems in the friendly cooperation that is so important for a successful joint work. Therefore, to resolve any potential challenges and disputes regarding the ownership of computer code and the complexities arising from the legal consequences of the joint work, it will be necessary to conclude a contract.
Keywords
Joint work
Collective Work
Author
Programmer
Computer Codes

Subjects

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