Factors influencing software piracy
Date
2011-05-13
Authors
Mahomed, Safeya
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Abstract
It is generally believed that software piracy harms both the software firms
(through lower profits) and the buying customers (through higher prices)
resulting in increasing efforts to counter software piracy by both software
publishers and government. This study attempts to develop a profile of those
who illegally copy software and determine the motivational factors underlying
software piracy in South Africa in order to design effective measures to
counteract software piracy.
The study found that there are factors such as occupation, age, gender and
computer expertise that can be used to profile a software pirate. In particular
young male business students with expertise in computer usage were found to
pirate software more frequently. There is limited support for levels of education
or work experience influencing software piracy.
The cost of the software followed by the ease of copying and the purpose of use
were found to be strong motivating factors influencing software piracy
Furthermore, the study shows that social acceptance and belief concerning the
lack of consequences for software piracy have significant effects on software
piracy intentions.
Based on the above findings, anti-piracy campaigns and government efforts to
eradicate software piracy should take into account the demographics of
software pirates and ensure that the campaign messaging addresses the ethical
wrongness of piracy together with stricter enforcements. In addition, software
vendors should look at new and innovative ways of bundling additional services
to software to allow consumers to feel the value add of purchasing software as
opposed to pirating.
Description
MBA - WBS
Keywords
Software piracy, Information technology