DETERMINANTS OF BOOK PIRACY IN NAIROBI COUNTY

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to find the determinants of book piracy in Nairobi County.

Methodology: The study adopted a descriptive research design. This study was conducted in Nairobi County. The target population of the study consisted of local book publishing companies, book law enforcing agencies/book trade organizations and book users. The research consisted of twelve publishing companies, fourteen law enforcing organizations in which Senior Investigating Officers, Investigating Officers and Prosecutors were involved in the research, and one hundred and twenty four text book users as sets of units in my data analysis. A simple random sampling approach was used in the study to come up with the sample. This is because the researcher wanted to get information from large groups of people. The study used primary data which was collected using structured and unstructured questionnaires from the field. The questionnaires were administered through drop and pick method. The questionnaires format were standardized with a balanced mixture of both open ended and close ended questions and were  guided where necessary.

Results: The research findings showed that demand side, supply side and legal/legislation side have positive and significant effects on book piracy in Nairobi County. The study concluded that parental purchase books and course books are in large demand in primary, secondary and tertiary institutions of education but their high prices make them unaffordable for poor students. This situation provides room for book piracy. Book pirates are free to fulfill market needs.

Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy: The study recommended that the law enforcement authorities like police needs to be imparted with proper training in copyright fields and copyright industry associations/copyright societies should launch an extensive campaign through print and electronic media highlighting the adversities associated with the piracy.