This work presents a set of reflections on the protection of intellectual property from the perspective of consumer behaviour. It emphasizes that piracy is a complex issue because of the difficulty of establishing benefits and damages and because it causes ethical dilemmas between copyright and the rights of others. After focusing the issue and pointing out the magnitude of the piracy of books, software, discs and films, it analyses what the segmentation strategies of the companies mean, as well as the fact that, thanks to piracy, consumers with fewer resources they can access markets from which, in other circumstances, they would be excluded.

Desde la perspectiva de la conducta del consumidor, presenta un conjunto de reflexiones en torno a la protección de la propiedad intelectual. Pone énfasis en que la piratería es un tema complejo por lo difícil de establecer beneficios y daños y porque origina dilemas éticos entre los derechos de autor y los derechos de los demás. Luego de centrar el tema y señalar la magnitud que ha alcanzado la piratería de libros, software, discos y películas, analiza lo que significan las estrategias de segmentación de las empresas, así como el hecho de que gracias a la piratería los consumidores de menores recursos pueden acceder a mercados de los cuales, en otras circunstancias, estarían excluidos.

Objective: To analyze the degree of innovation management and propose a maturity model for Brazilian SMEs. Methodology/Approach: Comparative study cases of quantitative and qualitative approach, descriptive and applied, for Brazilian SMEs; used the deductive and inductive methods and the triangulation of data for analysis and proposition of the model. Originality/Relevance: The challenge of understanding in depth the critical factors and relationships between innovation, performance and competitiveness of SMEs is important for their survival, growth and development, especially in emerging economies such as Brazil. Main Results: (i) despite the practical difficulties of managing innovation and the absence of a formal strategy in some SMEs to encourage and support innovative processes, these are directly and indirectly related to the performance and competitiveness of these companies; (ii)...