Talent Wants to Be Free

Orly Lobel is Herzog Professor of Law at the University of San Diego, where she is founding member and professor of the Center for Intellectual Property and Markets. A world traveler, she lives in La Jolla, CA.

2014 Axiom Business Book Awards Gold Seal winner in the Human Resources/Employee Training categoryWinner of the 2014 Thorsnes Prize for Outstanding Legal Scholarship, sponsored by the University of San DiegoWinner of a Gold Medal in the Business/Career/Sales category for the 2014 Independent Publisher Book AwardsWinner of the 2014 International Book Awards in the Law and Business/Careers categories, sponsored by the American Book FestWinner of the 2014 USA Best Book Awards in the Law & Business and Careers categories“Lobel does an expert job at guiding us through the complex world of restrictive strategies and proves why new approaches to information exchange and protection are imperative if we want to live in a world that fosters innovation and progress.”—Dan Ariely, author of Predictably Irrational and The Honest Truth About Dishonesty“By combining rigorous academic work and charming storytelling, Orly Lobel has written a book that is interesting and valuable for anyone interested in understanding innovation as well as becoming more innovative.”—Tal Ben-Shahar, author of Choose the Life You Want and Happier“Orly Lobel’s powerful message—set human talent free—will change the way entrepreneurs and policymakers think about creative advancements. Talent Wants to Be Free is a how-to guide for economic growth in the twenty-first century.”—Jason Mazzone, author of Copyfraud and Other Abuses of Intellectual Property Law“Professor Lobel’s father wisely advised her, ‘If you want something, give it away.’ Now, she has given all of us a profound gift: a provocative and compelling argument that we should abandon our obsession with controlling ideas and expertise. She draws on research in decision science, behavioral economics, psychology, law, philosophy, and game theory—including much of her own original research—to show the benefits of making talent free. Talent Wants to Be Free is filled with fascinating ideas about how people and skills become depleted when they are monopolized, and is a must read for anyone interested in the ongoing debate about technology, human capital, and innovation.”—Frank Partnoy, author of Wait and The Match King“What promotes innovation and fairness—intellectual property rights and restrictions on employees moving from one company to another—or free flow of information and people? Especially as technology rewrites rules and expectations, anyone interested in promoting innovation should read Orly Lobel’s powerful analysis that combines lessons from practice, insights from law, and provocative ideas from across the globe.”—Martha Minow, dean of Harvard Law School and author of Partners, Not Rivals and Not Only for Myself