The success of the open-source model in software led to its expansion into biotechnology, albeit in a limited scope. economic assessment relying on transaction cost provides an efficient method for evaluating this evolution, facilitating the realization of economic preferences in biotechnological innovations through the application of an appropriate protective model. The principal objective is a comparative assessment of the IPR system and the open-source biotechnology legal approach from a transaction cost perspective, considering both the overall system and in Iran.
Based on the findings, not all the rules of the open-source software can be applied directly to the biotechnology, necessitating the development of specific rules. The model for organizing transaction costs within the open-source biotechnology legal approach—namely, the Bazzar model—proves more efficient than the Market model applied within the IPR system. Furthermore, the implementation of other mechanisms in open-source biotechnology approach, such as information-sharing networks and collective inventions, contributes to a reduction in transaction costs. Concerning the situation in Iran, it is insufficient to adhere solely to the prevalent notion that strengthening the IPR system is imperative; challenges such as the absence of robust anti-monopoly laws, and the excessive reliance of companies on patent must be addressed. Moreover, studies indicate the positive effect of non-proprietary practices from a transaction cost perspective. Finally, the study presents efficient and realistic recommendations for an optimal support model. These recommendations involve integrating the open-source biotechnology legal approach with the IPR system and proposing necessary reforms in this field.