This book investigates the role of patent offices in the global knowledge economy and their integration into a private governance network serving multinational corporations. Peter Drahos, drawing on a study of forty-five countries, argues that the Trilateral Offices (Europe, USA, Japan) incorporate developing country patent offices into this network through the cultivation of technocratic trust. The analysis examines the obligations of patent offices under the patent social contract and employs a theory of nodal governance. Ultimately, the author proposes new administrative approaches to restore the public spirit of the patent social contract for both developed and developing nations.

The book is recognized for its in-depth analysis of patent offices as crucial agents in the global knowledge economy. It highlights how these offices have become integrated into a private governance network primarily benefiting multinational corporations. The author's use of nodal governance theory and examination of technocratic trust provides a unique perspective on international intellectual property administration. The work is noted for its proposals aimed at realigning patent office functions with the public interest, particularly concerning developing countries.