P/M/538. Dissertation. Implications of distributing music through p2p: problem analysis and case study of Napster

The dissertation addresses the issues of reproducing and distributing music using peer-to-peer (p2p) technology, which infringes the copyright law. The aim of the research is to investigate the implications of this copyright infringement for the entertainment industry exploring the reasons behind p2p usage among university students and their attitudes towards this form of media supply. The review of literature touches on the problems of music industry, Internet piracy, the effects of p2p traffic on network performance, etc. Research methods include secondary data analysis, an observation study, a pilot study and questionnaires assessing trends in p2p usage. Conclusions are made about the reasons for the success of p2p technology.