Kal Raustiala: Don't knock knockoffs

What do Forever 21, the Buffalo Bills’ 1990s offense, the Kogi food truck, Ed’s Lobster Bar and Carlos Mencia all have in common? They are examples of a provocative but curiously optimistic idea: that imitation can be the sincerest form of innovation — at least in industries that fall partly or completely outside the laws governing intellectual property.

Published: Thursday, September 27, 2012