1. Introduction
Now we are in the era of the knowledge economy. The arrival of the knowledge economy era marks China's outstanding achievement and progress. The essence of knowledge payment refers to sharing knowledge and cognition through transactions and the dissemination and optimal allocation of information through market rules and Internet platforms. Its purpose is to protect intellectual property scientifically and normatively and increase knowledge payment's economic benefits. As an emerging industry in the market, the knowledge payment industry is not independent. On the contrary, it is a comprehensive information service platform for online and offline cooperation. At present, the knowledge payment industry is still in the early stages of development, such as Himalaya and Zhihu are fast-growing knowledge payment platforms. In the development process, they are vulnerable to internal and external factors, resulting in various problems that seriously affect knowledge payment. Therefore, the practitioners can improve the industry by increasing their knowledge and understanding of it and then further promoting it. Furthermore, practitioners can make knowledge payment more valuable, laying a solid foundation for the high-quality and high-speed development of the industry.
2. The Rationality of Knowledge Payment
2.1. Demand for Intellectual Property Protection
In the era of the knowledge economy, protecting intellectual property rights has become one of the core objectives of the operation and development of relevant enterprises. Intellectual property rights are closely related to knowledge dissemination, sharing, and the overall development of the knowledge payment industry. The "Intellectual Property Law" promulgated by the Chinese government provides legal protection for intellectual property rights and further promotes the legalization and standardization of intellectual property protection in China [1]. The implementation of the law also shows that China is paying more attention to protecting intellectual property rights. There are many ways to protect intellectual property rights. As a scientific and effective method, knowledge payment plays a vital role in protecting. For instance, platforms such as Himalaya and Zhihu protect original authors’ interests by charging fees, protecting intellectual property rights, and providing guarantees for the long-term development of the knowledge economy.
2.2. Requirements of the Development of the Market Economy
Influenced by the reform and opening up, China's market economy gained unprecedented opportunities. The rapid development of the market economy has promoted various industries in Chinese society. In this case, the market economy puts forward more stringent and diverse requirements for the industry's product and service quality. As a result, intangible assets such as intellectual property rights are gradually given the nature of commodities. Intellectual property rights can also be exchanged with goods to realize the circulation and sharing of knowledge and contribute to the development of the market economy. In short, the development of the knowledge payment industry can not only protect intellectual property rights and adapt to the innovation and changes of the times but also ensure the long-term and stable development of the market economy, better protecting the interests of creators.
2.3. An Important Driving Force for Social Development
The high-quality development of society benefits from the healthy development of various industries. The driving force of social development lies in the advancement of knowledge. The rise of each industrial revolution represents the progress and development of knowledge, and the innovation and advancement of knowledge can provide impetus and support for the promotion of human civilization [2]. In the era of the knowledge economy, knowledge payment measures the value through price and maintains the value through technical means in disseminating knowledge. In this way, people provide positive and adequate protection for intellectual property rights. The continuous development of intellectual property protection and standardization management of knowledge payment can provide necessary help for talent innovation and knowledge progress. Currently, payment for knowledge has become the motive power of social development, and it plays a crucial role in promoting the progress of civilization.
3. The Existing Problems of Knowledge Payment
3.1. Incomplete Relevant Laws and Regulations
Laws and regulations are the basic norms and important basis of people's daily life. As a tool to restrain and regulate human behavior and maintain social stability, the law guarantees the development of the country and individuals. At the same time, implementing the law can improve the standardization and legitimacy of enterprise operations, which is conducive to enterprises' modernization and legal development [3]. However, there is only one law on IPR protection in China, the Intellectual Property Law, and with limited provisions. Due to the lack of perfection and systematicness of the legal system, we cannot effectively deal with the infringement of intellectual property rights. The strength and efficiency of dealing with bad phenomena such as infringement of intellectual property rights are relatively low. So, it isn’t easy to meet the needs of the modern knowledge payment industry. In a word, the government's lack of practical efforts to protect intellectual property rights, inability to solve complex infringement problems, and lack of relatively complete laws and regulations are the reasons that hinder the smooth development of intellectual property protection.
3.2. Unsound Payment Safety Evaluation System
Under the new situation, the payment mode of the knowledge payment platform shows a trend of enrichment and diversification. Still, the pricing and standards of payment content lack explicit provisions and requirements. Because most of the content on the knowledge payment platform is priced by the knowledge owner or producer according to their cost rather than the unified pricing for knowledge content and actual value, the pricing work is arbitrary to some extent. Furthermore, the price difference in knowledge of the same type and field is quite large. At the same time, the main reasons for this phenomenon include the lack of a sound payment evaluation system, and the content of knowledge payment cannot be well priced. In addition, the lack of a sound paid security evaluation system also makes pirated books, pirated CDs, and so on frequently appear in the market, which seriously hinders the progress of the knowledge payment industry and is harmful to knowledge innovation.
3.3. People's Weak Awareness of Intellectual Property Payment
Among the factors hindering the knowledge payment industry, the problem of weak awareness of intellectual property payment is of vital importance. Intellectual property owners are affected by cultural literacy and other factors, so their knowledge and understanding of intellectual property protection are incomplete, which leads to the infringement of their rights. Even if they find someone stealing their achievements, they cannot use legal weapons to safeguard their legal rights and interests [4]. The lack of intellectual property protection and payment consciousness results in intellectual property owners’ intangible assets being damaged or lost, further bringing a heavier blow and negative impact to the intellectual property owners. These are not conducive to knowledge innovation and social progress. Therefore, helping intellectual property owners to establish correct consciousness of intellectual property payment has become the top priority of the knowledge payment industry.
4. The Main Development Direction of Knowledge Payment in the Future
4.1. Improving Laws and Regulations Related to Knowledge Payment
Relevant national departments should improve applicable laws and regulations and establish a set of complete and systematic laws and regulations, effectively strengthening intellectual property protection and promoting the society's comprehensive development [5]. First, the national government should pay more attention to establishing intellectual property protection laws and regulations. Besides, give full play to the leading role of government departments to the maximum extent and create an atmosphere of respecting and protecting intellectual property rights and intellectuals in society. In doing so, we can provide high-quality space for the sustainable development of the knowledge payment industry. Second, the government should increase the number of analyses and research and optimize the relevant laws and regulations according to the specific situation of intellectual property protection and the development of the knowledge payment industry. This can protect the rights and interests of intellectual property owners and enhance legal binding and control. Finally, the government should protect the legitimate rights and interests of intellectual property owners and enterprises to the greatest extent from the perspective of intellectual property owners and enterprises. While further optimizing and adjusting legal provisions, the government also needs to strictly abide by laws and regulations and ensure the humanization of the process.
4.2. Perfecting Payment Security System with Scientific and Technological Means
The knowledge payment industry should formulate a scientific payment security evaluation system based on factors such as the value of knowledge content so as to improve the integrity and standardization of the payment security evaluation system. Change from cost-based pricing to content-based pricing, and standardize the pricing of knowledge payment for the industry. In addition, the relevant sections can set the pricing range of various types and fields of knowledge content according to market changes. Then, the staff gives a clear price range for the simplicity and role in reality of the content uploaded by producers. Then, the final pricing is carried out by knowledge producers according to the price range. This process can reduce the large price difference in the same field. At the same time, the person in charge of the industry should use technical means to combat infringements such as pirated books and pirated CDs. The industry will minimize violations and provide security for developing the knowledge payment industry by intensifying the strike on infringements.
4.3. Strengthening the Publicity of the Legitimacy of Knowledge Payment
To reduce the negative impact because of intellectual property loss on intellectual property owners and related companies, government and industry leaders should help intellectual property owners build awareness of intellectual property protection and reduce problems from the source [6]. Therefore, managers in the knowledge payment industry should actively organize training activities to cultivate awareness of intellectual property protection within the enterprise and conduct extended teaching around the “Intellectual Property Law” during the training. Through training, the staff can improve the awareness of intellectual property rights owners on laws and establish a scientific awareness of intellectual property protection for people, so they will learn to use the law to protect their rights and interests. Furthermore, the government can also make full and reasonable use of information technology, network technology, and other advanced technologies to publicize the content related to knowledge payment to reduce the occurrence of violations of intellectual property rights and realize the protection for intellectual property owners.
5. Conclusion
Knowledge payment is beneficial to the efficiency of intellectual property protection and promotes economic development and social progress. Therefore, the knowledge payment industry should constantly analyze and explore to find a practical, effective, authentic development path. At the same time, relevant departments need to actively follow the country's guidance, establish and perfect the legal system and payment safety evaluation system, and gradually realize the effective transmission and sharing of knowledge, guaranteeing the sustainable development of the knowledge payment industry in the future. However, considering the limited literature data collected by the author, there is still some room for progress in the relevant research on knowledge payment, especially for applying scientific and technological means, which needs further consultation. Further refinement is needed.