The National Association of Manufacturers recently released a study by Bill Kerr, associate professor at Harvard Business School, and Chad Moutray, chief economist for the NAM. The study found unfair competition facilitated by stolen software has cost U.S. manufacturing nearly $240 billion and 42,220 jobs between 2002 and 2012.

"The startling losses manufacturers have suffered in the last decade due to intellectual property (IP) theft should jumpstart action by our policymakers and law enforcement officials," NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons said in a release. "It's absolutely clear that the effects of IP theft overseas are significantly felt here at home, threatening jobs, investment and growth."

NAM also surveyed its members on this issue, and reported the results of this research at a panel discussion. The organization found one-third of its members report theft of intellectual property, trade secrets or proprietary knowledge by competitors in emerging markets. Three out of five members of NAM say intellectual property theft impacts their global competitiveness, and one third said it has a strong impact. Manufacturers are often reluctant to do business with firms in emerging markets out of concern for their intellectual property and trade secrets as well, the NAM survey found.