Abstract
Trade secrets differ from intellectual property such as patents, trademarks and industrial designs in that, for the latter to receive legal protection, they must be placed in the public domain. By contrast, trade secrets are not disclosed but receive legal protection by virtue of the steps taken to keep them secret. This exploratory study seeks to provide a foundation for a general understanding of the nature and governance of trade secrets and their role in management practice. Propositions are developed and tested on their nature, location within the firm and the mechanisms that operate to keep them secure from betrayal to competitors.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 256-277 |
| Number of pages | 22 |
| Journal | International Journal of Intellectual Property Management |
| Volume | 3 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2009 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Anti-betrayal mechanisms
- Confidential information
- Information theft
- Intellectual property management
- Security
- Trade secrets