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Business Ethics: Chapter 5 Case Study Questions

1 The legal systems of most countries recognize rights to various types of intellectual property, including trademarks, patents, copyright, and trade secrets. Which of the following is the best classification for such intellectual property rights?

2 Firms often try to keep their commercial techniques, processes, and methods secret by having new employees sign contracts that include the obligation of employees not to reveal commercially valuable information about these techniques. Which of the following is the best classification for this relationship between firm and employee?

3 E makes a promise to B not to do action R for one year. Two months later, E promises O to do action R. Which of the following is the best classification for this situation?

4 A free market under conditions of perfect competition maximizes total economic welfare. One condition of perfect competition is that all participants have full information. People should reveal trade secrets whenever possible because this will result in everyone having more information. Which of the following is the best classification for this critique of trade secrecy rights?

5 People should not steal trade secrets because if everyone were to steal trade secrets whenever it would benefit them, then the whole institution of trade secrecy would collapse. Which of the following is the best classification for this justification of intellectual property rights in commercially valuable techniques?

6 In a market society in which there was no right to secrecy regarding commercially valuable private information, there would be no incentive for firms to invest in research and development. Because no one had any incentive to develop new technology, everyone would be worse off. Which of the following is the best classification for this justification of trade secrecy?

7 Firms that invest heavily in developing new production techniques deserve to have exclusive use of this knowledge and to use it to give themselves a competitive advantage over rival firms. Which of the following is the best classification for this justification of trade secrecy?

8 People have the moral right to keep information about themselves from others. Similarly, firms have a right to keep commercially valuable information from competitors. Which of the following is the best classification for these justifications?

9 Which of the following is the best classification for a firm's moral right to keep commercial information secret?

10 By mixing her intellectual labour with the common intellectual heritage of humanity, a person produces a new commercially valuable process. Thus, she acquires a moral right to keep this information secret and to use it for commercial purposes. Which of the following is the best classification for this justification of trade secrecy?

Business Ethics: Chapter 5 Case Study Questions

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