Protecting Intellectual Capital in the Electronic Age
This IndustryWeek article recommends the following steps to protect intellectual property:
Designate an oversight team to handle electronic records management that includes business, legal, and IT staff.
Apply sensible metrics to intellectual property decisions.
Require blanket IP assignments from employees and develop post-employment strategies.
Update electronic use policies periodically and enforce compliance.
Leverage technology to bolster IP protection and increase productivity.
Monitor employee blogs.
Monitor competitors' patent developments.
Make privacy a top priority.
Employ confidentiality agreements when outsourcing.
Monitor trademark usage on the Internet.
Prohibit mobile phones with cameras in sensitive areas.
Require employees to encrypt their home wireless networks.
