In
our recent article on trade secrets, we indicated that
virtually anything that adds value to a business could be regarded
as a trade secret, and this may include any method, formula,
device, process or information (technical or business, e.g., a list
of suppliers) that gives the owner a competitive advantage. In this
article, we focus on the factors to consider when determining how
to protect technological innovation, and particularly whether to
patent or keep as a trade secret.
In our first piece article of the series, we also mentioned
possibly the world's most famous trade secret - whose recipe or
"chemical composition" has been kept secret since the
1880s. This "product and method" fades into
insignificance compared to the "secret" method of making Chartreuse liqueur. This was first
"invented" in 1605 and has been in commercial production
since 1737. So, it can be done provided protection strategies are
well-planned and implemented. When it comes to
