Protecting Corporate Secrets

Companies restrict documents, hire gumshoes, plant evergreens

Coca-Cola accuses Procter & Gamble of trying to uncover its confidential operational plans. Hertz charges Avis with unfair trade practices for hiring away 18 managers with knowledge of secret operational and financial information. Squibb goes to court to block Diagnostic Medical Instruments from pilfering data about its cardiac monitoring systems. S.B. Thomas sues Entenmann's for filching crucial details about the equipment and ingredients used to make the famous nooks and crannies in its English muffins.

Whether the product is medicine or muffins, companies are more preoccupied than ever before with finding ways of protecting their trade...