The threat of corporate espionage or other misappropriation should prod owners of intellectual property to take measures to protect their important information and creations. Intellectual property and other laws may not prevent the acts of unscrupulous persons, but when properly applied, they can function as substantial deterrents against such acts and, in some circumstances, can remedy harm resulting from the acts. While most organisations have well laid down rules for the audit and protection of their physical possessions, intellectual property is sometimes overlooked. So before setting out to implement a strategy for protecting intellectual property, it is generally useful to know what intellectual property there is to protect. Many organisations conduct periodic audits to identify and classify their intellectual property as, for example, technical information, production information, sales and marketing information, financial information, etc.
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