The knowing misappropriation of trade secrets related to a product for the economic benefit of others, with knowledge or intent to injure the owner, is called what?

• A. Industrial Espionage
• B. Corporate Theft
• C. Intellectual Property Theft
• D. Economic Espionage

Answer: (A)

Industrial espionage is the act of secretly taking a company’s trade secrets to benefit outsiders, usually a competitor, and often with the aim of injuring the owner. The description matches this best because it highlights the misappropriation of trade secrets for the economic gain of others with intent to harm the owner. Economic espionage can involve foreign actors or government sponsorship, which isn’t specified here, so the term that most precisely fits this scenario is industrial espionage. Corporate theft and intellectual property theft are broader concepts that don’t specifically capture the targeted misappropriation of trade secrets for competitive advantage.