Roslyn, a food buyer for Organic Cornucopia Food Company, decides to go into business for herself as Roslyn's Kitchen. She contacts Organic's suppliers, offering to buy their entire harvest for the next year. She also contacts Organic's customers offering to sell them her products for less than Organic. Has Roslyn violated any intellectual property rights covered in the material this week? If so - please discuss what rights you believe she has violated.

Yes, Roslyn has violated the intellectual property rights of trade secret. Trade secrets are the valuable assets of an organization that provides competitive advantage. It may include a formula, device, process, method or information that provides the advantage. The list of customers and suppliers comes under the trade secrets as it includes the information that provides competitive advantage for the firm.

In this case Roslyn has acquired and used the supplier and customer information of Organic Cornucopia Food Company to her advantage by offering to buy the supplier’s entire harvest for one year and offering to sell her products to the customers for less than Organic. The information contained as trade secrets is protected against appropriation by others. Hence it is an infringement of trade secret.