Hollywood couldn't write a script this compelling. How does a company protect its trade secrets? Should spying upon your own board members and tapping their phone conversations be a routine business practice?
Hewlett-Packard had a problem with information discussed only in board meetings finding its way to journalist ramblings in the news. What steps do you take in that situation? The Christian Science Monitor probes some of those issues in The changing rules of corporate spy games.
A Dow Jones MarketWatch article notes that "Hewlett-Packard Co. is ranked second on Business Ethics magazine's 100 best corporate citizens for 2006" and the article points to some specific reasons why. But, in light of the company's methods to uncover sources of leaks, the good will gained from such efforts comes under question.
One of the questions that many companies should be asking themselves in light of this drama being played out in public, with news of SEC investigations, and questioning by the US House of Representatives, is how they can keep themselves from finding themselves in a similar situation? How can they plan before hand to handle problems like the ones that Hewlett-Packard faced in a manner that can be viewed in a positive manner?
Alex Simpson, at Corporate and Securities Law Blog, has been posting a storm about issues involving Hewlett-Packard recently, including today's post - HP Part XXXI -- Now Look What HP Has Dunn...
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