Protection of Know-how

In China, the theft of know-how has already came up to an epidemic scale. This is particularly the case in the growing reverse engineering, the sprawling counterfeiting, the industrial espionage and the break into European computer systems by Chinese hackers. The problem is increasing because the methods of Chinese know-how thieves are more and more intelligent.

Due to the fact that Chinese knowledge thieves usually sell the stolen know-how to third parties like other Chinese companies, there is a snowball effect that leads to relatively large second markets with cheap products - based on stolen know-how. It is these competing discount markets which undermine or destroy the sales of European manufacturers slowly but surely.

The main problem of European manufacturers is not the present loss of revenues, resulting from currently offered competing discount products. It's the future loss of sales and market share as a result of the rapidly growing global discount markets. These second markets can not only damage, but wreck a business.

Regarding the protection of know-how, many European companies are fighting single battles - without a chance to win the war. They do not have a consistent strategy or coordinated measures, but react spontaneously to individual cases. Such an improvising approach does not make sense because the effective fight against the theft of know-how requires calculated, well-aimed and concerted actions and procedures. The task is to bundle the manifold operative measures of IP protection strategy-based to navigate their effects in a particular direction and strengthen them.

In China, no European company is able to avoid the loss of its know-how completely. But every company is able to raise the barriers for knowledge thieves so much that the theft of know-how becomes too expensive, risky or time-consuming. The challenge is to make the theft of know-how much more difficult and complicated, so that potential attackers do not start their plan or give it up. Such a strong and lasting blockade requires a comprehensive and coordinated system of know-how-protection. Only an integrated system enables European companies in China to build up and maintain powerful resistance and defense.