Customer Reviews

Managing Knowledge Security: Strategies for Protecting Your Company's Intellectual Assets

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In the preface, Kevin Desouza explains that in addition to demonstrating how organizations are vulnerable to breaches in security, he details how most breaches can take place without the use of sophisticated technological mechanism. "My goal is writing this book is simple, but salient: to help organizations realize that their core resources - intellectual assets - are under constant attack, and that protecting this resource is as important as any other strategic agenda. Organizations that take necessary steps to protect their knowledge will thrive in today's competitive environment, often at the expense of their less-prepared foes."

Readers will especially appreciate Desouza's skillful use of two reader-friendly devices in Chapters 2-6: "Possible causes of security breaches" and "Preventive measures." He provides a checklist for each when exploring protection of intellectual assets at the level of employees (Chapter 2), the human aspects of technical security breaches (Chapter 3), the nature of intellectual asset security when engaging with external entities (Chapter 4), the nature and dimensions of physical security (Chapter 5), and protection of intellectual assets during crises (Chapter 6). Then in the final chapter, Desouza focuses on seven strategic considerations that must be carefully thought through when devising a viable security program for intellectual assets.

All are critically important and best identified within his narrative, in context. However, I do not hesitate to suggest that Desouza offers the best single source I have yet encountered for decision-makers in any organization (regardless of its size or nature) that currently fails to protect its security effectively both internally and externally, especially now when its core resources - its intellectual assets - are under constant attack.

Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out Creating New Wealth from IP Assets co-authored by Robert Shearer and other members of the National Knowledge & Intellectual Property Management Taskforce as well as Paul Goldstein's Intellectual Property: The Tough New Realities That Could Make or Break Your Business, Alexander I. Poltorak and Paul J. Lerner's Essentials of Intellectual Property, Carla O'Dell's The Executive's Role in Knowledge Management, and If Only We Knew What We Know: The Transfer of Internal Knowledge and Best Practice co-authored by O'Dell and C. Jackson Grayson.