Thomas Works for an Internationally-Renowned Computer Company

question 22

Essay

Thomas works for an internationally-renowned computer company. As a condition of his employment, Thomas signed a confidentiality agreement, in which he agreed not to disclose any trade secrets of the firm. The company has been researching a new computer advancement, and is on the brink of introducing this product to the buying public. Before the official product release, Thomas is considering offering information related to this new advancement to one of his company's competitors for a price. What categories of ethical behavior might be impacted by Thomas' decision to disclose this information to his employer's competitor?

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Definitions:

Long-Term Liabilities

Financial obligations of a business that are due more than one year in the future, such as bonds payable, long-term lease obligations, and pension liabilities.

Times Interest Earned Ratio

A financial metric measuring a company's ability to meet its debt obligations by comparing its income before interest and taxes to its interest expenses.

Income Statement

A financial report that shows a company's revenue, expenses, and profits over a specific period.

Present Value

The current value of a future sum of money or stream of cash flows given a specified rate of return, crucial in discounting and investment decision making.