Customer Reviews

Sticky Fingers: Managing the Global Risk of Economic Espionage

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Occasionally, an author's concluding remarks shed a great deal of light on what that author's purposes are. That is certainly true of this book. Consider this brief excerpt from the Afterword in which Fink observes: "Acts of terror [e.g. such as those which occurred on September 11th] notwithstanding, economic espionage remains one of the most serious threats to our national security since the Cold War. Therefore, we ought to have seasoned generals leading, and weathered soldiers fighting, the good battles that need to be fought." However, with all due respect to the F.B.I. and to legislation such as the Economic Espionage Act [EEA], "...you still need to be your own best defense against espionage with proper internal education, training, and procedures" and under no circumstances "delegate the crisis management work for your company to the government. It is too important." This brief excerpt helps to explain why this book can be so valuable to decision-makers in global organizations.

Recent research studies have dentified issues of greatest concern to senior-level executives, following September 11th. The top five are mail processing (86%), travel (85%), protection of employees (79%), protection of infrastructure (75%), and risk assessment (71%). Obviously, there is widespread and quite legitimate concern about protecting human beings and physical property. However, as Fink eloquently explains, we must also be concerned about -- and take appropriate measures to protect -- information which is as important to the global economy as oxygen is to the human body.

As events on September 11th clearly indicate, even a country with resources such as those possessed by the United States cannot totally defend itself and its people against terrorists acts. However, because the U.S.A. remains the world leader in research, development, new technology, products, and trade secrets, organizations within the U.S.A. are high-profile targets and "economic espionage spies are still going to come after [them] and that only increases [the] global risk of economic espionage." As previously indicated, Fink's book examines the nature and extent of that potential risk, suggesting all manner of strategies and tactics to anticipate and then prepare for, as well as respond to, economic espionage because it is "a business crisis and should be treated as such."

Fink asserts that "Companies are under attack and at enormous risk every day. from the global threat of economic espionage, but the risk can and should be lowered and managed. Here's how." He organizes his material within two Sections and presents it in 29 interrelated chapters, followed by an Afterword in which he addresses the question, "EEA: Bear Trap or Mouse Trap?" To explain "here's how", he uses the largest economic espionage case ever tried in the United States -- Avery Dennison/Four Pillars -- from his vantage point as the lead crisis management expert for Avery Dennison. Fink guides his reader step-by-step through that seminal case, also also citing along the way relevant situations in other companies such as Bristol-Myers Squibb, Gillette, Kodak, Lucent Technologies, and MasterCard.

Who will derive the greatest benefit from this book? Obviously decision-makers in global organizations. Also service providers to those organizations (e.g. attorneys, accountants, insurance underwriters, management consultants) as well as officials in governmental agencies who are directly or indirectly involved in economic espionage threats as well as acts. I also highly recommend Fink's previous book, Crisis Management, first published in 1986 but more relevant today than ever before. America is at greatest risk because it has the most worth stealing. Those with "sticky fingers" know that and so must those whose task it is to deny them.

"Sticky Fingers" is a highly valuable contribution to the ranks of important, must-read business books that sheds much-needed light on the theft of company trade secrets. At a cost to U.S. businesses of more than $250 billion a year, it is no wonder the author calls economic espionage the single biggest business crisis in America today. Every executive and manager should read this book pronto and follow the author's sound advice on protecting their company's trade secrets. My company was a victim of economic espionage and believe me, it hurt! I wish our management had read this book and followed Fink's pragmatic advice on how companies can protect their trade secrets and reduce their risk of economic espionage.

It is obvious from reading "Sticky Fingers" that the author knows his subject, inside and out. The book has been thoroughly researched and well documented with a couple of hundred source notes to back it up, including interviews with former and current Justice Department prosecutors and FBI agents, as well as many corporate executives. In addition, the author cites no less than three Avery Dennison attorneys who reviewed the manuscript for accuracy. People who plunk down good money for good books appreciate this kind of substantive research. Curiously, in the face of this rock-solid reporting there emerges a childishly cranky "reviewer" from Avery Dennison's Pasadena hometown. (Hmmm?) His - or her - bias seems simplistic and obvious. Having followed this particular case and the Avery Dennison company closely for many years, I have come across quite a few embarrassing incidents that the author might have included had he wanted - perhaps some discomfiting snafus involving the company's lawyers missing scheduled court dates, or company lawyers being publicly rebuked by the trial judge for having loose lips, or gaffes by self-doubting senior management and hyper-nervous internal PR flaks. Even though those incidents may have little to do with the important topic of Economic Espionage, it still might be interesting, if not amusing, if they became public one day. This could be a slippery slope for transparent individuals with personal agendas.

Like the author's previous book on crisis management, "Sticky Fingers" is a book that belongs on every business bookshelf. Company executives and managers would be wise to read it and learn how to prevent the theft of their valuable trade secrets...before they wind up as victimized as the hapless Avery Dennison.

It is amazing to consider that corporate spies steal more than $250 billion a year from US companies. The writing here is excellent, making for a compelling read as author Fink uses the landmark Avery Dennison/Four Pillars case through out this book as a backdrop for understanding the damage a company spy can cause. After reading Sticky Fingers, I am much more cautious about the information I share outside the company, whether I'm at a tradeshow or in the elevator. This book will make you re-think what you say about your business, and who you share information with either at your company or outside company walls. Whether you're working in a corporate office or have your own company, this book is a must read!

Have you ever had to decide whether to pick up that juicy Tom Clancy book or that stale, but important business one? Steven Fink splits the difference and solves your problem with this book that is half spy story, half business advice. Sticky Fingers works best as a thriller. As business advice, the book highlights the basic issues for U.S. companies fighting economic espionage, but falls short of serving up a complete playbook. The devil, as always, is in the details, and the specifics of the books real-life cases sketch a more accurate picture of this particular devil than the generalized advice. If economic espionage is the elephant in the corner that your company has been pretending does not exist, we from getAbstract recommend Sticky Fingers as a starting point to finally taking action to protect yourself.

Steven Fink, author of the bestselling " Crisis Management," has written a truly superb book on economic espionage. Using actual real world examples involving Avery Dennison / Four Pillars, Lucent Technologies, and Eastman Kodak, Fink has crafted a practical and easy-to-read book on how companies should protect their most valuable corporate asset - their trade secrets.

In the case involving Avery Dennison (the label and adhesives maker), Fink provides a detailed look at what caused a highly respected scientist at Avery Dennison to sell his company's trade secrets to a foreign competitor, namely Four Pillars of Taiwan. The ensuing court trial makes for interesting reading.

Using the example of Eastman Kodak and one of its former employees, Fink again discusses the motivation behind selling one's former employers' trade secrets for personal gain. This human element, which Fink writes about with great ease and clarity, is often overlooked in other books on economic and industrial espionage.

The chapter on the Economic Espionage Act of 1996 and the types of information worth protecting should be 'must reads' for every business manager. I would like to have seen another chapter on methods that companies can use to protect their trade secrets.

All in all, a solid book that provides useful information in an easy to read format.

Mark Robinson, author of "Beyond Competitive Intelligence: The Practice of CounterIntelligence and Trade Secrets Protection."

This is easily one of the most readable and important business books to hit the shelves in many years. I have followed Fink's work since the publication in the mid-1980's of his first (terrific) business book, CRISIS MANAGEMENT: PLANNING FOR THE INEVITABLE. In this newest work, Fink once again uses his engaging and lively writing style (he is also a novelist) to alert readers to America's newest and biggest business crisis -- the theft of trade secrets. Filled with fascinating case studies of companies that have been "ripped off" and victimized by insiders, disgruntled employees, unscrupulous competitors and even "friendly" foreign governments (such as Japan), the book offers straightforward, savvy practical advice for businesses large and small. In fact, Fink says that all that is necessary for any business to be vulnerable to economic espionage is just to have at least one competitor and/or one employee. He also reminds us that there are other crises besides international terrorism that we can ill afford to ignore. I've already bought a copy of this book for my boss; and my boss has already put the first of several meetings on how our company can better protect itself from ecomonic espionage on the calendar for next week. Even if you only have time to read one business book this year, make this the one you read.

This would be a more useful book had the author done a little fact checking. Many of the events described from the investigation to the criminal and civil trials are incorrectly reported or, in fact, never occured. One of the most telling incidents, mysteriously omitted from this author's account, involves the public rebuke by the trial judge of a PR Rep. for having entered the well of the courtroom during a recess and gotten caught going through exhibits and evidence. Save your money unless you are only interested in a conjured perception which is in conflict with reality.

Self-serving and poorly written. More fluff than substance. I was expecting more than a mere "hire me" book.