实用英语口语(高等级) 32.Industrial espionage

YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR:I've always wanted to do that! Spying: one of the most glamorous and dangerous jobs in the world. But not all spies work for their national governments. Some of them are out there trying to improve their companies' chances in the business world. Industrial Espionage is the term used to describe the activities some companies use to get ahead in business.

YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR:Of course, it can be illegal but 'All's fair in love and business', right? 工业间谍有时候会使用最简单的办法来获取竞争对手的产品信息：就去买一件对方的产品拆开，看看它的工作原理。 This process is known as 'reverse engineering'. Once they've done that they can try to make a similar product that they hope will be able to make them some money. This is fine if you're not worried about trying to be the first company to release a product.

YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR:But some companies have pushed the limits of industrial espionage by using methods similar to their counterparts in national espionage organizations in order to get their products to the marketplace before the competitors. Sometimes companies steal the plans for new products and reverse engineer the plans so that they can release their products first. Can these methods ever be used ethically? 'Value engineering' is used by companies who want to cut costs and improve their products. A company's existing product is reverse engineered and examined by company employees.

YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR:They try to find parts of the product that can be modified in order to reduce costs or improve performance. The basic function of the product should be retained but extra parts of the design that don't add to its functionality or which cost too much are analyzed and, if necessary, are removed. As they say, 'Knowledge is everything' and this maxim applies to business as much as any other part of life.