Money & Ethics
When Imitation Isn't Flattery
|
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Q I'm an interior designer at an architecture firm, and one of our important corporate clients has asked us to design and have made -- at a low price -- close copies of an expensive line of contemporary furniture. My boss says this is perfectly legal, as long as I modify slightly some details and proportions of the designer line. I think this is unethical. What should I do?
AI'm with you. It may be technically legal, but your boss is asking you to flout the intellectual-property rights of the original designer and maker.
Courteously share your concerns with your boss and suggest that you both discuss this with the client. To help bolster your case, you should recommend to the client another line of original furnishings that are similar but within its budget.
![[kiplinger.com]](http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/business/graphics/kiplinger_sm2.gif)
