The Napster Generation are entering the workforce and have very (read VERY) different idea of what is common property and what is not. Gen Y, in their usual style have even gone as far as starting a website to fight back. This is so Generation Y and I love it. The whole file sharing debate should be hitting some serious chords in the Corner offices around the world, especially as new technology makes it very easy to carry huge amounts of data (read Intellectual Property) on very small devices. Devices which are often owned by the individual.
How will you protect your IP and knowledge from walking out the door with a Gen Y'er on his way to work for your competition down the road? My opinion is you can't. Now more then ever it will be essential that companies our innovate the competition because they sure as hell will not be able to protect their ideas for very long. They need to stay one step ahead and focus all of their energy on the 4% of knowledge and IP that really gives them their competitive advantage and not waster too much energy trying to capture and protect the 96% that does not contribute, or at least does not differentiate them from their competitor down the road.
