Rimage: Safeguarding Intellectual Property in China

Rimage was an on-demand digital publishing company based in Minnesota, USA. Since 1992, Rimage had been internationalizing its business in Europe, Scandinavia, Africa, Middle East, and Russia. By 2004, its products had penetrated Japanese market. Encouraged by its success in Japan, Rimage considered entry into China. The initial market assessment identified opportunities in China, but also risk. As a technology driven company, Rimage's main management dilemma was how to set up operations in China while keeping its intellectual property secure. Manny Almeida, Rimage's Chief Operating Officer, carefully pondered the company's entry into China. Did the opportunities outweigh the risks? This decisional case is based on field research. There is an epilogue detailing the steps Rimage took to protect its intellectual property in China. The case aims to provide insight for international business in safeguarding intellectual property rights.