Business Law #4

ASSIGNMENT 04

C12 Business Law

Directions: Unless otherwise stated, answer in complete sentences, and be sure to use correct English, spelling and grammar. Sources must be cited in APA format. Your response should be four (4) double-spaced pages; refer to the "Assignment Format" page located on the Course Home page for specific format requirements.

Part A

Using the Internet as a resource, research the Coca-Cola Company’s efforts to keep its soft drink formula a trade secret over the course of the company’s (and the soft drink’s) one hundred-year-plus history.

1. Provide a brief summary of The Coca-Cola Company’s efforts to protect its soft drink formula as a trade secret.

2. Describe one (1) challenge the company has faced in preserving its trade secret.

3. Describe two (2) reasons why The Coca-Cola Company would choose to protect its soft drink formula as a trade secret, as opposed to using another form of intellectual property protection (for example, a patent).

Part B

1. Through Internet research, find and describe three (3) examples of physical or mental problems covered by the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), and three (3) examples of physical or mental problems not covered by the ADA.

2. Present an argument supporting the position that the ADA has been appropriately interpreted and applied by the courts (in terms of the types of disabilities covered), or that it has not (for example, that it has been overly interpreted and applied to too many types of physical and mental maladies). Provide two (2) supporting facts to justify your position.

Grading Rubric

Please refer to the rubric on the following page for the grading criteria for this assignment.

CATEGORYExemplarySatisfactoryUnsatisfactoryUnacceptable

15 points 12 points 8 points 5 points

Student provides a clear,

logical description of The

Coca-Cola Company’s efforts

to protect its soft drink

formula as a trade secret.

Student provides a mostly

clear, logical description of

The Coca-Cola Company’s

efforts to protect its soft

drink formula as a trade

secret.

Student provides a weak or

unclear description of The

Coca-Cola Company’s

efforts to protect its soft

drink formula as a trade

secret.

Student provides a poor

description of The Coca-

Cola Company’s efforts to

protect its soft drink

formula as a trade secret.

15 points 12 points 8 points 5 points

Student provides a clear,

logical description of at least

1 challenge the company has

faced in preserving its trade

secret.

Student provides a mostly

clear, logical description of 1

challenge the company has

faced in preserving its trade

secret.

Student provides a weak or

unclear description of 1

challenge the company has

faced in preserving its trade

secret.

Student provides a poor

description of 1 challenge

the company has faced in

preserving its trade secret.

15 points 12 points 8 points 5 points

Student provides a clear,

logical description of at least

2 reasons why The Coca-Cola

Company would choose to

protect its soft drink formula

as a trade secret, as opposed

to using another form of

intellectual property

protection.

Student provides a mostly

clear, logical description of 1-

2 reasons why The Coca-Cola

Company would choose to

protect its soft drink formula

as a trade secret, as opposed

to using another form of

intellectual property

protection.

Student provides a weak or

unclear description of 1-2

reasons why The Coca-Cola

Company would choose to

protect its soft drink

formula as a trade secret, as

opposed to using another

form of intellectual

property protection.

Student provides a poor

description of 1 reason

why The Coca-Cola

Company would choose to

protect its soft drink

formula as a trade secret,

as opposed to using

another form of

intellectual property

protection.

10 points 8 points 5 points 2 points

Student provides a clear,

logical description of at least

3 examples of physical or

mental problems covered by

the ADA.

Student provides a mostly

clear, logical description of 2-

3 examples of physical or

mental problems covered by

the ADA.

Student provides a weak or

unclear description of 1-2

examples of physical or

mental problems covered

by the ADA.

Student provides a poor

description of 1 example

of physical or mental

problems covered by the

ADA.

10 points 8 points 5 points 2 points

Student provides a clear,

logical description of at least

3 examples of physical or

mental problems not

covered by the ADA.

Student provides a mostly

clear, logical description of 2-

3 examples of physical or

mental problems not

covered by the ADA.

Student provides a weak or

unclear description of 1-2

examples of physical or

mental problems not

covered by the ADA.

Student provides a poor

description of 1 example

of physical or mental

problems not covered by

the ADA.

Part A: Reasons (15

points)

Part B: ADA

examples covered

(10 points)

Part B: ADA

examples not

covered (10 points)

Part A: Trade secret

summary (15

points)

Part A: Challenges

(15 points)

15 points 12 points 8 points 5 points

Student provides a clear,

logical description of

argument supporting the

position that the ADA has

been appropriately

interpreted and applied by

the courts, or that it has not,

along with at least 2 clear,

logical supporting facts.

Student provides a mostly

clear, logical description of

argument supporting the

position that the ADA has

been appropriately

interpreted and applied by

the courts, or that it has not,

along with 1-2 mostly clear,

logical supporting facts.

Student provides a weak or

unclear description of

argument supporting the

position that the ADA has

been appropriately

interpreted and applied by

the courts, or that it has not,

along with 1-2 weak or

unclear supporting facts.

Student provides a poor

description of argument

supporting the position

that the ADA has been

appropriately interpreted

and applied by the courts,

or that it has not, along

with 0-1 poor supporting

facts.

10 points 8 points 5 points 2 points

Student makes no errors in

grammar or spelling that

distract the reader from the

content.

Student makes 1-2 errors in

grammar or spelling that

distract the reader from the

content.

Student makes 3-4 errors in

grammar or spelling that

distract the reader from the

content.

Student makes more than

4 errors in grammar or

spelling that distract the

reader from the content.

10 points 8 points 5 points 2 points

The paper is written in

proper format. All sources

used for quotes and facts are

credible and cited correctly.

The paper is written in

proper format with only 1-2

errors. All sources used for

quotes and facts are credible

and most are cited correctly.

The paper is written in

proper format with only 3-5

errors. Most sources used

for quotes and facts are

credible and cited correctly.

The paper is not written in

proper format. Many

sources used for quotes

and facts are less than

credible (suspect) and/or

are not cited correctly.

Format (10 Points)

Mechanics (10

Points)

Part B: ADA and the

courts (15 points)