Innovators Dilemma (the beginning.....2)

The chess pieces are in place and the game has begun. We got a decline for our civil request to have a non disclosure agreement signed (A non-disclosure agreement (NDA), also called a confidential disclosure agreement (CDA), confidentiality agreement or secrecy agreement, is a legal contract between at least two parties which outlines confidential materials the parties wish to share with one another for certain purposes, but wish to restrict from generalized use. In other words, it is a contract through which the parties agree not to disclose information covered by the agreement. A NDA creates a confidential relationship between the parties.) The reasons given are:

1.We are a startup. No one really knows who we are. (The Big Picture is a marketing services company that is focused on exploiting current technology to develop innovative concepts that will allow organizations to enhance the way in which consumers talk among themselves about a companies product. We have been in existence since 2002 and have been dormant having had to go back to the drawing board and figure out how we can best serve the enterprise. We are out now with several ideas which we will be implementing with our technology partners New enterprise objects)

2.It has been expressed by Mobile planet that Safaricom is not interested in stealing our trade secret (A trade secret is a confidential practice, method, process, design, or other information used by a company to compete with other businesses. It is also referred to in some jurisdictions as confidential information.
The concept is that, sometimes, Company A is more successful than Company B, or is successful at all, not so much due to access to markets, resources, or personnel, but due to special knowledge owned by Company A. If others had access to the same knowledge, then Company A's ability to survive in an otherwise equal marketplace would be impaired. Thus, such secrets are guarded zealously).
They (mobile planet) state that the main interest is to ensure that the data we provide is from a credible source (our source is of a credible nature)
Interesting outcome I must admit, but we believe strongly in what we do and we will fight to ensure that we get just reward for our efforts. The response by the “Suits” demonstrates just how a culture of mistrust and a lack of goodwill can prevent a mutually beneficial relationship from coming to be.
Kenyan businessmen are notorious for stealing concepts and Ideas from the less economically capable individuals. I believe for it is imperative that smaller companies do whatever it takes to protect themselves against the vicious piranha approach that big business take.

To this end we at TBP and NEO take a skeptical approach to say that “word is no ones bond” and to the extent that someone gives us his/her word it must be backed by a documents that confirms his/her word. We would like to be men of honor but our environment forces our hand. We would like an open approach to business but the cost to this “openness” is too high.

In conclusion I’d like to ask: “how far must one go to protect his idea, process, information, contacts from being taken advantage of by others? How can one protect such trade secret enough to obtain significant reward for business efforts and finally As big business looks down at small businesses who are flexible and hungry enough to innovate in any space will they be willing to give these businesses space in the dinning table?”