To publish or not to publish

A blanket policy against publishing technical papers is as much a mistake as a policy of approving virtually all potential papers for publication. Companies adopting either extreme may be costing themselves money. Accordingly, management must evaluate the merits of each technical paper. Publishing a particular article may enhance a company's stature, but care should be exercised so as not to jeopardize patent position — particularly outside the United States. Guidelines are offered to help management decide between the benefits and the deterrents to publication.