A more thorough explanation:

Improper means of discovery refers to the wrongful way of obtaining a competitor's trade secret. This can be done through misrepresentation, eavesdropping, or stealing.

• A company representative lies to a competitor's employee to gain access to confidential information.
• An individual listens in on a private conversation between two employees to obtain trade secrets.
• A former employee steals confidential documents from their previous employer to use at their new job.

These examples illustrate how improper means of discovery can be used to gain an unfair advantage over competitors. It is important for companies to protect their trade secrets and for individuals to respect the intellectual property of others.