You are a project manager for a software manufacturing firm. The project you’ve just finished created a new software product that is expected to become a number-one seller. All prerelease of software is handled through the marketing department. A friend of yours is a certified software instructor. They have asked you for a copy of the software prior to the beta release so they can get familiar with it. What is the most appropriate response?

A.
Since your friend is certified to teach your company’s brand of software, provide them with a copy of the software.

B.
Decline the request since you stand to gain from this transaction by receiving free training.

C.
Ask them to sign a nondisclosure agreement before releasing a copy of the software.

D.
Decline the request because the software is the intellectual property of the company.

Explanation:
The most appropriate response is to deny the request. Software is considered intellectual property and should not be used for personal gain or given to others without prior consent from the organization. This question states that the release of the beta software is handled through the marketing department, so you should not give your friend a copy of the software outside of this process.