Which of the following can be considered a trade secret?

A trade secret is defined as information that is not generally known to the public, provides a business advantage, and is subject to reasonable efforts to maintain its secrecy. A secret recipe that is kept confidential exemplifies a classic trade secret because it is proprietary information that offers a competitive edge to the business while being intentionally protected from public disclosure. Keeping the recipe confidential ensures that competitors cannot easily replicate the product, thus preserving the company’s market position.

In contrast, the other options do not qualify as trade secrets due to their public nature or lack of reasonable secrecy measures. A business plan shared publicly, employee records accessible to all, and a published marketing strategy are all examples of information that loss their trade secret status since they are available to individuals outside of the business, thereby not providing any exclusivity or competitive advantage.