I was thinking of China when I came up with this. If your corruption is high, technology level is medium/low and you have no/poor copyright laws you would get this event:
EVENT: Intellectual property theft
Some of your companies have been caught stealing technology from foreign companies. This has angered other countries but is providing our companies with technology they couldn’t invent themselves.
Causes Corporate Espionage and reduces foreign relations. (disappears very slowly)
SITUATION: Corporate Espionage
Companies in your nation have started stealing secrets from more advanced companies based in other countries. This will anger those countries but provide a small technology boost for your economy. If this situation gets very bad other countries may start trade restrictions on your goods.
Causes:
Increased by IP theft event
Increased by Low technology
Increased by High corruption
Reduced by copyright law (high copyright law will make this disappear but it would take a while)
Reduced by very high technology
Effects:
Increase in technology
Reduction to foreign relations
Reduction to international trade
Increases corruption