In a business setting where one person (the boss) hires another (the worker) to do a job, having more information about how to do the job can make things cheaper. The boss might learn this info before or after making a deal with the worker. If the boss knows or will find out secret info about how to do the job, (i) having a deal after learning the info might not be good for the boss; and (ii) even though the worker might want the boss to have secret info after making a deal, it's better for both if they make a deal before the boss learns the info.