Unauthorized Removal of Project Team Member

A.

Based on the information provided, the most likely reason for the new team member's sudden removal from the project is that they had proprietary information about a competitor's product. This suggests that the company may have become aware of a potential conflict of interest or breach of confidentiality.

Of the four options provided, options C and D seem less likely. Option C suggests that the new member did not sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), which would be a serious oversight on the part of the project team and the company. It is more likely that an NDA would have been signed before the new team member was given access to sensitive information.

Option D suggests that a service level agreement (SLA) prevented the addition of new team members. However, this seems less likely to be the cause of the team member's sudden removal, as SLAs typically govern service delivery and performance rather than personnel changes.

Option B suggests that the team member was removed from the project because a higher-priority project needed their expertise. While this is a possibility, it seems less likely than option A.

Option A, that the company received a conflict of interest disclosure, is the most likely explanation. If the company became aware that the new team member had proprietary information about a competitor's product, it would be in the company's best interest to remove them from the project to avoid any potential conflicts of interest or breaches of confidentiality. This would be a prudent action on the part of the company to protect their intellectual property and maintain ethical business practices.