FEATURE
PAPER
Managing
Employee Internet Use
The
following paper was presented at the 2006 SBI Mid-Year Conference.
It was written by Matthew C. Sonfield of Hofstra
University.
Abstract
Most
business owners and managers are aware of the need to protect
their companies’ information technology systems from external threats, such
as viruses and spyware, but far fewer of
these owners and managers recognize the costs of their employees’ non-work-related
internet usage.
These costs include reduced worker productivity and extra requirements
for bandwidth and other
information technology resources.
This
paper examines the issue of employee non-business internet
usage and provides
information regarding policies and software that can manage
this problem. A case study example of a
long-time Small Business Institute client’s management
of such usage illustrates the issues involved and
the decisions which must be made if a management and control
system is to be adopted and implemented. Introduction
Computers
and the internet are central to the operations of most companies
in today’s business
environment. It is difficult to imagine supplying an employee
with a desk or work station and not with a
computer as well. And almost all business computers require
access and connection beyond the
company and are therefore connected to the internet as well
as internal networks. But while such a
connection greatly facilitates and strengthens the productivity
of employees in their work activities, this
external connection creates problems and challenges. Internet
access opens company computers to
viruses, cookies, worms, spyware and various other nasty and
sometimes destructive electronic
gremlins, which can be costly to a business (Simmers, 2002).
And these internet threats continue to
expand at an alarming rate (Dept. of Homeland Security, 2006).
Furthermore, while not as directly destructive,
and therefore costly in a different way, the deluge of spam which
the internet delivers also
impedes an employee’s productivity.
For even
a small business, the cost of viruses, cookies, spam etc.
can be substantial. As an
example, it is estimated that a small company with one hundred
employees, with an average salary of
$40,000, will incur an annual cost of about $15,000 in both
wasted employee time deleting spam and in
the information technology services required to deal with this
problem (Lonetree, 2006).
Read
the Entire Paper...
TIP
OF THE WEEK
Is Bigger Better?
When it comes to trade shows and conferences, bigger is not
necessarily better. Large and small shows each have advantages
and disadvantages. While it may not be a make-or-break factor,
consider size when choosing which shows to attend.
Small Shows
Pros
• Logistics are usually more manageable (particularly helpful
for someone planning their first show).
• Tend to be less expensive.
• You're less likely to be overshadowed by bigger exhibitors.
• You can often use a simple tabletop exhibit - no booth required.
• Attendees are typically from specific niche markets.
Cons
• Fewer attendees mean fewer potential leads, particularly if
you discover it's not the right show for you after you get
there.
• Attendees are less likely to have high-level buying power.
• Show management can be less organized that at the big shows.
• Fewer resources for exhibitors.
• May attract little attention within the industry/trade press.
Large Shows
Pros
• Numerous attendees mean lots of potential leads - if you can
get them to your booth.
• Exhibiting next to big companies' booths can sometimes drive
more traffic your way.
• Higher-level decision makers are more likely to attend.
• Show management is used to juggling a lot of demands and is
more likely to have readily available resources for exhibitors.
• Greater visibility within the industry, which can be helpful
if you're launching a new product or brand.
Cons
• Logistics and costs can be overwhelming.
• If you're a small exhibitor, you might disappear among large
companies' expensive booths.
• You're more likely to look amateurish if you don't have a sophisticated
booth.
• Higher risk of being tucked away in a low-traffic zone.
• When thousands of people attend, it's harder to target only
the ones you want to meet.
| Rhonda
Abrams and Betsy Bozdech. Trade
Show in a Day. The Planning Shop, Palo Alto, California.
2006. p7. |
ANNOUNCEMENTS
SBANC Holiday
Schedule
SBANC will
be closed for the holiday season from December 16th and will
reopen on January 12th, 2007. We hope everyone has a wonderful
Christmas holiday!
|
CONFERENCES
AACSB
|
| Who: |
AACSB
Communications
|
| What: |
Associate
Deans/Data Management Conference
|
| Where: |
Charlotte,
North Carolina, USA |
| When: |
December
7-9, 2006 |
|
|
|
AACSB
|
| Who: |
AACSB
Communications
|
| What: |
Lessons
for Aspiring Deans Seminar
|
| Where: |
Charlotte,
North Carolina, USA |
| When: |
December
9-10, 2006 |
|
|
|
GS
|
| Who: |
Global
Services
|
| What: |
The
Globalization of Services - The Second Annual
Conference
|
| Where: |
Bechtel
Conference Center, Stanford, California, USA |
| When: |
December
12th, 2006 |
|
|
|
USASBE
|
| Who: |
United
States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship
|
| What: |
USASBE
2007
|
| Where: |
Disney's
Coronado Springs Resort, Orlando, Florida, USA |
| When: |
January
11-14, 2007 |
|
|
|
ICSB
|
| Who: |
International
Council for Small Business (ICSB)
|
| What: |
World
Conference
|
| Where: |
Turku,
Finland |
| When: |
June
13-15, 2007 |
|
|
|
CALLS FOR PAPERS
MEA
|
| Who: |
Marketing
Educators’ Association |
| What: |
2007
Conference
|
| Where: |
Hyatt
Regency - On the Riverwalk, San Antonio, Texas,
USA |
| When: |
April
26 - 28, 2007 |
Submission
Deadline:
January 12, 2007
|
|
|
|
CG
|
| Who: |
Common
Ground
|
| What: |
Learning
Conference 2007
|
| Where: |
University
of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa |
| When: |
June
26-29, 2007 |
Submission
Deadline:
January 15, 2007
|
|
|
|
HIC
|
| Who: |
Hawaii
International Conference
|
| What: |
7th
Annual Hawaii International Conference on Business
|
| Where: |
Waikiki
Beach Marriott Resort & Spa, Honolulu Hawaii,
USA |
| When: |
May
24-27, 2007 |
Submission
Deadline:
January 19, 2007
|
|
|
|
FHSU
|
| Who: |
Fort
Hays State University
|
| What: |
Annual
Business and Leadership Symposium 2007
|
| Where: |
Hays,
Kansas |
| When: |
September
26-27, 2007 |
Submission
Deadline:
September 17, 2007
|
|
|
|
|
The
SBANC Newsletter is provided as a service to the members of
our affiliates: Academy of Collegiate Marketing Educators (ACME),
Association for Small Business & Entrepreneurship (ASBE),
Federation of Business Disciplines (FBD), International Council
for Small Business (ICSB), Institute for Supply Management
(ISM), The International Small Business Congress (ISBC), Marketing
Management Association (MMA), Small Business Administration
(SBA), Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE), Small Business
Institute (SBI), Society for Marketing Advances (SMA), United
States Association for Small Business & Entrepreneurship
(USASBE), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).. If you
are interested in membership or would like further information
on one of our affiliates, please see our web site at http://www.sbaer.uca.edu
SBANC STAFF
Main Office Phone: (501) 450-5300
Dr.
Don B. Bradley III, Executive Director of SBANC & Professor
of Marketing;
Direct Phone: (501) 450-5345
Brandon
Tabor, Development Intern
Garion
McCoy, Development Intern
Tyler
Farrar, Development Intern
To subscribe or unsubscribe to
the SBANC Newsletter, please E-mail SBANC at sbanc@uca.edu
|
