FEATURE
PAPER
Employee Personal Internet Use:
Costs and Remedies
The
following paper was presented at the 2007 USASBE/SBI Conference.
It was written by Matthew C. Sonfield of
Hofstra University.
Abstract
The threats to a company’s computer system by viruses, cookies, worms, spyware, and
other bugs are well-known to most business owners and managers, who generally take
the needed precautions to protect against such dangers. However, far fewer business
owners and managers understand how sizable the costs of their employees’ personal
internet usage can be. These costs include reduced worker productivity, extra
requirements for bandwidth and other information technology resources, and potential
legal liabilities.
This paper explores the various issues involved with employee non-business internet use,
and provides information regarding policies and remedies to 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.
Executive Summary
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’ nonwork-
related internet usage. These costs include reduced worker productivity and extra
requirements for bandwidth and other information technology resources.
While protection from viruses and other electronic bugs is readily available using
defensive software, and virtually all businesses utilize such software, many businesses,
and especially small businesses, often do little to manage their employees’ personal
internet usage. This paper examines this issue of employee non-business internet usage,
focusing on the costs of such usage, but also on the positive psychological releases that
this usage provides employees, as well as privacy and legal considerations. Information
regarding policies and software that can manage this problem is then provided, including
the components of effective policies, sources of sample policies, and the types of
software available. 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.
Read
the Entire Paper...
TIP
OF THE WEEK
Intellectual Property and Other Legal Issues for the Entrepreneur
International Patents
With the World Trade Organization (WTO) and its predecessor, the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), more global free trade has been encourages. However, although international trade has increased at the rate of about 6 percent per year since GATT was created in 1948, until recently there still was a need for an international patent law to protect firms from imitations and knockoffs. Another mechanism also was needed to provide firms some protection in global markets.
In response, the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) - with over 100 participants - was established to facilitate patent filings in multiple countries in one office rather than filing in each separate country. Administered by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, Switzerland, it provides a preliminary search that assesses whether the filing firm will face any possible infringements in any country. The company can then decide whether to proceed with the required filing of the patent in each country. The company can then decide whether to proceed with the required filing of the patent in each country. It has a 20-month time frame to file for these in-country patents. Even though the PCT allows for simultaneous filing of a patent in all member countries, there may be significant differences in patent laws in each of these countries. For example, patent laws in the U.S. allow computer software to receive both patent and copyright protection. On the other hand, in the European Union, patent protection is not extended to software.
The Disclosure Document
It is recommended that the entrepreneur first file a disclosure document to establish a date of conception of the invention. This document can be important when two entrepreneurs are filing for patents on similar invention. This filing date is now also relevant when there is a foreign company involved. In that instance, the entrepreneur who can show that he or she was the fist one to conceive of the invention will be given the rights to the patent.
To file a disclosure document, the entrepreneur must prepare a clear and concise description of the invention. In addition to the written material, photographs may be included. A cover letter and a duplicate are included with the description of the invention. Upon receipt of the information, the PTO will stamp and return the duplicate copy of the letter to the entrepreneur, thus establishing evidence of conception. The disclosure document is retained for two years and then destroyed unless a patent application if filed within this time. There is also a fee for this filing, which can be determined by contacting the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The disclosure document is not a patent application. Before actually applying for the patent it is advisable to retain a patent attorney to conduct a patent search. After the attorney completes the search, a decision can be made as to the patentability of the invention.
| Robert
D. Hisrich, Michael P. Peters and Dean A. Shepherd. Hodgetts. Entrepreneurship
7th edition.
2007. McGraw-Hill Irwin. p174-175. |
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CONFERENCES
SLU
|
| Who: |
Saint
Louis University-John Cook School of Business,
Entrepreneurship Program
|
| What: |
Gateway
Series for Entrepreneurship
|
| Where: |
Saint
Louis University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA |
| When: |
April
12-14, 2007 |
|
|
|
EFP
|
| Who: |
Eye
For Procurement
|
| What: |
Supplier
Management Forum 2007
|
| Where: |
Miami,
Florida, USA |
| When: |
April
17-18, 2007 |
|
|
|
AACSB
|
| Who: |
AACSB
Communications
|
| What: |
World
Class Practices in Management Education
|
| Where: |
Beijng,
China |
| When: |
May
20-22, 2007 |
|
|
|
CS
|
| Who: |
Creativity
Seminars
|
| What: |
Creativity
Workshop - 2007 Educator Fellowships
|
| Where: |
Florence,
Italy |
| When: |
July
13-22, 2007 |
|
|
|
ISBE
|
| Who: |
Institute
for Small Business and Entrepreneurship
|
| What: |
30th
Annual ISBE Conference
|
| Where: |
Heriot-Watt
University, Glasgow, Scotland |
| When: |
November
7-9, 2007 |
|
|
|
CALLS FOR PAPERS
CNU
|
| Who: |
Christopher
Newport University |
| What: |
"Truth & Consequences" Exploring
Economic Development from Entrepreneurship to
Relationship
|
| Where: |
Newport
News, Virginia, USA |
| When: |
September
28-30, 2007 |
Submission
Deadline:
April 1, 2007
|
|
|
|
SMA
|
| Who: |
Southern
Management Association
|
| What: |
Annual
Meeting
|
| Where: |
Nashville,
Tennessee, USA |
| When: |
November
7-10, 2007 |
Submission
Deadline:
April 14, 2007
|
|
|
|
AMA
|
| Who: |
Atlantic
Marketing Association
|
| What: |
Atlantic
Marketing Association Annual Meeting
|
| Where: |
New
Orleans, Louisiana, USA |
| When: |
September
26-29, 2007 |
Submission
Deadline:
April 17, 2007
|
|
|
|
FBD
|
| Who: |
Federation
of Business Disciplines
|
| What: |
Annual
Meeting
|
| Where: |
Hyatt
Regency, Houston, Texas, USA |
| When: |
March
4-8, 2008 |
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