Chapter 4 and 5 Case Study

Chapter 4- Privacy

1.      As the information systems manager for a small manufacturing plant, you are responsible for anything relating to the use of information technology. A new inventory control system is being implemented to track the quantity and movement of all finished products store in a local warehouse. Each time a forklift operator moves a case of product, he or she must first scan the product identifier code on the case. The product information is captured, as is the day, time, and forklift operator identification number. This data is transmitted over a local area network (LAN) to the inventory control computer, which then display information about the case and where it should be placed in the warehouse.

The warehouse manager is excited about using case movement data to monitor worker productivity. He will be able to tell how many cases per shift each operator move and he plans to use this data to provide performance feedback that could result in pay increases or termination. He has asked you if there are any potential problems with using the data in this manner and, if so, what should be done to avoid them. How would you respond?

• ·         Of course, we need to be more careful and responsible for whatever the equipment or system we have in our company. Because this system or equipment will be a great help in your company, so it will be easy to determine the processes. And whoever in-charge on the machine he has to know or has a knowledge on how to operate to avoid malfunctioning.  If there is a problem, you should report it right away to the management so that it will be fixed and the transaction will be continuous. If it is not, maybe it will cause a big problem.

2.      You have been asked to help develop a company policy on what should be done in the event on a data breach, such as unauthorized access to your firm’s customer database which contains some 1.5 million records. What sort of process would you use to develop such a policy? What resources would you call on?

• We all know that data breach is the intentional or unintentional release of secure information to an untrusted environment. Other terms for this phenomenon include unintentional information disclosure, data leak and also data spill. But as an employee to the company you should respect or follow their policy, especially the trade secrets of the company. Educate employees about appropriate handling and protection of sensitive data. The continuing saga of lost and stolen laptops containing critical information illustrates that corporate policy designed to safeguard portable data only works when employees follow the rules. .Look beyond IT security when assessing your company's data breach risk. Establish a comprehensive breach preparedness plan that will enable decisive action and prevent operational paralysis when a data breach occurs. Your efforts will demonstrate to consumers and regulators that your organization has taken anticipatory steps to address data security threats. Disseminate this plan throughout the management structure to ensure everyone knows what to do in the event of a breach.

3.      You are new manager for a product line of Coach Purses. You are considering purchasing customer data from a company that sells a large variety of women’s products online. In addition to providing a list of names, mailing addresses, and email addresses, the data includes an approximate estimate of customer’s annual income based on the zip code in which they live, census data, and highest level of education achieved. You could use the estimate of annual income to identify likely purchases of your high-end purses and use email addresses to send emails announcing the new product line and routing its many features. List the advantages and disadvantages of such a marketing strategy. Would you recommend this means of promotion in this instance? Why or why not?

•     Having their personal information it is easy for you to determine who your valued customers are. It is easy for you to promote your products through online. You are able to identify who will be the person can afford to your upcoming products based on their salary, because you have a record of it. But don’t look only on the salary basis. Be fair to all your customers, whether they have a big or small salary. It’s up to you how you will handle or promote your products. If you have a good relationship to your customers, they will trust and always rely on your products. For example, you have a new product that is in good quality and expensive, so that means you will look only or promote that product to those has a big amount of income only? No, you shouldn’t do that. Be fair, promote that product to all your customers whether they can afford it or not, at least they will know.

4.      Your company is rolling out a training program to ensure that everyone is familiar with the company’s IT usage policy. As a member of the Human Resources department, you have been asked to develop a key piece of training relating to why this policy is needed. What kind of concerns can you expect your audience to raise? How can you deal with anticipated resistance to policy?

• ·         As a member of Human Resource department, we are in-charge to insure that every employee is familiar to IT usage. But we will expect that not everyone is agree on that. We will explain to them that this training is a great help to their self-esteem and confidence. I will listen to them, let them explain what is in their mind, and after that I will explain it to them until they will realize that it is a good idea to attend the training. It doesn’t mean that if you are assigned to the job that you are not using a computer, you don’t need to know how to use the computer. They will think that they don’t need it anymore. It is hard for them to learn.  That is why we are conducting this, to help them to be flexible, maybe we don’t know in the future they might need this. The training will not harm them, this can help them.

Chapter 5- Freedom of Expression

     1. A former high school classmates of yours who has returned to China emails you that he has been offered a part-time job monitoring a Chinese Web site and posting comments favorable to the government. How would you respond?

• ·         That is a good news and I am very proud of my friend. Not everyone will be given a chance to work with them. Only the chosen one and the talented. He showed them that he is good on that field. Maybe the Chinese saw and realized that he will be a great help and be trusted to work with them. It will be a great pleasure to be his friend and it brings honor to our country.

        2.  Your 15-year-old nephew exclaims “Oh wow!” and proceeds to tell you about a very revealing photo attachment he just received in a text message from his 14-year-old girlfriend of three months. He can’t wait to forward the message to others in his school. What would you say to your nephew? Are further steps needed besides a discussion on sexting?

• ·         I know that my nephew is in the stage of puberty. I will explain to him that what he wants to happen is not good.

The reputation of our family and his girlfriend will be in crisis. If the school will know it, he will be in trouble, maybe they will be suspended both. They’re both parents will be called by the Principal and everyone will be talking about them. I will tell him and explain to him to understand that what they are doing is not good. If it’s continue,  it bring a bad effect to both of them. They should stop on what they are doing. And enjoy life without doing such inappropriate behavior.

        3. A college friend of yours approaches you about an idea to start a PR firm that would specialize in monitoring the internet for “bad PR” about a company and “fixing” it. One tactic the firm would use is to threaten negative posters with a libel lawsuit unless they remove their posting. Should that fail, the PR firm will generate dozens of positive postings to outweigh the negative posting. What would you say to your friend about her idea?

• ·         I will tell her that her idea is genius. I will support whatever her plan is. But before that we need to study everything related to our plan. It is not easy to open a firm without a knowledge about it. Her idea is great to prevent and avoid people from spamming and any other unethical behavior they are planning to do. This will help to the safety and privacy of innocent users.

       4. You are the computer technical resource for country’s public library system. The library is making plans to install Internet filtering software so that it will conform to the Children’s Internet Protection Act and be eligible for federal funding. What sort of objections can you expect regarding implementation of Internet filters? How might you deal with such objections?

·         The library’s plan is great and brings protection to the minors. This plan will give protection to the children. Only the websites that is not appropriate to the children will be filtered that is not suitable for the children. It is inside the library, the library will be the source of information and knowledge to the children. It will cater only to the websites that is educational. But before we implement this plan, we have to ask permission from the community. We will accept whatever their suggestions. When the community will understand what our goal is, there will be no problem to implement it.

  

            5.   Imagine that you receive a hate email at your school or job. What would you do? Does your school or workplace have a policy that covers such issues?

• ·         If ever I receive a hate email, I will handle it in the right way. I need to know first why someone sends me a hate email. What did I do? Did I hurt someone?  If I can handle it by myself, no one will know it. If it is just nothing, I will stay calm and never mind them. But if the email state not appropriate words, not true, or it will affect my reputation as an individual, I will report it to highest authority so that there will be a consequences to the sender.

6     6.   A coworker confides to you that he is going to begin sending emails to your employer’s internal corporate blog site, which serves as a suggestion box. He plans to use an anonymous remailer and sign the messages “Anonymous,” Your friend is afraid of retribution from superiors but wishes to call attention to instances of racial and sexual discrimination observed during his five years as an employee with the firm. What would you say to your friend?

• ·         I will talk to him privately about his plan. There is no wrong if you send messages on the suggestion box with his real name.  So that if ever the company will read it, it is easy for them to contact you if they want to talk to you for their clarification and explanation. The company will accepts whatever their employee’s questions. So there is no reason hide his real identity and use another name. If the company will know that it is you, they will know if there is something on how they run their company. There is no wrong if you are telling the truth. Because from that they will know what they will do next.