Understanding Technology and Organization Culture
According to the ‘closing case study three’ computer technology affects every business operation of the organization and is no longer classified as mere infrastructure since it supports every business strategy of the organization. It is therefore important that an organization’s CEO understands security issues as well as ethical issues associated with computer technology so as to effectively mitigate scandals that arise as a result of the use of computer technology in the company.
Understanding security and ethical issues associated with adoption of computer technology enables the CEO develop information management policies that ensures ethics in the workplace and also protect intellectual property rights and intellectual assets of the organization (Swartz, 2007).
The manager can enhance adherence to information security by creating a culture that upholds integrity and trust among the employees and all the individuals in the organization. Understanding security issues enable the CEO to implement ethical computer use policies and acceptable use policies that guide the employees on standard practices which ensure everyone in the company who has access to the company’s IT resources does not misuse them.
The CEO is also able to monitor the employees’ computer use and be able to discover unethical computer use by individual employees as well as other misbehaviors by the employees. The CEO is able to adopt ethical strategies for tracking employees’ activities and behaviors within the organization (Baltzan, & Philips, 2008).
The CEO’s actions taken to ensure ethical use of computer technology and to guide employees’ behavior may determine the employees’ attitude and behavior towards ethical computer use and behavior within the organization. Implementing the organization’s standard code of ethics ensures positive communication and standard behavior within the organization.
The organization’s innovativeness is also encouraged when the CEO is able to protect the intellectual property rights and trade secrets of the organizations. However, in situations where the CEO does very little to ensure security and ethical behavior adherence, some individuals who hold high positions would tend to abuse their powers and therefore demoralize the lower rank employees. Stealing of intellectual property rights also discourage innovations in the company (Baltzan, & Philips, 2008).
Effects of Technology on Non-Technological Industries
Computer technology application and its effects are not limited to technological industries alone but also extend to include non-technological industries. The executives of non-technological industries have to be careful to protect the intellectual trade secrets of the organization. Individuals in the company with malicious intentions may steal the intellectual property rights for personal gains either for sale to other rival companies or to open up a rival business.
Lose of a company’s intellectual property rights to other companies denies the company’s opportunity to gain competitive edge over rival companies (Trim, 2007). With the advances in technology, Investigations of unethical behaviors in organizations are nowadays easier and yields concrete results which can be used as evidence in a court of law. Therefore the executives have to be worried about their conducts as well as the conducts of other subordinates.
Negative reports related to the behavior of any individual in the organization can have damning effects on the company’s reputation. Thus executives have to ensure standard practices among all those in the organization and be able to monitor the activities of all individuals to improve accountability (Baltzan, & Philips, 2008).
Continuous Improvement of Technological Knowledge
An executive who continuously improve his or her knowledge and skills in computer technology application acquires the capacity to apply IT in business strategies in the organization and be able to employ modern management models like MRP and ERP models.
The executive acquires IT technological expertise in functional areas like accounting, marketing as well as sales. He or she can therefore effectively and efficiently evaluate the opportunities available for the organization as well as the threats that are bound to affect the business process of the organization (Duggan, & Michalski, 2007).
The knowledge gives the executive the capacity to evaluate the risks in the organization’s infrastructure by carrying out a comprehensive threat analysis that can assist in identifying the most appropriate way to protect the organization’s infrastructure assets using the company’s limited resources (Trim, 2007).
The Role of CSO, CPO and CIO
The CSO and the CPO have to formulate well-defined information security policies for the organization so as to ensure that the organization’s intellectual property rights are not abused by individuals in the organization. Information available to each user should be restricted to the user’s level of business operation in the company.
Critical company information should only be available to the right people who need them. Secondly, the CSO, the CIO and the CPO should develop tracking systems which monitor the activities and communication processes that take place the organization’s communication infrastructure and take stringent measures against those who breach the organization’s code of ethics and standard practices.
They can encourage security practices in the organization through scenario analysis as well as simulation exercises. Finally, the CSO, CIO and CPO should ensure proper investigative measures for misbehavior claims (Sipior, & Ward, 2008).
Reference List
Baltzan, P, & Philips, A. (2008). Business driven information systems, 2nd Ed. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Duggan, D. P, & Michalski, J. T. (2007). Threat analysis framework. SANDIA Report. California: Sandia national Laboratories.
Sipior, J. C, & Ward, B. T. (2008). A framework for information security management based on guiding standards: A united States perspective, Vol. 5. Web.
Swartz, N. (2007). Protecting information from insiders. Information Management Journal. 41(3): 20-24. Clitheroe: Jenny Press.
Trim, P. R. J. (2007). Managing computer security issues: Preventing and limiting future threats and disasters. Disaster Prevention and Management, 14(4). New York: Routledge.