Monitoring Employees

Chapter 3
http://www.resourcenation.com/article/internet-abuse-theft

http://humanresources.about.com/od/rewardrecognition/a/recognition_tip.htm

At one point, chapter 3 talks about how IS allow managers to be able to monitor their employees productivity in the workplace. This can be used to both improve an employees productivity and reward employees that show good results.

I found one article that talks about how employees can sometimes spend a lot of time on the web while at work and how this is considered time theft. The author, Greg Forrer, states "because it’s unlikely an employer can look over the shoulders of their employees all day, employee monitoring software is the answer." IT makes it possible for management to make sure that employees do not get distracted by web browsing and do not 'steal' from their employer. Although some may consider this to be somewhat intrusive or an invasion of privacy, it does avoid the idea of 'theft' among employees and maximizes employee productivity in the workplace.

The other article I found, "Five Tips for Effective Employee Recognition", discusses how important it is to reward employees when they do a good job. The types of employee monitoring discussed in the chapter allows for this type of thing to happen. Managers can use IS to analyze workers productivity and either work with them to improve or reward them for a job well done. Rewarding employees is necessary if management wants them to continue being productive.

IT provides management with the ability to monitor employee activity, both good and bad. This is beneficial for companies because they can avoid time theft, improve productivity, and reward employees for good work creating an even better work place.

Nike/i2

Chapter 2


http://www.cio.com/article/32335/Five_Lessons_Learned_from_Nike_s_i_Debacle


http://courses.washington.edu/misman/Niked.htm

Chapter 2 includes a section that discusses Risks. One risk is implementing IS poorly and the chapter briefly mentions the fiasco with Nike and the software supplier i2. I have included a couple articles that further explain what went on in this situation and what can be learned from it. Possible reasons for the failure included Nike rushing the implemenation too much or that i2 did not carefully monitor the implementation efficiently enough to make sure it worked. IT can benefit companies a great amount and in many ways. However, if they are not handled properly, they can also cost the company. Nike lost almost $100 million during this ordeal and i2 suffered as well. Nike should have avoided being driven by deadlines and made sure this implementation was done properly. One quote in "Internet Week" I particularly liked was from WWRE CEO Colin Dyer. When discussing that its often not the applications but how companies use them that determine their success he said "it's not the stove that makes the meal but how the chef puts the stove to use." I thought this was a great analogy that and it supports the idea that IT can be very beneficial to businesses today as long as they are implemented in the correct way. Information Resources can be used to gain a strategic advantage but companies need to be aware of risks like this.

Company Websites

Chapter 1 discusses business strategy. A business strategy can include many things and one of those things is usually achieving great customer service at a low cost. One way IS have greatly helped these companies is the use of websites, especially websites on which customers can make purchase or some type of transactions. These websites provide many advantages to many companies. Customers are provided not only with service in stores but also on these websites. For example, a customer could be shopping at store and not find the item they want. Without our current technology, that customer would have to go to another store in order to get that item and the first store would have lost business. Now, the customer can go onto the original stores website and order it from there instead, rather than choosing a different store to buy from. The customer is happy because they got the item they wanted and did not have to drive from store to store looking for it and the seller is happy because they were able to keep that customer from going elsewhere and losing their business. Not only is this a great way to provide customer service to customers but it also cost effective for the companies. Another example of how intereactive websites help companies is online banking. Most banks have this available for their customers. If a customer needs to access their account but cannot make it to the bank during business hours, they can access it online. They no longer have to drive to a bank or atm just to check their balance or transfer money. The ability to manage accounts and pay bills online is an example of a great improvement in customer service for these companies all thanks to Information Systems. Any company that has a website that allows purchases or online banking or other transactions has a great advantage over companies that might not.

The Advantages of Technology

I've seen and heard how people feel about technology, both positive and negative. I know that there are people who feel that it is somewhat of a curse with kids spending long hours on the computer or on their cell phones, but I feel the need to point out a very important advantage of technology.



As we've all seen lately, the idea of going green is very popular. The effect that technology has on the environment should not be overlooked. The use of online technology has allowed us to use much less paper than before. You no longer need to write out a check to pay a bill, you can do it online. Many companies can now advertise through emails or on websites rather than sending mailouts to thousands of potential customers. This is a benefit of IS that brings us one step closer to a better environment.

I work for citizens bank and they are currently running a promotion having to do with this situation. Citizens bank also wants to use less paper and save money while serving their customers. The promotion is called "Greensense". To promote going green and helping the environment customers involved in this recieve a debit card made out of recycled material. Then, every time that customer does a transaction that saves paper, they recieve $.10 which is deposited straight to their account. This includes paying a bill online, recieving electronic statements, and using a debit card instead of cash. These all save the company from having to use paper and is a less costly transaction. So while there may be some disadvantages to current technology, the fact that it is helping the environment is a definite advantage.