Internet_Usage_Policy_at_PyramidA_Short_ReportSeptember_20

Internet Usage Policy at Pyramid:

A Short Report

September 20, 2013

Prepared for: Pyramid Design Team

Prepared by: Student Name

BUS105

Background Pyramid Design Team began seven years ago as a small design firm with three

employees. The original employees were the owner and two designers. With this core

of three employees, each knew what was expected of the other, and official policies cut

against the grain of the creative atmosphere that was being fostered. Therefore, aside

from the founding document containing the mission of the company, there were no

policies put in place. This worked fine, until recently.

Within the last four years, Pyramid has hired 11 additional staff, including designers and

programmers. The company has been implementing new policies regarding vacation

time, holidays, and sexual harassment, for example, but there still exists no policy

governing the use of the Internet at work. Now that the company consists of 14

employees, I propose the creation and adoption of an Internet policy that will provide

employees with clear guidelines about its appropriate and sanctioned use at work.

Problem The inappropriate use of the Internet is threefold. First, the designers and developers

are downloading beta versions of software from the Internet. Since this software is

often in beta, there can be, and have been, numerous problems with these types of free

downloads.

Our IT manager has seen a huge increase in Trojan viruses penetrating our system and

causing damage to our servers and other employees’ computers. He has spent

countless hours trying to find and remove these viruses and has expended thousands of

dollars in resources to call in technical specialists to eradicate the viruses.

The intent of the designers and developers was simply to get the latest software that

will allow them to create the best product. Unfortunately, that has not always been the

case, and some of these downloads are causing serious IT threats to our systems.

The new Internet policy needs to ban this practice and clearly state that nothing can be

downloaded from the Internet without the express consent of the IT manager and a

supervisor.

Second is the use of social media at work. The use of company computers by employees

to view Facebook, other social media, and streaming services has increased 200% in the

past 18 months! Some employees, for example, are logging-into Facebook when they

arrive at work and leaving the page running as a tab in their web browser, checking it

frequently throughout the day.

This has decreased productivity. A study conducted by Nucleus Research and published

by Computerworld found that “Companies that allow users to access Facebook in the

workplace lose an average of 1.5% in total employee productivity, according to a new

report from Nucleus Research, an IT research company. The survey of 237 employees

also showed that 77% of workers who have a Facebook account use it during work

hours.” Facebook is, of course, the biggest offender, but the policy needs to ban all

social media, such as Twitter, while at work.

The third area of concern involves streaming video services, such as Netflix, Amazon

Prime, and Hulu. Employees who eat lunch at their desk are using their computers to

watch videos from a streaming video provider. The problem arises when the employee

watching a video finds the content completely suitable, while a co-worker sitting

nearby, or passing by his or her desk, finds the content inappropriate. As this is a

subjective opinion, we can be opening ourselves up to a lawsuit for sexual harassment,

for instance, if a video contained nudity in it and the passerby saw it and became

threatened.

Although most employees are not falling into this category, it only takes one. Because

of this, we need to ban streaming videos.

Finally, there have been instances where pornography has been viewed on a company

computer. I am sure we all can agree that banning the use of viewing or downloading

any pornographic image using a company computer should be banned.

Solution There needs to be a policy implemented where violations like these above can be dealt

with immediately. Depending on the severity of the infraction, we can have a tiered

system of punishment:

1. First Infraction – verbal warning 2. Second Infraction – written warning 3. Third Infraction – dismissal from the company

There are many forms an Internet usage policy can take, but I suggest we keep it simple.

GFI, a company that provides IT solutions, provides a clear-cut policy for Internet usage

that details what company computers should, and should not, be used for:

• Company employees are expected to use the Internet responsibly and productively. Internet access is limited to job-related activities only and personal use is not

permitted

• Job-related activities include research and educational tasks that may be found via the Internet that would help in an employee's role

• All Internet data that is composed, transmitted and/or received by <company's> computer systems is considered to belong to <company> and is recognized as part of

its official data. It is therefore subject to disclosure for legal reasons or to other

appropriate third parties

• The equipment, services and technology used to access the Internet are the property of <company> and the company reserves the right to monitor Internet traffic and

monitor and access data that is composed, sent or received through its online

connections

• Emails sent via the company email system should not contain content that is deemed to be offensive. This includes, though is not restricted to, the use of vulgar or

harassing language/images

• All sites and downloads may be monitored and/or blocked by <company> if they are deemed to be harmful and/or not productive to business

• The installation of software such as instant messaging technology is strictly prohibited

Unacceptable use of the Internet by employees includes, but is not limited to:

• Sending or posting discriminatory, harassing, or threatening messages or images on the Internet or via <company's> email service

• Using computers to perpetrate any form of fraud, and/or software, film or music piracy

• Stealing, using, or disclosing someone else's password without authorization • Downloading, copying or pirating software and electronic files that are copyrighted

or without authorization

• Sharing confidential material, trade secrets, or proprietary information outside of the organization

• Hacking into unauthorized websites • Sending or posting information that is defamatory to the company, its

products/services, colleagues and/or customers

• Introducing malicious software onto the company network and/or jeopardizing the security of the organization's electronic communications systems

• Sending or posting chain letters, solicitations, or advertisements not related to business purposes or activities

• Passing off personal views as representing those of the organization

Obviously, not all points made here are necessary, but this provides the best overview

of a policy that we can utilize to make our operations run more smoothly and

effectively. We can pick what we need and discard what does not apply. I suggest we

begin work on creating this policy within the next week and have it ready to implement

within one month. I am available at your convenience to discuss the creation of this

policy.

Works Cited

"Sample Internet Usage Policy." GFI. GFI Software, n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2013.

<http://www.gfi.com/pages/sample-internet-usage-policy>.

"Study: Facebook Use Cuts Productivity at Work." Computerworld. Computerworld, Inc.

22 July 2009. Web. 20 Sept. 2013. <http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/

9135795/Study_Facebook_use_cuts_productivity_at_work>

Bonnie Bakkar

Your Signature Theme Report S U R V E Y C O M P L E T I O N D A T E : 0 3 - 2 0 - 2 0 2 1

DON CLIFTON

Father of Strengths Psychology and Inventor of CliftonStrengths

Bonnie Bakkar S U R V E Y C O M P L E T I O N D A T E : 0 3 - 2 0 - 2 0 2 1

Many years of research conducted by The Gallup Organization suggest that the most effective people are those who understand their strengths and behaviors. These people are best able to develop strategies to meet and exceed the demands of their daily lives, their careers, and their families.

A review of the knowledge and skills you have acquired can provide a basic sense of your abilities, but an awareness and understanding of your natural talents will provide true insight into the core reasons behind your consistent successes.

Your Signature Themes report presents your five most dominant themes of talent, in the rank order revealed by your responses to StrengthsFinder. Of the 34 themes measured, these are your "top five."

Your Signature Themes are very important in maximizing the talents that lead to your successes. By focusing on your Signature Themes, separately and in combination, you can identify your talents, build them into strengths, and enjoy personal and career success through consistent, near-perfect performance.

Woo Woo stands for winning others over. You enjoy the challenge of meeting new people and getting them to like you. Strangers are rarely intimidating to you. On the contrary, strangers can be energizing. You are drawn to them. You want to learn their names, ask them questions, and find some area of common interest so that you can strike up a conversation and build rapport. Some people shy away from starting up conversations because they worry about running out of things to say. You don’t. Not only are you rarely at a loss for words; you actually enjoy initiating with strangers because you derive satisfaction from breaking the ice and making a connection. Once that connection is made, you are quite happy to wrap it up and move on. There are new people to meet, new rooms to work, new crowds to mingle in. In your world there are no strangers, only friends you haven’t met yet—lots of them.

Adaptability You live in the moment. You don’t see the future as a fixed destination. Instead, you see it as a place that you create out of the choices that you make right now. And so you discover your future one choice at a time. This doesn’t mean that you don’t have plans. You probably do. But this theme of Adaptability does enable you to respond willingly to the demands of the moment even if they pull you away from your plans.

Unlike some, you don’t resent sudden requests or unforeseen detours. You expect them. They are inevitable. Indeed, on some level you actually look forward to them. You are, at heart, a very flexible person who can stay productive when the demands of work are pulling you in many different directions at once.

Maximizer Excellence, not average, is your measure. Taking something from below average to slightly above average takes a great deal of effort and in your opinion is not very rewarding. Transforming something strong into something superb takes just as much effort but is much more thrilling. Strengths, whether yours or someone else’s, fascinate you. Like a diver after pearls, you search them out, watching for the telltale signs of a strength. A glimpse of untutored excellence, rapid learning, a skill mastered without recourse to steps—all these are clues that a strength may be in play. And having found a strength, you feel compelled to nurture it, refine it, and stretch it toward excellence. You polish the pearl until it shines. This natural sorting of strengths means that others see you as discriminating. You choose to spend time with people who appreciate your particular strengths. Likewise, you are attracted to others who seem to have found and cultivated their own strengths. You tend to avoid those who want to fix you and make you well rounded. You don’t want to spend your life bemoaning what you lack. Rather, you want to capitalize on the gifts with which you are blessed. It’s more fun. It’s more productive. And, counterintuitively, it is more demanding.

Empathy You can sense the emotions of those around you. You can feel what they are feeling as though their feelings are your own. Intuitively, you are able to see the world through their eyes and share their perspective. You do not necessarily agree with each person’s perspective. You do not necessarily feel pity for each person’s predicament—this would be sympathy, not Empathy. You do not necessarily condone the choices each person makes, but you do understand. This instinctive ability to understand is powerful. You hear the unvoiced questions. You anticipate the need. Where others grapple for words, you seem to find the right words and the right tone. You help people find the right phrases to express their feelings—to themselves as well as to others. You help them give voice to their emotional life. For all these reasons other people are drawn to you.

Deliberative You are careful. You are vigilant. You are a private person. You know that the world is an unpredictable

place. Everything may seem in order, but beneath the surface you sense the many risks. Rather than denying these risks, you draw each one out into the open. Then each risk can be identified, assessed, and ultimately reduced. Thus, you are a fairly serious person who approaches life with a certain reserve. For example, you like to plan ahead so as to anticipate what might go wrong. You select your friends cautiously and keep your own counsel when the conversation turns to personal matters. You are careful not to give too much praise and recognition, lest it be misconstrued. If some people don’t like you because you are not as effusive as others, then so be it. For you, life is not a popularity contest. Life is something of a minefield. Others can run through it recklessly if they so choose, but you take a different approach. You identify the dangers, weigh their relative impact, and then place your feet deliberately. You walk with care.

Your Signature Theme Report
Bonnie Bakkar

Woo
Adaptability
Maximizer
Empathy
Deliberative

The Benefits and Risks of Using Skype at Darcy’s:

A Short Report

September 20, 2013

Prepared for: Darcy’s Department Store

Prepared by: Student Name

BUS105

Background The East Coast buyers for Darcy’s Department Store are looking for an economical and efficient way to share information about the deals buyers are getting from various suppliers and use real-time transmission of that information between one another to help save money. There are a number of tools to do this, but Skype has been mentioned as a leading contender. Skype claims to be an easy to use, online tool that allows users to connect with any other Skype user around the world for free. A user can make video and voice calls to other Skype users at no charge. Users can even share files among themselves, which provides a great asset during a business meeting. However, when there are group video calls, then Skype begins to charge a fee. Also, for buyers throughout the East Coast, this tool can be useful if they need to talk with one another. However, for meetings that require more than two attendees, Skype is not a useful tool and is not intended to work that way for business. Benefits Among the most attractive benefits of Skype is that it is free and you can see the person you are talking with. To purchase a software license for 20 buyers that is compatible to what Skype can do will cost Darcy’s roughly $1,500 per month. There are no hidden charges with Skype. According to Skype’s web page, users get video and voice calls to other Skype users and “instant messaging and file sharing” all at no charge. The video sharing feature of Skype will allow the buyers to see products in real time. For example, if two buyers are looking at similar merchandise from two different suppliers who are offering different pricing, then they can quickly Skype one another and compare the product to see if it is the same and to then get the best pricing for it. Two business writers for the Auburn Citizen in NY, state that there are business users “who can save time and money in scheduling and holding conferences or training sessions, demonstrate products or services for potential customers, and extend customer service by showing customers how to get the most from your product” (Leon and Leon). Downsides Despite the benefits mentioned above, there are clear downsides to this product. I tested Skype over a one-week period by calling various Skype users throughout the East Coast and tried to simulate a conversation that a buyer might have. First, using Skype takes getting used to. During my five-day test, I never mastered the connection stage. This is when one Skype user “calls” another Skype user. Skype makes

a distinctive sound that lets the user know it is making a call. However, once you connect to whom you are calling, the picture shows, but it takes about five seconds for that picture to catch up with the person sitting there. In essence, it is a still picture for five seconds. Second, once I was connected to the user, I quickly realized that what I was saying was not being transmitted in real-time. There could be up to a three second lag in what I said and the user hearing it. This created a number of challenges, but the biggest one was this lag kept the other user and me talking over each other. I just assumed the user could not hear what I said, so I repeated myself. Of course, as soon as I spoke, then I heard the user’s response to my original message, and thus began us talking over one another. This was a persistent problem throughout my first two calls, but got better once I became more familiar with the technology. Third, the picture is grainy, like an old TV. In this world of high definition, the picture I was getting with Skype looked like a 1970s television set. I could see the person fine, but the lack of clarity was alarming. If buyers were trying to compare colors of a fabric, for instance, that would be nearly impossible to do because of the degraded picture quality. Fourth, I experienced a number of connectivity issues throughout my test. I was only able to connect immediately on four of my 10 test calls. On the others, I thought the person picked up, but there was no one there, and I had to re-connect. This caused frustration and made me want to discard Skype each time it happened. Also during calls, it was not uncommon for the connection to be lost, and I would have to try and re- connect again. I am not sure why this occurs, but it happened on nearly 40% of my calls. Again, this caused a great deal of frustration. Finally, there are concerns that the privacy of Skype users is being violated by Microsoft, “Anyone who uses Skype has consented to the company reading everything they write” (“Skype with Care). Recommendation The use of Skype really boils down to money. If we are trying to save money and need a readily available, free solution, then Skype is a contender. However, even though it is free, Skype poses a number of technology challenges that are outlined above. This alone makes this technology untenable for our company. At the swift pace we move, little challenges like the one Skype poses lead me to not recommend the product. There are a number of other services we can use, including many instant messaging programs that provide similar services as Skype, but do it better. We can even use FaceTime, from Apple, that can be used on Macs, iPhones, iPads, and iPods, and most of our buyers seem to have at least one of these products.

In summary, although Skype is free, it does not meet the need we have to interconnect buyers across the East Coast and allow them to quickly and efficiently conduct business. I do not recommend Skype for Darcy’s buyers.

Works Cited

Leon, Norma, and Tony Leon. "Sky’s the limit for Skype video call uses." The Citizen. N.p.,

Aug. 2013. Web. 20 Sept. 2013. <http://auburnpub.com/lifestyles/sky-s-the-

limit-for-skype-video-call-uses/article_5454fb55-8c85-5817-909f-

43a729f04992.html. >.

"Skype with care – Microsoft is reading everything you write. ." The H Security. N.p., May 2013.

Web. 20 Sept. 2013. <http://www.h-online.com/security/news/item/Skype-with-care-

Microsoft-is-reading-everything-you-write-1862870.html>.

"What is Skype?." Skype. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2013. <http://www.skype.com/en/what-is-

skype/>.

blog2

Get help from top-rated tutors in any subject.