Education Quandry
By James E. Downey President/CEO - Castles Information Network, Inc.
Technology
Committee Member Published June 29, 2006
Vacaville Chamber of
Commerce - July 2006 Comments
The
Reporter Newspaper
"Education is too important to be left solely to the educators."
Francis Keppel
"A, B, C, D..." And now I’ve said my ABCs -- however, I can't find Alabama on a map.
I’ve always believed that people are a product of their environment.
And that especially holds true for children at all age groups and grade
levels. The younger a child, the greater the opportunity for influence.
So what has this got to do with business? Everything.
Business schools teach about core competencies, sustainable competitive
advantage, and renewable resources. We have domestic, international and
multinational companies. Even if a company today isn't an international
business, each one is touched by hourly changes around the globe.
Core competencies are not only built around a product or service,
competency also depends on the labor force. It's in every business
owner and manager's best interest to ensure a well-educated workforce
for today and the future.
Americans in general and civic leaders especially are deeply concerned
about the migration of jobs overseas. We hear about plant closings and
contracting of jobs that have traditionally been done in-house in the
news almost weekly. Immigration and citizenship are hot topics, along
with the high school exit exam and the state of our schools. So what's
the point? Keep reading.
The standard response from business managers when they're asked to get
involved is, "I pay taxes, let the schools do what they're supposed to
do." That's fine in a perfect world, but a perfect world isn't what we
live in. However, we can make a difference.
We can't affect what’s happening in the classroom. Or can we?
We each have a vested interest in every child's education. Children
entering first-grade will be the labor force in only 12 years. It seems
as if only yesterday my daughter was in Kindergarten. Now she's a
senior in college. Time really does fly by.
Each child needs the basics of reading writing and math. But the need
goes beyond the basics and we've found that many high school graduates
are not only bad at geography, some have no clue of what's happening in
the world around them. So let's change that – starting now.
A solid and educated workforce is the key to our success. Advanced
technologies can't be employed if the labor force can't use it.
High-end quality control functions can't be mastered if the worker has
difficulty comprehending. The quote by Margaret Fuller says it
best: "Today a reader, tomorrow a leader."
Reading is the key to success in the world of today. Readers are
thinkers and thinkers are problem solvers. Children who read can be
taught to do almost anything. Children who love to read are also
interested in science, engineering, and business. It’s not about
becoming an engineer or scientist. It's about competing in the
workforce of tomorrow and being part of your
core competency.
So how do you get involved? Good question. Become active in your
Chamber's education programs by volunteering or allowing employees to
get involved. Talk to the library about their reading program. You
spend lots of money on marketing so why not spend a half hour reading
to children who will go home and tell mom and dad about the nice person
from XYZ company who read to them.
A tremendous program exists in communities throughout the United States
where newspapers are delivered to classrooms weekly and incorporated in
lesson plans by caring and dedicated teachers. Studies show that
children exposed to newspapers are more aware of current events and
more eager to read. And children who read well do better in school.
Just look around for opportunities and you’ll be surprised at what you
find. The Reporter's Newspaper in Education (NIE) program is one
program we're involved in that's helping kids learn to read. It's a
fantastic opportunity for any individual or business to contribute to
the education of our children at less than it costs to go to the movies
today. For $20 a month, you can sponsor a NIE classroom through the
newspaper.
It's a small investment in the future and every business in the city
should be involved. More information is available by calling Shauna
Manina at The Reporter at 453-8177 or going online to
www.thereporter.com. And to entice you to become a sponsor, The
Reporter is offering a $25 gift certificate for Merchant & Main to
anyone who becomes a sponsor by July 17th and pays the first $20.
We can't change the world or the education system overnight, but we can
change it – one child at a time. This isn't about No Child Left Behind,
it's about helping all children get out in front.
The author is President/CEO of Castles Information Network.
He holds an MBA and is an adjunct professor with Golden Gate University in San Francisco.
Net Neutrality By Jim Downey
President/CEO - Castles
Iinformation Network, Inc.
Published May 28, 2006 Letter to the Editor
The
Reporter Newspaper Net Neutrality is a hot topic these days and Vern Sandusky
addressed the issue in a recent online column (5/14/2006
www.thereporter.com). Last year a Canadian phone company and Internet
Service provider (ISP) literally blocked Internet access to the
striking union’s web site and other pro union web sites. Obviously law
suits were filed and we saw one of the first blatant violations of free
Internet traffic.
The issue of net neutrality affects us all. As president of an ISP I’m
deeply concerned with both the short- and long-term affects of any
changes in the way Internet traffic is controlled. Today all traffic,
as far as we know, freely flows from A to B without restriction. But
that will change if the bigger players have their way. And don’t be
fooled by those that say we shouldn’t legislate a problem that doesn’t
exist.
Personally I could care less if AT&T tells Uncle Sam whom I call
and who calls me. But I do have a problem with them recording or
eavesdropping on the conversations.
All independent ISPs are concerned about Net Neutrality and the
continuing collaboration and consolidation of the major telco
companies. The California Internet Service Provider Association (CISPA)
along with others has actively battled this consolidation with little
effect. Regulators state that competition will increase and the
consumer will enjoy greater benefits with consolidation.
The government has successfully created an oligopoly and as some have
said, a duopoly. It was only a few years ago that they broke the
telephone company up because they said it was a monopoly and not good
for competition. So what’s changed?
This may not be about competition at all – it may be about control.
Listen AT&T, we broke you up once, and we can do it again if you
fail to do as we say. But maybe I’ve been watching too many 24 episodes
on TV. Where’s Jack Bowers when we need him? Oh yea, he’s on a slow
boat to China.
Net neutrality is actually tied-up with the privacy issue. When
the network owner is classified by the regulators as a "common
carrier," one of the responsibilities/requirements that comes with that
designation is "stay out of your customer's content."
I know an individual that worked for Pacific Telephone (when it was
Pacific Telephone), and employees were repeatedly instructed to NEVER
listen to customer's conversations, except for necessary approved
maintenance or a court-approved subpoena for law enforcement. It
was against the law for common carriers to mess with a customer's
content.
A part of the FCC's move against net neutrality was the BrandX Supreme
Court decision in 2005. One aspect of that decision is that telco
broadband services are no longer common carrier services.
That means a customer's expectation to privacy is GONE. The
telco's networks are now their private playground. They can examine a
customer's content (including yours and mine) without a court order --
for any reason. They can provide the government (NSA, FBI, CIA,
the White House) customer content without a court order. They can
examine the content to identify competitor-based services for
competitive advantage and can examine content for messages that run
counter to their own interests (what would Rupert Murdoch do with
that?).
Net Neutrality is important to competition and to civil rights.
The author is President/CEO of Castles Information Network.
He holds an MBA and is an adjunct professor with Golden Gate University in San Francisco.
Sustainable Competitive Advantage By Jim Downey
President/CEO - Castles
Iinformation Network, Inc.
Technology Committee Member
Published December 29,2005
Vacaville Chamber of
Commerce - January 2006 Comments
The
Reporter Newspaper “He that won’t be counseled can’t be helped.”
Benjamin
Franklin
Just what is a sustainable competitive advantage? Is it doing something
no one else does? If that’s the case then you have no competition and
therefore, no worry. But, on the other hand, if just one other company
provides the same product or service, you have competition.
Business schools teach that there are four phases to a business –
entrepreneurial, growth, mature, and decline. The thought is that you
begin bouncing all over the place as an entrepreneur discovering what
works, what doesn’t, and what your potential customers really want.
Phase two takes place after you’ve discovered your niche and begin
growing the business and then phase three finds you comfortably in the
market and maintaining your position. And then there’s phase four –
decline – the market has been saturated or possibly no longer needs the
product or service. And perhaps the business simply didn’t stay
abreast with market changes.
Each phase of the business cycle has specific elements that need to be
addressed. Entrepreneurs often fly by the seat of their pants and
that’s how they learn and grow. But as the business venture matures and
enters the growth phase, what used to be fun and exciting, often
becomes a management challenge. If you are to continue to grow, the
business must be able to control all aspects of the venture. If it
doesn’t it will often skip mature and move directly to decline.
Inc magazine had an article a few years back titled “Looking for an
adult.” It talked about all the young people starting businesses and
hitting the growth stage rather quickly and went from entrepreneur to
manager without the opportunity for learning business management as
they went. Therefore, they went searching for experienced
managers.
There’s something to be said for management maturity, experience, and
advanced education. However, to function at a higher level and create
that sustainable competitive advantage, business management must
continually advance and embrace changes in methods, processes, and
technology.
Oops, there’s that word again – technology.
Technology isn’t about computers! It’s about creating efficiencies
within an organization and shifting old paradigms. We all use price and
quality, as competitive weapons – then why not technology?
Often the integration of technology into a business requires an extreme
makeover. And that comes at a cost – measured in both dollars and time.
You may have to teach that old dog a few new tricks. Integration
is only the first step. Training is required if the business is to take
full advantage of the technology. But in the end, you will create
efficiencies and synergy within the business and will ask yourself how
you managed without it.
Younger employees are accustomed to using computers and working
collaboratively over the Internet. If your business isn’t employing
these technologies, those potential employees will pass you by. You’re
not only depriving your business of talent, you’re likely hampering
growth at the same time.
To create that sustainable competitive advantage you must develop a
technology integration plan, hire talent to execute the plan, and
position yourself for continued growth that you’ll enjoy.
If you’ve been busy making widgets and not keeping up with the latest
technology, you’re not alone. It’s hard enough for those in technology
to stay abreast with changes and you may be asking yourself if it’s
worth the effort and/or how do I learn what I need to know?
Now is an excellent time to give a technology plan serious
consideration. The Vacaville Chamber Technology Committee is hosting
the January Mixer at Hampton Inn and Suites. Many of the Chamber
technology companies will have tables at the event. Bring your
questions and get the answers from the pros.
Mixers are an important part of your Chamber membership. Where else can
you make direct and indirect contact with over 100 existing and
potential clients for a mere $5. You should take time and mark your
calendar now with all the upcoming Chamber events so you don’t loose
out on valuable networking opportunities. Plan on attending the next
mixer.
The author is President/CEO of Castles Information Network.
He holds an MBA and is an adjunct professor with Golden Gate University in San Francisco. Bridging the Gap
By Jim Downey
President/CEO - Castles Iinformation Network, Inc.
Technology Committee Member
Published November 17,2005
Vacaville Chamber of
Commerce - December 2005 Comments
The
Reporter Newspaper
“Education is a progressive discovery of our ignorance.” Will Durant
How much do you know? Or perhaps the better question would be - How
much do you don’t know? That’s a question we should each ponder
on occasion.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that by 2010, more
than 50 million people (nearly one in three workers) will be engaged in
managerial or professional occupations. And what a managerial
professional doesn’t know has a direct correlation on both their
individual success and the bottom line of your business.
I read somewhere that 62 percent of graduating seniors go immediately
to college and almost a quarter of those drop out and fail to complete
their degree requirements. Even those that complete their college
degrees have a tremendous amount of theory but for the most part, not a
whole lot of practical knowledge that typically comes from on-the-job
training and experience.
When we were 25 we thought we knew everything there was to know. And as
we gained experience and rebounded from our share of failures, we often
learned how much we really didn’t know. I fell on my face once
while trying to manage something I knew almost nothing about. My
supervisor said he’d pay me what I was worth but couldn’t because it
would violate the minimum wage law. I think he was joking. But I
learned the hard way to do my homework.
And every time a manager or supervisor engages in an area where they
have little knowledge or experience, the business or organization faces
the risk of failed projects, unmet deadlines, loss of business,
diminished employee morale, etc. Legal actions against companies
are often the result of poor managerial judgment, bad planning, no
policy, inability to recognize and correct a problem, or simply not
knowing what he/she should have before acting.
So how do we get your supervisors and managers, with or without that
college degree, the tools they need without investing thousands of
dollars and lost productivity? The answer is simple - continuing
education.
Doctors, attorneys, educators, engineers, and many other professionals
complete continuing education courses on a regular basis. Why is that?
They have an obligation to maintain and improve their professional
knowledge and skill. Can you say you are up to date on all those skills
required to perform your job in the best way possible? If not, why not?
A college professor once told our class that every business owner or
manager must possess the “equivalent” to a Bachelors Degree in
Business. His reasoning was simple and you can obtain that knowledge in
a number of ways. When sitting down with a marketing professional, you
must have a reasonable knowledge of the subject matter or how else will
you know if what they are telling you is correct. You must also
understand what the accounting professional is doing and if you didn’t
understand basic accounting, how would you know if your bookkeeper is
honest? The bottom line is you must possess a minimum amount of
knowledge in many subjects and you should also participate in some form
of continuing educations. But how?
Continuing education for yourself, employees, supervisors, and managers
is an investment in your business. You can easily calculate ROI on a
piece of equipment or expected return based upon a specific marketing
plan. The intangible part of the equation is always human
resources. What is the contribution factor you figure for an
employee? Are their skills current? Are we up on current
employment law? Are we using old technology? Can we be more efficient?
And the list goes on.
When an employee is given an opportunity to learn something new or
participate in an event that gives them new tools, it changes their
whole perspective relative to their job. Many times I’ve attended
events and brought only one thing really new (or so I thought) away
from it and been surprised to later find that I was doing things a
little differently because of what I had learned. And every time it
changed things for the better.
As a business owner or manager, you should periodically survey the
skills of everyone in the organization and find ways to enhance those
skills and help employees find new ones. The first stop on your
shopping list should be your Chamber of Commerce. Take advantage of all
the programs. If you fail to do so, your business and your employees
will not keep pace with business trends and advances in processes and
technology.
The Chamber Technology Committee cancelled the October Technology
Symposium due to a lack of participants. The Chamber University is off
to a sluggish start because a limited number of people are signing up
for the courses. Other educational events have been cancelled because
of nonparticipation.
Is it a case of managers not knowing about the events, don’t think the
subjects are relative, don’t have the time to attend, think they know
everything there is to know, or simply brushing it off as just another
waste of time and money?
Chamber committees spend a great deal of time identifying issues faced
by the business members and in turn develop educational programs and
resources to help those members build on their existing management
skills or provide training for that new supervisor. One role of
the Chamber is to provide education to its client-members.
Continuing education takes many forms and perhaps the best method of
gaining and renewing those skills are educational courses of short
duration, close to home, reasonably priced, and relative to your
business. The Chamber University fits that bill, as do all the other
educational programs presented by the Chamber. Call them today for a
list of educational programs or visit their web site at
www.vacavillechamber.com.
The author is President/CEO of Castles Information Network.
He holds an MBA and is an adjunct professor with Golden Gate University in San Francisco. Financial Aspects of Technology
By James E. Downey President/CEO - Castles Iinformation Network, Inc.
Technology
Committee Member
Published October 27,2005
Vacaville Chamber of
Commerce - November 2005 Comments The
Reporter Newspaper
People laugh when I refer to the technical world as the world of next –
the next update, hardware upgrade, etc. Working in the world of
technology has tremendous advantages, but it also requires an upside
down thought process.
Traditional business models dictate that you invest in equipment and
processes then execute a strategy to employ those items for years.
Return on investment is measured over time and depreciation is expensed
in years. Maintenance and productivity are easily measured. Yet, in the
world of technology, it is often difficult, if not impossible, to wrap
your accountant’s mind around the numbers.
Besides the accountant loosing sleep, management must also grapple with
unfamiliar areas in an attempt to justify expenses, and often payroll,
when it comes to technology. What they’re usually trying to define is
the total cost of ownership, or TCO. The price tag is right there
on the package and you know your technical person can install it and
you’re off and running. But how do you apportion the technician’s time?
Or maybe the question should be – do I need to do this in-house?
TCO is something that every business should be concerned with. We
often forget about training, support, staff, upgrades, downtime, etc.
John Udell wrote a piece recently in Infoworld about TCO. He said “Try
negotiating traffic on the hills of San Francisco and you’ll discover
pretty quickly that in my town, the old adage ‘Your mileage may vary’
has never been truer.” And that holds true for technology. We often
don’t think of TCO until after the fact, or not at all.
Are you a manager or employee that was tapped on the shoulder one day
and found yourself the resident technician? You get an occasional
question and promptly provide a reply. But what happens when the system
simply doesn’t work? How long has it been since it was upgraded? How
long since you last worked on it? How long will it take you to get up
to speed in an attempt to isolate the problem and then find out how to
fix it? After all, that isn’t your normal job. And what happens to your
normal work while you tinkering with it? How long will the rest of the
business be down while you’re reading? How long will it take? And how
much is this really going to cost?
Questions like this have to be answered if you’re going to evaluate the
Total Cost of Ownership. Exactly what is your business model and core
competency? If you’re in business to create widgets, do you really want
to have the headache about worrying about technology? Reliable and
economic solutions are available to you.
But the TCO of technology goes far beyond the costs already mentioned.
What about productivity? How much time are employees spending on
downtime caused by software/hardware issues, viruses, spyware, spam,
personal items, etc.? Some studies have shown that an employee
with broadband Internet access at work will typically spend between 8
and 10 hours per week on personal email and web surfing. That’s
one full workday! You do the math – what is that cost over a year?
Along with this are the interruptions caused by spam. In 2003 Ferris
Research said the average cost of spam, when the employee is spending 3
seconds per spam email (based on 60 messages per day), was expected to
cost American Corporations about $168 per employee. So how much is it
in 2005?
I can recall the days when bookkeeping was done on ledger sheets. Then
along came software packages where you didn’t have to know the
difference between a debit and credit. The employee worked all day long
to pay the bills and collect on invoices. It used to take days to
prepare financial statements. Now it’s a click of the mouse. Can you
compare how much time the accounts payable person spends now relative
to how much they did a few years ago? Has your business increased that
much? If not, and the same amount of time is spent doing the books –
then where is all that time going?
This subject is near and dear to all managers. Do you struggle with
these issues? Are you looking for answers and resources that allow you
to concentrate on running your business and not having to deal with all
this? The Chamber Technology Committee is here to help. You can submit
your questions to asktc@castles.com and we’ll publish the questions and
answers in the monthly Comments. You’re also encouraged to attend the
Technology Symposium in October where this and other topics will be
discussed.
If you’re the manager or owner of a company and don’t want to attend,
then you should tap someone on the shoulder and send them. It will be a
great event and you will find the answers to your questions, learn
about local resources, and walk away with a binder full of useful
information. We’ll see you there. What keeps you awake at night?
By James E. Downey President/CEO - Castles Iinformation Network, Inc.
Technology
Committee Member
Published June 30, 2005
Vacaville Chamber of
Commerce - July 2005 Comments The
Reporter Newspaper
You’ve probably heard that question
asked a number of times in various marketing campaigns wanting you to
buy their latest and greatest cure for whatever. But it does hit
a cord when you think about it. So what keeps you awake at night
if you’re a small to medium business owner or manager besides accounts
payable and receivables?
If your life is in the small business
enterprise (SBE) arena, then one thing that probably keeps you awake at
night is technology – purchasing and employing expensive systems,
software, and hardware - correctly in your business. You may be
the owner or manager - or perhaps simply the one they tapped on the
shoulder one day and said “You’re It.” And if that is you, then you’re
not alone.
Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Few people
have any next, they live from hand to mouth without a plan, and are
always at the end of their line.” I wouldn’t say that is true for
most people, but in reality, how many business people have an
up-to-date business plan? When’s the last time you updated yours? Or do
you even have one? Maybe it’s time you revisited your business plan and
brought it up to date. But this isn’t about business plans – it’s about
technology.
Most SBE managers cringe at the
thought of new technology. The price tags are high, installation
normally isn’t without problems, and training/maintenance are a burden.
But let’s look back at Emerson’s quote for a moment. What does next
mean?
An article in a recent trade
publication stated that those of us that work in telecom and high-end
technology live in a perpetual state of next - the next application,
next system, next release, next generation or whatever comes after the
thing we just paid a lot of money for yesterday. Keeping up with next
is an awesome task for an SBE person. You have a hard enough time
running your business and maintaining that sustainable competitive
advantage that you developed. Now you have to constantly worry about
next.
If you’re one of those SBE people
confronted with next periodically, there are solutions. Seek out those
individuals and companies that see next coming, understand it, and are
able to show you how to use it. The Vacaville Chamber Technology
Committee (TC) meets regularly to talk about next and how it will
affect the SBE market. Committee members rely on each other for
advice and often assistance.
The TC has embarked on a journey to
assist Chamber members by helping them understand next. Every
February the Chamber mixer is hosted by the TC with many members
present to answer questions and display their services. The TC
normally has a table set up at each mixer. Bring your questions and
we’ll do the best we can to find an answer for you. In the
meantime, you can contact the chamber for assistance and they’ll
forward your questions to the TC. New faces are always welcome at the monthly meetings. Check the Chamber calendar for dates and times.
A Technology Symposium for the
non-technology manager is planned for October 27th at the Hampton
Inn and Suites with sessions on topics of concern to SBE client
members. Four sessions are planned - Voice over Internet Protocol
(VoIP), Network/Internet Security, Disaster Recover/Backup Systems, and
Technology Services/ In-house vs. Contracting.
The event begins with a continental
breakfast followed by a well-known keynote speaker. A buffet
lunch will be served between sessions. At the conclusion of the
scheduled sessions, a panel discussion will take place and attendees
will have an opportunity to explore expanded answers to their specific
situations.
The symposium will conclude in the afternoon with wine tasting and networking. Symposium sessions will be
facilitated by professionals in the field. This will be your
opportunity to talk about those next things that are keeping you awake
at night. How does it work? How much does it cost? Is there an
alternative? Or maybe you just purchased a next and bit off more
than you can chew.
The symposium is an excellent
opportunity for both senior and middle level managers to get specific
information in a short period of time and at a modest cost. Seating is
limited and early reservations are encouraged. For additional
information contact the Vacaville Chamber or Commerce or visit the
Symposium at www.castlesbusiness.com. Is Your Business Perimeter Secure?
By James E. Downey
President - Castles Information Network, Inc.
Adjunct Professor - Golden Gate University,
San Francisco
Published August 26, 2004
Vacaville Chamber of
Commerce - September 2004 Comments The
Reporter Newspaper
If you're a
business manager, owner, or stockholder, you should be concerned about
this subject. We're not talking about your building and grounds. Your
concern should be focused on an increased liability relative to hostile
work environments.
Employees are considered "captured employees" because. in a sense, they
are captives of the work environment and do not have the ability to
readily escape. This in essence, creates an employee/employer
relationship whereby the employer assumes responsibility for the well
being of each employee and is a relationship that must be taken
seriously.
Should an employee be subjected to personally offensive language,
materials, jokes, etc., then the employer must take immediate steps to
eliminate the offensive items or face liability caused by a hostile
work environment. One of the greatest threats and employer faces
today is a hostile work environment created by e-mail.
You're saying to yourself "Very Interesting, but so what?"
Employers can be found liable if they fail to protect employees from
offensive electronic images or fail to prevent inappropriate use of
e-mail. But what does that mean?
Employees must wade through a barrage of email on a daily basis -
sorting out the true business email that must be dealt with - and
discarding the unsolicited commercial email, or spam. A great
percentage of the spam hitting the employee's mailbox contains adult
content and often outright pornography. Recent court rulings leave a
company open to litigation if it fails to provide reasonable protection
for employees.
International Microcomputer Software paid a former employee $ 105,000
in an out-of-court settlement after she received sexually harassing
messages on the firm's electronic bulletin board. Continental
Airlines paid $ 875,000 in a similar case. Chevron Corporation paid $
2.2 million to 4 female employees that received e-mails that were
sexually harassing. Morgan Stanley & Company settled a case where
employees alleged racial discrimination based on e-mails.
Disregarding the risks posed by such e-mail may also result in
potential officer and director liability. You do have an option. As the
old saying goes, "The best defense if a good offense." You can
gain substantial protection by a proactive program to reduce the threat
of inappropriate email.
But the problem extends well beyond the employer liability issue.
Employee moral and productivity are also affected. Up to 25% of
corporate email server resources are spent processing attacks intended
to harvest fresh, valid, corporate e-mail addresses. These attacks are
using particularly vicious techniques called Directory Harvest Attacks
(DHA). The goal of the DHA is to steal the corporate e-mail directory
of valid e-mail addresses. A successful DHA can net a spammer thousands
of addresses in just a few minutes.
DHAs are difficult to detect and defend against because e-mail
infrastructure was built to be open, accessible, and
decentralized. In fact, most e-mail systems and e-mail management
tools aren't equipped to detect a DHA. Managers must weigh the options
of having an in-house e-mail system or subcontracting those services to
specialists that work to prevent the DHAs and maintain the security of
the system. Once a spammer has a good email address, you know the
rest.
If you're in business your focus is on productivity. Statistics show
that a high number of employees access the Internet at work. One study
found that 55% of employees use the Internet for personal email and 46%
use it for personal surfing. One author suggested that employees
typically spend 5-10 hours per week sending personal email and
searching the Internet for non-job-related information. Think about
that in percentage of work time and then do the math.
Because of the DHA, an overwhelming majority of corporate email
addresses today receive unsolicited commercial email.... spam. Besides
the loss of productivity, this spam includes adult content,
pornography, racial jokes, religious jokes and everything but the
kitchen sink.
Though most of this email is treated rather casually, it carries
potentially significant consequences. While there is a
range of possible responses to this problem, nearly all observers
concur that organizations must take steps to address the problem and
that cost of prevention are trivial compared to the liability and
damages that may result.
Developing an appropriate solution requires an understanding of email
technology, employment law, email policies, and available email
filtering solutions. Only a unified approach can provide a
solution to this problem, but fortunately, employers can establish an
"affirmative defense" to potential claims by establishing both policies
and processes that address the problem.
Direct liability results when, for example, the employer's supervisor
harasses a subordinate, or makes a habit of forwarding racially or
sexually offensive email.
Indirect liability results when an employer fails to adequately address
and correct behavior or activity that creates a hostile work
environment.
For example, an employer who is on notice that its employees are
receiving unsolicited pornographic email may be directly liable for
allowing such email into the workplace because technical solutions to
this problem are now available.
In itself, receipt of unsolicited pornographic email is not grounds for
an employee's lawsuit. But once the issue has been raised by an
employee, it is incumbent upon corporate managers to take prompt
remedial action.
The good news is that if an organization does take prompt, appropriate,
and effective action, it can avoid or substantially mitigate liability
even in cases where sexual harassment actually occurred. Clearly,
prevention of the problem by intercepting offensive messages before
they reach employee inboxes is a more desirable way to go.
Laws related to employment and email are in a state of flux, but
several relatively recent court decisions provide some guidance. An
employer may establish an "affirmative defense" by showing that it had
a specific policy concerning email and that it responded promptly to
potential harassment and discrimination claims. Use of filtering and
perimeter protection services can help establish a record of prompt
response. And by requiring employees to take advantage of the
preventive or remedial apparatus in place, employers are protecting
themselves as well.
Reducing liability requires that companies implement a unified
approach. The approach should have three components: 1) An appropriate
email policy, 2) Training for employees, and 3) Mechanisms and
computer-based tools and filters for enforcing the policy. To be
effective, an email policy must clearly describe each employee's rights
and obligations regarding use of his or her employer's email system.
Employers must also enforce the policy and proactively take steps to
prevent employees from being exposed to harassing material.
Nonenforcement implies non-commitment or, worse, disregard for accepted
worked conditions, while the implementation of filtering systems and
perimeter protection services count as important indicators of
corporate intent to enforce stated policies. The three-pronged
foundation of policy, training, and enforcement greatly reduces the
potential for employment-related claims.
In the event of litigation, this foundation will strengthen the
employer's position in requesting a summary judgement or other motion
to terminate litigation at an early stage - saving legal costs and
hundreds of thousands of dollars and substantial damages.
Effective strategies for reducing liability are well understood, but
most companies have not yet implemented the policies or tools that they
should to reduce their risk.
What you should do?
1) Develop clearly stated e-mail policies, as well as administrative means to communicate and enforce those policies.
2) Implement tools that allow automated policy enforcement and prompt remedial action.
3) Use reasonable efforts to prevent unsolicited email.
Organizations that opt to implement these systems can gain a variety of
other benefits including conservation of valuable computer resources,
employee efficiencies, and the prevention or other harmful content such
as viruses.
Just having a policy in place provides no defense against litigation.
Policies must address originators and receivers, as well as forwarders
(those that can't resist forwarding email to fellow employees). Your
policy should contain: 1) a statement relative to the employer's
position against inappropriate email; 2) a disclaimer notice to
employees stating that using the Internet and email may expose them to
spam, including highly offensive, sexually explicit content and the
company is not responsible for unsolicited email with offensive content
and; 3) a disciplinary action policy for dealing with violators.
Once your policy is in place you must train your employees on how to
deal with unsolicited email. This training must be ongoing and
documented.
The final leg of the program is the use of individual email filters and
spam guard programs. They can filter every incoming email and check for
both virus contamination and spam and eliminate them before they even
reach your email server. The cost of policy implementation and
spam guard technology is a small investment when compared to the cost
of litigation. Both training and perimeter protection services are
offered by Castles. For a free copy of the "Reduce Email Corporate
Liability" brochure with example policies and training, contact Castles
Information Network, Inc. at 707-455-3401 or email Jim at
jdowney@castles.com. Figuring the Value of Chamber Membership
By James E. Downey President/CEO - Castles Iinformation Network, Inc.
Technology
Committee Member
Published June 24, 2004
Vacaville Chamber of
Commerce - July 2004 Comments The
Reporter Newspaper
In society we have three separate complimentary and simultaneously
competing forces. These are business, government and
society. Each one has their own goals and issues. Remember
studying Venn Diagrams in school. That is how I look at the
world. While all groups have their individual goals, there very often
exist overlapping common ground. But at the same time, we are often at
odds with each other and have mutually exclusive agendas.
Any individual that is in business and aims at growth and success must
understand some very simple principles and that being one. I am in
business to make money and offer products and/or services to clients at
a profit and if I am able to maximize profits then I am able to assist
my community (society) and do good things. However, often the
limiting factor in the equation is government coupled with society
needs. And depending on what entity and who is running whatever
at the time, it has a tremendous impact on my success.
Being involved in one of more local chambers affords me opportunities
that I would not otherwise have. The more active you are, the more
visible you are. The more visible you are, the more people know of both
your products/services and your character. Visibility is the
key.
There are numerous opportunities to work on committees and projects.
But one must always understand that others will quickly know if you
have a hidden agenda. And the more involved you are, the more likely
you are to get favorable reviews by people and often the TLC quotient
that can't be bought.
Very few small businesses can afford the advertising value that simply
comes from chamber membership. A simple listing in the member
directory shows people that you hopefully are an ethically based
business person that is doing business in their community. In the
ISP business we measure marketing value in hits and eye time.
We know that a highway billboard is expensive and most don't stop to
measure the impact of that mode of advertising. Most billboards receive
between 3 and 5 seconds of eye time by a motorist. The more eye
candy around the billboard the less likely it is being seen at all. It
also must be there for an extended period of time before anyone even
retains the message. A lot of money for very limited exposure. The same
holds true for newspaper, radio and TV ads. You must have a presence
for an extended period of time.
Every business is competing for the same consumer dollar. I must take advantage of every opportunity that I can.
We also measure a marketing campaign by the number of actual client
gains. If we spend $5000 and target 5000 people, most people
would say the cost of the campaign was $1 per target client. Not true. The only way to know the campaign cost is after customer
acquisition. In the end if we acquired 100 customers, then the actual
cost would have been $50 per new client. If we only acquired 10
customers then each one would have cost us $500. Big difference.
And then one must consider the value that each new client/customer
brings. If the profit per customer is $5 per month or per visit,
and it cost you $50 or $500 to acquire the customer, you won't be
making money for a long time. So why do the campaign in the first
place? But we often have to do these campaigns as part of a
marketing mix anyway.
Some studies have shown that it typically costs between $300 and $500
for a cold sales call by the time you pay for salary, transportation,
benefits, marketing materials, etc. That is normally more than your
membership to the chamber for a year and I almost guarantee that you'll
get multiple customers.
A good project some day for a graduate candidate in marketing would
be
to scientifically value the chamber membership from an advertising
perspective. The chamber will tell you that for the small sum of
money you can become a member and the membership is worth mpre money to
you.
Yes, you get a discount on hot sheets, a listing in the directory,
placement in the newsletter as a new member etc. But that doesn't
even touch on the value of consistent exposure.
In our local chamber we have the opportunity to participate in at least
one business mixer a month after work. There is always a wake-up
event once a month. And then there are many other brown-bag events,
golf tournaments, expos, festivals, etc. that one can be involved
in.
Opportunities exist at these functions for meeting individuals that you
could never get an appointment with. These are business owners and
managers. They are the decision makers. If they don't make the
decision, then they know who does, and often have great influence on
that decision maker. People do business with people they know and
trust.
Being involved in chamber activities creates business opportunities.
The individual must take advantage of those opportunities. We
often get calls for business services that we don't offer. They
usually tell us that the chamber didn't know of anyone that did that
but they could call the people at Castles and they probably do.
And often we do. If not, we will look through the yellow pages
for them That does two things: people like the friendly help and
will often ask us what we do and sometimes come back for our service or
refer someone else to us. And when we do know someone that does offer
that product or service, it is most likely a person we met at the
chamber. We get a lot of referrals from other chamber members and
return the favor.
In the old days, we had business groups that were very successful. The
government however, put them out of business. They were very
successful because they purchased almost all their products from
themselves. The chambers are today's business groups. We just
don't take advantage of that. I typically do business with other
chamber members and will tell others that. If you want my business, you
would be a member of the chamber.
I belong to various organizations because of what they will do for my
business and others in my market area that we individually can't do for
ourselves. Can I have a one-on-one with a congressman? No. But often
the chamber president or a group of chamber presidents have meetings
with the lawmakers, the governor and often the president. Collectively
they push for reforms that affect our bottom line.
The chambers and other associations often are able to stop bad
legislation from becoming law. As an ISP, we know this fact well.
Without the involvement of our chambers and associations, the majority
of us would not be in business today. That is a fact. And that would
have a dramatic affect of the pricing levels that both residential and
business clients pay for their services.
Our new marketing program, SuddenValues, has been very successful and a
lot has to do with our chamber membership. The program is free to
area businesses and helps raise funds for non profits. They recognize
the benefits of the program and refer others to it.
I don't participate much with the California Internet Service Provider
Association, CISPA, but I can't imagine not belonging. They are doing
battle with the PUC, the FCC and have taken on SBC and won. Could
individual small businesses do that. No way. Every business needs to
belong to their chamber and the associations that can help their
business not only grow, but sometimes to even exist.
It would be difficult to measure the savings, etc. that the chambers
individually and collectively generate. Often it can't be
measured in real dollars. But it is at least 10 to 100 times or
more the investment, depending on your individual business and how
involved you are.
I also consider my Chamber membership a marketing expense. And when the
individual business owner or manager sits down each year and evaluates
their advertising and marketing budget, Chamber membership should be on
the top of the list. And if the owner or manager of the business
just doesn't have the time to participate, then delegate that
function. It's an investment you can't afford not to make.
James E. Downey is the President/CEO of Castles Information Network,
Inc. of Vacaville and does business and marketing coaching.
Downey also is an Adjunct Professor at the Edward S. Ageno School of
Business, Golden Gate University in San Francisco.
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