Employee Privacy Rights at Work Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Employee Privacy Rights at Work - Essay Example 897). The rights of the company have been upheld time and again. However, the real issue the company must address is finding the proper balance between the two. As Bupp (2001) pointed out, although the company has a wide range of monitoring open to it, studies have found that too much monitoring can also cause undo stress and be demoralizing for employees. Finding the balance that protects the company's interests while ensuring employees are afforded an adequate measure of perceived respect and privacy becomes the aim of modern business in today's technologically advanced work environment. How that balance may be achieved is the focus of this research. As upheld in the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USCA 2510 of 1986 (ECPA), employers, as owners of the premises and communications equipment, have many rights of which employees may be unaware. According to Volkert (2005) employers may "search company-owned computers, monitor Internet use, use video surveillance and listen to voice mail" (p. 1). As early as 2001 Bupp found when reviewing an American Management Association survey report that as of 2001 73.5% of all major companies in the U.S. "record and review employee communications and activities on the job, including their phone calls, e-mail, Internet connections, and computer files" (p. 74). An additional 5% monitor phone logs and/or use video surveillance cameras. In 88% of the cases where the company electronically monitors employees' working habits, the employee is informed of the methodology the company uses to monitor their behavior. The need for monitoring of employees has stemmed from documented cases of employee theft of proprietary information from their employer as well as theft of company time by employees who instead of working at the job for which they were hired to be perform, spend an inordinate amount of company time on personal business thereby reducing the productivity of the company. Lichtash (2004) points out that use or misuse of company time by employees in surfing the internet or sending and receiving inappropriate email can lead to serious consequences to the employer including lost productivity and in some instances may lead to a perceived hostile work environment or charges of sexual harassment when email is used to circulate offensive contents. For those reasons alone "employers have a clear interest in restricting the use of their e-mail and Internet systems" (p. 27). Lichtash (2004) has also noted that there are varying degrees of use or misuse of company email. Firstly, many employers recognize that time restraints sometimes require employees to occasionally use company time to conduct some degree of personal business which the company generally allows or overlooks. The second type of misuse is more serious abuse of company systems that would warrant disciplinary action was the company to detect it. The last type of abuse is flagrant misuse resulting in a direct or potential substantial loss to the company which would result in immediate termination if the company was aware of the

French laundry ( marketing analysis) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

French laundry ( marketing analysis) - Essay Example With the advent of the economic recession the sales of the restaurants have also been affected because of the reduced number of the customers. The owner and chief chef Thomas Keller has framed a unique identity for the restaurant in United States of America. To understand the present state of the restaurant certain management tools were used and the analysis has been provided below: The restaurant, French laundry has a strong market position. The name of the restaurant has become synonymous for rich and exotic food which provides a memorable experience for the gourmets. Many people are of the opinion that French laundry restaurant is not just an eatery; rather it’s the place where they create moments for the life time (Fish, 2009). However after the financial recession in US, the restaurant is losing its market position. The restaurant has achieved its present market position by the combined effort of all its members, starting from the head chef to the person who serves the food. Each and every aspect is so well managed that every moment spend in the restaurant becomes an experience to be cherished (The French Laundry, 2007). The French laundry is awarded three stars; the most coveted honour, in the restaurant industry. There are however, many more restaurants in US which share the three star rating with French laundry and are its strong competitors. The economical downturn has reduced the threat from new entrants in US market, but competition among the existing restaurants have increased a lot (The New York Times-a, n.d.). The restaurant is very much concerned regarding its raw materials and takes care to ensure a smooth and effective Supply Chain. French Laundry subsidised the farmers so that they can generate healthy off-season revenue. The restaurant prefers to use fresh fruits for the recipe and the left over fruits are used for making jams, cider vinegars, wine barrels etc. The