Reference no: EM132181337

Question: 1: Managing a Remote Workforce (Conflict Management)

Many companies, especially multi-national firms, use virtual teams whose interactions are facilitated by remote access to the company's networks, information systems, and databases. Teams may communicate via email, discussion boards, teleconferencing / telepresence systems, etc.

1. How can you use technology to facilitate teams and manage people remotely?

2. How do you manage interpersonal conflict in a remote workforce? Do your conflict management strategies need to adapt to differences in modes of communication (e.g. email vs. discussion boards vs.online meeting rooms)? Why or Why not?

3. When managing remote teams, it is also important to consider differences in national laws and required / permissible monitoring of networks and network traffic. If the host country (where a remote employee lives / works) monitors network traffic, how can a multi-national company maintain the security and privacy of its information and intellectual property?

2: Legacy Systems

Legacy systems can become sources of interpersonal conflict within and across organizations especially when the legacy systems have little to no security features built into them but, at the same time provide critically needed support to business operations.

A risk assessment can be used to reduce interpersonal conflict by providing an objective evaluation of the risks associated with continuing to use legacy IT systems. The objective evaluation can then also be used to develop strategies for addressing security risks associated with the legacy systems (accept, mitigate, transfer, avoid). Sometimes, interpersonal conflict between managers and between executives can arise because the individuals involved are concerned about potential impacts upon their customers. Thus, it is important to consider how a company's approach to legacy systems (keep / toss) will affect its customer base and ability to continue operations without interruption.

1. Prepare an argument that supports the "decommissioning" of legacy IT systems. (Decommissioning a legacy system can be a form of risk avoidance.) In your argument, identify and discuss two or more security related issues which could be used to justify using this strategy (decommissioning legacy IT systems) to address risk.

2. Next, prepare a counter argument for those same issues (argue against decommissioning). Your counter argument should use one or more of the remaining risk management strategies (accept, mitigate, transfer). Make sure that your selected strategies are also cost-effective or at least cost-neutral (no additional costs).