Corporate Internet Policy
Here are a few tips about sources, subject headings, and strategies that you may want to start with. Note that these tips are just a start: think broadly about the sort of information you need and about who might have that information (government/association/academic/news/etc.).
Articles in journals, magazines, and newspapers
A. Try searching in Business Source Complete using various combinations of such Subjects as:
- Internet users
- Personal Internet use in the workplace
- Guidelines*Computers
- Employees
- Electronic mail systems
- Internet
- Electronic mail messages
- Liability (Law)
- Instant messaging
- Electronic monitoring in the workplace
B. For more of a Canadian perspective, try CBCA Complete and look for articles using the same terms (as keywords rather than subjects) that you used in Business Source Complete. Also try Canadian Newsstand for Canadian newspaper articles.
If using the keywords from your Business Source Complete search don't work, try searching for the phrase "internet use" in combination with such terms as (policy or policies) or (benefit* or advantage* or disadvantage* or consideration*).
Books
A. There isn't a single, perfect subject heading for this topic, but a keyword search along the lines of (business enterprises and computer* and employee*) do appear to unearth a few relevant titles In general, however, you will need to think more broadly to get useful books. For example, a keyword search for ("personnel management" and policies) will get you books on what goes into a good personnel policy, whether it is on computer use in the workplace or not.
Other resources
A. Try the following reference book: The Encyclopedia of Security Management. It has some general guidance (no specific company examples) on what should be taken into account when planning for internet security in an organization. It's at HV 8290 S365 2007 in our Reference Collection (NE corner of the 3rd (main) floor of the Bennett Library).
B. The Free Management Library has a section on Computer and Network Usage Policies that includes some samples from various organizations.
C. Cool - Michael Geist is a Canadian expert on Internet Law in Canada, and his website is a great jumping-off point for research on this topic...
D. Try the following two "IT-focused" databases if the Business/News articles aren't answering all your questions: ACM Digital Library and IEEE/IEE Electronic Library. I notice that the ACM source, for example, has a 2002 special issue on Internet Abuse in the Workplace. A bit old, but worth a look nonetheless.
<No further suggestions yet - but keep checking. Also, don't forget that this is your wiki: you are welcome to add any tips here whenever you'd like. --- MB>
