Chapter 4 The effective management of e-mail technology in organisations 4.1 Introduction In 2002, Agarwal and Rodhain indicated e-mail to be the most-used online application. They also identified it as a tried-and-tested method for facilitating unstructured communication among employees, which, in turn, fosters the valuable cross-pollination of ideas and increases innovation in an organisation (Agarwal & Rodhain, 2002). Despite all the benefits we stand to derive from using e-mail, however, individuals and organisations alike are faced with an ever-increasing volume of e-mail traffic, to the extent that many could start feeling overwhelmed and, even more seriously, overloaded with information. This chapter will, therefore, be devoted to a closer look at the effects of e-mail on the user and at the managerial measures organisations could take to prevent e-mail overload in their staff. Possible solutions to this problem are to assist employees at acquiring the necessary skills to avoid e-mail overload implement a proper e-mail management ( EMM ) system take steps in preventing e-mail misuse consider other factors when implementing an EMM system, such as corporate e-communication policies monitoring and surveillance software e-mail archiving solution software. Next, a discussion on the phenomenon of e-mail overload. 4.2 E-mail overload In today s fast-paced business environment, e-mail represents a quick, effective means of communication, especially useful in multinational corporations where the working hours of customers, suppliers and employees do not necessarily overlap (Mandell, 2001). Employees, and especially executives, however, are being bombarded by e-mail messages and plagued by e-mail overload. 4.2.1 The underlying causes of e-mail overload There are three main causes for e-mail overload, as indicated by Mandell (2001): Improper use Spamming Lack of discipline 61
Anon. B (2001) indicates that as the use of e-mail in organisations intensifies, many enterprises struggle to manage their infrastructure, as e-mail traffic is putting strain on corporate networks and storage requirements. Apart from all the hours devoted to creating, reading and replying to messages, the not-soobvious burden caused by e-mail overload is the wastage of resources in bandwidth, servers and memory (Mandell, 2001). Following, then, a discussion on the possible effects of improper e-mail usage. 4.2.2 Possible social effects of e-mail overload on users and organisations Palme (1995) indicates that e-mail does not merely change the form of communication from other media to computers but that it also changes patterns of communication, so that people communicate with others more often, and about different subjects than before. An in-depth study was undertaken to determine how e-mail has influenced and, in some instances, even replaced the use of other media (such as the telephone or printed communication), the results of which are depicted in the pie chart below: Chart 4.1: E-mail as replacement for new media (Palme, 1995) 13% Replacement for formal and informal face-to-face meetings 67% 14% 6% Replacement for phone calls Replacement for postal mail, circulars and message slips New communication It was indicated that e-mail has indeed changed the social behaviour of employees and users in organisations and, moreover, that it has changed the very social workings of organisations. It has also served to close the communication gap between people who are distant geographically and/or organisationally. Next, figure 4.1 is used to illustrate just how radically communication patterns could change once e-mail is introduced, and that it could even culminate in new networks being formed within an organisation. 62
Hierarchical organisation Network organisation Figure 4.1: Organisational effects of electronic communication (Palme, 1995) Adam (2002) states that e-mail constitutes a means of communication which some people are now incapable of doing without and that, even though it took some time for everyone fully to adapt to it, it has worked an irrevocable change in many users everyday lives. Problems resulting from the very popularity of this technology, however, have, on the other hand, also proliferated, such as information overload, e-mail overload, attempts at fraud and other addictive behaviours. Among the negative effects and outcomes of e-mail abuse are excessive time spent on non-productive work and a lack of attention to security. Most organisations, however, encourage employees to use e-mail and communication systems for business purposes only. Agarwal and Rodhain (2002) attempted in their research to explain these effects by postulating that e-mail use has preceded rather than followed the evolution of e-mail policies and that, as a consequence, norms rather than edicts are used to guide employee behaviour. Many employees, however, have erroneous or, at best, too high expectations and perceptions as far as privacy is concerned, even though privacy concerns have a significant effect on the way in which they use the e-mail system. Conflict could easily arise out of these perceptions, and could cause stress, inefficiency and a loss of trust. Users should, therefore, be well versed in and well informed of the reasons why strict policies on e-mail use have been adopted by their organisation. 63
The rapid rate at which information-communication technology is developing has given rise to an equally rapid increase in its use, which has, in turn, caused many users to suffer from e-mail overload. Users often clutter their Inboxes with an excessive number of e-mail messages, including partially read documents, outstanding tasks and conversational threads. High levels of information communication take place and most users would prefer this communication to be effected via an all-in-one medium. Organisations should encourage their employees to exercise control when using this technology, which could manifest in two ways: firstly, in the manner in which employees deal with mail received and, secondly, in the manner in which employees create and send mail. The next section will, therefore, be devoted to a discussion on the management measurers employees could and should take to prevent or, at the very least, minimise their e-mail overload. 4.2.3 Management measures against e-mail overload in employees Mandell (2001) offers a simple solution to blocking Internet access for employees who have no need to access it or to receive e-mail. Yet another solution would be to implement surveillance programs. Examples of the latter include WinWhatWhere, Kennewick and Surf control. These programs sport features such as access control and the ability to block inappropriate sites and recognise illicit content, and will be discussed in full particulars in the latter part of this chapter. These features, however, are most often applied to e-mails travelling across the World Wide Web. Anon. B (2001) recommends the following ways in which employees and organisations could reduce e-mail overload: Use message headers and source indication to help decide which e-mails to read immediately and which to set aside perhaps never to be read. Set aside the same time every day to review received e-mails, starting with the most recently received. Create folders for various categories of received e-mails. Get into the habit of handling a message only once before deleting the file. Should the e-mail system of the organisation include a preview pane permitting employees to view the first few lines of each message, this could 64
be used when headers and source indication fail to indicate the importance and/or urgency of a message. Should the e-mail system be equipped with integrated group scheduling, the calendar function could be used to receive notices of meetings and automatically to place them in the user s calendar. Organisations would be well advised to add to their existing e-mail infrastructures by outsourcing certain services, such as group directories and mailing lists, instead of overhauling their entire e-mail infrastructures. These services also include full access to mobile e-mail, so that valuable information, resources and time are not lost and are integrated with the organisational EMM system. 4.2.4 Implications of e-mail overload to the organisation Organisations are faced with an ever-increasing number of e-mail customer queries and must, therefore, implement a proper e-mail management system in terms of which Management could adopt strategies to minimise or even prevent e-mail overload. Following, then, a discussion on a number of these strategies. 4.2.4.1 Storage requirements Most organisations are able to choose a broadband Internet connection, which means that they are able to access a wide variety of communication channels (Anon. B, 2001). Users are able, therefore, to download huge files embedded in e-mails. 4.2.4.2 The software solution (E-mail management systems) Good EMM systems can definitely address the service of applications that must render a high level of service at cost. Organisations stand to derive the following benefits from implementing a good EMM system (Anon. C, 2001): Scanning of e-mail content and routing of messages to the correct Inboxes. Matching of e-mail addresses with customer records. Assigning reference numbers to queries. Generating an automated response that informs customers of the fact that their mail has been received. 65
Customers are forever demanding better-quality and quicker services with improved response and turn-around times. The modern-day business environment, therefore, generates more and more service-query e-mails from customers, with the result that EMM systems must be able to manage this deluge of e-mails. It would be safe to say, then, that these systems are set to play a pivotal role in future customer-relationship management. 4.2.4.3 Management e-mail strategies to minimise or avoid overload E-mail has added a new dimension to communication systems, and its pros far outweigh its cons (Davidhizar, et al., 2000). There is a real danger, however, that managers could be wasting their time, given their greater accessibility to a higher volume of e-mails. To managers, e-mail overload could be potentially harmful in the following ways (Davidhizar, et al., 2000): It could be time consuming. It could impact on their essential face-to-face interaction with employees. It could result in inefficiency and in turning e-mail processing into a burden. 4.2.4.4 E-mail strategies for managers Management can implement EMM techniques and strategies to control information overload and to promote productivity. Davidhizar and his co-researchers (2000) offer a number of solutions with regard to managers and their e-mail overload. Triage e-mail messages for urgency and/or importance Managers can, in a bid to save time, use filtering features to classify e-mail messages in terms of their urgency and/or importance. This is called the triage technique. Avoid reading certain e-mails altogether Junk e-mail sources include e-mails from agency networks, for example, announcements and product promotions or advertising over the Internet. Respond to messages selectively Managers should respond to e-mails selectively. Time-related and requestinformation e-mails should be dealt with first. 66
Identify specific times of the day for e-mail processing Managers should limit the time they spend reading and responding to e-mails. This will enable them to save time and to slow down their response rates to e-mail. Limit e-mail access Managers should be selective about giving out their organisational e-mail addresses. Prepare brief and readable e-mails to obviate the need for multiple messages E-mails should be compiled in clear, concise and to-the-point language in order to avoid duplication of effort. Due consideration should, however, be given to managers different writing styles, as discussed in chapter 3. Avoid e-mailing when problem-solving is paramount Complex problems requiring negotiation should rather be solved by means of face-to-face communication. E-mail management systems boast many other measures that could assist at minimising or avoiding e-mail overload and ensuring its effective management. The first step towards creating an effective EMM system would be to formulate and adopt electronic-communication policies. Surveillance and monitoring software could also be integrated to protect the organisation against legal proceedings, confrontation and loss of productivity. Archiving-solution software plays a crucial part in keeping companies compliant with legal and riskmanagement requirements. These three measures and management strategies will be discussed in full particulars in subsequent sections. 4.3 Electronic-communication policies and e-mail Nowadays, almost every aspect of business revolves around the computer. More than ever before, the role of computers in business is changing from merely being an efficient means of global communication to becoming the hub of all business activities. These advances came at a cost, however. Employee use of computer resources, including e-mail and Internet access, can subject a company to legal liability, compromise confidential information and result in unnecessary problems and an increase in computing costs. Overly (1999) gives examples of problems that could crop up. 67
Businesses have chucked veritable fortunes at litigating and settling lawsuits arising from employee abuse and misuse of the e-mail technology. Employees use e-mails to circulate inappropriate jokes, to harass and discriminate against co-workers and even to defame rival businesses. Trade secrets and other highly sensitive business information stored on computers have been stolen or inadvertently compromised by employees. Employee use of the Internet for non-business-related activities has seriously compromised corporate security on occasion, and has often resulted in millions lost in productivity and increased computing costs. Searches of business networks routinely turn up hundreds of megabytes of pornographic material and illegal software that were downloaded by employees. Businesses would be well advised, therefore, to take the necessary steps to reduce such risks. Following, a list of possible steps to be taken in this regard (Overly, 1999): Adopt written policies on computer and e-mail use that specifically define the rights and obligations of employees regarding computer resources. Conduct training and awareness seminars for employees regarding the proper use of their computers and Internet and e-mail access. Install appropriate monitoring and filtering software to prevent access to inappropriate material and to identify problem employees. The next section will be devoted to taking a closer look at the importance of adopting written e-communication policies, and at how such policies could influence employees use of e-mail. 4.3.1 The need for written policies Despite the growing use of computers and Internet and e-mail access in the workplace and its potential for liability, not many companies have established written guidelines for employee use of computer systems. Businesses have to be aware of the potential pitfalls associated with these new technologies and of the need to protect themselves by adopting appropriate guidelines and policies. In the event of a lawsuit, a well-defined policy may even mean the difference between liability for damages and the early dismissal of the case. 68
Non Profit Hub (2005) states that e-mail policies are risk-management strategies that establish acceptable use of company e-mail accounts, shielding an employer from legal liability and protecting network security and productivity. Organisations should continually educate their employees to ensure that they comply with set policies. E-mail-, Internet- and software-usage policies are essential to every organisation, for the following reasons (Flynn, 2001): Risks abound in the electronic office. No employee is immune from electronic risks. To keep employees on track while they are online and to avoid lost productivity, workplace lawsuits, wasted employee talents, fines and, in some instances, even imprisonment. To avoid public-relations nightmares. To avoid the reach of security breaches. To prevent wastage of computer resources. The next section will be devoted to a discussion on a number of the possible pitfalls companies and their employees could encounter whilst trying to formulate, adopt, enforce and adhere to electronic-communication policies. 4.3.2 Potential claims by employees The employees in most organisations are free to use the computer systems and all the available means of communication. This scenario, however, has certain specific implications both for the employee and for the organisation, such as the possibility of legal proceedings on the grounds of infringement of privacy or copyright, discrimination, harassment and defamation and, last but not least, posing a threat to corporate intellectual assets. Following, then, a discussion on these issues. 4.3.2.1 Employees right to privacy Almost every organisation recognises its employees common-law right to privacy. Someone who infringes this right, however, has been loosely defined as one who intentionally intrudes, physically or otherwise, upon (the) solitude or seclusion of another, or his/her personal affairs or concerns (and one who) is subject to liability to the other for invasion of privacy, if the intrusion would be highly offensive to a reasonable person (Overly, 1999). 69
With Internet technologies becoming increasingly sophisticated, the issue of on-line privacy protection has gained considerable visibility as consumer advocates, public-policy makers and companies debate the best ways to protect consumer privacy while at the same time ensuring the protection of all stakeholders rights (Hill & Singh, 2003). Another contentious privacy issue is that of the unauthorised publication of e-mail content, such as the forwarding of an e-mail message without permission or its posting on the Net, where it will be available for the greater public s viewing clearly constituting an invasion of a person s right to privacy. Employees should minimise the likelihood of invasion of their privacy by adhering to the policy guidelines laid down by their organisation. Following, a few examples of such guidelines (Moghe, 2003): Management should ensure that the policy is clear, known to and understood by employees. Ideally, the policy should be linked to a screen that employees see as soon as they log onto the internal network of the organisation. The policy should be unambiguous as to what activities are permitted or not. E-mail should, for example, be used solely for business purposes, thereby ensuring that personal information never become ensconced in the organisational system. The policy should clearly set out who in the organisation is authorised to access and monitor employee e-mail content. Employees should acknowledge in writing that their computer files and messages are subject to review by authorised personnel and that they have no expectation of privacy for what they have created or received on the system. The policy should explicitly refer to the computer-security policy of the organisation, as the improper use of e-mail may pose a threat to system security, the privacy of staff members and others and the legal liability of the organisation. The policy should outline how the organisation intends to monitor or audit staff compliance with its rules relating to the acceptable usage of e-mail and Web browsing. 70
4.3.2.2 Labour-organisational activities Organisational computer systems allow employees to do their jobs and to communicate information effectively. Bulletin boards and Intranets represent easy ways in which to organise employees in different locations. Employees should be aware of this and other user-computer policies to address labourorganisational activities online. Organisations should also ensure that policies on use of computer systems are in place and that they restrict employees use solely to business activities. 4.3.2.3 Discrimination and harassment Sipior and Ward (1999) caution that although e-mail has been lauded as a wonderful means of improving personal productivity and organisational responsiveness, these benefits also hold a dark flipside for employees and employers alike, as the use of e-mail technology could provide vital information on organisational hierarchy, position and status. E-mail allows users to express themselves in a less formal environment and from a locality typically far removed from the recipient or target audience. To make matters worse, many users are under the erroneous impression that a message is removed from the system permanently as soon as it is deleted, when, in fact, most companies routinely perform system backups. Employers often have to adjudicate employee disputes arising out of inappropriate or offensive content in e-mails. Racially discriminating or sexually orientated jokes and cartoons have already formed the bases for a number of substantial lawsuits. 4.3.2.4 Copyright E-mail poses mainly two potentially contentious copyright issues. Firstly, incorporating material into e-mails without authorisation constitutes a violation of most copyright laws. Secondly, the e-mail itself is subject to copyright, with the result that copying or forwarding a message may, in fact, constitute another copyright infringement. 71
Copying material online such as text, sound, pictures, cartoons, jokes, movies and so forth is bound to have copyright implications. Most companies install automated programs called robots or spiders to traverse the Web looking for unauthorised copies of copyrighted works. Should an unauthorised copy be detected, the program would report the location to its owner. Copying or distributing copyrighted material without authorisation from its owner may result in substantial liability and possibly in criminal prosecution. The computer-use policy should, therefore, clearly define each employee s obligation to avoid infringement of other people s intellectual-property rights. 4.3.2.5 Defamation and spam E-mail and other electronic communications (such as bulletin boards and newsgroups) pose a particularly big threat with regard to defamation claims, especially since the online environment allows senders to give out defamatory statements to an audience of thousands strong in a matter of seconds. E-mail users sometimes send e-mails when they are emotionally charged, making statements that they are bound to regret later. There are, basically, two ways in which an organisation could be found liable for defamatory statements made by employees using its e-communication systems (Overly, 1999): Agency liability employees are deemed to be representatives of their companies. This could very possibly pose a huge problem with regard to e-mail, since every employee with an e-mail account literally becomes a spokesperson for his/her company, whether he/she be authorised or not. Liability as disseminator organisations may, in their capacity of providers of computer systems, be held liable for the dissemination of defamatory material. Liability is further determined by establishing whether the organisation is a publisher or merely a distributor of such material. Spammers must bear in mind that anti-spamming laws have become focal points for many organisations, and that many online-service providers are indeed suing spammers for trespassing and infringing upon their systems. Sending unsolicited commercial e-mails may not only violate the law but may also cause a public-relations nightmare for a company. 72
Employees should, therefore, comply with anti-spam laws for every jurisdiction in which they are sending or receiving e-mail. 4.3.2.6 Protection of corporate information and resources: trade secrets and other confidential information Trade secrets are a company s most valuable assets and must be protected, so that they are not revealed to the public or to competitors. Trade secrets consist of any information, ideas or methods that a company uses to produce a product or to render a service that gives it a distinct identity and a competitive edge. When organisational information and trade secrets are stored in a computer system, there are two primary concerns, namely that an employee would reveal (be it intentionally or inadvertently) a trade secret through an online communication (such as an e-mail, a bulletin board or a newsgroup) use online communications to steal a trade secret for his/her own financial gain. Organisations must, therefore, lay down and follow strict guidelines to control the publication of trade secrets and organisational information in e-mails and other electronic communications. In addition, organisations must adopt policies that will serve to remind employees that it is in everyone s best interest and indeed that it is everyone s duty to protect trade secrets from unauthorised disclosure. Monitoring and surveillance technologies form part of such policies and organisations and their employees should be aware of their responsibilities and restrictions when using corporate-communication network systems. Following, a discussion on e-mail monitoring and surveillance, as well as a discussion on how these technologies could be put to use in the workplace. 4.4 Monitoring and surveillance technologies Organisations are increasingly implementing surveillance and monitoring software to avoid loss of productivity and liability against legislation, and to ensure the protection of their intellectual property. These considerations should also be integrated into corporate e-communication policies. 73
4.4.1 Defining monitoring and surveillance Davies (1999) defines surveillance in the workplace as the structured observation of an individual s movements and transactions. Watson (2002), in his turn, goes on to fine-tune this definition by differentiating between monitoring and actual surveillance. Overly (1999) describes monitoring as a process that is effected in three different stages: Responsive monitoring This stage of monitoring is effected in response to a particular problem or complaint; for example, when one employee informs a supervisor that his/her colleague is sending inappropriate jokes through the company s e-mail system. The employer will, in this case, monitor the implicated employee s e-mail in response to the complaint. Random monitoring This stage of monitoring is effected through random sampling of employee e-mails to ensure that their content is in compliance with the established electronic-communication policies of the organisation in question. In the light of the fact that the volume of e-mail in even small organisations may be quite substantial, random monitoring, however, is seldom effective in detecting inappropriate or unauthorised messages. Continued monitoring This stage generates the biggest monitoring capacity, as specialised computer software is used automatically to monitor every e-mail message sent or received within an organisation. The software is highly sophisticated and is capable of detecting even a solitary instance of profanity or inappropriate language in a single message. In addition to detecting profane, sexually explicit and/or racially offensive content, the software can be configured to keep a lookout for abuse of trade secrets and other proprietary information. 4.4.2 Monitoring and surveillance in the workplace In his research, Oliver (2002) has uncovered that the practice of monitoring employee use of e-mail and the Internet in the workplace is becoming evermore popular. In today s Network Society with its enhanced technology, it is very easy for employers to carry out such pervasive surveillance of employees activities by electronic means. Such practices, however, could 74
have serious repercussions for employees right to privacy. As a result, a great many organisations have resorted to outsourcing these monitoring functions. Employers can, in other words, gather information on their employees by watching what they are doing during working hours, by uncovering their interests and private activities as revealed by their e-mail and Internet use, and by simply sifting through their personal electronic correspondence. Companies are continuously adding monitoring and surveillance tools to combat legal liability, reduced productivity and the threat of exposure of trade secrets and intellectual property. Hall (2004) explains that an employer could be held liable for defamatory, discriminating and sexual-harassing statements made by its employees. These problems are caused by the misuse of technology and could be very costly. Employers have to strike a balance between keeping an eye on poor performance and protecting their employees rights to privacy if monitoring policies were to be applied successfully. Employers should also bear in mind that working hours have extended for many employees, and that they are sometimes compelled to do personal business during these hours, such as, for example, shopping online. Electronic monitoring could also cause stress and create adverse working conditions, as listed by Hall (2004) below: Lack of involvement. Lack of control over tasks. Reduced task variety and clarity. Reduced supervisory support. Fear of job loss. Routine work activities. Reduced social support from peers. Hall (2004) also points out that excessive monitoring undermines staff morale, and that it could lead to job-related depression and a lack of wellbeing. Monitoring technology should, therefore, not be used to replace supervisors managerial functions, but rather to establish a principle of equal rights for both employer and employee. 75
4.4.3 Monitoring software Watson (2002) observes just how rapidly the market for e-mail surveillance is expanding and that, concomitant to this demand, the range of products is becoming vastly varied and sophisticated too. These tools allow the operator of an information system exactly to track where an e-mail message finds itself; from the sender s information-service provider to the recipient s Inbox. 4.4.4 Policies Watson (2002) also emphasises the rationale behind drawing up a proper policy for all electronic-communication systems, as these policies ensure the employer s position on the proper use of e-mail systems. Policies should also inform staff members as to why the organisation needs to use surveillance technology in the first place. Employers often feel that monitoring and surveillance could instil fear in and create resentment among employees, even though the majority of employees usually approve of these installations. Policies should be updated frequently not only to account for changes in the law but also to account for technological advances. Morris (2003) indicates that employers should enhance the positive capacity for increased productivity that technology has to offer without exposing themselves to a liability, and without creating a false expectation of privacy among employees. 4.5 E-mail archiving systems Thanks to the convenience and immediacy of e-mail technology, millions of e-mails are sent and received by organisations daily. While most users think that the majority of e-mails can be discarded, it is essential to keep copies of important correspondence for legal, clarification and risk-management purposes (Nieger, 2003). E-mail archival systems, therefore, need to be implemented in organisations to manage e-mails, to avoid legal complications and to prevent e-mail overload in its users. 4.5.1 E-mail archiving challenges Roberto (2004) points out that the convenience and immediacy of e-mail make it an instant necessity for organisations, but that the storage volume needed for e-mails represents both a challenge and a liability. Companies are fast adapting to the growing use of messaging and mailing systems, however. 76
While e-mail volumes continue to grow at exponential rates, the value of the e-mail technology as a business tool is being seriously compromised by lack of centralised administration and records management. Legato (2005) has identified the following business challenges that companies need to face in this regard: Storage management System administrators constantly battle with the growing volumes of e-mail, the use of e-mail to share files and users demand for maintaining online access to this volume of data. Large messaging servers have to be implemented, just to cope with the much-needed storage requirements. In addition to this are the backup costs associated with the material and time time needed to recover a mission-critical system such as e-mail has become paramount for most companies. Lastly, many corporations have placed the onus of archiving messages on the individual user, which has led to a decentralised and ultimately redundant system that does not ensure comprehensive retention of important business data. Records retention A sizeable volume of regulatory legislation (policies and laws) requires organisations to retain e-mails and other records of business data for a set period of time. In addition, companies are increasingly adopting corporation-based policies in terms of which e-mails are required to be retained for future reference and auditing. The requirements for maintaining electronic means of communication are becoming the norm as companies recognise the benefits they stand to derive from storing these records, as well as their hard copies. As a result, retaining e-mail messages for longer periods of time and being able quickly to search and retrieve specific records are fast becoming critical activities for most companies. Legal discovery Knowing the general difficulties of managing e-mail records, litigators have made digital information a target for discovery. In the past, companies relied on the excuse that locating information on backup tape was too costly for their organisations. Companies either relied on exhaustively restoring 77
system backups and searching for data, or they had to pay a large fee to outsource firms to perform the discovery operation. Today, solutions are available to make messaging-systems data readily available and searchable, all within reasonable effort and time. Next, a discussion on archiving systems and software solutions, highlighting the benefits to be derived from these systems and solutions. 4.5.2 Archiving systems E-mail is the key communication tool of a business and IT managers are overburdened by requests to access and restore e-mails. CEOs are concerned with the safety requirements to store important e-mails while maintaining accountability for corporate communication. In order to manage storage costs while ensuring corporate guidelines for electronic correspondence, a new approach in e-mail management is required by organisations. This will also reduce business risks and improve the efficiency of everyday business. Roberto (2004) explains the benefits that a proper archiving system can deliver: Immediate searches and delivery. E-mails can be checked and retrieved, and their content structured. It ensures compliance with laws and regulations. It reduces the size of e-mail databases. It improves the performance and efficiency of the e-mail system. Users and administrators are less overburdened. The use of e-mail archiving software is growing exponentially, fuelled by the explosion of e-mail messaging and other electronic communications, as well as by concerns about regulatory compliance and other factors (eweek, 2005). The next section will be devoted to a closer look at some e-mail archiving systems that can be used by organisations with great success. 4.5.3 E-mail archiving software Following, a discussion on some of the many software solutions to archiving. 78
Legato s EmailXtender archival system EmailXtender ( EX ) is an example of software that can be used to solve some of these managerial problems. Legato (2005) explains that EX is a centralised data-storage and -retrieval system that makes enterprise e-mail easier to administer and use. It automatically moves data off the e-mail message server into an e-mail archiving system, thus capturing and indexing all incoming and outgoing e-mails. In addition, instant messaging ( IM ) can be captured and stored in the system. EX provides fast access to stored e-mails and IMs, and allows for quick restoration after virus attacks. Captaris s Exchange Archive Link Schwarts (2005) indicates that the business-information vendor Captaris has introduced a new version of its e-mail archiving tool that is more scalable and integratable with content-management product. The archiving tool scales up to tens of thousands of mailboxes vastly more than the original version, which was targeted at organisations with fewer than 1 000 mailboxes. It also boasts a plain-english rules engine, making it easier for administrators to formulate archiving rules. EVault ProMail EVault ProMail allows customers, such as broker-dealers, to ensure that their e-mail communications be maintained in an easily accessible archive, compliant with regulatory requirements, without having internally to manage a complex and costly infrastructure. Some of the benefits to be derived from using this system are as follows (EVault, 2005): Customisable and enforceable rules that allow the user to modify the rules with compliance-specific keywords and phrases. Flexible administration, supporting multi-tiered e-mail and IM monitoring for corporate and public networks. Automatic updates, alerting administrators when rules should be changed or reviewed. Complete message encryption and security access to archived messages. Compliant archiving, ensuring regulatory governing storage and retrieval of e-mails and IMs. 79
EVault ProMail supports most of the e-mail systems, including Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Notes/Domino and Novell GroupWise, as well as a variety of IM platforms, including AOL, MSN and Yahoo! GFI MailArchiver GFI MailArchiver provides easy-to-use corporate e-mail archiving, allowing the user to archive all internal and external mail into a single database. This allows the organisation to provide users with easy, centralised access to past e-mails via a Web-based search interface, whilst adhering to regulatory requirements. Following, some of its benefits (Anon. J, 2005): Provides the end-user with a single, Web-based location in which to search all past mail. Increases server performance and facilitates backups and restoration. It significantly reduces storage requirement for e-mail (up to 80%). It is clear that e-mail has to be managed correctly to be in sync with corporate policies and legislation. Archiving solutions can assist organisations and their employees at becoming compliant, thus ensuring better e-mail management. 4.6 Conclusion ICT has enabled and restructured new economic and business practices across the globe, and has proceeded to run governments and engage political and social interaction. Thanks to their vastly improved access to information and knowledge, people are empowered to achieve their development goals and, through improved electronic communications, to help create and develop a more prosperous world (Utsumi, 2005). As discussed in the pervious chapter, electronic communication flows through different channels, including those of broadcasting, telephony and the Internet. The Internet has enabled many users to gain access to electronic mail. E-mail, in its turn, allows users quickly and effectively to communicate with colleagues, business associates, friends and family members. This chapter has been devoted to an investigation into the effects of e-mail overload on users and into the various ways in which this phenomenon could and should be managed by organisations. In so doing, it has been established that e-mail overload is caused mainly by the improper use of e-mail systems, a 80
lack of discipline in individuals and by spammers. The investigation also served to uncover its many implications for users and how the implementation of e-mail management systems could benefit organisations. Financial institutions are the leading investors in the IT industry, and need upto-date technology and communication media to disseminate and exchange information among and with customers, colleagues and competitors (Burger, 2005). In the next chapter, an investigation will be launched into information communication and related technologies of the financial sector of South Africa, culminating in an in-depth look at Standard Bank s electronic communications with its employees and customers. 81