Month: October 2010

Computer Security Incident Response Team (CSIRT) is a unit that addresses computer security issues. They help addresses issues like unauthorized access to a company’s database without the owner’s knowledge.

CISCO uses the CSIRT to promote both the company’s and the customers’ safety. Network based IPS is used by CISCO  to find out internal security issues before the customers are affected by them.  CISCO, like many other huge companies, receives millions of attacks from the internet. In such cases, it is important for the company to not only single out those attacks which are actually dangerous, but also to know the location of important assests of the company. CISCO has a very comprehensive step by step plan in dealing with harmful threats like Code Red. In such a case, it isn’t possible for the company to set up an IPS and forget. It is necessary to continually tune it so as to make it more valuable to the company. Many innovations are continually added like signatures to http sites to prevent the information from leaving the company.

According to CISCO, in developing a information system, attention must be paid to both the people  and technology.

url: http://www.cisco.com/web/about/ciscoitatwork/downloads/ciscoitatwork/pdf/CSIRT_Network-Based_Intrusion_Prevention_System_Case_Study.pdf

Ask any young person if she would like to work as a company’s PR representative. Mention that the work would entail the seemingly arduous task of updating the company’s facebook page every hour. I would assume that the young, extrovert type person would love to take on the job.

In my opinion, this is due to the lure of social media. It can have an addictive effect on the individual . According to Harrisburg University of Science and Technology in central Pennsylvania, this type of technology has “hidden pitfalls”. So, in the context of companies  providing extrinsic motivators (like pay) to people to use social media to promote the company, ethical issues arise. While social media like facebook is a free marketing channel for companies to advertise their events and reach out to people, what if the person who handles this channel is harmed. Facebook, in particular, has been found to increase stress and weaken personal relations of people. This means that both the addicted person and his family are harmed. I wonder if there are any  limits to which a company can exploit its workers’ human capital.

Newspaper used: Monday, Oct 4 2010 edition of 24 Hours. pg 18, section Workzone

With over 31,000 restaurants around the world, McDonald’s has claimed the position of being one of the world’s most well known brands. And the very fact that around 47 million people are served by McDonald’s around the world each day ratifies Ray Kroc’s belief, “This will go anywhere”.  By “this” he referred to the fries and hamburgers that were being sold off  quickly at a hamburger stand in California. While anyone could have a brilliant idea, Ray Kroc was able to make a huge success of his idea solely by his entrepreneurial spirit and  effective brand management.

The reason for McDonald’s huge success lies in it correctly choosing its target market and effective brand positioning. McDonald’s has adopted a specific strategy when it comes to target market. Most of McDonald’s marketing  efforts go towards retaining its heavy users (those who visit McDonald’s several times a week). This strategy has led to them effectively retaining their most important customers in the face of competition. Also,  McDonald’s has excellent brand positioning. It has successfully conveyed the right message to its consumers and kept their promise as well. And by virtue of this excellent brand management and entrepreneurial spirit, McDonald’s will definitely go anyplace!!

McDonald’s Ad

websites:

http://www.mcdonalds.co.uk/static/pdf/aboutus/education/mcd_marketing.pdf

http://www.mcdonalds.ca/en/aboutus/faq.aspx