Chapter 6
Multiple-choice Questions (with answers and references to the text)
1. Which of the following reasons for monitoring email, voice mail, and computer files is
considered legal?
(a) Protect security of proprietary information and data
(b) Investigate complaints of harassment
(c) Prevent personal use of employer facilities if prohibited by company policy
(d) All of the above
2. The practice of hiring companies or employees in other countries is known as:
(a) Offshoring
(b) Globalization
(c) Downsizing
(d) None of the above
True/False
______ Roughly half of major companies in the U.S. sometimes monitor the email or voice mail
of their employees on company systems.
______ The Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) prohibits employers from
intercepting and reading employees’ stored email.
______ In the 1980’s, the AFL-CIO advocated a government ban on all computer at-home work.
Short-answer Questions
1. Define telecommuting. Give two advantages for the employer and two
advantages for the employee. Give two problems associated with
telecommuting.
2. What does the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) cover? Why
does it make specific exceptions for business systems?
3. Give two arguments for and two arguments against electronic employee
monitoring.
Matching Questions
Essay Questions
1. a. Give two examples of job categories for which the increased productivity of
computer systems strongly reduced the number of people working in those
areas.
b. Give an example of an area in which computer technology reduces jobs for
skilled workers. Give an example of how computer technology enables
people with less skill and/or training to do jobs that used to require
more. Explain how computer technology changed the skill level required for
these jobs.
c. Give two examples of jobs that did not exist before the Internet.
2. Explain the ethical and social implications of “offshoring”. Consider the issue
from the perspective of both U.S. employees and foreign employees. Consider
the issue from the perspective of companies hiring foreign workers.