Technology, Marketing, and Security E-Activity

Technology, Marketing, And Security

E-activity

Steps to handle bad publicity in Starbucks

No business should welcome bad publicity. How an organization handles bad publicity determines its breaking or making. Appropriate planning and preparation for crisis is fundamental. Starbucks must be quick in responding to the critical media coverage. The response must be decisive and honest. If Starbucks is on the wrong side, then it would be appropriate to apologize. The company should face up to this situation; this will mark the beginning of restoration of the business reputation. Communication is fundamental to managing any PR crisis. The coffee company must keep the suppliers, staff, customers, and the media informed. A written statement should be released telling Starbucks' side of the story. The head of the company must always be available to talk to the media about the situation. In the meantime, the company must make sure no employees talk to journalists or the press without permission. The company must bear in mind that such bad publicity might be a chance demonstrate how it is decent (Fridell, 2007).

From Case Study 13.3

The strategy adopted by the airlines of handling pets with care is a fundamental one in establishing a good crop of loyal clients. This may act as a stepping-stone of wooing clients from its competitors and enabling the company to be the leader in the industry. It is also essential to appreciate the use of the social media and free publicity by the company to market its new services that it offers. Over ninety percent of America's population that forms a bulk of the company's clients uses the social media. The strategy adopted is plausible. This approach builds on the company's trust streamlines communication and ensures that the company is in touch with the local context. On the other hand, the company might need to adapt to the conditions of these countries especially in terms of intellectual property law and market approach. These two elements are critical as these markets poses different laws and rules that govern its success of handling pets in the airline industry (Khosrowpour, 2004).

Your supervisor has asked you for your advice

Targeted phishing attacks have been on the rise. Internet attackers are likely to hack the company's information system and flood the company's sites with bogus messages. If the company responds by blocking the attackers, it might also end up blocking many legitimate customers. Cyber-attacks are common and can happen to any business engaged in e-commerce. The company might be a victim of online criminals and might end up as an extortion target. The company is exposed to attacks because of its limited resources to maintain the defense. The company is online and is mobile connected. If it loses this benefit, it will have lost the business. It is necessary for the company to be aware of the possible threats and implement security policies to address the risks.

Logical controls would be the best safeguards for the company's information system. They involve the application of data and software to control and monitor computing systems and access to information systems. For instance, network and password-based firewalls, access control lists, data encryption, and machines for detecting system intrusion. The principle of least privilege is an important safeguard, which has been increasingly overlooked. This control requires that a system, program, or individual are not granted any extra access privileges in accessing programs to surf and read emails. When individuals are granted this privilege, they might over time, violate the safeguard. This occurs when an individual is promoted, transferred or when their duties are changes (Khosrowpour, 2004).

Case Study 14.1