Case Study: Chapter2

VIGNETTE
IT Technicians Fired After Reporting Child Porn

Questions to Consider:

1.)    What message is sent to IT workers by the actions of New York Law Schools and Colleges even if unrelated job-performance issues justified their actions in firing Gross and Perry?

      Dean Matasar sent an email to New York faculty, staff, and students saying “I'm saddened to report to you that I learned this afternoon that our colleague, professor Edward Samuels, was arrested on charges relating to possession of childhood pornographic images” and they were fired because of this incident.

2.)    Since this incident, a number of states have enacted laws that require workers to report immediately any child pornography found while servicing equipment. Most of the laws state that worker who reports such a discovery is immune from any criminal, civil or administrative liability. Failure to report the discovery can result to a fine, imprisonment or both. Do you think such laws will encourage reporting? Why or why not?

      Critics charge that this type of law unfairly transfers law enforcement duties to individuals who may not be qualified to handle evidence or determine what constitutes child pornography. Supporters say reporting mandates for photo labs have proven effective and that similar laws for IT workers will help combat child pornography on the Internet.

Case #3: When Certification Is Justified

Discussion Questions:

1.)    How can organizations and vendors change their certification programs to test or skills as well as core knowledge? What issues might this introduce?

      The organization create a project management certification that give training to the employee and IT workers to gain the certificate needed for the job they are in. It gives chances to them to show not just the core knowledge but also to know how to use the knowledge.

2.)    What are the primary arguments against certification, and how can certifying bodies change their programs to overcome these short coming?

      They argued that testable IT knowledge does not necessarily translate into quality IT work. They said that the IT worker needs to have good communication skills and they suspected that the workers paid for their certificate. Later, they decided to build training for them to gain the said certificate and be able to use it in their work, and also while there is no universal call for certification examination procedures that answers all needs within the IT progression, certifying bodies are beginning to adapt their programs to better fulfill the evolving needs for certification in IT.

3.)    What are the benefits of certification? How might certification programs need to change in the future to better serve the needs of the IT community?

      The benefits of this certificate are the employee to easily find a job and they are well recognized as an IT expert through this certificate. Specific IT fields such as project management and security have a greater need for certification. Employers use certification as a hiring gate for entry level positions and for jobs that require specific core knowledge. Also, employers use certification as a means of training employees and increasing skill levels within the company. Certification programs need to change in the future to better serve the needs of the IT community like changing IT certification examination.