Advantages
Employees using their own smartphones would allow companies to enjoy all of the same benefits of a mobile workforce without spending company funds on the devices. Mobility experts can help a company leverage mobility more effectively where it is easier to keep track of each mobile device and to roll out software upgrades or fixes. Employees can be more productive and happier with a BYOD policy in place.
Disadvantages
IT departments need to overcome several logistical hurdles before allowing employees to use their own smartphones, including security, inventory management, support, integrating mobile devices into pre-existing IT functions and systems, and measuring return on investment. When employees are not able to access critical data or encounter other problems with their mobile devices, they will need assistance from the information systems department. Some devices are much more prone to hackers thereby threatening the security of corporate networks and it puts assets and data at greater risk compare to if they were only using company desktop within company. Companies will need to quickly and flexibly confirm that their employees are still able to remain performance.
2.What management, organization, and technology factors should be addressed when deciding whether to allow employees to use their personal smartphones for work?
Management:
• If employees are allowed to work with more than one type of mobile device and operating system, companies need an effective way to keep track of all the devices employees are using.• When employees make change to their personal phones, such as switching cellular carriers, changing their phone number or buying a new mobile devices together. Company will need to quickly and flexibly ensure that their employees are still able to remain productive.• A firm’s software development teams need to have one professional focused on ensuring that new applications will be easily usable and useful on smart phones. The applications and software need to be used on mobile devices to connect to the firm`s existing IT platform and company-wide CRM, SCM, and ERP systems. The mobility experts can help company leverage mobility more effectively.
Organization:
• Integrate mobile devices to corporate and it strategy company needs to carefully examine their business process and determine whether or not mobility makes sense for them• The security, inventory management, support, integrating mobile devices into pre-existing IT functions and systems, and measuring return on investment should be addressed when deciding whether to allow employees to use their personal smart phones for work.• Firms need and efficient inventory management system that keeps track of which devices employees are using, where the device is located, whether it is being used, and what software it is equipped with company needs to provide adequate technical support for every employee who is using a variety of phones and operating systems.
Technology:
• With the variety of phones and operating system available, providing adequate technical support for every employee could be difficult• A firm software development teams can benefits from having one person specifically focused on ensuring that new application will be easily usable and useful on smartphone• The corporate IT resources are important for managing and maintaining a large number of devices in an organization. The company’s networks must be configured to receive connections from the employees’ mobile devices and operating systems to access the company’s information.• A firm’s software development teams need to have one professional focused on ensuring that new applications will be easily usable and useful on smart phones. The applications and software need to be used on mobile devices to connect to the firm`s existing IT platform and company-wide CRM, SCM, and ERP systems. The mobility experts can help company leverage mobility more effectively.
3. Compare the BYOD experiences of IBM and Intel. Why did BYOD at Intel work so well?
According to the IBM policy, employees who want to use their own devices first must become certified, which they do by passing a mobile security awareness training course. Only then are they eligible to use their own devices. BYOD was not saving IBM any money and actually created new challenges for the IT department because employees’ devices were full of software that IBM could not control. IBM decided that it would not allow employees to access its corporate networks with their personal devices unless IBM secured their devices. IBM configures the employees’ devices so that its memory can be erased remotely should it be lost or stolen. The IT department also disables public file-transfer programs like Apple’s iCloud. Instead, employees use an IBM-hosted version called MyMobileHub. Each employees device is treated differently based on the model and job level the employees hold. IBM equips the higher level employees’ mobile devices with additional software, such as programs that encrypt information as it travels to and from corporate networks. BYOD improved employee job satisfaction and productivity, but it also caused a number of problems when not managed properly. Likewise, Intel hammered out a BYOD strategy and created an end-user service-level agreement that clarified that end users were voluntarily using BYOD rather than being mandated by Intel.
4.Allowing employees use their own smart- phones for work will save the company money. Do you agree? Why or why not?
Yes, I agree that allowing employees use their own smartphones for work will save the company money.
1. Eliminate monthly plan costs
Shifting an employee from a company-owned device to his own means the company will cut down at least a portion of the monthly service plan cost to the employee. Many companies are providing reimbursement for smart devices, there is typically only a small or no reimbursement for a second device such as a tablet.
2. Eliminate device purchase and upgrade costs
When the cost of purchasing phones, tablets and even laptops can be shifted to employees, the annual cost savings from BYOD can easily be in the hundreds of dollars per employee, per year. Employees are the one that bear the cost of their own electronic devices.
3. Reduce IT or help desk support
Whether your support costs increase or decrease because of BYOD is largely dependent on how many users you support today. But for every employee that goes BYOD rather than with a corporate-owned device, activities related to device and plan provisioning is eliminated. Help desk support might also be reduced considerably for BYOD users.
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