computers and workstations. As a whole, the industry has made strides toward encouraging only licensed versions of software. As a result of this, companies are now regularly purchasing multiple licenses for their networks and installing software enterprise-wide. However, some software programs may be used by only a few people and companies are eager to track down unused software so that they can reduce their MIS costs in the future. Employees are reluctant to give up software, or may anticipate that they will have a need for a particular piece of software that they actually do not need. By monitoring the software that an employee actually uses, and the ways in which the employee uses it, companies hope to be able to reduce their long-term costs (Buss 47).
One of the most controversial, and invasive, methods of computer monitoring is reading the e-mail which comes into and which leaves an organization. Many employees have assumed that their e-m
...