a back seat to security. In the long run, the cost of complying will be outweighed by the benefits: better efficiency, improved trend analysis, lower record maintenance overhead, and improved data integrity and accountability (Fitch & Spector, 2003). The value of having records that are legally admissible in court is incalculable. According to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency, or OCC, ôthe practical effect of having electronic records that are not admissible into evidence in judicial proceedings may be to render the electronic contract or record effectively unenforceableö (OÆDell, 2004).
Since the ôhow toö of implementing these policies has not been spelled out in detail, companies have the latitude to tailor the process to thdir organizations. The retention process can be automated to some degree. ôEmployees wading through electronic inboxes, large file stores, and massive databases are devoting time and energy to ad hoc retention processes and wasting time that could be better spent benefiting the enterpriseö (Robert Frances Group, 2002).
Recent regulation on the retention of backfiles of emails addresses some legitimate concerns but also creates new ones. Since so much business is conducted via email, email retention is a necessary part of doing bus
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