Case Study Questions
1. How are Unilever executives’ wireless handhelds related to the company’s business performance?
Unilever is a giant company that operates in several countries throughout the world. This great manufacturer and supplier of fast-moving consumer goods (products) employs managers all over the world. When they are mobile, these managers have to have access at any time to their company’s data and need to operate on different wireless networks. They need to be able to view their e-mail attachments and Word files even when they are not on their office desktop. This is the way they can guarantee a top- quality management. Besides, Unilever’s employees have to stay connected with each other in the different countries where the company operates so that they can work as a unifying force and satisfy Unilever’s customers throughout the world by offering them products more suitable with their local conditions. So, handheld devices allows Unilever’s executives to have a better organization for their operations and to increase their productivity and by the same way the company’s performances
2. Discuss the potential impact of a security breach at Unilever.
For a huge company such as Unilever, security is essential. So, the company has to provide maximum safety to its management tools such as executives’ laptops and wireless handhelds to enable managers securely access their sensitive information.
Unilever devices need a high level of security to be protected from hackers and any other outsider who may introduce malware and viruses to the company Network which causes important financial losses. A simple operation such as downloading data or messages from an external network may introduce this type of disabling malware.
For competitive reasons, unauthorized users (outsiders) can enter the company network through these devices and steal sensitive corporate data such as sales figures, social security