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23May
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23May
“Preventing Workplace Violence”
Occupational Hazards (05/15/08)Unhappy employees are often the perpetrators of workplace violence, so it is important for management to identify unhappy employees. University of Southern California professor and workplace culture consultant Dave Logan recently studied the different social networks in the workplace, which he refers to as tribes. Each tribe, a group of people who naturally talk to one another at work, is in one of five categories, based on job satisfaction and likelihood of violence. Stage One employees have a negative attitude about life, and are most likely to commit thefts or be involved in a violent outburst. Although less than 2 percent of U.S. employees are in Stage One, Logan estimates that 25 percent of tribes are just one step away. Stage Two employees are apathetic about their work and feel as though there is no point in asserting themselves because their opinion does not matter. Stage Three employees are likely to boss around their co-workers. These employees believe that they are great at their jobs, but think that their ideas are the only ones that should be listened to. Ego problems dissipate in Stage Four tribes, where employees work together toward a common goal because they share many of the same values. Although they still have an “us against them” mentality, their rivalry is with an outsider or competitor instead of a co-worker. Just 2 percent of workplaces fall into Stage Five, where employees compete with their own limitations instead of a rival. These companies are most likely to be leaders in innovation. Though tribes only move up or down one stage at a time, they can quickly drop in the face of layoffs or restructuring. Paying attention to workplace interactions can help managers recognize at-risk employees before they enter Stage One and a violent incident occurs.
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16May
“Smart Video Picks Out Suspicious Activity”
Dallas Morning News (05/08/08) ; Smith, Andrew D.Security firms are working in Beijing to install surveillance systems that have the ability to identify suspicious people and objects. The cameras have motion detectors, which allow computers to focus on images where something is moving. The cameras can also differentiate between people, vehicles, and small animals, to determine whether movement is associated with a potential threat. Some systems can even analyze the way that people move to determine if they could be a security threat. The Security Industry Association estimates that China will spend $30 million on video security in preparation for this summer’s Olympics. This is in addition to the $6.5 billion that China spent over the past seven years on the Grand Beijing Safeguard Sphere, with most of that money spent on video surveillance. Experts believe that the presence of smart surveillance technology could have prevented previous attacks on the Olympics, including the 1996 pipe bombing in Atlanta and the 1972 attack on the Olympic Village in Munich. Smart cameras already monitor monuments across the world, including the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower, and the Department of Homeland Security uses the technology for border security. Security companies expect that the use of smart video will spread over the next few years to shopping malls and other retail areas. Although there are some privacy concerns about surveillance cameras, system makers hope that the public will see the usefulness of the technology and accept its presence in public places.
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09May
“Identity Thieves Prey on Patients’ Medical Records”
USA Today (05/06/08) ; Appleby, JulieDoctors’ offices and hospitals are being targeted by identity thieves, who use advanced methods to steal patient information. Legal experts say that the identity thieves use medical information to obtain credit card numbers, access bank accounts, and bill false claims to insurers. Stealing the medical information of hundreds of patients and using them to submit claims can earn thieves far more than taking money from individual bank accounts or stealing credit card numbers. Though most hospitals encrypt their data to protect privacy, many thieves are using new techniques to steal data, including partnering with healthcare workers who have access to patient information. One Florida clinical staffer was convicted of identity theft and computer fraud after selling patient information to a family member, who submitted over $2.5 million in false claims to Medicare. One major problem is that patients may not know their medical information has been improperly viewed until a creditor seeks payment for fake medical billings. A recent survey showed that 13 percent of healthcare providers had experienced a data breach, but just over half of those notified the patients. Currently, just two states, California and Arkansas, require healthcare organizations to notify patients when their medical information is improperly accessed. Congress is considering a bill that would require all healthcare organizations to notify patients of data breaches.
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02May
“Copper Caper: Thieves Nab Art to Sell for Scrap”
Wall Street Journal (05/01/08) P. A1 ; McBride, SarahThe recent rise in the price of copper has been accompanied by an increase in copper theft. While many cities have reported stolen manhole covers, pipes, and wiring, thieves in the city of Brea, Calif., are targeting art. Three large bronze sculptures have been stolen over the past year and a half, along with several smaller works of public art. Some art was stolen from sculptors’ homes as it was being worked on, prompting some to consider abandoning working in bronze, which is worth approximately $2.45 at a scrap yard. Brea has 144 public sculptures around the city, the result of a law requiring developments over $1.5 million to commission a piece of art. Many businesses and developers are considering commissioning sculptures that are made out of a less valuable metal or stone to reduce the risk of further thefts. Police say that these thefts are well-planned out and most likely involve a team of thieves because of the weight of the statues. Trinitee Manuel, the head of Brea’s public art program, is considering placing GPS devices on the most vulnerable pieces. Manuel also suggests that property owners improve security by installing surveillance cameras and hiring security guards. Planting thorn-bearing bushes or cacti around the base of a sculpture could also protect it from potential thieves. The police urge scrap yards to report any suspicious metals that might belong to a missing sculpture.
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