Security is an important tool of attainment of goals in everyday life. It plays a major role especially in the field of e-commerce. This applies in such areas such as management, technology, and organizational aspects. The most important factors in commercial activities are establishment of an effective environment that will ensure that the security of the database in any organization is maintained (Jones & George 2003). The effectiveness of the technology applied in e-commerce lies on good management skills that emanate from proper utilization of good management theories. It is the responsibility of the managers to ensure that the security of the operating database is maintained so that the organizations attain maximum benefits as they minimize the possible risks.
Some of the possible risks associated with the e-commerce include loss of data through malware, lack of confidentiality for the customer’s personal details, hacking of organizational systems among others. Security can either facilitate or retard development of the company. If security is maintained more profit will be accrued but if the organization is unable to maintain proper security, then there will be a high possibility that loss is likely to be realized (Haner & Ford 2003). All these factors will highly depend on the management, which informs the decisions made. Technology however plays an important role as it forms an imperative platform in facilitating effectiveness in attainment of objectives of any given organization. Clients royal to a specific business venture are more likely to trust it when the security of their activities is ensured. Customers are likely to lose trust with technology if they perceive it as a source of hindrance to their wellbeing or a source of loss.
Lack of trust is among the many problems posed by lack of security in e-commerce. Most businesses particularly the small businesses have adopted the e-commerce system. The main aim is to facilitate successful running of the business activities. Managers of most organizations have realized how they can benefit their commercial activities through electronic transactions. Therefore, most of the businesses have adopted the online activities. Internet assists to connect the stakeholders from all over the world. This in the end has assisted in improving the efficiency of running businesses. However, the customers who buy their products online face a number of challenges. The vendors are mostly unknown and cannot be observed.
Without security, the quality of the delivered products may be compromised (Evertson & Weinstein 2006). In extreme cases, the customers may not receive the products that they order after making their payments through online. Sometimes, the vendors are unable to protect the personal information or the credit card number of their customer after the transaction has been completed. Due to this reason, most of the customers lose confidence with purchasing products online as well as lose trust with electronic trading activities.
In some other cases, an unknown attacker may try to hurt the organization because of competitive reasons. In this case, they may be learning to exploit the known vulnerabilities that they may perceive with certain organizations. Some individuals may also want to compromise your web server so that they can use the resources that are attached to it. For instance, the hard drive spaces, processing power e.t.c. This kind of service attack can cause many inconveniences both to the management as well as to the customers. The customers cannot access your site while it is on attack. On the side of the organization, the managers and other workers may not be in a position to retrieve the data of the organization as they work on the duties they are designed to do. This consequently leads to the interruption of the business (Evertson & Weinstein 2006).
Sometimes, the attackers are likely to change the existing information of the data so that it can fit their expectations. In most cases, they may decide to demand for payment from the organization or management so that they release the data. This will cause many inconveniences to the organization. In this case, therefore, more emphasis should be put on securing the online-based business transactions. Multiple challenges also develop from such kind of inconveniences.
Management entails the process in which the manager equips himself/herself with expertise that will help him/her to be able to handle the diversity in the organization. Management in any institution is the most vital process in an organization. Forming social organization assists the people to achieve aims and objectives that they would not hitherto achieve as individuals (Hampton 1997). Managing ensures the coordination of practices in any organization. The development of the society has increasingly been relying on group efforts. The complexity of managing the wide variety of people and services renders the manual management means inefficient. This makes the management theory to become crucial in the way the managers handle the complex organizations. There is a need for the organization managers to appreciate the fact that they play a great role in the attainment of goals of any organization. Contemporary management, which embraces modern technology in its operation, must put into consideration the security of such a technology in order to minimize losses and maximize on the profits accrued (Hampton 1997).
The manager should ensure that he/she offers an environment that will facilitate the attainment of the goals set (Hampton 1997). Contemporary management will therefore entail a situation where the manager plans strategically, coordinates, directs, and controls large and complex data especially using technologically based management system. The managers should also inculcate a spirit of excellence among all the employees. Although there are those managers who have excelled even with very little or no knowledge on management theory, it is worth to note that successful managers ought to be highly flexible in dealing with management practices. For instance, they should be able to put into practice diverse management practices that facilitate conditions that are in line with the ever-changing environment. Managers are known to heavily impact on the development of all organizations by the fact that they are the critical decision makers. The decisions that they make must assist in the wellbeing of the organizations (Evertson & Weinstein 2006).
Managers should possess four main skills that are vital in making the best decisions for the organization. These include; human, conceptual, design and technical skills. Human skills refer to the ability of the manager to work with other workers. The development and the success of the organization depend on the cooperative aspect of all people within a specific organization. It is the ability of teamwork that results to the attainment of the desired objectives. The manager should therefore create an environment that will make the employees feel safe and secure to work in. Conceptual skills refer to the ability of the manager to understand the different aspects of the environment. They should understand how they contribute towards the development or the success of the organization. Technical skills are the basics and complex knowledge that assist the experts in activities involving procedures, methods and processes that aid in the realization of the company’s goals. Design skills are those that assist him/her to make sound decisions in any situation. Good decisions affect the organization positively while poor decisions may retard the realization of the organizational goals (Evertson & Weinstein 2006). They should be in a position of making very real decisions that will not affect the good working conditions of the organization.
Managers are supposed to make good use of the management theory. Management theory entails the diverse perspective of the organization that involves the application of scientifically based practices to aid in both effectiveness as well as productivity. Management in most organizations can use the management theory by inculcating a culture of employing workers with high level of competency who will ensure that the security of the organization is paramount. Skilled workers, employed through the consent of the manager must be employed on the basis that they can deliver quality services to the organization. Proper scrutiny of the employees that are introduced into the organization also ensures that such people do not compromise the effectiveness of the firm (Haner & Ford 2003). This will ensure that the employees mostly using technology do not compromise the security of the organization by leaking the information that could be vital for other competitors to hack their systems. Competent workers will also make sure that all the data fed into the electronic systems is kept private and confidential as possible.
The management is the main body in any organization that ensures that all the employees are competent enough to deliver high quality services. They normally do this through the application of a multifaceted approach of managerial skills. Furthermore, managers in a specific organization also ensure that the employees are also provided with a good environment that will ensure that they are not frustrated but encouraged to work towards the realization of the organizations objectives. The leadership skills of the manager are most likely to affect the working of the employees as well as the quality of the services that they give to their clients. Managers possessing good leadership skills are likely to impact positively on the outcomes of their employers.
Most of the organizations that have engaged in e-commerce without considering the impacts of such practices have met themselves on a bad end. Security in e-commerce transactions relates to the protection of valuable assets or materials against loss, damage, disclosure, alteration, inaccessibility, or wrongful disclosure. For instance, organizations or individuals have uncertainties of the security of the transactions that they make online. The security of electronic transactions becomes a major factor more so because of several reasons such as changes because of evolution of the internet, global competition, flexibility in technological changes and demand in high quality goods at the best prices and on proper time. For these reasons therefore, managers and other organizational leaders are forced to change their managerial styles to accommodate the ever-changing environment (Haner & Ford 2003). Protection is normally done through a number of methods such as physical measures, smart cards, passwords, user identifiers, firewalls e.t.c.
The importance and impact of information technologies on organizations today cannot be taken for granted. Information technology plays a vital role in most of the organizations. It is mostly recognized as an enabler that assists in economic growth. It is also used in doing researches that aid in innovation and invention of new mechanisms used in running of most of the organizations. This means that information technology contribution towards the development of any organization plays a significant role in ensuring its sustenance.
Information technology also plays a vital role in that with the use of technology in the organization, most of data can be processed electronically. In this case, it aids in quickened decision making by the managers of specific organizations. This therefore goes a long way in increasing the efficiency of these organizations.
On the other hand, organizations are likely to lose a lot if there is no security in the technology used. The organizations not only loose funds from the customers but also are at the risk of losing customers who may feel insecure transacting with such agencies electronically (Haner & Ford 2003). In other cases, the customers may lose their credit card services when other people access their credit card numbers. If such events are put on the headlines, then potential customers are likely to avoid the merchants dealing with such sites. If these customers are dissatisfied with the services or the organization, they are likely to turn to a competitor. This is because; the customers are always concerned about the security of their finances. Other types of risks associated with the e-commerce data is the potential loss of data through malwares especially where the organization does not have a backup system. Internet has increased the quality and competitiveness of products and service markets. Organizations and firm managers therefore focus more on improving the efficiency of their service delivery. This is in an attempt to remain competitive which ultimately increases productivity.
Electronic commerce services have grown to become a popular means of doing business on the websites and the internet. Security on the internet is very important in e-commerce and plays a vital role in determining the effectiveness of the transactions. This report firstly takes an overview of the general conditions seen on the transactions (Goldstein & Rungtusanatham 2011). In addition, it also attempts to give some of the general risks and security threats affecting the activity. Services of e-commerce generally go beyond the traditional internet security due to the complexity involved in the transaction.
Although many companies have worked hard in order to implement the e-commerce. There exists uncountable means through which the e-commerce can be attacked by hackers or other unintended parties. The most common threats to the practice include the cracking, eavesdropping, and viruses among others. The overall aim of any particular business lies in the attainment of profits while at the same time trying to minimize the risks as much as possible. Several factors play critical roles in ensuring that an organization achieves such success. For instance, the manager and the employees of an organization. Being the pillars of processes involved in an organization, the managers should ensure that the working environment provided to the employees is in line with the goals of the firm. They should employ good leadership as well as managerial theories to enable them deliver efficiently for the company.
The concepts and theories on e-commerce play a significant role in guiding managers to be able to efficiently retain customers through satisfying their needs. This is mostly achieved through ensuring that there is maximum security both to the services rendered and to the personal information for the customer. Customer retention strategies are normally developed by ensuring that there is proper security to the process. The success of the online transaction as to other businesses depends on the rapport created between the customers and the organization among other factors. The main facilitator of this process is normally the effectiveness of the internet. This therefore demands that the system is checked for any abnormalities that are likely to arise in terms of insecurity to the smooth flow of the process. This great and demanding role lies in the ability of the organization to put into practice proper management system that incorporates a well-researched and tested technology. It is the duty of the managers to ensure that the workability of the technology is paramount. If this is put into place, then this is likely to win the trust of the customers.
More research is needed when the organizations making use of the e-commerce technology. This will assist them to secure their data. In addition, it will help them to attract more clients and maintain them. It is worth to note that the success of the organizations will depend on all the factors involved. The factors include the management system, the customers, and the employees of the firm.