126
Erwin A. Alampay, Joselito C. Olpoc, and Regina M. Hechanova
relations problem. All types of organizations are therefore becoming more wary of
what occurs in the blogosphere.
Conclusion
The issues highlighted in the cases in this chapter illustrate the struggle to balance
different objectives with competing values with regard to the Internet in the
Philippines ( fi gure 6.1 ).
The Internet can be used internally to strengthen internal systems and communications, just as it can be used externally to support communications with clients and
obtain knowledge from outside the organization. Likewise, it can be used to control
not only information, but also members of an organization, since it allows institutions
to monitor their members. Similarly, with the increasing mobility of new devices and
ever-expanding content online, the Internet also offers fl exibility to members of organizations, assuming that institutions providing access to these services allow them to
be used in this manner.
The problem, as the cases illustrate, occurs when institutions or their stakeholders
want to use the Internet for purposes that confl ict, contradict, or compete with
another purpose. For instance, government prioritizes both national security and
transparency and encourages external support through people ’ s participation. However,
these are inherently competing values, with the former being internally focused and
requiring greater control, while the latter is focused externally and encourages more
fl exibility in its use. Similar contradictions were seen in how schools provide access
to the vast knowledge in the Internet, and yet want to control how their students use
that knowledge because of harmful content.
Resolving Competing Values
In democratic governments that espouse participation and transparency, regulating
people ’ s comments and controlling information that is made public by a government ’ s
own services remains a delicate balance. In educational institutions, rules of access
and use of the Internet are also just being developed. Likewise, corporations try to
balance using these technologies to ensure effi ciency and better communications with
issues such as privacy and worker/citizen rights.
The space is being contested in various ways. In cases where there are system-level
information systems, there is discretion on how Internet-use policies are automated. In
some cases, content is actually fi ltered, not as a policy, but rather as a result of using
preinstalled corporate software. While this eliminates discretionary action among managers, discretion actually still exists in how the systems programs are implemented.
These decisions are made by programmers, IT managers, and systems administrators.
33
Erwin A. Alampay, Joselito C. Olpoc, and Regina M. Hechanova
relations problem. All types of organizations are therefore becoming more wary of
what occurs in the blogosphere.
Conclusion
The issues highlighted in the cases in this chapter illustrate the struggle to balance
different objectives with competing values with regard to the Internet in the
Philippines ( fi gure 6.1 ).
The Internet can be used internally to strengthen internal systems and communications, just as it can be used externally to support communications with clients and
obtain knowledge from outside the organization. Likewise, it can be used to control
not only information, but also members of an organization, since it allows institutions
to monitor their members. Similarly, with the increasing mobility of new devices and
ever-expanding content online, the Internet also offers fl exibility to members of organizations, assuming that institutions providing access to these services allow them to
be used in this manner.
The problem, as the cases illustrate, occurs when institutions or their stakeholders
want to use the Internet for purposes that confl ict, contradict, or compete with
another purpose. For instance, government prioritizes both national security and
transparency and encourages external support through people ’ s participation. However,
these are inherently competing values, with the former being internally focused and
requiring greater control, while the latter is focused externally and encourages more
fl exibility in its use. Similar contradictions were seen in how schools provide access
to the vast knowledge in the Internet, and yet want to control how their students use
that knowledge because of harmful content.
Resolving Competing Values
In democratic governments that espouse participation and transparency, regulating
people ’ s comments and controlling information that is made public by a government ’ s
own services remains a delicate balance. In educational institutions, rules of access
and use of the Internet are also just being developed. Likewise, corporations try to
balance using these technologies to ensure effi ciency and better communications with
issues such as privacy and worker/citizen rights.
The space is being contested in various ways. In cases where there are system-level
information systems, there is discretion on how Internet-use policies are automated. In
some cases, content is actually fi ltered, not as a policy, but rather as a result of using
preinstalled corporate software. While this eliminates discretionary action among managers, discretion actually still exists in how the systems programs are implemented.
These decisions are made by programmers, IT managers, and systems administrators.
33