The Consolidated FBIs Terrorist Screening Center - Case Study Example

Case Study Name: Course: Tutor: Date: Management In this case study, the Information Systems (IS) concepts being illustrated is in relation to security issues in the United States and also, the relationship between business ethics and information systems. In this case, the information systems concepts have been used by various agencies in providing them with relevant information on terrorists and thus, it has been helpful in maintaining law and order in the country. The systems aim at controlling the increasing numbers of terrorist attacks by sharing helpful information with other organization fighting the same menace of terrorists in the United States of America. Data administration is also another IS concept illustrated in the case as it is responsible for portraying specific procedures and policies of data management and organization resource. The development of information policies, data planning, and logical administration of database designs are some of the responsibilities associated to this information systems. Organization’s rules for acquiring, sharing, classifying, disseminating, information inventory and standardizing are specific policies of the organization. This is important because it specifies procedures and accountability records displayed by different agencies by identifying the organizational units and users who can share retrieved or gathered information. The consolidated FBI’s Terrorist Screening Center (TSC) watch list database for terrorists was established in order to standardize and systematize suspected terrorist information into a single list and therefore, enhance communication between the multiple government agencies. The TSC watch list database records provided by two sources that provide information identifying individuals with ties to both international and domestic terrorism also communicated and share information. The agencies use the list in collecting and maintaining terrorist information and thereafter, nominating individuals for the inclusion in the consolidated watch list. The communication between different government agencies have been useful in deterring and detecting movements of both known and or suspected terrorists in the country. For example, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection system body has been able to use its systems in helping to screen those travelling into the United States. Law enforcement agencies have however helped the FBI in arresting, detaining, and performing other criminal justice activities through collaborating with government agencies (CIA, NSA, and TSA). The list enables government agencies to monitor suspected terrorist activities and in turn, provide security intelligence in order to determine the level of threat of terrorism in the country. If the level of threat is high, the citizens are then warned to be alert and security agencies collaborate to alleviate the threat. Unification of different terrorism watch lists has been able to streamline the process of locating and apprehending terrorists, but the project has been slow and painstaking resulting in some weaknesses. In order to optimize the usefulness of this list’s more work has to be done to the integrated agencies in the country. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Office of the Inspector General have confirmed that one of the managerial weaknesses of the list is the inaccuracy of information gathered. Also, the removal and nomination policies from the lists are not uniform among different departments of government. The size of the growing list has also been a public outcry concern bringing about fear and insecurity in the state. The organizational ineffectiveness of the list against terrorists is due to not protecting processed inclusion information by concerned government agencies. Multiple misspelling and name variations by travelling agencies have contributed to having included those people not belonging to the watch list. This technological factor is increasing each day because the concerned agencies are not filling in the right terrorist information that will help in reducing the number of suspects. Having such erroneous entries have resulted in expansion of the list and arresting innocent individuals leaving them to suffer for a crime they have not committed. This has brought about discrimination acts by other individuals in the public sector and thus, reducing the quality of gathered information by different agencies. For example, imperfect matching of data in airline reservation systems led to the inclusion of Anderson and Kennedy on the no-fly and consolidated watch list. Critiques responded to the multiple agencies maintaining separate lists due to their lack of consistency in processing to share relevant information regarding each of the individual’s in the agency’s list. Moreover, the potential of the list to promote racial profiling and discrimination acts has been critiqued by many individuals in the U.S. Informal sharing of information by government agencies have also made the list weak and lacking ability. Such terrorist information should be treated with utmost integrity to promote cohesion between government agencies. Terrorists watch list database should be accurate, of quality and efficient for use by other public agencies of different countries in tracking down terrorists movements. In reducing and overcoming such organizational, technological and managerial weaknesses of the database, the agencies are open to try some options. The organization should be effective in ensuring that all its departments adhere to the rules, regulations and policies concerning gathering of terrorist information from the public domain. Restructuring of the organization will be the first step to be taken in achieving protection inclusion by all government agencies. Stipulated rules in these organizations help in maintaining proper records and archiving them for future reference of suspected terrorist’s information. Technological advancements have developed and more common errors made during typing and information gathering, which should be avoided. Advancement in technology should equip government agencies to such erroneous errors and mistakes performed during the early times when man used to do all the typing. However, today’s information systems like the use of software’s dealing with correction of misspelled names and variation of names should be readily installed in the systems in order to upgrade work quality and reduce errors of omission and addition. Technology engineers in various agencies should be keen in monitoring their systems in order to ensue that they have systems that are functional and accurate. Time will be saved and resources available will be utilized well and fairly distributed to lack of performance by other agency workforce. This will reduce the growth of suspected terrorist list and therefore, it will be streamlined to include only those who have been law offenders at some point in their life. This will enable other members of the community collaborate with government agencies since they are confident of having accurate information displayed on their database systems. Government agencies can also improve the quality of their lists by including their full names and date of birth. They can also add place of resident thus reducing the chances of having the same individuals with similar names from one place. Collecting all information concerning the suspects will be a tool for use during future references and therefore, the management and organization should collaborate in ensuring that their efforts and responsibilities are incorporated in ensuring that the watch list database are efficient and effective for use by other agencies. Consistency of information in the list will be helpful in achieving minimal errors as per updated information and hence, management should counter-match results with those displayed by various agencies. The strength of having consistency in information provided is the ability to accurately trace back the activities and events of the terrorist in a short span of time and conclusively come to a conclusion or predict his next move. This will facilitate decision making processes on issues concerning the individual suspected to be a terrorist. Updating information should be carried out by several agencies and organizations to ensure that information collected is accurate and of quality for use by agencies like the FBI. Discrimination and ethical issues should not be given prevalence in such matters because they will contribute to having poor quality of information. The quality and competence of provided information helps in promoting ethical working conditions and environments, which contribute to the enhancement of communication between various government agencies. This will help in monitoring and sharing confidential information in a manner that reduces leakages to other competing agencies. Racial and ethnicity of individuals should not be mentioned in their personal information as it misdirects and gives the investigators another view of the whole situation. If necessary, such information should not be used when classifying terrorist information. These agencies have been established so as to maintain law and protect the rights and interests of innocent individuals and thus, one may come from Iraq, but is not a terrorist. Information gathered should be discrete and valuable to complaints presented by organizations and countries affected by terrorist movements and actions. The watch list does not, in any way, represent significant threats to the privacy of individuals or their constitutional rights since they aim at protecting and curbing the menace of terrorism. This is because the watch list just gathers information concerning individuals’ bio-data for security purposes and future references. Just like banking and insurance companies which require one’s personal information in order to process loans or covers. Individual privacy of suspected terrorists can be infringed at any point in time in order to be able to clear their names from the watch list database. Constitutionally, it is allowed to go through the private details of law offenders so as to maintain law and order in the society and community at large. Business ethics is an important, fair, ethical and honest way of satisfying basic human needs. Ethical practices promoted by an organization attract and retain their workforce because, they want to associate themselves with employers who desire to promote and satisfy their needs in an ethical way. Business communication ethics in the case of terrorism database enables agencies to protect the welfare of innocent individuals and thus, they work together in maintaining peace and unity of the nation. Human beings are directed by ethical principles and thus, communication ethics in terrorist watch list database presents the organizational structure of how business will be handled within the organization. They have been able to help individuals direct their efforts in ensuring that basic human needs of members of the society and nation have been met with limited errors and complaints. Communication business ethics help agencies in creating credibility since their organization and agencies are driven by moral values that reflect on the standards and behaviors of individuals in society. As a result, they are respected in the society even by those living in the society with little information of what the organization is into. Terrorism database is an eminent phenomenon and approach of multiple agencies in the government who aim at restoring peace and controlling the increasing number of attacks carried out by terrorists in the United States. As such, the credibility of the organization comes from its members sharing in consistent information with members of the society and strategizing on how to effectively capture the culprits or law offenders. It is not an easy task to undertake, but society members are willing to contribute so as to have peace in their nation. Through passing and sharing of information and knowledge of terrorists, people and leaders are united in achieving the objectives and goals of governmental organizations and agencies. It is evident that, an organization that is driven by values is venerated by many people including its own employees. The common thread bringing employees and agency decision makers in one common platform are such like events and occurrences of the 9-11 attacks. Goal and mission achievement of terrorism agencies in the United States is aligned to the behavior within the organization. Organizational behavior contributes to effective communication, behavioral patterns and ethics promotion, which spills down to the population’s security state. Citizens of U.S.A are alert and aware of the happenings in their environment and report any unusual thing to concerned security agencies. They are not ignorant, but vigilant in maintaining peace in their State and will go to greater heights in helping their leaders to curb terrorists’ attacks. Business communication agencies in multiple agencies like the ones in the case study will be helpful in improving decision making processes due to the values of the organization. The watch list agencies value information and consistency and hence, are fierce in ensuring that their operations are evaluated and assessed thoroughly to increase communication between existing multiple government agencies. Effective business communication ethics will help the agencies to make sound decisions affecting the lives and security of many innocent people in the community and nation. This will also reduce terrorist attacks since agencies will be fully armed with information required to stop terrorist attacks. Ethics incorporated in business organizations and agencies guide them in safeguarding the societal laws and regulations. Technology is advancing at a very high rate such that, by the time law comes up with a certain regulation, a newer technology with newer threats replaces the older one. The communication ethics on the other hand, has helped in litigating public interests. In the organization, when law fails, ethics tries to create a sense of right and wrong and so they have managed to help many agencies and organizations from harming the environment or society. Business communication ethics comes in handy when detailing the procedural steps undertaken by management in presenting information to their superiors. They have been able to channel their information in orderly way and thus, systematic account of information provided helps the watch list database in compiling accurate information. It also helps in obtaining statistics reflecting the correct numbers and figures of suspected terrorist in the country. This information is later shared with investigating crews and personnel and strategic plans and procedures are laid on the forward. Communication ethics also help in implementation processes of dealing with re-known terrorists like Osama Bin Laden. References: Fine, Glenn. (2009). Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Terrorist Watch list Nomination Practices. Philadelphia: DIANE Publishing. United States, Committee on Homeland Security, Congress, Eileen Regen Larence, House. Terrorist Watch List Screening: Recommendations to Promote a Comprehensive and Coordinated Approach to Terrorist-Related Screening. Philadelphia: DIANE Publishing. Read More