The Internet is a virtually endless beach that connects people across cubicles, company sites, and continents. As a manager, you are the lifeguard on this beach. Your company has rules about how its employees surf the vast waters of the Web, and it is your job to make sure the employees who report to you follow these rules. When you were a kid, swimming rules were simple: No running at the water's edge, no diving in shallow water, and always swim with a buddy. Would that the Internet was such a simple environment!

These days, it's less important to have a head full of facts than it is to know how to use the Internet to get those facts quickly. You and your employees may spend significant amounts of time surfing the Web for information relevant to job tasks and projects. Most people who regularly use the Internet in this way have favorite search engines that locate a specific key word or phrase, then display a list of the Web sites that contain the word or phrase. The technology behind Web searching is complex but the interface with the user (what you see when you request a search) is astonishingly simple and straightforward — and fast. What might have taken hours, days, or even weeks to find through “hard copy” methods now is at your fingertips in seconds.

The business applications of the Internet are endless. Many companies use Web sites to convey information about the company or to sell products and services (e-commerce). Web sites provide instant access to numerous business resources, government agencies, reference sources, and even competitors. The challenge is to keep information current. Large companies have information technology (IT) departments that handle such tasks. Other companies may contract with outside experts.

Off Limits

The Internet is unrestricted and worldwide. There is no general oversight for what gets onto the Internet. You have no way to know whether the information you get from Web sites is true or correct other than to surf only sites you know to be legitimate. Your company likely has policies and guidelines to keep Web use on the straight and narrow — and legal. The worldwide reach of the Internet brings products and services available in other countries but not in the United Stares virtually into your office. Doing so with certain of these — prescription medications, banned or controlled drugs, gambling, pornography — represent criminal actions in this country. You are accountable for how you use your computer.

The Company Intranet

An intranet — sometimes called a network — is like the Internet, but it is confined to content and services your company makes available through it. It allows you to share files, gain access to databases you need to do your work, and send e-mail messages within your company. An intranet uses the same technology for its structure, and you access and use it in the same way as the Internet. People outside your company cannot use your intranet, however, or can only use certain areas. Passwords give access to data, files, and information.