Cyberslacking, Business Ethics and Managerial Economics

Often, new technology brings in its train unprecedented problems. As far as computers, e-mail and the internet are concerned, this certainly holds true in many arenas. But there is one aspect of this new technology which does not present additional difficulties: cyber-slacking. The managerial challenges posed by employees using these amenities for job search, shopping sprees, personal relationships, in a word, general goofing off, have long ago already been overcome by employers. There is 'nothing new under the sun' in at least this one dimension of the computer age.