|
If maintaining your computer and keeping up with the latest software is not
one of your strong suits, you’re not alone. In fact, small business owners are
often so busy trying to gain new business, maintain customer relations and keep
up with the flow of cash, the upkeep of a computer system is often the last
thing on the to-do list. If you can relate to this, then you’ll be interested in
a new effort to help small businesses with this issue.
This month, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Business
Software Alliance (BSA), an organization that promotes a safe and legal digital
environment, announced a partnership to educate nearly 100,000 small businesses
on proper software management and the risks associated with the use of
unlicensed software.
Coined “Software Strategies for Small Businesses,” the multi-year partnership
will provide small businesses and SBA resource partners—including SCORE
“Counselors to America’s Small Business,” Small Business Development Centers,
Women’s Business Centers and SBA district offices—with a set of software asset
management tools and educational materials that will help small businesses
establish, communicate and enforce policies that ensure copyright compliance in
the work force. According to the BSA, small businesses paid over $11.4 million
in fines to settle software piracy claims in 2006 alone. Last year, the United
States lost $6.9 billion as a result of software piracy. The “Software
Strategies for Small Businesses” initiative encompasses the following:
- Developing “best practices” publications that communicate guidelines for
small businesses on implementing software asset management programs;
- Producing and disseminating educational materials such as a guide to
software management, “Ten Steps for Software Compliance” fact sheet, “Software
Piracy and the Law” fact sheet and software audit tools;
- Creating an interactive Web page to include free software audit tools, fact
sheets, topical software management articles and above-mentioned educational
materials;
- Developing a software management article for placement in SBA’s Small
Business Success magazine;
- Creating software asset management content for SBA e-newsletters;
- Hosting an interactive Webinar with SBA and its resource partners; and
- Conducting an educational media outreach program to help promote this
significant campaign.
If you'd like more information about SBA and BSA’s “Software Strategies
for Small Businesses” partnership, visit http://www.smartaboutsoftware.org/.
|
