MANAGING VIRUS MANAGING VIRUS HUNTER’SHUNTER’S

About the Case Study………About the Case Study………

This case study is about the This case study is about the computer virus hunter’s at computer virus hunter’s at SymantecSymantec CorporationCorporation..

Reality of work life at corporation.Reality of work life at corporation. Job of the employee’s.Job of the employee’s. Challenges faced by the employee’s.Challenges faced by the employee’s.

Vincent Weafer

Highlights of the corporation……Highlights of the corporation……

Situation in 1999Situation in 1999 Increase in workloadIncrease in workload Diverse group of membersDiverse group of members Launch of BLASTER-B WormLaunch of BLASTER-B Worm Weafer’s managerial challenges.Weafer’s managerial challenges.

Attempting the Case Study……..Attempting the Case Study……..

Period

Industry

Culture

product

Competition.

Placards of Case Study…..Placards of Case Study…..

The period in this case study is from The period in this case study is from 1999-2003.1999-2003.

Vincent Weafer has been the member of Vincent Weafer has been the member of virus hunting team since 1999.virus hunting team since 1999.

Launch of Blaster-B worm took place in Launch of Blaster-B worm took place in 2003.2003.

Symantec is a global software Symantec is a global software company.company.

To provide complete online security To provide complete online security to its customers & safety to cyber to its customers & safety to cyber world.world.

The culture within the organization The culture within the organization was……..was……..

Chaotic,Chaotic, Fast,Fast, Energetic,Energetic, Disorganized &Disorganized & Challenging in Nature.Challenging in Nature.

Symantec corporation deals with the Symantec corporation deals with the antivirus software.antivirus software.

The product provides protection against The product provides protection against harmful contents for the computers.harmful contents for the computers.

Symantec is a long term survivor Symantec is a long term survivor since 1982.since 1982.

POINTS TO PONDERPOINTS TO PONDER

[Q] How Vincent Weafer used his [Q] How Vincent Weafer used his technical, human & conceptual technical, human & conceptual skills to maintain an skills to maintain an environment that encourages environment that encourages his virus hunters ?his virus hunters ?

Provide security storage n system management Provide security storage n system management solutionsolution

Specialization of wk force, Acc to (Taylor: wk was Specialization of wk force, Acc to (Taylor: wk was divided into smaller parts n specialization)divided into smaller parts n specialization)

The work never stopped, to maintain efficiencyThe work never stopped, to maintain efficiency

Eg: When Santa Monica’s team finished, Tokyo Eg: When Santa Monica’s team finished, Tokyo took over, which handed over to Japanese then to took over, which handed over to Japanese then to Dublin and back to Santa Monica.Dublin and back to Santa Monica.

TECHNICAL SKILLSTECHNICAL SKILLS

HUMAN SKILLSHUMAN SKILLS

Coaching and mentoring the workersCoaching and mentoring the workers

Networking outside the organizationNetworking outside the organization

Working in a team to combat the problemWorking in a team to combat the problem

Increased the work-force and work was Increased the work-force and work was done globally round the clock.done globally round the clock.

CONCEPTUALCONCEPTUAL

Using information to solve business Using information to solve business problemsproblems

Recognizing the problems and Recognizing the problems and finding solutionsfinding solutions

[Q] What[Q] What management roles would Vincent management roles would Vincent be playing as-be playing as-

a) He had weekly security briefing a) He had weekly security briefing conference calls with co-workers around conference calls with co-workers around the globethe globe

b) He assessed the feasibility of adding a b) He assessed the feasibility of adding a new network security consulting servicenew network security consulting service

c) He kept employees focused on the c) He kept employees focused on the company’s commitments to customers ?company’s commitments to customers ?

a) Based on the study by a) Based on the study by Henry Henry MintzbergMintzberg managers have different but managers have different but highly inter-related roles. highly inter-related roles.

According to this we can analyze that According to this we can analyze that Vincent has approached towards Vincent has approached towards Interpersonal role as he worked as a Interpersonal role as he worked as a figurehead,figurehead,

leader,leader, liaisonliaison and also and also informational role as he act as a informational role as he act as a monitor monitor andand a a disseminator.disseminator.

b) In this context Vincent has proved b) In this context Vincent has proved that he has approached towards that he has approached towards Decisional Decisional role as he worked as a role as he worked as a disturbance handlerdisturbance handler and and

resource allocatorresource allocator..

c) Here Vincent worked as a c) Here Vincent worked as a figureheadfigurehead a leader, a leader,

as he provoked his employees to as he provoked his employees to focus on company’s commitments to focus on company’s commitments to customers thus fulfilling the customers thus fulfilling the interpersonal interpersonal role.role.

[Q] [Q] Go to Symantec’s Website (Go to Symantec’s Website (www.symantec.comwww.symantec.com) and look up for ) and look up for information about the company.information about the company.

What can you tell about its emphasis on What can you tell about its emphasis on customer service and innovation? In customer service and innovation? In what ways does the organization what ways does the organization support in servicing customers and in support in servicing customers and in being innovative?being innovative?

ABOUT THE COMPANYABOUT THE COMPANY

Symantec was founded in 1982 by visionary Symantec was founded in 1982 by visionary computer scientists. The company has computer scientists. The company has evolved to become one of the world’s largest evolved to become one of the world’s largest software companies.software companies.

They provide security, storage and systems They provide security, storage and systems management solutions to help customers management solutions to help customers secure and manage their information-driven secure and manage their information-driven world against more risks at more points, more world against more risks at more points, more completely and efficiently than any other completely and efficiently than any other company.company.

EMPHASIS ON CUSTOMER SERVICE AND EMPHASIS ON CUSTOMER SERVICE AND INNOVATIONINNOVATION

Pursue core purpose with an unrelenting Pursue core purpose with an unrelenting focus on focus on InnovationInnovation and and Customer Customer satisfactionsatisfaction..

While the overall computing environment While the overall computing environment has undergone tremendous change in has undergone tremendous change in recent years, they remain committed to recent years, they remain committed to helping ensure confidence in today’s helping ensure confidence in today’s connected world.connected world.

INNOVATIONINNOVATION

Symantec’s strategy of Symantec’s strategy of “open “open innovation”innovation” focuses on delivering focuses on delivering the best solutions to its customers.the best solutions to its customers.

These solutions come as a result of These solutions come as a result of building them internally, developing building them internally, developing them with technology partners or them with technology partners or acquiring them outright. acquiring them outright.

CUSTOMER SERVICECUSTOMER SERVICE

Customer-drivenCustomer-driven is a Symantec core value and a is a Symantec core value and a priority at every level of the company, from priority at every level of the company, from executives to individual contributors.executives to individual contributors.

They invite the comments on their progress to date They invite the comments on their progress to date form customers and look forward to further engaging form customers and look forward to further engaging with them to with them to innovate a better future.innovate a better future.

Earning Customer loyalty is Symantec’s first priority. Earning Customer loyalty is Symantec’s first priority. That's why they direct their business based on the That's why they direct their business based on the feedback received from customers, both consumer feedback received from customers, both consumer and business alike.and business alike.

EMPLOYEESEMPLOYEES

Symantec assures top-notch training Symantec assures top-notch training and a working environment that fosters and a working environment that fosters innovation to its employees. innovation to its employees.

Our recruiting success to date affords Our recruiting success to date affords us the distinct competitive advantages us the distinct competitive advantages of a first-class global workforce.of a first-class global workforce.

[Q] What could other managers learn [Q] What could other managers learn from Vincent Weafer and Symantec from Vincent Weafer and Symantec approach ?approach ?

1) Employees should not be treated as machines1) Employees should not be treated as machines 2) Ability to work well with people in diverse 2) Ability to work well with people in diverse

cultural environmentcultural environment 3) competitive advantage through efficiency.3) competitive advantage through efficiency. 4)Recognize problem areas and implement 4)Recognize problem areas and implement

solutions.solutions. 5)Customer focus.5)Customer focus. 6)Reviewing operations and implementing 6)Reviewing operations and implementing

improvements.improvements. 7)Time Management.7)Time Management. 8)Identifying opportunities for innovation.8)Identifying opportunities for innovation.