I hope that the content of this web site will give an opportunity for management of technology, and the end-users, to critically review and assess the challenges (as detailed in the recommendations section) that need to be addressed where email communication is used within their own organisation.

These problems are not isolated to a single organisation, but to every organisation which embraces email technology.  The recent compliance changes to UK law, and the growing influential forces from other globally adopted business regulations (regarding email communication and records management) mean that this embracement is now compulsory for all digital organisations.

Many organisations are failing to keep abreast with changes in regulations, in its application of these laws/acts, in its requirement to inform all of its employees on the policies and procedures of email monitoring and investigations, and in how policy breaches will be handled.  Failure in legal compliance may leave the organisation open to prosecution – by the UK courts or the Information Commissioner.  The balancing act between meeting corporate compliance and organisational security issues must be also embodied with privacy, moral and cultural considerations of its employee base which will be impacted by the embracement of this new technology.  Technology, business and people ethics must be balanced.

Technology should be an enabler of commerce, but the key inhibitors of effective email communication is becoming a disabling force towards efficient business communication and collaboration.

The effectiveness and efficiency of email communicating is providing an environment whereby the speed and spread of communication noise can be globally reaching with great ease and automation.

The market pull for new technology to filter and monitor email communication is starting to be satisfied and further improvements and innovations will continue to be made to assist in addressing the current issues and risks of email communication and organisational compliance.

However, technology innovation is always fire-fighting the latest breed of technological threats, such as new viruses or new ways of getting around security and content-filtering barriers, so the collaboration between the end user and their proper use of technology will always be at the battle-front of any new problem - and needs to be addressed by management.