Bill Blake was the first to admit it. Use of the copying machine in the Regional Water Board, where he was office manager, had gotten out of control. Employees were indiscriminately making copies of everything, not only official documents but also of personal items. This put Bill’s office way over its paper budget. Not unexpectedly, word came down from state headquarters to “get things under control.” Bill’s first effort was to post a notice over the copying machine, reminding employees that the machine could be used only for official business. At the end of the month, however, the number of copies was as high as ever. Bill fumed over this development. He called his employees together and read the riot act to them. “The next person I find using the copying machine to copy personal items will be suspended on the spot,” he threatened. Only a day later, Bill saw two employees laughing as they came away from the copier. When he asked to see what they had been copying, they held out a dozen sheets of paper. They had been copying a slightly off color limerick that someone in the office had typed. “Aw, Bill,” one said. “we were just having a little fun. After all, what’s a few sheets of paper to the govern-ment? Why, only last week, we ran off dozens of copies of a report that the state board later canceled.” “That’s not the point,” said Bill. “In the future, nothing personal goes on that copying machine. Do you hear me?” “We hear you,” said the employees. At the end of the month, however, the situation had not improved, and so Bill decided to take firmer action. He posted a log sheet next to the copier. It instructed employees to record their names and the data, time, number of copies, and purpose each time the machine was used. “Anyone I find cheating on this new systems goes!” Bill said. Two weeks later, Bill checked paper usage and found the rate of consumption had dropped only a fraction. This month, the regional office would again exceed its budget. That did it! Bill got the key to the copying machine and locked it. Next he posted a sign over the machine that read: ”From this time forward, anyone who wished to use the copying machine must fill out a request form and present it to me. The individual will also show me exactly what has been run off when the key is returned.” With this measure, Bill thought he had gained control of the situation. However, Bill now found that he was interrupted several times a day to hand out the key and to check paper use when the key was returned.
1. If you were Bill, what would you do to control unauthorized copying on the copier while minimizing the burden of follow up?