The distribution of the 2008 Best Practices is one of the many educational initiatives that are part of the multi-yearlong partnership between the SBA and the BSA. The partnership is designed to provide 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 educational materials and opportunities that help small businesses establish, communicate and enforce policies that ensure proper software management in the work force. The 2008 Best Practices, along with other software management resources and educational material, can be found online.
"The SBA partnership with the BSA can serve as a tremendous vehicle to help small businesses realize the value of a software asset management plan," said SBA Administrator Steve Preston. "The better prepared a small business is when it comes to software protection; the better able they are to achieve success."
Small business owners paid over $11.4 million in fines to settle software copyright infringement claims in 2006 alone, according to the BSA. In the United States, small businesses face the greatest risk for software piracy due to their lack of established software management practices. In addition, small businesses are less likely to recognize the benefits that a software management program can provide.
"The SBA and BSA partnership is geared toward helping small businesses avoid software management pitfalls so that supervisors can concentrate on growing the business," said Robert Holleyman president and CEO of the BSA. "We hope small businesses take advantage of the many educational opportunities available to them that will not only help them insure proper software licensing and help protect their business from legal liability and financial risks, but will also help a business optimize its software asset investment."
In February, the SBA and the BSA will host a free Webinar to educate small businesses on how to incorporate responsible software management strategies into their business plan, thus maximizing their software assets and streamlining their Information Technology (IT) resources.
