They're more like the central nervous systems. Most companies these days are heavily reliant on their IT infrastructure, email, phones, automated systems etc. So when some smartass decides he has the right to surf where he wants, and goes and bypasses the corporate security - letting in some sort of malware that takes your systems offline - maybe you should reconsider what they're trying to do for you.
Most companies I deal with can tell you exactly how much they're losing if their systems go down. I doubt that ford wants to be losing any more than it already is 
Yes, it is true that information largely flows via IT and that one errant clown can ruin your whole corporate day. The dog analogy is till appropriate, though in terms of the overall business picture. Our end goal is to produce and sell cars profitably. IT must be aligned/subservient to that goal.
As for the right/wrong of it, I think that argument a bit silly. I mean, a corporation employs you under the terms of a contract. That contract is entered into by the consent of both parties. Thus, if you violate the mutually agreed terms of the deal by e.g., surfing the Dudes with Boobs site during work hours and with company assets, you are, by the terms of the contract, subject to disciplinary action. If you don't like that, the evil arm (HR) will usually tell you, in so many words, you can get the Bal-zac.
Hey, we had a surprise $2B profit in Q2. THe ship has been righted. We're making higher quality, better products than ever. Best of all, we didn't suckle the BadMama Obama's portly government teat (other than DOE monies available for research work, heh-heh). GM and Chrysler fell off a cliff after Cash for Clunkers expired (predicted it). We only dropped 5%. Meanwhile, everyone worries, "how can you be competitive now the GM has erased so much debt?".
To that I point out 3 things:
1. we recapitalized before the GM and Fi-Chry "screw the senior creditors with help from Uncle Sucker/pay off the big Obama campaign donor union in an act that, in a sensible era, would be equivalent of Teapot Dome" deal, retiring over $10B in debt via a debt-for-equity swap.
2. THe government has NEVER been able to compete well with a private-sector enterprise. Mark my words: GM will soon (3-5 year PD pipeline, typically) be turning out, by dint of the fact that they've lost creative control to a "czar", cars specifed by politicians (people who don't know jack about cars) for constituencies that lack the ability to pay good money (read, loser leftists who can't purchase much without a subsidy).
3. Our product pipeline has some pretty exciting stuff coming. The next big hit will be our small car intros. All will be platform-common with Europe. Anyone who has had the pleasure of driving an FoE Focus RS or Fiesta knows that I'm talking good product there.
Note: my views do not represent the views of Ford Motor Company or it's shareholders - NECESSARILY.
