Mr. M.I.S.

Assignment 10(HRM) personnel and HRM definition critics

2009-10-11T13:41:00.000-07:00

Look for various definitions of personnel management and human resource management and their authors and sources (minimum of 5). Critique each.

Personnel management

The part of management that is concerned with people and their relationships at work. Personnel management is the responsibility of all those who manage people, as well as a description of the work of specialists. Personnel managers advise on, formulate, and implement personnel policies such as recruitment, conditions of employment, performance appraisal, training, industrial relations, and health and safety. There are various models of personnel management, of which human resource management is the most recent.

Sources: http://dictionary.bnet.com/definition/Personnel+Management.html

Within organizations that employ people, this is the function with policy responsibility for the selection and recruitment of staff, training, performance assessment, career development, disciplinary proceedings, pre-retirement advisory work, equal opportunities policies, pay bargaining, and industrial relations. In small organizations these functions may be combined with other management responsibilities; in large organizations a substantial separate department may be involved in setting policy, its implementation, and in keeping up to date with developments in labour law. In recent years the newer alternative term 'human resource management' has come into use, reflecting the increased importance of this function in labour-intensive service-sector industries.

Sources: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Definition_of_personnel_management

Human Resource management

“The Human Resources Management (HRM) function includes a variety of activities, and key among them is deciding what staffing needs you have and whether to use independent contractors or hire employees to fill these needs, recruiting and training the best employees, ensuring they are high performers, dealing with performance issues, and ensuring your personnel and management practices conform to various regulations. Activities also include managing your approach to employee benefits and compensation, employee records and personnel policies. Usually small businesses (for-profit or nonprofit) have to carry out these activities themselves because they can't yet afford part- or full-time help. However, they should always ensure that employees have -- and are aware of -- personnel policies which conform to current regulations. These policies are often in the form of employee manuals, which all employees have.
Note that some people distinguish a difference between HRM (a major management activity) and HRD (Human Resource Development, a profession). Those people might include HRM in HRD, explaining that HRD includes the broader range of activities to develop personnel inside of organizations, e.g., career development, training, organization development, etc.
There is a long-standing argument about where HR-related functions should be organized into large organizations, eg, "should HR be in the Organization Development department or the other way around?"
The HRM function and HRD profession have undergone tremendous change over the past 20-30 years. Many years ago, large organizations looked to the "Personnel Department," mostly to manage the paperwork around hiring and paying people. More recently, organizations consider the "HR Department" as playing a major role in staffing, training and helping to manage people so that people and the organization are performing at maximum capability in a highly fulfilling manner.
Recently, the phrase "talent management" is being used to refer the activities to attract, develop and retain employees. Some people and organizations use the phrase to refer
especially to talented and/or high-potential employees. The phrase often is used interchangeably with the field of Human Resource Management -- although as the field of talent management matures, it's very likely there will be an increasing number of people who will strongly disagree about the interchange of these fields. For now, this Library uses the phrases interchangeably.”

By: Carter McNamara

Sources: http://managementhelp.org/hr_mgmnt/hr_mgmnt.htm

Human Resource Management (HRM) is the function within an organization that focuses on recruitment of, management of, and providing direction for the people who work in the organization. Human Resource Management can also be performed by line managers.
Human Resource Management is the organizational function that deals with issues related to people such as compensation, hiring, performance management, organization development, safety, wellness, benefits, employee motivation, communication, administration, and training.

Sources: http://humanresources.about.com/od/glossaryh/f/hr_management.htm

"Human resource management is responsible for how people are treated in organizations. It is responsible for bringing people into the organization, helping them perform their work, compensating them for their labors, and solving problems that arise" (Cherrington, 1995, p. 5). There are seven management functions of a human resources (HR) department that will be specifically addressed: staffing, performance appraisals, compensation and benefits, training and development, employee and labor relations, safety and health, and human resource research.

Sources: http://www.answers.com/topic/human-resource-management

By reading their definitions about the human resource management and the personal management that can be shown above you can create a critic to its definition. By looking to its definition you barely say that they came up with almost the same definitions and all of their definition was right. They define it smoothly and clearly that the readers can easily understand its meaning.

Assignment 9(HRM) HRM roles

2009-10-11T13:12:00.000-07:00

Interview a personnel/human resource manager on his concept on the nature, scope and role of human resource management. Do you agree with him? Explain. Is his concept similar to that of the management of his organization? If not, ask him how the differences are settled.

Human resource management (HRM) is the strategic and coherent approach to the management of an organization's most valued assets - the people working there who individually and collectively contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the business. The terms "human resource management" and "human resources" (HR) have largely replaced the term "personnel management" as a description of the processes involved in managing people in organizations. In simple sense, HRM means employing people, developing their resources, utilizing, maintaining and compensating their services in tune with the job and organizational requirement.
The Human Resources Management (HRM) function includes a variety of activities, and key among them is deciding what staffing needs you have and whether to use independent contractors or hire employees to fill these needs, recruiting and training the best employees, ensuring they are high performers, dealing with performance issues, and ensuring your personnel and management practices conform to various regulations. Activities also include managing your approach to employee benefits and compensation, employee records and personnel policies. Usually small businesses (for-profit or nonprofit) have to carry out these activities themselves because they can't yet afford part- or full-time help. However, they should always ensure that employees have -- and are aware of -- personnel policies which conform to current regulations. These policies are often in the form of employee manuals, which all employees have.
Note that some people distinguish a difference between HRM (a major management activity) and HRD (Human Resource Development, a profession). Those people might include HRM in HRD, explaining that HRD includes the broader range of activities to develop personnel inside of organizations, including, eg, career development, training, organization development, etc.
There is a long-standing argument about where HR-related functions should be organized into large organizations, eg, "should HR be in the Organization Development department or the other way around?"
The HRM function and HRD profession have undergone tremendous change over the past 20-30 years. Many years ago, large organizations looked to the "Personnel Department," mostly to manage the paperwork around hiring and paying people. More recently, organizations consider the "HR Department" as playing a major role in staffing, training and helping to manage people so that people and the organization are performing at maximum capability in a highly fulfilling manner.

Role of HRM:
• Strategic business partner
• Change management
• Employee champion
• Administration
The goal of human resource management is to help an organization to meet strategic goals by attracting, and maintaining employees and also to manage them effectively. The key word here perhaps is "fit", i.e. a HRM approach seeks to ensure a fit between the management of an organization's employees, and the overall strategic direction of the company.The basic premise of the academic theory of HRM is that humans are not machines, therefore we need to have an interdisciplinary examination of people in the workplace. Fields such as psychology, industrial engineering, industrial, Legal/Paralegal Studies and organizational psychology, industrial relations, sociology, and critical theories: postmodernism, post-structuralism play a major role. Many colleges and universities offer bachelor and master degrees in Human Resources Management.
Some industry commentators call the Human Resources function the last bastion of bureaucracy. Traditionally, the role of the Human Resource professional in many organizations has been to serve as the systematizing, policing arm of executive management.
In this role, the HR professional served executive agendas well, but was frequently viewed as a road block by much of the rest of the organization. While some need for this role occasionally remains — you wouldn’t want every manager putting his own spin on a sexual harassment policy, as an example — much of the HR role is transforming itself.
The role of the HR manager must parallel the needs of his or her changing organization. Successful organizations are becoming more adaptive, resilient, quick to change direction and customer-centered. Within this environment, the HR professional, who is considered necessary by line managers, is a strategic partner, an employee sponsor or advocate and a change mentor.
In today’s organizations, to guarantee their viability and ability to contribute, HR managers need to think of themselves as strategic partners. In this role, the HR person contributes to the development of and the accomplishment of the organization-wide business plan and objectives.
The HR business objectives are established to support the attainment of the overall strategic business plan and objectives. The tactical HR representative is deeply knowledgeable about the design of work systems in which people succeed and contribute. This strategic partnership impacts HR services such as the design of work positions; hiring; reward, recognition and strategic pay; performance development and appraisal systems; career and succession planning; and employee development.
As an employee sponsor or advocate, the HR manager plays an integral role in organizational success via his knowledge about and advocacy of people. This advocacy includes expertise in how to create a work environment in which people will choose to be motivated, contributing, and happy.
Fostering effective methods of goal setting, communication and empowerment through responsibility, builds employee ownership of the organization. The HR professional helps establish the organizational culture and climate in which people have the competency, concern and commitment to serve customers well.
In this role, the HR manager provides employee development opportunities, employee assistance programs, gainsharing and profit-sharing strategies, organization development interventions, due process approaches to problem solving and regularly scheduled communication opportunities.
The constant evaluation of the effectiveness of the organization results in the need for the HR professional to frequently champion change. Both knowledge about and the ability to execute successful change strategies make the HR professional exceptionally valued. Knowing how to link change to the strategic needs of the organization will minimize employee dissatisfaction and resistance to change.
The HR professional contributes to the organization by constantly assessing the effectiveness of the HR function. He also sponsors change in other departments and in work practices. To promote the overall success of his organization, he champions the identification of the organizational mission, vision, values, goals and action plans. Finally, he helps determine the measures that will tell his organization how well it is succeeding in all of this.
…I am convinced by the HR manager about the roles and the functions of the human resource management in an organization. In fact he is very professional in elaborating all of those things. Therefore I very much agree.

Reference: http://humanresources.about.com/od/hrbasicsfaq/a/hr_role.htm
http://managementhelp.org/hr_mgmnt/hr_mgmnt.htm

Assignment 8(HRM) SONA HR related

2009-10-11T12:22:00.000-07:00

“Towards that vision, we made key reforms. Our economic plan centers on putting people first. Higit sa lahat, ang layunin ng ating patakaran ay tulungan ang masisipag na karaniwang Pilipino. New tax revenues were put in place to help pay for better healthcare, more roads, and a strong education system. Housing policies were designed to lift up our poorer citizens so they can live and raise a family with dignity. Ang ating mga puhunan sa agrikultura ay naglalayong kilalanin ang ating mga magsasaka bilang backbone ng ating bansa, at bigyan sila ng mga modernong kagamitan to feed our nation and feed their own family.”
“In the last four years tourism almost doubled. It is now a $5 billion industry.”
“Our reforms gave us the resources to protect our people, our financial system and our economy from the worst of shocks that the best in the west failed to anticipate.”
“Nakinabang ang sandaan libo sa emergency employment ng ating economic resiliency plan. Kasama natin ngayon ang isa sa kanila, si Gigi Gabiola. Dating household service worker sa Dubai, ngayon siya ay nagtatrabaho sa DOLE.”
“Dahil sa ating mga reporma, nakaya nating ibenta ang bigas NFA sa P18.25 per kilo kahit tumaas ang presyo sa labas mula P17.50 hanggang P30 dahil sa kakulangan ng supply sa mundo. Habang, sa unang pagkakataon, nagawa nating itaas ang pamimili ng palay sa mga magsasaka, P17 mula sa P11.”..
“The market grows economies. A free market, not a free-for-all.”
“Nagtayo tayo ng 95,000 na silid-aralan, nagdagdag ng 60,000 na guro, naglaan ng P1.5 billion para sa teacher training, especially for 100,000 English teachers.”.
Sa hirap at ginhawa, pinapatatag ang ating bansa ng ating overseas Filipinos. Iyong padala nilang $16 billion noong isang taon ay record. Itong taon, mas mataas pa.
“Kaya nagsisikap tayong lumikha dito sa atin ng mga trabahong maganda ang sahod, so that overseas work will just be a career choice, not the only option for a hard-working Filipino.
Meanwhile, we should make their sacrifices worthwhile. Dapat gumawa tayo ng mas epektibong proteksyon at pagpapalawak ng halaga ng kanilang pinagsikapang suweldo. That means stronger consumer protection for Overseas Filipino Workers investing in property and products back home. Para sa kanila, pinapakilos natin ang Investors Protection Task Force.
Hindi ako nag-aatubiling bisitahin ang ating taong bayan at kanilang mga host sa buong mundo – mula Hapon…hanggang Brazil, mula Europa at Middle East hanggang sa American Midwest, nakikinig sa kanilang mga problema at pangangailangan, inaalam kung paano sila matutulungan ng ating pamahalaan—-by working out better policies on migrant labor, or by saving lives and restoring liberty.
Pagpunta ko sa Saudi, pinatawad ni Haring Abdullah ang pitong daang OFW na nasa preso. Pinuno nila ang isang buong eroplano at umuwi kasama ko.
Mula sa ating State Visit sa Espanya, it has become our biggest European donor. At si Haring Juan Carlos ay nakikipag-usap sa ibang mga bansa para sa ating mga namomoblemang OFW. Ganoon din si Sheikh Khalifa, ang Prime Minister ng Bahrain.
Pagpunta ko sa Kuwait, Emir Al-Sabah commuted death sentences. We thank all our leaders, our world leaders, for showing compassion to our overseas foreign workers. Salamat.
Our vigorous international engagement has helped bring in foreign investment. Net foreign direct investments multiplied 15 times during our administration. Kasama ng ating mga Together with our OFWs, they more than doubled our foreign exchange reserves. Pinalakas ang ating piso at naiwasan ang lubhang pagtaas ng presyo. They upgraded our credit because while the reserves of our peers have shrunk this past year, ours reserves grew by $3 billion.
Our international engagement has also corrected historical injustice. The day we visited Washington, Senator Daniel Inouye successfully sponsored benefits for our veterans as part of America’s stimulus package.
I have accepted the invitation of President Obama to be the first Southeast Asian leader to meet him at the White House, later this week.
That he sought us out testifies to our strong and deep ties.
High on our agenda will be peace and security issues. Terrorism: how to meet it, how to end it, how to address its roots in injustice or prejudice—and first and always how to protect lives.
We will discuss nuclear non-proliferation. The Philippines will chair the review of the nuclear weapons non-proliferation Treaty in New York in May 2010. The success of the talks will be a major diplomatic achievement for us.
There is a range of other issues we will discuss, including the global challenge of climate change, especially the threat to countries with long coastlines. And there is the global recession, its worse impact on poor people, and the options that can spare them from the worst.
In 2008 up to the first quarter of 2009 we stood among only a few economies in Asia-Pacific that did not shrink. Compare this to 2001, when some of my current critics were driven out by people power. Asia was surging but our country was on the brink of bankruptcy.
Since then, our economy posted uninterrupted growth for 33 quarters; more than doubled its size from $76 billion to $186 billion. The average GDP growth from 2001 to the first quarter of 2009 is the highest in 43 years.
Bumaba ang bilang ng mga nagsasabing mahirap sila sa 47% mula 59%. Maski lumaki ang ating populasyon, nabawasan ng dalawang milyon ang bilang ng mahihirap. GNP per capita rose from a Third World $967 to $2,000. Lumikha tayo ng walong milyong trabaho, an average of a million a year, much, much more than at any other time.
In sum: 1. We have a strong economy and a strong fiscal position to withstand global shocks.
2. We built new modern infrastructure and completed unfinished ones.
3. The economy is more fair to the poor than ever before.
4. We are building a sound base for the next generation.
5. International authorities have taken notice that we are safer from environmental degradation and man-made disasters.
As a country in the path of typhoons and in the Pacific Rim of Fire, we must be prepared as the latest technology permits to anticipate natural calamities when that is possible; to extend immediate and effective relief when it is not. The mapping of flood- and landslide-prone areas is almost complete. Early warning, forecasting and monitoring systems have been improved, with weather tracking facilities in Subic, Tagaytay, Mactan, Mindanao, Pampanga.
We have worked on flood control infrastructure like those for Pinatubo, Agno, Laoag, and Abucay, which will pump the run off waters from Quezon City and Tondo flooding Sampaloc. This will help relieve hundreds of hectares in this old city of its age old woe.
Patuloy naman iyong sa Camanava, dagdag sa Pinatubo, Iloilo, Pasig-Marikina, Bicol River Basin, at mga river basin ng Mindanao.
The victims of typhoon Frank in Panay should receive their long-overdue assistance package. I ask Congress to pass the SNITS Law.
Namana natin ang pinakamatagal na rebelyon ng Komunista sa buong mundo.
Si Leah de la Cruz isa sa labindalawang libong rebel returnee. Sixteen pa lang siya nang sumali sa NPA. Naging kasapi sa regional White Area Committee, napromote sa Leyte Party Committee Secretary. Nahuli noong 2006. She is now involved in an LGU-supported handicraft livelihood training of former rebels. We love you, Leah!
There is now a good prospect for peace talks with both the Communist Party of the Philippines and the MILF, with whom we are now on ceasefire.
We inherited an age-old conflict in Mindanao, exacerbated by a politically popular but near-sighted policy of massive retaliation. This only provoked the other side to continue the war.
In these two internal conflicts, ang tanong ay hindi, “Sino ang mananalo?” kundi, bakit pa ba kailangang mag-laban ang kapwa Pilipino tungkol sa mga isyu na alam naman nating lahat na di malulutas sa dahas, at mareresolba lang sa paraang demokratiko?
There is nothing more that I would wish for than peace in Mindanao. It will be a blessing for all its people, Muslim, Christian and lumads. It will show other religiously divided communities that there can be common ground on which to live together in peace, harmony and cooperation that respects each other’s religious beliefs.
At sa lahat ng dako ng bansa, kailangan nating protektahan ang ating mga mamamayan kontra sa krimen’ — in their homes, in their neighborhoods, in their communities. How shall crime be fought? With the five pillars of justice, including crime fighters. We call on Congress to fund more policemen on the streets.
Real government is about looking beyond the vested to the national interest, setting up the necessary conditions to enable the next, more enabled and more empowered generation to achieve a country as prosperous, a people as content, as ours deserve to be.
The noisiest critics of constitutional reform tirelessly and shamelessly attempted Cha-Cha when they thought they could take advantage of a shift in the form of government. Now that they feel they cannot benefit from it, they oppose it.
As the seeds of fundamental political reform are planted, let us address the highest exercise of democracy, voting!
In 2001, I said we would finance fully automated elections. We got it, thanks to Congress.
At the end of this speech I shall step down from this stage, but not from the Presidency. My term does not end until next year. Until then, I will fight for the ordinary Filipino. The nation comes first. There is much to do as head of state—to the very last day.
A year is a long time. Patuloy ang pamumuhunan sa tinatawag na three E’s ng ekonomiya, environment at edukasyon. There are many perils that we must still guard against.
A man-made calamity is already upon us, global in scale. As I said earlier, so far we have been spared its worst effects but we cannot be complacent. We only know that we have generated more resources on which to draw, and thereby created options we could take. Thank God we did not let our critics stop us.
As the campaign unfolds and the candidates take to the airwaves, I ask them to talk more about how they will build up the nation rather than tear down their opponents. Give the electorate real choices and not just sweet talk.
Meanwhile, I will keep a steady hand on the tiller, keeping the ship of state away from the shallows some prefer, and steering it straight on the course we set in 2001.
Ang ating taong bayan ay masipag at maka-Diyos. These qualities are epitomized in someone like Manny Pacquiao….Manny trained tirelessly, by the book, with iron discipline, with the certain knowledge that he had to fight himself, his weaknesses first, before he could beat his opponent. That was the way to clinch his victories and his ultimate title: ang pinakadakilang boksingero sa kasaysayan. Mabuhay ka, Manny!
However much a President wishes it, a national problem cannot be knocked out with a single punch. She must work with the problem as much as against it, turn it into a solution if she can.
There isn’t a day I do not work at my job or a waking moment when I do not think through a work-related problem. Even my critics cannot begrudge the long hours I put in. Our people deserve-a-government that works just as hard as they do.
A President must be on the job 24/7, ready for any contingency, any crisis, anywhere, anytime.
Everything right can be undone by even a single wrong. Every step forward must be taken in the teeth of political pressures and economic constraints that could push you two steps back-if-you flinch and falter. I have not flinched, I have not faltered. Hindi ako umaatras sa hamon.
And I have never done any of the things that have scared my worst critics so much. They are frightened by their own shadows.
In the face of attempted coups, I issued emergency proclamations just in case. But I was able to resolve these military crises with the ordinary powers of my office. My critics call it dictatorship. I call it determination. We know it as strong government.
But I never declared martial law, though they are running scared as if I did. In truth, what they are really afraid of is their weakness in the face of this self-imagined threat.
I say to them: do not tell us what we all know, that democracy can be threatened. Tell us what you will do when it is attacked.
I know what to do:
As I have shown, I will defend democracy with arms when it is threatened by violence; with firmness when it is weakened by division; with law and order when it is subverted by anarchy; and always, I will try to sustain it by wise policies of economic progress, so that a democracy means not just an empty liberty but a full life for all.
I never expressed the desire to extend myself beyond my term. Many of those who accuse me of it tried to cling like nails to their posts.
I am accused of misgovernance. Many of those who accuse me of it left me the problem of their misgovernance to solve. And we did it.
I am falsely accused, without proof, of using my position for personal profit. Many who accuse me have lifestyles and spending habits that make them walking proofs of that crime.
We can read their frustrations. They had the chance to serve this good country and they blew it by serving themselves.
Those who live in glass houses should cast no stones. Those who should be in jail should not threaten it, especially if they have been there.
Our administration, with the highest average rate of growth, recording multiple increases in investments, with the largest job creation in history, and which gets a credit upgrade at the height of a world recession, must be doing something right, even if some of those cocooned in corporate privilege refuse to recognize it.
Governance, however, is not about looking back and getting even. It is about looking forward and giving more—to the people who gave us the greatest, hardest gift of all: the care of a country.
From Bonifacio at Balintawak to Cory Aquino at EDSA and up to today, we have struggled to bring power to the people, and this country to the eminence it deserves.”
Reference: http://tonyocruz.com/?p=2148
Those some of the thing discussed or said by the president that is related to the Human Resource Management. Being a president, you are managing a very huge group of people and a very good example of Human Resource Management. Therefore some of things above said by the president can be relate to HR. those things can improve our quality of life by helping first ourselves before other people. Manage people properly can improve our quality of life.

Assignment 7(HRM) Human Resource

2009-10-11T12:18:00.000-07:00

Smartest Employees Most Difficult to Manage
Christopher Rice
Technical professionals are highly skilled individuals representing a wide variety of functional disciplines and industries. Some are clustered in specialized teams and secluded research and development labs, and others are woven into the fabric of the workforce. They include programmers, software developers, engineers, scientists, analysts, mathematicians, statisticians, etc.
These expert employees, who are so essential to your organization's innovation and competitiveness, are also demanding, sometimes rebellious, intellectually agile and often insular and uncommunicative with those outside their circle — the brightest minds can be your organization's biggest headache.
So-So Managers

The bosses of these difficult-to-manage employees are often not great managers. They are apt to be technical professionals themselves, rising through the ranks because of their specific expertise, not their people skills. They tend to err toward two extremes: telling their people exactly how to do things or spending so much time on their own projects that they don't "get around to" their leadership duties until there's a crisis.
Being Nice is Not Enough

In BlessingWhite's recent survey of 898 executives in charge of technical professionals, the leaders rated themselves as most competent in soft skills such as "building trust with my team" (78 percent) and "building collaborative relationships throughout my organization" (66 percent).
At the same time, the greatest shortcoming these leaders share appears to be coaching and developing their teams. Although 83 percent rated this leadership action as critical, fewer than half (46 percent) think they do it well.
The implication here: They're good at being nice but not so good at helping their people acquire skills or apply their expertise in challenging and innovative assignments. This finding is particularly disturbing because technical professionals place high value on personal development and crave exciting work.
Advanced Maneuvers Required

The individuals who design bridges, discover vaccines and create tomorrow's killer applications might not speak the same technical language, but they do share a combination and intensity of similar characteristics. It takes deft leadership, not supervision, to unleash and align their energy and talents to deliver what your organization requires. Four tactics, in particular, are most effective in leading these talented employees.
• Understand what makes technical professionals tick. This expert slice of the workforce exhibits a high need for achievement, autonomy, collegial support and sharing, keeping current, professional identification and participation in the mission and goals. Leaders who understand these characteristics can apply their leadership skills more strategically. For example:
o Setting and supporting goals without impinging on team members' desire for autonomy.
o Delegating responsibility in a way that involves team members in the decision-making process and connects the work with a larger organizational goal.
o Creating a work environment that fosters creativity, camaraderie and individual achievements while focusing efforts on team goals and organizational priorities.
• Be leaders of people, not managers of projects. Leaders of technical professionals must learn to rely on their team members — not their own know-how and project management savvy — to deliver results. That requires:
o Delegating and coaching to leverage team members' unique skill sets.
o Overcoming the inclination to micromanage.
o Investing in conversations, setting goals, explaining "the why" behind "the what," handling resistance and giving performance feedback. Otherwise, team members won't have the information or motivation they need to take initiative.
• Be just enough of an expert to lead, not do. The majority of individuals who lead technical professionals owe their successes to their exceptional know-how. They relish the role of expert. Because their current job is about delivering results through others, they need to figure out how much knowledge is "just enough" to be able to lead a team of experts. BlessingWhite's findings suggest they struggle with finding that balance. They need to prioritize equipping their team members with the latest knowledge and skills, and they need to be more selective about their own development.
• Increase their influence outside of their team or department. BlessingWhite research indicates leaders of technical professionals understand they need to be less insular, that they need to build collaborative relationships and communicate effectively at all levels of the organization. Most also see room for improvement. They need to:
o Be able to translate their team's core capabilities, ideas and accomplishments for nontechnical colleagues.
o "Influence up" to secure resources or promote innovative ideas.
o Broaden their understanding of their organization's business so they can be more valued partners in product strategy, delivery and support.
A New Type of Expert

Your organization no doubt looks to your highly technical workforce to keep your business humming or deliver the innovation needed to stay ahead of a crowded pack of competitors. Yet, the challenges leaders of technical professionals face are substantial.
They often hold player/coach positions and must juggle the competing priorities that come with those roles. Interpersonal skills tend to not be their strong suit, and their team members exhibit a complex combination of needs that make them among the most difficult to manage in today's workforce.
To succeed, leaders of technical professionals must move out of their comfort zones and redefine themselves as expert leaders. They also need to move beyond Leadership 101 to apply their knowledge and skills strategically to make the most of their team members' valuable qualities and skills.

Reference: http://www.talentmgt.com/performance_management/2007/September/427/

… “Human beings are the most important, potent and critical, resource of any organization, and yet the least understood and the worst managed of its resources” Human resources are the most important assets a modern organization has because only human beings can make, transfer and exercise knowledge. And also only human being s can create the holistic values by planning all the other resources as a whole. So, human beings are the key roles organization, organization should pay more efforts on HRD. Moreover, organizations should conform to the new environment of the strategic plans. And the strategic plans of HRD must relate with the organization's mission and objectives. All in all, people are an organization's most precious resource, so, organization must attach importance to HRD. my understanding about this is base to the idea given to by our instructor in MIS and HRM. The question is, why human is difficult to manage but the most important resources of an organization. In a very short explanation of our instructor I came up with a very short conclusion. Human are the most important, potent and critical, resource of the organization because of the ff:
Main resource of the organization
Human being is the main resources of the organization or the heart of a society. In short there were no organizations if there were no human involve.
Brain of an organization
A natural capability or ability of a human is to think. Human’s powerful key to success is knowledge or the ability to think. In an organization, there should be information moving inside of it. Human are the most capable tool or resource to produce information because of their ability to think.
Dangerous resource of an organization
Everything created in an organization was created through human being and it could be terminated by their own hand. They have almost all of the ability, such as the ability to create information, produce information and etc, that also can cause an opposite events.

Assignment 6(HRM) 21st Century Corporation

2009-10-11T11:57:00.001-07:00

What do you think will the 21st -century corporations look like?

In the 1980s many organizations gained competitive advantage through downsizing and financial restructuring. The 1990s confront us with the need to get back to basics. Large organizations are searching for a competitive advantage by being faster than their competitors in satisfying customer needs. These competitive organizations are capable of ongoing adaptation to environmental demands. In this article the authors speculate on the way these self-renewing organizations are organized, the managerial processes that enable them to capitalize on speed, and the characteristics of the leaders who manage them.

As we envision what the corporation of the 21st century should look like in order to thrive in a global and dynamic economy, it’s critical for universities and policy makers to have a comprehensive understanding about the new realities inside corporations. Creating or running a company with significant employee ownership is not simple, but has been demonstrated to be a successful model with benefits to all—employees, shareholders, and customers. Business schools play a critical role in helping individuals as well as organizations understand the components of employee
ownership, defining the possibilities of implementing ownership-based practices, and most importantly training today’s business leaders and our next generation leaders to strengthen the commitment both of employees and employers to the health and success of the 21st century Corporation. New and faster technology, redefined values, and shifting customer demands are changing the way businesses operate in the twenty-first century. Human resources and business leaders are faced with the challenge of redefining their strategies on leadership, talent, and diversity, while evaluating their operational effectiveness.

The Human Resources organization in most companies is changing dramatically, which usually translates into smaller, more centralized, with more technology-enabled services and systems. Few companies are exactly where they want to be, but in many firms, HR looks quite different in size and delivery model than it did just a few years ago. And it appears certain that it will look even more different in just a couple of years. There was much discussion in the 1990s about the demise of HR, and about the need to become more strategic. Although I agree with the push to align the HR business with company goals and strategy, what many companies have also done is cleanup the operational side of the HR business. They have improved the efficiency and effectiveness of myriad services and products, and have strengthened their credibility as a viable contributor to the bottom line. The continuing development and use of Web and self-service information technology is bringing the Human Resources function into the 21st century. The structure and role of the HR organization has been slowly moving, in most Fortune 500 companies, toward a more management-oriented and business strategy-driven function. The HR organization in many Fortune 500 companies has used proven information technology for many years, with IVR (interactive voice response), and ACD (automated call distribution) being good examples. But in most cases, the technology was used in isolated parts of the HR function such as benefits administration and program/policy descriptions, and thus had limited impact on the overall organization. More recently, HR has begun to employ ERPs (enterprise resource programs, such as PeopleSoft and SAP), browserbased portals with text, data, and simplified point-and-click use, and outsourced service applications, which now enables the HR organization to transform how it works and supports the entire enterprise. The year 2000 became the unintended impetus that helped many HR organizations move away from outmoded legacy mainframe systems and initiated the gradual use of more advanced information technologies. The continued pressure on cost reduction and process improvement has forced many HR organizations to take big steps into manager and employee self-service, and to move rapidly into Web-based HR portals. (It has been estimated that an employee transaction through the Web costs about one-tenth of an IVR telephone call, and one-one hundredth of a manual transaction through a personnel administrator.) These portals are bringing together both internal systems and external “outsourced” systems for easy use by the manager and the employee. In addition, the portal permits the inexpensive provision of other employee services such as discount travel, child care, financial services, legal advice, wellness resources, etc., making it a more attractive 24/7 stop for the average employee and their families. Full integration of various HR applications has not yet occurred, but the potential is becoming a reality. But more importantly, the portal permits world-wide use of Web-based applications such as strategy deployment efforts, knowledge management, project management, global mass communications, and distance learning for virtually the entire workforce. These systems now have a more direct tie to work teams and projects, as people collaborate from common networks and systems. The use of this information technology has enabled the HR organization to concentrate resources and to form centralized areas of HR expertise. Most organizations are still in some part of a transition from the traditional local HR “generalist” model to a “virtual” organization with 24/7 access. I expect there will always be some level of human intervention and personal touch service to the workforce through the HR organization. But information technology continues to play a larger role in HR service delivery, and has become both an enabler and a driver for a more effective and efficient HR organization. The question as to how fast this happens in a particular enterprise appears to be largely driven by a company’s vision, mission and values.

http://www.orcworldwide.com/readroom/Schaeffer-0310-11.pdf

Assignment 5(HRM) Downsizing

2009-10-11T11:55:00.001-07:00

Visit and identify a company website that has undergone HR downsizing. Identify the cause of downsizing and describe its processes.

Downsizing is an extremely relevant issue to organizations today in that it has become the most prevalent dilemma in recent years. The current tendency of organizations to restructure and ultimately to downsize has a major negative impact on the organizations themselves, on their surviving and terminated employees, on the government, and on society as a whole. In fact, it is everyone's problem, and it seems to have become more the rule than the exception that it used to be in the not too distant past. The current adverse economic climate has been persistent and long-lasting. As a result, many organizations that were operating inefficiently have been driven out of business, and most of those that have survived were forced to restructure in order to streamline their operations and achieve operating cost savings that would ensure their continued competitiveness both on the local and global markets. More often than not, this meant downsizing the organization and, in many cases, the downsizing was conducted in multiple phases or on an on-going basis. The direct result on the organization was a marked drop in employee morale and productivity which prevented organizations from realizing their strategic objectives.

What is Downsizing?

 A downsizing strategy reduces the scale (size) and scope of a business to improve its financial performance (Robbins & Pearce, 1992).

 A reduction of the workforce is one of only several possible ways of improving profitability or reducing costs.

Why do Firms Downsize?

 Reduce costs

 Reduce layers of management to increase decision making speed and get closer to the customer

 Sharpen focus on core competencies of the firm, and outsource peripheral activities

 Generate positive reactions from shareholders in order to improve valuation of stock price

 Increase productivity

Downsizing effects:

 Mixed effects on firm performance: some short-term costs savings, but long-term profitability & valuation not strongly affected.

 Firm’s reputation as a good employer suffers. Example: Apple Computer’s reputation as good employer declined after several layoffs in 1990s.

 Downsizing forces re-thinking of Employment Strategy. Lifelong employment policies not credible after a downsizing. Example: IBM abandoned lifelong policy after several layoffs in early 1990s.

 Employee motivation disrupted: increase in political behaviors, anger, fear - which is likely to negatively impact quality of customer service

 Violation of psychological contract, leads to cynicism, lowered work commitment, fewer random acts of “good will”

 “Survivors” experience more stress due to longer work hours with re-designed jobs, and increased uncertainty regarding future downsizings

 Many senior employees leave due to application of early retirement incentives: result is loss of institutional memory.

 The use of voluntary workforce reductions (buyouts) results in the most marketable employees leaving (“stars”) -- difficult to control since all employees must be legally eligible to qualify.

 Early retirements & voluntary reductions often result in too many people quitting, and some are hired back as consultants at higher cost to firm.

Downsizing Works Best When:

 Changes in Strategy, Organization structure and Culture accompany job cuts of downsizing

 Weak business units and plant closures are used as basis of reductions, rather than across the board cuts affecting all units (including healthy ones).

Critical Thinking Questions:

 1. Which is a better criterion to use as the basis for downsizing employees: seniority or performance? State your reason.

 2. Should employers give future notice to downsized employees, or tell them on the day they are expected to leave the firm?

 3. Separation pay is voluntary. What benefits do firms get when they give separation pay to employees in a downsizing?

 4. Is there a set of “best practices” to let an employee know she/he has been downsized?

 5. Under what circumstances might a company’s managers prefer to use layoffs instead of early retirements or voluntary severance plans as a way to downsize the workforce?

Some Local Companies Undergone Downsizing:

It is said that the only thing that is constant in this world is change. This particular maxim is clearly manifested in the ever-changing business organizations we have today. While some companies choose to be conservative and follow the same boring traditional procedures, many of the companies that emerge as leaders in business industries choose to reengineer itself and adapt to global trends scenarios.

Hammer and Champy, as cited by Rafael Rodriquez and Jasmin Acuña in the article entitled “Reengineering: A Path to Change”, talk about two companies, namely Hallmark and Ford Motors that undergone the reengineering process. For Hallmark, before a greeting card is perfected it has to pass through several segments of the company. Any revisions, no matter how small it seems, create a huge delay for the company’s processes. The management, after recognizing the problem, then decided to put up independent teams that will be focus in the creation of a new greeting card. In Management Accounting, they refer to such teams as a Responsibility Center. The reengineering procedure that was adapted by the Hallmark’s management worked perfectly as reflected by a more efficient and cost-effective means of production. The same reengineering procedure was also adapted in the For Motors Company thereby increasing its efficiency.

San Miguel Corporation, a local example of a company that has reengineered itself was pictured by Rodriguez and Acuña as an entity that was able to down size the number of its employees by adapting its own reengineering procedures. An example that was given would be that of a particular bottling department in San Miguel that was able to downsize its employees from 300 to only 24 upon the acquisition of new equipments that would speed up its operation and the adoption of new procedures. Another example that was given was the implementation of a “pull system” in San Miguel where many functions that require many employees before is now single handedly operated by only one salesman whom the company provided a lap top with a data base management software and a van to take orders from independent customers. Such procedure reduced the need for warehouses and redundant employees since the software was able to create an optimized route for the delivery of the ordered goods.

Edgar Schein on the other hand, talks about six procedures to achieve organizational effectiveness. They are 1) sensing the external and internal environment, 2) Importing information, 3) changing processes and procedures, 4) stabilizing internal change, 5) exporting products and services and 6) getting feedbacks. Following Schein’s procedures, a company would be able to adapt to global trends.

Colgate-Palmolive in terms of restructuring itself was able to promote a lower hierarchy structure for its employee. Ms. Annette Santiago, the HR head of SMART is also proud to say that they were able to do the same since a lower hierarchy structure promotes openness to its employees. A lower hierarchy also promotes transparency since the gap between management and employees are bridged and the employees can easily open up questions pertaining to the company.

The IBM Sales Executive for the Asia-Pacific Region announce the bold move IBM is about to under take by instituting a new procedure in database storage, this is in line with their own reengineering schemes. Thus, most companies now are open to change, those that are not maybe gone by now or maybe inexistent by tomorrow.

References:

http://www.tigweb.org/express/panorama/article.html?ContentID=2096
http://www.questia.com/googleScholar.qst;jsessionid=KWWM2XgGdwLVmQpy03yLMrknyG7Y0hSkgydPPJMnkN0JqNMXTh1L!-2050619229!766828861?docId=5001676706
http://www.authorstream.com/presentation/edwinlee-111819-downsizing-hr-business-finance-ppt-powerpoint/

Assignment 4(HRM) Achievement in Future

2009-10-11T11:52:00.001-07:00

On assignment 2: "Think of the future and develop a Job Description for a job you would like to hold." and in assignment 3: "Using the internet, examine five(5) different on-line job services and write a brief evaluation of the services and which do you like best and why." this is the question to be applied to those two tasks "how can the university help you achieve what you want to be in the future?"

...In assignment 2, thinking for my future and the job I would like be in the future cause me a headache because there is a lot of job need to be develop and that I want to become in the future. As I know, technology is evolving, through that evolution; there are also a lot of jobs existing. Thinking of it, I came up to decide what kind of job I wanted to be in the future and I named it “Software Developer”, as to the description itself it is comprehensible. I came up with that decision because I think I have a little knowledge on how to develop software. And in assignment 3, while gathering information from the internet of what are some of the online jobs can be found or exist. I have known some 5 online jobs, and among those 5 I choose Online Computer programmer… I chose that online job because I can relate on that job. First, I already have knowledge of what kind of job is that, the degree of the course you need to comply and the skills you need to do the job. Internet is world widely used by different people that is why online jobs are also developed. In combination of the to tasks, it creates a question “How can the University Help me achieve what I want to be in the future.” The two assignments help me come up what job I want to be in the future, as detail, I chooses online computer programmer which has the connection to software developer. As far as I know, making or developing software needs computer programs, you need to create multiple programs in order to build a software. The University of Southeastern Philippines, my beloved alma mater, has role on helping me achieve those jobs. I did come up with those future jobs because of the learning and knowledge that I get from the University. Because I am an Information Technology student of the University of Southeastern Philippines, and being an IT I can say that I belong to the world of technology, and the University can help me become a professional IT and achieve those dreams through giving us the best education we need and lead us into a brighter generation.

Assignment 3(HRM) Online Jobs

2009-10-11T11:51:00.001-07:00

Online jobs are becoming increasingly popular nowadays as more and more people want to make a full time living working at home. Many stay at home and most people love to work from home jobs as they can still manage ease while making some money off the Internet. I’m sure you have all heard the success stories of people who have struck it rich on the net and are now making hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. However, most people who decide to try and make money from the web will fail. Others are, unfortunately, scammed out of their money as they pay for useless products which never make them a cent.

Here is my list of top online jobs where you can actually make money it is important to remember that it takes lots of hard work and dedication to make money on the Internet.

1. Online Web designing is creating presentations of content (usually hypertext or hypermedia) that is delivered to an end-user through the World Wide Web, by way of a Web browser or other Web-enabled software like Internet television clients, microblogging clients and RSS readers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_design

2. The Online Database Administration Database management degrees may focus on data security, on data technology or on database analysis and integration. In the business world merging old data systems with new ones is often an ongoing task. Expanding database access is the work of a trained database administrator, while managing a database may include maintenance, security and access control.A person responsible for the physical design and management of the database and for the evaluation, selection and implementation of the DBMS is called database administrator.
http://www.educationguys.com/online-degrees/database-administration
http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Database+administration

3. Online Computer programming (often shortened to programming or coding) is the process of writing, testing, debugging/troubleshooting, and maintaining the source code of computer programs through World Wide Web. This source code is written in a programming language. The code may be a modification of an existing source or something completely new. The purpose of programming is to create a program that exhibits a certain desired behavior (customization). The process of writing source code often requires expertise in many different subjects, including knowledge of the application domain, specialized algorithms and formal logic.
http://www.answers.com/topic/programming

4. Online Newswriting illustrates how to write online news stories incorporating pictures, graphics, audio, and video and describes how to blend the best of writing for print and electronic media into a new way of writing news for mass consumption. Coverage is extensive and includes explanatory, descriptive material; numerous examples and models; style tests; exercises; simulated news copy; and ethical/legal issues/concerns. With an ample supply of simulated wire copy, news releases and fact sheets, Online Newswriting can be used effectively as a practice-rich, main or supplemental text in a variety of journalism courses.
http://as.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0813800498.html

5. Online advertising is a form of promotion that uses the internet and World Wide Web for the expressed purpose of delivering marketing messages to attract customers. Examples of online advertising include contextual ads on search engine result pages, banner ads, Rich media Ads, etc.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_advertising

...I choose Online Computer programmer... because programming is very interesting even it is difficult. I like computer programming and as i have heard much money you get from this job if you are good on it!

God bless!

Assignment 1(HRM) Local Organization

2009-10-11T11:44:00.000-07:00

Identify a local organization(s) and discuss some of their best practices in HR.

Lot of works has done just for finding a local organization that can be conducted an interview or a study about this subject. I myself found out that this kind of work or study is not easy and you need to show your whole effort in order to come up with a good output. I, together with my classmates encounter many rejections on the company we’ve chosen. So, in order to lessen those rejections, I choose one organization for my MIS and this subject HRM. After asking some questions about my topic on MIS, I ask the interviewee if he could allow me conduct another set of interview for this subject, and luckily the interviewee agrees. Through those challenges we are still aiming to comply all of those activities. I know that these activities we are doing are for our own good, these would help us to grow and the time will come that we can use what we did before. Therefore, these activities will help us now and to the future. I choose Rhine Marketing for my MIS and for my HRM. The interviewee said that this department is not actually where he belongs but he said he has some knowledge about Human Resources because their branch is just small and he always communicates to every staff there. There are only few information that I gather from him, but still I got the information that can answer to the topic above. The information about the topic above that I get from him about their organization will be discussed below.

Some information about Best Practices on Human Resource can be found in this site below:

http://www.igda.org/hr/IGDA_Best_Practices_HR.pdf

About Rhine Marketing Corporation:

List of Officers:

Chief Executive Officer
Hernando O. Streegan Vice President Finance
Eliodoro F. Ostia Operations Manager Visayas
Alfredo Sarsua Accounting Manager
Gloria Jumamoy IT Manager
Ramil B. Rallos
President/COO
Edgardo T. Anselmo Comptroller
Nilda Golez Operations Manager Computer Div.
Ferdinand M. Edjic Acting Budget Manager
Elieser G. Velasco Assistant Accounting Manager
Larry Macoy
Vice President Operations
Jose M. Cunanan Jr. Operations Manager Mindanao
Teodoro P. Macalinao Operations Manager Luzon
Fred Tolentino Audit Manager
Elieser G. Velasco Finance Officer
Edwina Sarria

ORIGIN

In 1947, the late Claude Marion Wilson Jr. after has retirement from the US Army, invested his savings and set up the Claude M. Wilson Trading Co., a company engaged in the imporation and selling of construction materials, essential items needed for the country's reconstruction after World War II. The small enterprise was later renamed Claude Wilson Corporation. The company started selling imported sewing machines, and business machines, principally the Italian Olivetti typewriter. The Claude Wilson Corporation established its Cebu branch in 1957, at the center of Juan Luna and D. Jakosalem Streets, under the supervision of Mr. Juan Ross. Mr. Lou Da Costa was then General Manager of the Manila Head Office. In less than a year, the company grew and Cebu branch moved to bigger offices of the old Osmella situated at the corner of D. Jakosalem and Magallanes Streets. Mr. Jose Antonio Martinez became the first branch manager, while another trusted Wilson executive, Mr. Senen Valero, took charge of company operations. In the later 50's and early 60's, the Philippine economy began to flourish resulting in an increased demand for sewing machines and other home appliances. This gave the company through Claude Wilson's entrepreneurship, the impetus to diversify and expand its product lines. In line with the government's call for the establishment of more factories, Mr. Wilson decided to manufacture instead of import sewing machines. This daring move was vigorously challenged by competitors who could import sewing machines more cheaply than to manufacture them.
In 1961, Claude Wilson Corporation became Philippine Sewing Machines Manufacturing Corporation (PSMMC). The company head office was in Manila with branches in Cebu and Dagupan, locations designed to meet demands in Luzon and the southern part of the country. Martinez was transfered back to head office in Manila and A.F. Martelino was appointed Cebu Branch Manager.
On May 26, 1964, PSMMC (now METERCOR) formed a marketing arm called Rhine Marketing Corporation principally to sell Rhine sewing machines. Paid-up capital was P50,000.00.
In the 70's product lines were expanded to include other consumer durables which, like sewing machines, were also in short supply. Since the company's main thrust was to be installment sales, Wilson and his executives reasoned that a provincial head office would stand a better chance of succeeding. That national was that a small, cohesive community where people knew each other and have lived in the area for many years would result in safer, less risky sales on credit. Cebu was a natural choice. That policy was a wise one indeed and Rhine today continues to operate a nationwide network of branches from its home base in Cebu.

…The Rhine Marketing Corporation branch here in Davao City can be found at San Pedro St., started asking the interviewee some questions about their Human Resource practices, and its best practices. He said that from the very beginning of the history of their organization they already have the best practice about Human Resources, because, he said that we are talking about Human Resources we talk about people that and what are the things the company or their organization did to the people working for the organization and to the people benefited to their organization, because according to him, Rhine Marketing has many activities or plans in helping people and these are the progressive things that their company did, Rhine has been actively involved in various socio-economic and civic projects of such institution as the Boy Scouts of the Philippines and the Philippine Business for Social Progress. Personal involvement of the Chairman of the Board Mrs. Isabel Caro Wilson and Mr. Hernando Streegan ensure the company's support and active participation in worthwhile community undertakings. Rhine started granting college scholarships under the Claude M. Wilson Scholarship Program. An average of eight deserving students is selected per year. At present, there are now 80 students who have fully availed of the program. The company has served more than 700,000 families by granting them credit through installment sales of more than 1.1 billion pesos. Rhine also gives P30,000.00 death cash benefit to the beneficiary of any Rhine customer who at the time of death due to an accident still has an up to date account of Rhine Marketing Corporation. Consequently, the remaining balance shall be waived and the unit purchased by the deceased customer shall be considered fully paid. Rhine Marketing Corporation also honors the people who for a number of years have rendered their loyal and faithful service to the company. The company believes that to these individuals, recognition for their hardwork is what they all truly deserve. Every year, service awards are given to its employees who have reached five, ten, fifteen, twenty and twenty five years in the company. Awardees are distinctively awarded with plaques and cash incentives for their respective number of years. Those are the some thing that the Rhine Company Human Resource practices, as mention above, they are involve on some organizations activities such as Boys scout, they also help some students through their scholarships, and also to their customers benefits and definitely to their employees especially those who serve to their company for a long years. The interviewee also mention about their time management, they are strict on time and there are penalties to those who will be late on time log-in. Those are the information that I gather from the interviewee.

References: http://www.rhine.com.ph/about-us/rhine-marketing-corporation.html

Assignment 9(MIS) Information Environment

2009-10-11T11:42:00.000-07:00

Identify an information environment of your choice and write an essay to address the following questions:(3000words)

• What should be your role within this environment?
• How can the principles of information organization and representation help you in performing this role?

Representation is a system for extracting or highlighting some aspects of an original concept or object, together with some explanation of how the system does this. That is, we have some form of sign (in its broadest sense), which is generated from some original referent, by means of some code. .. The purpose of the representation will strongly influence which attributes are highlighted or selected as representative.
information organization can be understood from four perspectives:
o a data perspective
o a relationship perspective
o an operating system (OS) perspective
o an application architecture perspective
• What are the challenges facing you in performing the role? How will you address these challenges?

Information Environment

There is now a critical mass of digital information resources that can be used to support researchers, learners, teachers and administrators in their work and study. The production of information is on the increase and ways to deal with this effectively are required. There is the need to ensure that quality information isn’t lost amongst the masses of digital data created everyday. If we can continue to improve the management, interrogation and serving of ‘quality’ information there is huge potential to enhance knowledge creation across learning and research communities. The aim of the Information Environment is to help provide convenient access to resources for research and learning through the use of resource discovery and resource management tools and the development of better services and practice. The Information Environment aims to allow discovery, access and use of resources for research and learning irrespective of their location.
Reference: http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/themes/informationenvironment.aspx
Contribution of the information environment to self-care

A wide range of information innovations exist to assist individuals and families with self-care, from devices and technologies through to complex, tailored initiatives spanning the patient and the primary care practice team. They also range from relatively low-tech simple interventions through to integrated e-health initiatives. Devices and technologies: These include self-care support devices, such as smart inhalers, information kiosks, mobile texting support, and consumer health portals, and complex telehealth initiatives. Trials of texting support has been shown in New Zealand have been effective in increasing smoking quit rates, for both Maori and non-Maori populations. A review of patient-focused interventions found home-based telecare can reduce patients’ sense of isolation and improve self-efficacy, quality of life, patient empowerment and psychological outcomes. Information: Patient reminders of appointments for health checks and screening are a simple yet effective form of support to self-care. Decision aids are interventions designed to help people make choices about their health care by providing information about the options and outcomes that are relevant to a person's health status. A Cochrane review of decision aids (many of which were internet-based) found they can improve people's knowledge of the options, create realistic expectations of their benefits and harms, reduce difficulty with decision making, and increase participation in the process (O'Connor et al 2007). Skills training: Provision of information and skills to individuals to better manage long-term illness has long been part of health services to varying degrees. Patients' abilities to care for themselves are enhanced by services that teach skills needed to carry out medical regimens, guide health behaviour change, and provide emotional support. Self-care support networks: One of the simplest information interventions is finding out what is available locally and linking patients to the wide array of support organisations for people with long term conditions as a way of encouraging increased physical activity, socialisation and mutual support. Group-based learning, such as for diabetes self-management education groups, provide further tools for self-care. Another area of growing interest is the emergence of online ‘communities’ and online support groups that fulfil similar functions, and providing online environments for people to share stories.
Personalised self-care plans: Individual care plans are developed by health professionals for their patients in ways that are tailored to their own circumstances. A Cochrane review in 1999 concluded that ‘optimal asthma self-management interventions led to reduced health care utilisation, days off work and nocturnal asthma when compared to usual care’, and that interventions without a written action plan were less efficacious (Bycroft 2004). The Flinders Model of Chronic Condition Self-Management provides a structured approach to care planning; it is being adopted by many practices in Australia and is generating interest in New Zealand. Electronic care plans provide a more rapid means of developing patient-centred care plans, but which are still intended to reflect the needs and realities of individual patients. Professional education: Relatively few GPs or practice nurses have specific training in behaviour change techniques, yet for long-term care such skills are highly desirable. Psychological tools and techniques in motivational interviewing, structured problem-solving, goal setting, cognitive behaviour therapy and brief structured interventions are some of the skills worth developing. There remain many gaps in our understanding of self-care interventions. A review of evaluations of self-care interventions found that despite the large number of studies carried out, the evidence base still has large gaps. Long term outcomes, cost effectiveness, the comparative effectiveness of different self care support strategies, and which components of complex interventions provide the greatest benefit, have not been adequately evaluated. (Coulter & Ellins 2006, Coulter & Ellins 2007).

Conclusion

The information environment has the potential to be a critical underpinning of self-care, supporting the actions of primary health care teams and empowering consumers or patients to minimise disease progression, improve their quality of life and to be more in control of their lives through the course of their conditions. An important theme that runs across the literature is that information does not stand alone in supporting self-care; rather, the ongoing provision of support and monitoring from the primary health care team, families and community networks are critical to the success of self-care strategies. The ongoing involvement of the primary health care team is also important to assist with the selection of information tools. Health researchers and technology companies will continue to develop new technologies and innovations, but is the appropriate targeting of these tools towards people’s needs that is likely to deliver the strongest health benefits.

Reference: http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/pagesmh/6501/$File/role-of-information-self-care.pdf
In the context of an evolving information society, the term information ecology or environment on between ecological ideas with the dynamics and properties of the increasingly dense, complex and important digital informational environment and has been gaining progressively wider acceptance in a growing number of disciplines. "Information ecology/environment” said as metaphor, viewing the informational space as an ecosystem. information ecology draws on the language of ecology - habitat, species, evolution, ecosystem, niche, growth, equilibrium, etc - to describe and analyze information systems from a perspective that considers the distribution and abundance of organisms, their relationships with each other, and how they influence and are influenced by their environment. The virtual lack of boundaries between information systems and the impact of information technology on economic, social and environmental activities frequently calls on an information ecologist to consider local information ecosystems in the context of larger systems, and of the evolution of global information ecosystems.

What should be your role within this environment?

As Information Technology student, it is a big question about my role in this environment. Many “chikas” nowadays said that because of technology our world has been damage little by little. That because of existing and improving technologies nowadays we are getting destructive to our environment. This statement is all false, the truth is that only human are using the technology falsely, here is a short quote that I get from a movie about the earth and the environment… “Technology is not a problem, only human using it is a problem”, environment lies upon our hands. Technology has the capability to improve, develop and beautifies the environment. As an information Technology student my role to the environment is to care for it. Proper waste disposal is one of the most important things to remember of caring the environment. I have already attended many symposiums about technological waste proper disposal or in short proper waste disposal. It is the most effective way of caring our nature, our environment. When we said caring the environment is to preserve the nature, abusing it is also a way of destroying it. As an information technology student I would implement first to myself the proper way or the proper relationship between human and our environment. Second, make yourself as a model to every on how a small thing make a big thing to our environment.
How can the principles of information organization and representation help you in performing this role?

The notion of information representation and organization traditionally means creating catalogs and indexes for publications of any kind. It includes the description of the attributes of a document and the representation of its intellectual content. Libraries in the world have a long history in recording data about documents and publications; such practice can be dated back to several thousand years ago. Indexes and library catalogs are created to help users find and locate a document conveniently. Records in the information searching tools not only serve as an inventory of human knowledge and culture but also provide orderly access to the collections. Just like every other business and industry, the representation and organization of information in the network era has gone through dramatic changes in almost every stage of this process. The changes include not only the methods and technology used to create records for publications, but also the standards that are central to the success and effectiveness of these tools in searching and retrieving information. Today the library catalog is no longer a tool for its own collection for the library visitors; it has become a network node that users can visit from anywhere in the world via a computer connected to the Internet. The concept of indexing databases is no longer just for newspapers and journal articles; it has expanded into the Web information space that is being used for e-publishing, ebusinesses, and e-commerce. The heart of such a universal information space lies in the standards that make it possible for different types of data to be communicated and understood by heterogeneous platforms and systems. We all know that TCP/IP allows different computer systems to talk to each other and to understand different dialects of networking language; in the world of organizing information content, the content is represented by terms either in natural or controlled language or both. The characteristics of its container (book, journal, film, memo, report, etc.) will be encoded in certain format for computer storage and retrieval. Libraries in the world have used MAchine Readable Cataloging (MARC) (Library of Congress, 1999) to encode information about their collections. In conjunction with cataloging rules, such MARC format standardized the record structure that describes information containers, i.e., books, manuscripts, maps, periodicals, motion pictures, music scores, audio/video recordings, 2-D and 3-D artifacts, and microforms. The Online Computer Library Center (OCLC) in Dublin, Ohio is the largest and the busiest cataloging service in the world. Almost 33,000 libraries from 67 countries now use OCLC products and services and more than 8,650 of them are OCLC members. As e-publishing thrives and Web information space grows, libraries have expanded conventional cataloging of their collections into organizing the information on the Web. In the early 1990s, OCLC started the Internet cataloging project, in which librarians from all types of libraries volunteered to contribute MARC records they created for Gopher servers, listserves, ftp and Web sites, and other net- worked information resources (OCLC, 1996). Another major undertaking in organizing information on the Web is OCLC's Metadata Initiative (Dublin Core Metadata Initiative, 1999) inaugurated in 1995, which proposed a metadata scheme containing 15 data elements. Among them are title, creator, publisher, subject, description, format, type, source, relation, identifier, and rights. The metadata scheme was named after the city where OCLC is located: Dublin Core Metadata Element Set (Dublin Core for short). Since its debut, it has become an important part of the emerging infrastructure of the Internet. Many communities are eager to adopt a common core of semantics for resource description, and the Dublin Core has attracted broad ranging international and interdisciplinary support for this purpose.

Reference: http://inform.nu/Articles/Vol3/v3n2p83-88.pdf

2. Information Organization
• information organization can be understood from four perspectives:
o a data perspective
o a relationship perspective
o an operating system (OS) perspective
o an application architecture perspective
2.1. The data perspective of information organization
• the information organization of geographic data must be considered in terms of their descriptive elements and graphical elements because
o these two types of data elements have distinctly different characteristics
o the have different storage requirements
o they have different processing requirements
2.1.1. Information organization of descriptive data
• for descriptive data, the most basic element of information organization is called a data item
o a data item represents an occurrence or instance of a particular characteristic pertaining to an entity (which can be a person, thing, event or phenomenon)
 it is the smallest unit of stored data in a database, commonly referred to as an attribute
 in database terminology, an attribute is also referred to as a stored field
 the value of an attribute can be in the form of a number (integer or floating-point), a character string, a date or a logical expression (e.g. T for 'true' or 'present"; F for 'false' or 'absent')
 some attributes have a definite set of values known as permissible values or domain of values (e.g. age of people from 1 to 150; the categories in a land use classification scheme; and the academic departments in a university)
• a group of related data items form a record
o by related data items, it means that the items are occurrences of different characteristics pertaining to the same person, thing, event or phenomenon (e.g. in a forest resource inventory, a record may contain related data items such as stand identification number, dominant tree species, average height and average breast height diameter)
o a record may contain a combination of data items having different types of values (e.g. in the above example, a record has two character strings representing the stand identification number and dominant tree species; an integer representing the average tree height rounded to the nearest meter; and a floating-point number representing the average breast height diameter in meters)
 in database terminology, a record is always formally referred to as a stored record
 in relational database management systems, records are called tuples
• a set of related records constitutes a data file
o by related records, it means that the records represent different occurrences of the same type or class of people, things, events and phenomena
 a data file made up of a single record type with single-valued data items is called a flat file
 a data file made up of a single record type with nested repeating groups of items forming a multi-level organization is called a hierarchical file
o a data file is individually identified by a filename
o a data file may contain records having different types of data values or having a single type of data value
 a data file containing records made up of character strings is called a text file or ASCII file
 a data file containing records made up of numerical values in binary format is called a binary file
o in data processing literature, collections of data items or records are sometimes referred to by other terms other than "data file" according to their characteristics and functions
 an array is a collection of data items of the same size and type (although they may have different values)
 a one-dimensional array is called a vector
 a two-dimensional array is called a matrix
 a table is a data file with data items arranged in rows and columns
 data files in relational databases are organized as tables
 such tables are also called relations in relational database terminology
 a list is a finite, ordered sequence of data items (known as elements)
 by "ordered", it means that each element has a position in the list
 an ordered list has elements positioned in ascending order of values; while an unordered list has no permanent relation between element values and position
 each element has a data type
 in the simple list implementation, all elements must have the same data type but there is no conceptual objection to lists whose elements have different data types
 a tree is a data file in which each data item is attached to one or more data items directly beneath it (Figure 4)
 the connections between data items are called branches
 trees are often called inverted trees because they are normally drawn with the root at the top
 the data items at the very bottom of an inverted tree are called leaves; other data items are called nodes
 a binary tree is a special type of inverted tree in which each element has only two branches below it
 a heap is a special type of binary tree in which the value of each node is greater than the values of its leaves
 heap files are created for sorting data in computer processing --- the heap sort algorithm works by first organizing a list of data into a heap
 a stack is a collection of cards in Apple Computer's Hypercard software system
• the concept of database is the approach to information organization in computer-based data processing today
o a database is defined as an automated, formally defined and centrally controlled collection of persistent data used and shared by different users in an enterprise (Date, 1995 and Everest, 1986)
 above definition excludes the informal, private and manual collection of data
 "centrally controlled" does not mean "physically centralized" --- databases today tend to be physically distributed in different computer systems, at the same or different locations
 a database is set up to serve the information needs of an organization
 data sharing is key to the concept of database
 data in a database are described as "permanent" in the sense that they are different from "transient" data such as input to and output from an information system
 the data usually remain in the database for a considerable length of time, although the actual content of the data can change very frequently
o the use of database does not mean the demise of data files
 data in a database are still organized and stored as data files
 the use of database represents a change in the perception of data, the mode of data processing and the purposes of using the data rather than physical storage of the data
o databases can be organized in different ways known as database models
 the three conventional database models are: relational, network and hierarchical
 relational --- data are organized by records in relations which resemble a table
 network --- data are organized by records which are classified into record types, with 1:n pointers linking associated records
 hierarchical --- data are organized by records on a parent-child one-to-many relations
 the emerging database model is object-oriented
 data are uniquely identified as individual objects that are classified into object types or classes according to the characteristics (attributes and operations) of the object
2.1.2. Information organization of graphical data
• for graphical data, the most basic element of information organization is called a basic graphical element
o there are three basic graphical elements
 point
 line, also referred to as arc
 polygon, also referred to as area
o these basic graphical elements can be individually used to represent geographic features or entities
 for example: point for a well; line for a road segment and polygon for a lake)
o they can also be used to construct complex features
 for example: the geographic entity "Hawaii" on a map is represented by a group of polygons of different sizes and shapes
• the method of representing geographic features by the basic graphical elements of points, lines and polygon is said to be the vector method or vector data model, and the data are called vector data
o related vector data are always organized by themes, which are also referred to as layers or coverages
 examples of themes: geodetic control, base map, soil, vegetation cover, land use, transportation, drainage and hydrology, political boundaries, land parcel and others
o for themes covering a very large geographic area, the data are always divided into tiles so that they can be managed more easily
 a tile is the digital equivalent of an individual map in a map series
 a tile is uniquely identified by a file name
o a collection of themes of vector data covering the same geographic area and serving the common needs of a multitude of users constitutes the spatial component of a geographical database
o the vector method of representing geographic features is based on the concept that these features can be can be identified as discrete entities or objects
 this method is therefore based on the object view of the real world (Goodchild, 1992)
 the object view is the method of information organization in conventional mapping and cartography
• graphical data captured by imaging devices in remote sensing and digital cartography (such as multi-spectral scanners, digital cameras and image scanners) are made up of a matrix of picture elements (pixels) of very fine resolution
o geographic features in such form of data can be visually recognized but not individually identified in the same way that geographic features are identified in the vector method
o they are recognizable by differentiating their spectral or radiometric characteristics from pixels of adjacent features
 for example, a lake can be visually recognized on a satellite image because the pixels forming it are darker than those of the surrounding features; but the pixels forming the lake are not identified as a single discrete geographic entity, i.e. they remain individual pixels
 similarly, a highway can be visually recognized on the same satellite image because of its particular shape; but the pixels forming the highway do not constitute a single discrete geographic entity as in the case of vector data
• the method of representing geographic features by pixels is called the raster method or raster data model, and the data are described as raster data
o the raster method is also called the tessellation method
o a raster pixel is usually a square grid cell but there are there are several variants such as triangles and hexagons (Peuquet, 1991)
o a raster pixel represents the generalized characteristics of an area of specific size on or near the surface of the Earth
 the actual ground size depicted by a pixel is dependent on the resolution of the data, which may range from smaller than a square meter to several square kilometers
o raster data are organized by themes, which is also referred to as layers
 for example, a raster geographic database may contain the following themes: bed rock geology, vegetation cover, land use, topography, hydrology, rainfall, temperature
o raster data covering a large geographic area are organized by scenes (for remote sensing images) of by raster data files (for images obtained by map scanning)
o the raster method is based on the concept that geographic features are represented as surfaces, regions or segments
o this method is therefore based on the field view of the real world (Goodchild, 1992)
o the field view is the method of information organization in image analysis systems in remote sensing and geographic information systems for resource- and environmental-oriented applications
• in the past, the vector and raster methods represented two distinct approaches to information systems
o they were based on different concepts of information organization and data structure
o they used different technologies for data input and output
• recent advances in computer technologies allow these two types of data to be used in the same applications
o computers are now capable of converting data from the vector format to the raster format (rasterization) and vice versa (vectorization)
o computers are now able to display vector and raster simultaneously
o the old debate on the usefulness of these two approaches to information organization does not seem to be relevant any more
o vector and raster data are largely seen as complimentary to, rather than competing against, one another in geographic data processing
2.2. The relationship perspective of information organization
• relationships represent a important concept in information organization --- it describes the logical association between entities
o relationships can be categorical or spatial, depending on whether they describe location or other characteristics
2.2.1. Categorical relationships
• categorical relationships describe the association among individual features in a classification system
o the classification of data is based on the concept of scale of measurement
o there are four scales of measurement:
 nominal --- a qualitative, non-numerical and non-ranking scale that classifies features on intrinsic characteristics
 for example, in a land use classification scheme, polygons can be classified as industrial, commercial, residential, agricultural, public and institutional
 ordinal --- a nominal scale with ranking which differentiates features according to a particular order
 for example, in a land use classification scheme, residential land can be denoted as low density, medium density and high density
 interval --- an ordinal scale with ranking based on numerical values that are recorded with reference to an arbitrary datum
 for example, temperature readings in degrees centigrade are measured with reference to an arbitrary zero (i.e. zero degree temperature does not mean no temperature)
 ratio --- an interval scale with ranking based on numerical values that are measured with reference to an absolute datum
 for example, rainfall data are recorded in mm with reference to an absolute zero (i.e. zero mm rainfall mean no rainfall)
• categorical relationships based on ranking are hierarchical or taxonomic in nature
o this means that data are classified into progressively different levels of detail
 data in the top level are represented by a limited broad basic categories
 data in each basic category are then classified into different sub-categories, which can be further classified into another level if necessary
o the classification of descriptive data is typically based on categorical relationships
2.2.2. Spatial relationships
• spatial relationships describe the association among different features in space
o spatial relationships are visually obvious when data are presented in the graphical form
o however, it is difficult to build spatial relationships into the information organization and data structure of a database
 there are numerous types of spatial relationships possible among features
 recording spatial relationships implicitly demands considerable storage space
 computing spatial relationships on-the-fly slows down data processing particularly if relationship information is required frequently
• there are two types of spatial relationships
o topological --- describes the property of adjacency, connectivity and containment of contiguous features
o proximal --- describes the property of closeness of non-contiguous features
• spatial relationships are very important in geographical data processing and modeling
o the objective of information organization and data structure is to find a way that will handle spatial relationships with the minimum storage and computation requirements
2.3. The operating system (OS) perspective of information organization
• from the operating system perspective, information is organized in the form of directories
o directories are a special type of computer files used to organize other files into a hierarchical structure
 directories are also referred to as folders, particularly in systems using graphical user interfaces
o a directory may also contain one of more directories
 the topmost directory in a computer is called the root directory
 a directory that is below another directory is referred to as a sub-directory
 a directory that is above another directory is referred to as a parent directory
o directories are designed for bookkeeping purposes in computer systems
 a directory is identified by a unique directory name
 computer files of the same nature are usually put under the same directory
 a data file can be accessed in a computer system by specifying a path that is made up of the device name, one or more directory names and its own file name
 for example: c:\project101\mapdata\basemap\nw2367.dat
o the concept of workspace used by many geographic information system software packages is based on the directory structure of the host computer
 a workspace is a directory under which all data files relating to a particular project are stored
2.4. The application architecture perspective of information organization
• computer applications nowadays tend to be constructed on the client/server systems architecture
• client/server is primarily a relationship between processes running in the same computer or, more commonly, in separate computers across a telecommunication network
o the client is a process that requests services
 the dialog between the client and the server is always initiated by the client
 a client can request services from many servers at the same time
o the server is a process that provides the service
 a server is primarily a passive service provider
 a server can service many clients at the same time
• there are many ways of implementing a client/server architecture but from the perspective of information organization, the following five are most important
o file servers --- the client requests specific records from a file; and the server returns these records to the client by transmitting them across the network
o database servers --- the client sends structured query language (SQL) requests to the server; the server finds the required information by processing these requests and then passes the results back to the client
o transaction servers --- the client invokes a remote procedure that executes a transaction at the server side; the server returns the result back to the client via the network
o Web server --- communicating interactively by the Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) over the Internet, the Web server returns documents when clients ask for them by name
o groupware servers --- this particular type of servers provides a set of applications that allow clients (and their users) to communicate with one another using text, images, bulletin boards, video and other forms of media
• from the application architecture perspective, the objective of information organization and data structure is to develop a data design strategy that will optimize system operation by
o balancing the distribution of data resources between the client and the server
 databases are typically located on the server to enable data sharing by multiple users
 static data that are used for reference are usually allocated to the client
o ensuring the logical allocation of data resources among different servers
 data that are commonly used together should be placed in the same server
 data that have common security requirements should be placed in the same server
 data intended for a particular purpose (file service, database query, transaction processing, Web browsing or groupware applications) should be placed in the appropriate server
o standardizing and maintaining metadata (i.e. data about data) to facilitate the search for the availability and characteristics of existing data

Reference: http://www.ncgia.ucsb.edu/giscc/units/u051/

What are the challenges facing you in performing the role? How will you address these challenges?

There are many things to face in performing my main role to the environment. As a model to every one, my performance should be flawless and most nearly perfect because you provide an idea or information to everybody watching your performances. As an Information technology student I should be aware about my environment. Many principles shown above as a sample of the information representation and organization. Those principles are challenging to me to face the role of myself to the environment.

Assignment 8(MIS) IT Outsourcing of the University

2009-10-11T09:37:00.000-07:00

As a student, you were invited by the Dean of the Institute of Computing to attend a seminar-workshop on information systems planning with some of the faculty members. In one of the sessions, a discussion of outsourcing came up. You have been asked to present your evaluation about outsourcing the information systems functions of the school.

Outsourcing IT

Perhaps the most crucial contemporary issue of information management is whether to outsource all or some of the information technologies to specialized-services firms. The issue is not a transient phenomenon; the shift from company-management computing to outsourcing is accelerating. The decision when, how, and where to outsource is likely to be one of the few information-management issues that will be coming up for review at board meetings.
So far, there is only one good explanation that fits almost every case of outsourcing information technologies: The outsourcing corporations are trying to return to profitability by cutting employment.
That is not, however, the rationale one finds in press releases announcing the transfer of most information-processing assets to an outsourcer. One hears assertions about computers no longer being a core competency. "Partnership for innovation" is another oft-quoted phrase. The plain fact is that top executives have become disenchanted with their capacity to digest information technologies. Massive divestment of a corporation's IT resources appears to be more like an emetic than a miracle cure.
One would expect outsourcing to be a widely spread occurrence throughout the Fortune 1,000 if it does indeed improve strategic fit, realizes lower costs, takes advantage of vendor's skills, and overcomes the dearth of technical expertise. Outsourcing should be an equally good solution for anyone. It would work well for all corporations, without regard to size, industry, assets, profitability, or growth, as each finds that one or more of the many claimed benefits satisfy their needs.
Applying such reasoning, outsourcing would show up as a random phenomenon, modestly biased in favor of growth corporations seeking added resources to enhance their capabilities. Statistical analysis would then reveal whether outsourcing is a random, evenly spread phenomenon or clustered around some causal connection.
//Outsourcing is, in reality, only one aspect of a currently popular downsizing trend among troubled corporations. It takes place under a more palatable label, just as reengineering is, in most cases, a euphemism for cutbacks.
The IT community has consistently ranked, in a wide range of surveys, as one of the least admired corporate functions and therefore becomes an attractive target when there is a new quota regarding how many bodies must leave.
Cutting staff, divesting business, and getting rid of hundreds of person-years of accumulated skill seems to be a prevailing compulsion among large firms that are seeking to improve profitability by shrinking their size. Although the number of papers that deal with outsourcing is considerable, only a 1993 work by MIT researchers Erik Brynjolfsson and Loren Hitt has studied the relationship between outsourcing and profitability.
They noted that, "Companies that try to jump on the outsourcing bandwagon may be chasing a parked car. We found no association between outsourcing and success. If anything, companies that outsourced more of their information systems work tend to have lower productivity and profitability. The only performance measure heavy outsourcers did well on was stock-market returns. In the short term, the market reacts favorably to outsourcing. Whether the market will continue to react favorably, especially if productivity doesn't improve, remains to be seen."
One could say that outsourcing has many of the attributes of anorexia nervosa. People with anorexia have a distorted self-image that makes them feel fat even when emaciated; preoccupation with food, low self-esteem, and emphatic denial of the problem characterize most anorexics. Similarly, executives in companies with poor financial performance seem to concentrate on downsizing as the preferred method for restoring competitiveness.
Unfortunately, shareholders and investors don't have a clue about the losses to the firm whenever knowledgeable workers leave in droves. There is no such thing as a balance-sheet write-off for human capital. When machinery or buildings become scrap, the auditors reflect that cost with a great deal of precision. The government even allows taking decisions to scrap as a tax deduction. Because outsourcing always takes computers off the list of financial assets, the accountants see that reduction in costs while neglecting the loss of the employees' know-how and commitment to serve the enterprise.
There's always a test to see if a corporation did or did not abandon its essential information capabilities, and it's a simple one: Does the firm retain the choice to repatriate, or move its systems to another vendor without excessive expense, no matter what has been outsourced? If that exit option from outsourcing has an executable plan, then the essential managerial competence of the firm remains intact.
I am in favor of outsourcing for any of the good reasons that would take advantage of somebody else's capacity to accumulate knowledge faster than when it remains homegrown. It should not be a substitute for the corporate version of an emetic. I shall find encouragement about the prospects for outsourcing when I see a large list of prosperous and growing organizations that use this option to enhance their mastery of information management.

There are good and sufficient reasons for selectively outsourcing:
• The organization is incapable of attracting or retaining talent for specialized technologies, especially for innovative uses. It is increasingly true in the public sector.
• The budgeting and capital-investment process is spasmodic, short-term-oriented, and subject to reversals in top management's goals, objectives, and preferences. Increasingly, this characterizes much of the industry, as well as most of the public sector.
• The learning curve for a new or risky technology is especially steep. Therefore, it pays to have an experienced firm introduce the technology at a much lower cost. If the new service becomes attractive, one can always reconsider the outsourcing decision. I have used this strategy over the years with considerable success by negotiating a favorable licensing and technology-transfer agreement as a clause in the initial agreement.
• The organization is internally in turmoil and cannot manage IT because its managerial energies are concentrating on the survival of the firm.
• The organization is very profitable but does not wish to devote scarce managerial resources to managing IT. This calls for inventing new forms of relationships that may not be arm's-length commercial contracts.
Reference: http://www.strassmann.com/pubs/outsourcing.shtml

In-sourcing IT

IT insourcing, or bringing previously outsourced IT functions back in-house, is on the rise, experts say, as the global economic recession, IT outsourcing scandals and the potential cost savings of decreasing the number of outsourced contracts have caused companies to give insourcing another look.
"The pros of insourcing are the speed and control of business change," said Ben Trowbridge, CEO of Alsbridge Inc., a Dallas-based IT outsourcing and business process optimization consulting firm. Trowbridge said his company's IT insourcing evaluations have increased about 15% this year. "There's a sense of intimacy with the business users that's hard to achieve with outsourcing. And it can mean saving jobs."
Dave Rice, previously global CIO at Insight Enterprises Inc., said he once pulled IT help desk and customer service functions back in-house when outsourcing companies were not properly meeting his organization's needs.
"We had some unpleasant experiences -- our customers were unhappy," said Rice, currently CEO at True Cloud LLC, a cloud computing services firm. "I wasn't satisfied that we were getting the same proximate IT services. You have to be very, very careful with anything that affects the broader perception of IT, and make sure you don't diminish that service -- people will immediately notice."
Only 9% of CIOs said they planned to increase IT outsourcing this year, according to the latest update to Gartner Inc.'s 2009 CIO Agenda survey, and many are considering insourcing previously outsourced functions.
In most cases, the newly insourced work previously involved contract programmers and consultants, according to Mark McDonald, group vice president and head of research at the Stamford, Conn.-based consultancy and author of the CIO Agenda study. "For the average company, the cutback is temporary as investments are delayed or postponed," McDonald said.
Rice said a slowdown in outsourcing activities this year could stem from companies reaching a "saturation point." He also posited that it is very difficult to get sustainable cost savings out of outsourcing.
"It's intriguing, because of the initial cost benefit -- you look like a hero in the short term," Rice said. However, when it comes time for clients to renew their contracts, their companies have often grown or added requirements that might drive up the price of the IT outsourcing contract.
Rice said he takes a good, hard look at which functions to outsource and which to keep in-house in the first place. In his experience, when moving toward outsourcing a hosted infrastructure, "that's a step you don't come back from," he said. To bring it back in-house would basically entail hiring and training an entire in-house workforce.
Trowbridge said insourcing is strongest around applications and development, although it varies from company to company. In addition, virtualization has given infrastructure outsourcing less of an edge.
"Virtualization could take the upside out of outsourcing and make it more effective to do it yourself," Trowbridge said.
Doing so, of course, demands a lot of work, and Trowbridge warned that it's a difficult task involving application and server work. Plus, given the number of layoffs over the past year, many companies are currently short on skill sets if not the number of employees that would be needed to insource previously outsourced IT functions.

Why IT insourcing appears to be on the upswing?

Insourcing has been attractive in the past for businesses in the throes of change, but market conditions are ripe these days as well. The economic recession and the scandal at IT outsourcing firm Satyam Computer Services Ltd. have led some companies to renegotiate lower prices in exchange for more flexibility in how outsourcers complete the work.
These same factors are also causing companies to look in-house to see if internal staff could do the work for even less money or greater benefits than a renegotiated outsourcing contract could provide. A company's decisions should largely depend on whether the right labor is located in its geographic marketplace. "If the labor's not there, you could get into a pretty high-cost game," Trowbridge said. "The question is, is it more efficient?"
Rice said that good candidates for insourcing are smaller, auxiliary services that affect the external perception of the business. Whenever renewing an outsourcing contract, "it's certainly worth a conversation" whether to bring the work in-house, Rice said.
Trowbridge advises companies to benchmark prices in the market before making any decisions.
"Look at what you would spend to do it yourself, and make a good, measured decision on this," Trowbridge said.

Reference: http://searchcio.techtarget.com/news/article/0,289142,sid182_gci1359601,00.html

In-Source Benefits

Reduced Costs

-The cost of an In-Source professional could be 75% lower than the total cost for an IT worker in the U.S.

Increased Professional Resources

-Integrate 3 or 4 In-Source professionals for the total cost of one U.S employee.

Direct Management

-Our clients choose in-sourcing because they prefer hands-on control through the development life cycle of their projects. Instead of relinquishing control to an outsourcing firm who does not understand your business as you do, In-Source allows your knowledge and direction to more effectively impact the development process.

Turnkey Services

-In-Source provides a turnkey solution including facilities, recruitment, human resource management, payroll and benefits administration, tax filings, and communication tools, so you can spend more time focused on your core business.

Reduced Operational Expenses

-We operate a state-of-the-art IT facility in Bangalore, the Silicon Valley of India, at a significantly reduced rate compared to U.S. facilities.

Extended Productivity Hours

-Because of the time difference between the United States and India, your projects could be developed and supported nearly 24/7, including many of the major U.S. holidays, which are not holidays in India. In-Source offers flexible shift times to allow overlap and coordination with your IT professionals.

Faster Time to Market

-Complete projects faster with a larger IT development team.
Increased Company Profitability
-With reduced costs, increased development resources at an affordable price, and faster development periods, In-Source clients can significantly increase profitability.

Reference: http://www.in-source.com/benefit.html

Information Technology (IT) is a critical part of the business process that can require technical competence beyond the scope of the current management. In this case, a third party should manage the IT function.
Here are some of the reasons why outsourcing is a better choice for managing the IT department, rather than maintaining IT internally:

Improve Cost Management Control

•IT costs become more visible as all billable hours must be accounted for
•Outsourced services are utilized as needed, and organizations pay only for what services are actually used
•An outsourced IT department can reduce costs by utilizing its extensive knowledge base of various IT specialists, as opposed to an organization maintaining a comprehensive in-house staff

Improve Service Quality

•Outsourced companies make performance reports and measurements available to their clients
•Communications between business functions improve at all levels and ensure that IT resources are not being misused
•Outsourced companies can provide 24x7 support at a fraction of the cost
•Outsource staff tend to drive planning and budgeting improvements
•Service Level Agreements (SLAs) can be established

Staffing

•Staffing levels can be adapted quickly to client requirements, thereby avoiding gaps due to attrition, business growth or economic downturns
•IT consultants are fully trained on the latest technologies
•Retention of technically qualified in-house personnel is more difficult when external job opportunities are rapidly changing
•Continuous IT support coverage without having to rely on only one or two key people

Equipment and Software Tools

•Outsourced services use established standards for equipment and software requirements, saving time and money
•Outsourced services use approved lists of reliable vendors, which improves the quality of goods and services received
Client can focus on business core Competencies
•Client management can concentrate on core competencies and revenue generating activities, while leaving technology management to IT professionals
•Management of non-essential core functions is transferred to the outsourcer

Reference: http://www.unameits.com/why_it/benefits_advantages_outsourcing_information_technology.jsp

INSOURCING

Advantages Disadvantages
• High degree of control. • Reduces strategic flexibility.
• Ability to oversee the entire process. • Requires high investment.
• Economies of scale and/or scope. • Potential suppliers may offer superior products and services.

OUTSOURCING
Advantages Disadvantages
•High strategic flexibility. • Possibility of choosing a bad supplier
•Low investment risk. • Loss of control over the process
•Improved cash flow. • & core technologies
•Access to state-of-the-art • "Hollowing out" of the corporation
products and services.

Reflections:

As an IT student of the University, if the dean would invite me to attend a workshop-seminar on Information system planning it will be an advantage to me to enhance my knowledge about information system strategies and plans. This workshop is a very important thing to IT personnel because of the techniques and the information that you can get.

As the workshop goes on, in one of the sessions, a discussion of outsourcing came up. I have been asked to present your evaluation about outsourcing the information systems functions of the school. In my own, evaluating the outsourcing of the information system of the University is really a big task to me as an IT student. If I’m going to evaluate the IT outsourcing of the University I would first need to know the outsource of their information system. I am really thinking what are the things need to learned by outsourcing. As you have seen the data above about the outsourcing and the in-sourcing of the information system is nearly or almost opposite on its advantages and disadvantages. To evaluate it, the University has a very good choice of information system strategy because it is public University or under government services therefore by expecting the capacity of the University about the cost to be needed in the implementation of the information system, outsourcing of its information system is a very good solution. The university has a low risk of investment and had choose the right supplier or a right information system outsourcing, therefore there is nothing to worry about security of the data.
In choosing the position about the plan of the implementation of information system of the University I choose outsourcing. As to categorize the company status or the profile of the University, in-sourcing is not capable or the right plan for the university. Outsourcing is the best pick because University is just a school and besides a government establishment. In-sourcing is just good if the company is private and owned by a single person or manage by a single management that can afford the cost.

Assignment 7(MIS) SONA ICT related

2009-10-11T08:21:00.000-07:00

On the assumption that you heard/read the SONA of the President last month, (July 2000), identify at least 3 areas related to ICT and identify how these areas can improve our quality of life.

GMA, in SONA, bats for dept. of ICT
By MELVIN G. CALIMAG
July 28, 2009, 12:11am
Pres. Gloria Arroyo on Monday made a final push for the creation of DICT (Department of Information and Communications Technology) in her last State of the Nation Address (Sona).
Speaking before members of both chambers of Congress, the chief executive urged the country to “have a Department of ICT” as she highlighted the huge role that the BPO sector has played in the local economy.
A proposed law calling for the creation of DICT has been pending in Congress for the last five years. This even if Malacanang has certified the bill as urgent.
Arroyo made the endorsement as she noted in her Sona that the Philippines is now starting to create wealth with the development of the BPO industry as an engine of growth.
“Electronics and other manufactured exports rise and fall in accordance with the state of the world economy. But BPO remains resilient. With earnings of $6 billion and employment of 600,000, the BPO phenomenon speaks eloquently of our competitiveness and productivity,” she said.
The president’s call for the creation of DICT, however, was less urgent compared to the appeal she made to revise consumer laws as she underscored her directive to the National Telecommunications Commission to act on complaints against dropped calls and lost cellphone load.
“We need to amend the Commonwealth-era Public Service Law. And we need to do it now,” Arroyo declared.
In an earlier interview, CICT (Commission of Information and Communications Technology) chair Ray Anthony Roxas-Chua said there’s time left and that the government is still hoping that Congress would pass the DICT bill.
“Unlike a full-fledged department, the problem with CICT just being a commission is that it can be easily demolished by the next administration. All that is needed by the next president is to sign another EO. That would be the end of the programs we’ve put up over the years,” he said.

Reference: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/213088/gma-sona-bats-dept-ict

ICT players await PGMA’s SONA speech
DAVAO CITY — ICT (information and communications technology) industry players and stakeholders will be tuning in to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s State-of-the-Nation Address (Sona) for her pronouncements on the economy particularly on the IT sector.
Andre Fournier, chair of the ICT committee of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII) said that any pronouncement by the President would be an add-on to the IT roadmap which the group will be preparing.
“The President has been very supportive of the ICT industry.” Fournier said, citing Arroyo’s IT policy which allowed the industry to grow and flourish recording a 4.8 billion dollar market share in outsourcing operations and employing a total of 650,000 workers.
A week after the President’s Sona on July 27, IT stakeholders from Davao, including the Commission of ICT (CICT) will have a summit to create a roadmap of a short to medium term plan for Davao’s IT industry.
A study by the CICT lists Davao as the 4th most preferred investment destination for business process outsourcing (BPO) companies in the country . BPO operations in the city are on the rise despite the ongoing global recession. The industry currently employs 6,000 workers locally, with job demand steadily growing as several big-ticket BPO players are expanding operations while others are moving in to the city, with the opening of the Ayala and Robinson IT parks.
Fournier said that government’s policy towards IT has contributed to the growth of the sector.
Arroyo was recently cited by the Contact Center Association of the Philippines for her support to the industry. Among the concrete government initiatives cited by the group are the PEZA (Philippine Economic Zone Authority) incentives, CICT (Commission on Information and Communications Technology) formation and the 50-million peso scholarship fund for call center training.
Reference: http://davaotoday.com/2009/07/20/ict-players-await-pgmas-sona-speech/

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s speech during the 9th e-Services Global Sourcing and Exhibition

Function Room 1, SMX Convention Center
SM Mall of Asia, Pasay City
February 9, 2009

Chairperson Rey Chua of CICT, members of the Diplomatic Corps, our leaders of the E-service industry both here in the Philippines and around the world, ladies and gentlemen, Welcome to the Philippines!

As the world heads deeper into recession, we meet today in interesting times, so
to speak. But to the fiscally strong, this is a time of opportunity. The Philippines has been compared to an island of stability amidst the raging world economic storm. That’s not just coming from me. Standard & Poor’s said it.“Reasonably healthy.” -- Fitch said it. “Macroeconomic risk the lowest.” -- Credit Suisse. “Inherently strong, a potential beneficiary of the world’s financial woes.” -- JP Morgan, speaking of the Philippines.

We now have 36 quarters of uninterrupted growth since I took office as President in 2001. We have created almost 8 million jobs in eight years. We remain cautiously optimistic that our resources and plans will allow us to manage our way through this time. This is because we “rebooted” our economy several years ago with dramatic reforms in revenue collection and generation, fiscal controls and banking reform. All of these actions were taken before there was a hint of a global crisis. They have held us in good stead. Our GNP grew 8.0 percent in 2007 and in 2008, when two-thirds of the world went into recession; we managed to still have a respectable GNP growth of 6.0 percent. And we have a cushion in place to help the poor.

Aside from revenue, we have focused on reducing our debt-to-GDP ratio, and building up new industries such as the BPO sector. We have created the BPO’s industry from almost nothing in 2001. In 2001 there were 4,000 BPO workers when our Administration started; today there are 400,000 BPO workers. Thank you so much for so much job creation. (applause)

I’ve been asking your industry leaders, how was the industry? And the response is that our BPO industry continues to boom as global cost cutting is sent to outsourcing. As you know the Philippines is ranked among the most attractive off-shoring destinations in the world because of cost competitiveness and more importantly the country’s highly trainable, English-proficient, IT-enabled quality manpower.

Early in our Administration, we understood that we must act rationally and strategically, to foster a digital culture that maximizes the benefits of ICT. We initially concentrated our efforts on three areas.

The first area was the building of physical infrastructure. We worked to speed up the telecommunications network infrastructure by bringing down the cost of connectivity. We supported wider public access to communications and information services through the provision… encouraging the provision of broadband services in cities and identified growth areas, and a redundancy of telecommunications gateways. This infrastructure improvements have been among the most important reasons why BPOs have been coming, flocking to the Philippines.

The second area was ensuring an appropriate policy and legal environment. It is not the role of government to determine technological outcomes -- that is the role of the market. Our role is to provide the environment to grow ICT. To that extent, I created a Cabinet level Commission on ICT headed by Rey Chua to lead our ICT policy formulation and implementation. Its function includes harmonizing and coordinating all public ICT initiatives. Our ICT sector is successful because it is driven by the private sector with minimal government intervention.

Finally, the third area of development is the development of human capital to close the digital divide and to provide the world-class workers that you need for your industry. The Philippines is one of the highest among the different countries in the number of training facilities for computer programming and other computer-related courses. And to make BPO world competitive, the world competitive industry that is today, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority is working closely with the Business Process Association of the Philippines or BPAP on training courses on BPO to further enhance English proficiency to help near-hires develop the skills needed to qualify for employment.

To date, the Commission on Information and Communications Technology and the Department of Trade and Industry, in cooperation with the Business Process Association of the Philippines, have identified what they called the Next Wave Cities that are best capable of hosting IT-BPO and E-services operations. The original Cyber Corridor spanned Metro Manila, going down south to Iloilo, Bacolod, Cebu up to Davao. Now it has been lengthened -- and I hope I get the facts right, they came to Peter Favila -- to include Baguio, Dagupan, Tarlac, Pampanga especially Clark, Metro Manila especially Marilao, Meycauayan and

Malolos, Metro Rizal namely Cainta and Antipolo, Metro Cavite were we have

Dasmariñas and Imus, Metro Laguna where we have Santa Rosa and Calamba,

Metro Batangas where we have Lipa and Batangas City, Dumaguete, and

Cagayan de Oro. In any case if there are refinements to this list that comprises the cyber corridor that will be discussed during this conference.

What we can say is that, BPO and E-services are key drivers of our economy.

They generate investment, they generate jobs, they alleviate poverty, they improve the lives of our people. And we are proud to be among the world’s leaders in this field. So we are proud to have you all today in this conference and exhibition.

To our first-time visitors who have come here to check out the opportunities we offer, I’m sure you will find that the Philippine BPO and E-services sector is among the best in the world. And to our existing investors, thank you for being a big part of the country’s sustainable and resilient growth.
Reference: http://www.op.gov.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=20098&Itemid=38

… As the President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo speeches on her State of the Nation Address, she also mentioned things that her administration did related to Information and Communication Technology. First thing I heard on her speech which I think relates to Information and Communication Technology such as the following:

1. BPO (Business Process Outsourcing)

This industry is regarded as one of the fastest growing industries in the world. International investment consultancy firm McKinsey & Company predicts that the demand for outsourcing services will reach $180 billion in 2010, with the customer contact services, finance and accounting, and human resource sub-sectors taking up the biggest shares. When it comes to the trend in primary business requirements, experts are seeing a shift from cost-effectiveness to skills quality and competence. This development all the more strengthens the Philippines' position as an emerging global leader in the BPO industry (BPAP 2006).
The BPO boom in the Philippines is currently led by demand for offshore call centers. The Philippines raked in offshore service generating revenues of $2.1 billion in 2006, placing third behind India and China and slightly ahead of Malaysia. That's up 62% over the $1.3 billion it gained in 2004, and a huge increase from the start of the decade when the outsourcing industry in Manila employed just 2,400 people and the industry had revenues of merely $24 million. It is estimated that 200,000 people are working in 120 BPO (mostly Contact Centers) in the Philippines in 2006. Overall, Philippine BPO is forecast to earn US$11 billion and employing 900,000 people by the year 2010 (Shameen 2006).
The recent growth spurt in the outsourcing industry in the Philippines has been fueled not by traditional low-value-added call centers but more higher-end outsourcing such as legal services, Web design, medical transcription, software development, animation, and shared services. Though call centers still form the largest part of the sector, the Philippines has begun leveraging its creative design talent pool, its large pool of lawyers, and its professionals in accounting and finance (Shameen 2006).
To achieve and sustain this rapid growth, the Philippine government is offering significant fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to attract foreign direct investment in these industries as part of the 2006 Investment Priorities Plan. The IPP was prepared by the Board of Investments (BOI), as the lead agency in promoting investments, focused on the sectors identified in the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) 2004-2010 (PBOI 2006).
Majority of the BPO facilities are located in Metro Manila, Cebu City and Bacolod City, although other regional areas such as Baguio City, Cagayan de Oro, Clark (Angeles City), Dagupan City, Davao City, Dumaguete City, Lipa City, Iloilo City and [[Legazpi City], Iligan CIty are now being promoted and developed for offshore operations.
The Philippines' Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) report for 2004 cited the Philippines as among the top 10 choices for offshore operations. Consultancy firm McKinsey & Co has been tapped to draft a five-year roadmap for the country's BPO industry.

2. Telecommunication Industry

The deregulation of the country's telecommunications industry has created a large amount of investment in this sector, estimated to total PhP130 billion (US$3.25 billion) over the next three years.1 The total number of main telephone lines in the country increased from only 785,000 in 1993 to 3.353 million at the end of 1996 to 6.64 million in 1998. The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) reported a 1998 9.08 teledensity ratio (the number of installed telephones per 100 people). Expansion is projected to slacken this next year as the telephone companies will (hopefully) have fulfilled their commitments in terms of telephone lines they have to put up. The implementation of the Service Area Scheme to make sure that all regions of the nation have access to the telecommunications network, carried out through the National Telephone Program, accelerated local exchange growth. However, it is important to note that telephone distribution still remains somewhat unevenly distributed throughout the Philippines. Satellite communications in the country has been developed in case of disasters or emergencies. Satellite technology now links Metro Manila government stations to all regions of the country.

3. Information Technology Financing

The Philippines government, recognizing the importance of Information Technology, is helping to fund IT investments within the country. The government's budget for IT spending is increasing: as of 1997, the national government had an average annual operating budget on Information Technology of P643 million (US$17.9 million). At that time, about P7 billion (US$192 million) worth of IT assets had already been put in place by the national government in the last five years. As of April 1998, the Philippines government's IT budget was expected to increase to P21 billion (US$582 million) over the next five years.1

Most support to Research and Development institutions is being provided by the government (60%) with very minimal contribution from the private sector. However, R&D expenditures have still remained very low. In 1992, R&D expenditures were estimated at P1.5 billion (US$4 million) representing only 0.22 percent of GNP; newly industrializing countries spend 1.5 percent of their GNP on R&D.2

Though local governments are also expected to spend and provide a budget for IT investment, the national government has projected a substantial increase in the annual budget for IT. The government is also encouraging and looking towards the participation of private companies and investments in IT as the developing country cannot take all the weight of the costly upgrades in technology. Despite the Asian economic crisis and currency fluctuation within the Philippines, investor confidence in the country is still high.

The IT sector is still a healthy one in the country, regardless of economic troubles. Major IT projects and investment continue. Within the last year, there has been a definite increase in the number of computerization projects in the government and elsewhere . Much of the government has now moved online, especially with the strong encouragement from the President and the National Information Technology Council (see the IT Action Agenda for the 21st Century (IT21) under Government Policies). In 1998, 73 government agencies were already connected to the Internet, with many of them having an Internet presence through their own web sites.

IT companies are continuing to invest in the country to meet their outsourcing needs located in the Philippines. Seagate Technology Inc. opened its US$70 million manufacturing plant in Cebu in the first half of 1999. Another IT vendor, Fujitsu Ltd., will build a US$200 million hard disk media plant in the First Philippine Industrial Park Ecozone in Batangas. James Martin & Co. also plan to invest US$6 million to expand its Global Development Center in the next two years.3

Oracle signed the Philippines on as the first international participant to the US$50 million Oracle Academic Initiative (OAI) where Oracle will extend a US$1.5 million grant to the APEC Foundation to finance the training of young Filipinos in computer software applications.4

Soon after the approval of IT21 Microsoft signed four Memorandum of Understandings with the Philippines President, agreeing to:5
• explore the possibility of cooperation in the area of IT core competency and information infrastructure development;
• jointly undertake specific projects and activities such as the establishment of interconnected learning centers, as well as to explore such other cooperation possibilities as in the development of advanced software;
• provide technical assistance in translating electronic commerce initiatives into technology applications;
• provide technical assistance, training and administrative support for the implementation of a software management and review program to sustain the software legalization process in government.

Investments continue to pour in elsewhere as well. Intel has been investing between $300 and $400 million in local manufacturing facilities over the last 2-3 years. Apple Computers opened a full subsidiary in the Philippines. NEC will build a board wiring plant in Laguna, Acer is building additional facilities in Subic, and Cypress Semiconductor is investing $110 million in a new assembly and test plant in the country.

The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) estimates that total investments in the IT sector over the next three years will reach an amazing P130 billion (US$3.25 billion).

...those 3 ICT related are things can improve our quality life by Technological enhancement, as we all know technology can help our life become easier.

Assignment 6(MIS) IT Consultant

2009-10-11T07:04:00.000-07:00

If you were hired by the university president as an IT consultant, what would you suggest (technology, infrastructure, innovations, steps, processes, etc) in order for the internet connectivity be improved?

First let us identify each element of this topic:

IT Consultant

Job description:

An IT consultant works in partnership with clients, advising them how to use information technology in order to meet their business objectives or overcome problems. Consultants work to improve the structure and efficiency and of an organsiation's IT systems. IT consultants may be involved in a variety of activities, including marketing, project management, client relationship management and systems development. They may also be responsible for user training and feedback. In many companies, these tasks will be carried out by an IT project team. IT consultants are increasingly involved in sales and business development, as well as technical duties.

Tasks typically involve:

• meeting with clients to determine requirements;
• working with clients to define the scope of a project;
• planning timescales and the resources needed;
• clarifying a client's system specifications, understanding their work practices and the nature of their business;
• traveling to customer sites;
• liaising with staff at all levels of a client organization;
• defining software, hardware and network requirements;
• analyzing IT requirements within companies and giving independent and objective advice on the use of IT;
• developing agreed solutions and implementing new systems;
• presenting solutions in written or oral reports;
• helping clients with change-management activities;
• project managing the design and implementation of preferred solutions;
• purchasing systems where appropriate;
• designing, testing, installing and monitoring new systems;
• preparing documentation and presenting progress reports to customers;
• organizing training for users and other consultants;
• being involved in sales and support and, where appropriate, maintaining contact with client organizations;
• Identifying potential clients and building and maintaining contacts.

Reference: http://www.prospects.ac.uk/links/ITConsult/

Technology

Technology is a broad concept that deals with human as well as other animal species' usage and knowledge of tools and crafts, and how it affects a species' ability to control and adapt to its environment. Technology is a term with origins in the Greek technología (τεχνολογία) — téchnē (τέχνη), 'craft' and -logía (-λογία), the study of something, or the branch of knowledge of a discipline.[1] However, a strict definition is elusive; "technology" can refer to material objects of use to humanity, such as machines, hardware or utensils, but can also encompass broader themes, including systems, methods of organization, and techniques. The term can either be applied generally or to specific areas: examples include "construction technology", "medical technology", or "state-of-the-art technology". The human species' use of technology began with the conversion of natural resources into simple tools. The prehistorical discovery of the ability to control fire increased the available sources of food and the invention of the wheel helped humans in travelling in and controlling their environment. Recent technological developments, including the printing press, the telephone, and the Internet, have lessened physical barriers to communication and allowed humans to interact freely on a global scale. However, not all technology has been used for peaceful purposes; the development of weapons of ever-increasing destructive power has progressed throughout history, from clubs to nuclear weapons. Technology has affected society and its surroundings in a number of ways. In many societies, technology has helped develop more advanced economies (including today's global economy) and has allowed the rise of a leisure class. Many technological processes produce unwanted by-products, known as pollution, and deplete natural resources, to the detriment of the Earth and its environment. Various implementations of technology influence the values of a society and new technology often raises new ethical questions. Examples include the rise of the notion of efficiency in terms of human productivity, a term originally applied only to machines, and the challenge of traditional norms. Philosophical debates have arisen over the present and future use of technology in society, with disagreements over whether technology improves the human condition or worsens it. Neo-Luddism, anarcho-primitivism, and similar movements criticise the pervasiveness of technology in the modern world, opining that it harms the environment and alienates people; proponents of ideologies such as transhumanism and techno-progressivism view continued technological progress as beneficial to society and the human condition. Indeed, until recently, it was believed that the development of technology was restricted only to human beings, but recent scientific studies indicate that other primates and certain dolphin communities have developed simple tools and learned to pass their knowledge to other generations.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology

Infrastructure

Infrastructure can be defined as the basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function. The term typically refers to the technical structures that support a society, such as roads, water supply, sewers, power grids, telecommunications, and so forth. Viewed functionally, infrastructure facilitates the production of goods and services; for example, roads enable the transport of raw materials to a factory, and also for the distribution of finished products to markets. In some contexts, the term may also include basic social services such as schools and hospitals. In military parlance, the term refers to the buildings and permanent installations necessary for the support, redeployment, and operation of military forces. In this article, infrastructure will be used in the sense of technical structures or physical networks that support society, unless specified otherwise.
The term infrastructure has been used since 1927 to refer collectively to the roads, bridges, rail lines, and similar public works that are required for an industrial economy, or a portion of it, to function. The term also has had specific application to the permanent military installations necessary for the defense of a country. Perhaps because of the word's technical sound, people now use infrastructure to refer to any substructure or underlying system. Big corporations are said to have their own financial infrastructure of smaller businesses, for example, and political organizations to have their infrastructure of groups, committees, and admirers. The latter sense may have originated during the Vietnam War in the use of the word by military intelligence officers, whose task it was to delineate the structure of the enemy's shadowy organizations. Today we may hear that conservatism has an infrastructure of think tanks and research foundations or that terrorist organizations have an infrastructure of people sympathetic to their cause. The Usage Panel finds this extended use referring to people to be problematic, however. Seventy percent of the Panelists find it unacceptable in the sentence FBI agents fanned out to monitor a small infrastructure of persons involved with established terrorist organizations.

Reference: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/infrastructure
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infrastructure

Innovations

The term innovation refers to a new way of doing something. It may refer to incremental and emergent or radical and revolutionary changes in thinking, products, processes, or organizations. Following Schumpeter (1934), contributors to the scholarly literature on innovation typically distinguish between invention, an idea made manifest, and innovation, ideas applied successfully in practice. In many fields, something new must be substantially different to be innovative, not an insignificant change, e.g., in the arts, economics, business and government policy. In economics the change must increase value, customer value, or producer value. The goal of innovation is positive change, to make someone or something better. Innovation leading to increased productivity is the fundamental source of increasing wealth in an economy. Innovation is an important topic in the study of economics, business, design, technology, sociology, and engineering. Colloquially, the word "innovation" is often synonymous with the output of the process. However, economists tend to focus on the process itself, from the origination of an idea to its transformation into something useful, to its implementation; and on the system within which the process of innovation unfolds. Since innovation is also considered a major driver of the economy, especially when it leads to increasing productivity, the factors that lead to innovation are also considered to be critical to policy makers. In particular, followers of innovation economics stress using public policy to spur innovation and growth.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Innovation

…in this situation, or in this moment I am already a professional IT personnel. If I am ask or hired by the president of the University to become an Information technology Consultant what are the thing I could suggest about all the elements said above to improve the Internet Connectivity of the University. On the Technology, as describe or as being identified above, I can say that it is very important or the heart of IT. Considering Technology as the main problem of the University, I could only say that we need to move our way of competency on the fashion of today’s world. We need to improve the technology of the University so that we can be in the flow of today’s world that we are living. We are dealing with internet connectivity of the University, and the question is, as an Information Technology consultant how can I improve it using Technology. Internet is a piece of technology, so therefore I can say that through satisfying the proper technology or improve the technology that the University have is a key to improve the internet connectivity of the University. Example, the University has a weak internet connection and the users are having a problem because the data that are transferred to the other domain are having a delay that would take much time, because of poor internet connectivity still problems arises. The solution of it by focusing on technology or the resources that the University, we just need to use the right facilities or resources in order to have a fast connectivity, if the University is using the coaxial cable for LAN connectivity to each users or offices of course as we measure the area of the University that device is not really recommendable, so we need to change the device use into a proper one such as fiber optic cable that can satisfy the area of the University and to have a faster internet connectivity, and also the main problem of poor connectivity is from the source of connection you are acquiring, so as a consultant I should recommend the faster internet connectivity source.
Next is by infrastructure, here are some example of discussing IT infrastructure, Investing in IT infrastructure is one of the most challenging tasks facing senior managers who often feel ill equipped to make these decisions. Investing in the right infrastructure at the right time enables rapid implementation of future electronically based business initiatives and cost reduction of current business processes. This paper presents a framework for senior executives to view IT infrastructure in business terms and to lead in making investment decisions. By studying 180 electronically based business initiatives in 89 top performing enterprises we identified the specific infrastructure capabilities needed for different types of business initiatives and how this capability is provided as an integrated IT infrastructure. An integrated IT infrastructure has ten clusters of IT infrastructure services fine tuned to the enterprise's set of electronically based business initiatives. Using the frameworks for describing IT based business initiatives, executives can identify the future family of initiatives (i.e., their desired strategic agility) the enterprise desires to lead their industry with. This is a process of strategic choice and balancing investing in longer-term agility with shorter-term cost minimization. Successful enterprises get this infrastructure balance right more often than not because they make regular, systematic modular and targeted investments while having a clear picture of their own overall infrastructure capability and how each incremental investment adds value. To lead on multiple dimensions in strategic agility required an integrated infrastructure with high capabilities in all infrastructure clusters and a deliberate approach to data management to manage conflicts. The paper concludes with a set of suggested steps to link an enterprise's desired strategic agility with the above average infrastructure capability needed. So being an IT consultant of the University I need to identify the infrastructure capabilities of the University if their infrastructure is capable of renovation or not.
Innovation, here is some article how innovation take place to improve a certain thing. “Mr. McGee said companies need “IT innovation of the third kind.” The first kind of IT innovation occurs when IT practitioners improve technical solutions to meet IT needs that were identified and initiated by IT people. This can be done through infrastructure modernization with faster Internet speeds, cheaper storage, or improved flexibility through virtualization. The second kind of IT innovation occurs when IT practitioners design innovative IT solutions to meet business needs that were identified and initiated by business people. This can achieved with more CRM channels, smarter business intelligence analytic tools, or better mobile devices. “The third kind of IT innovation takes place when IT practitioners design innovative IT solutions to meet business needs that were identified and initiated by IT people,” Mr. McGee said. “While innovation itself is the first imperative, focusing the value of IT to your organization over the coming years will require attention to five more imperatives.” The six imperatives for innovation of the third kind include: Innovate, Globalize, Connect, Socialize, Advance, and Industrialize.” Through innovation is much recommended to a certain company changes or company that needs improvement, as to our problem the poor internet connectivity of the University innovation or in other words “improvement, advancement and originality”, these things are very important to achieve you goals.
Other thing to do in order to satisfy the need of the University is the process of your work or the steps you are going through is very important so that by achieving your goals of your work it should be organized and well planned.

Assignment 5(MIS) IT/IS Implementation Barriers

2009-10-11T06:58:00.000-07:00

IT Implementation Barriers

Lack of adequate financial support is top IT implementation barrier.
Financial pressures are a powerful limitation on capital investment in information technology. The top three IT implementation barriers cited by 2001 survey respondents are lack of adequate financial support for IT (21%), difficulty proving IT quantifiable benefits/ROI (15%), and vendors’ inability to effectively deliver product or service to respondents’ satisfaction (14%). Although it is still a top concern, difficulty in proving ROI has decreased in significance from 22% last year.
Accessing capital and demonstrating return-on-investment are not the only challenges. While recruiting and retaining high-quality IT staff was mentioned, staffing concerns dropped for the second year in a row; only 6% of respondents cited it as a barrier, compared to 15% in 2000, and 23% in 1999.

AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION INTO THE LINK BETWEEN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES IMPLEMENTATION BARRIERS AND COPING STRATEGIES IN THE AUSTRALIAN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

R.A. Stewart1, S. Mohamed2 and M. Marosszeky3
ABSTRACT: The need for the improved implementation of Information Technology (IT) has been identified in both empirical and highly structured research studies as being critical to effective innovation and development at an industry and enterprise level. This need is greater in the construction industry as it has been relatively slow to embrace the full potential of IT based technologies. In an attempt to understand1 why the construction industry lags other industries in the uptake and effective implementation of IT, this study reports on an investigation of the Australian construction industry, which identifies the impediments or barriers to IT implementation and the most effective coping strategies to overcome them. A questionnaire-based research approach was adopted for this purpose and a total of 134 valid survey responses were received from various architectural, engineering and construction professionals. The questionnaire was designed to identify perceptions of the most significant barriers to IT implementation and to determine the most ‘practical’ and ‘effective’ corresponding coping strategies to mitigate their effects at three decision-making levels: Industry; Organization and Project.

Keywords: information technology, barriers, coping strategies, decision-making tiers, construction.

INTRODUCTION

The uptake of Information Technology (IT) in construction has lagged well behind most other industries. A number of historical, industrial and market forces have shaped the industry’s structure and culture, thus affecting the rate, extent and nature of IT adoption in key business processes. Reasons for the slow uptake of IT have been investigated and are well-documented (Marsh and Finch, 1998; Betts 1999; Marosszeky et al., 2000; Stewart et al., 2002). They include the very nature of how the industry constructs one-off projects creating a project rather than a process perspective of production and of investment opportunity, supply chain fragmentation, lack of client leadership, low level of technology awareness and training, necessary up-front investment, on-going maintenance costs and resistance to change. Surveys have also shown that IT is still restricted to administrative and accounting functions, or for highly specific technical functions within the various disciplines (Betts and Clark, 1999; Marosszeky et al., 2000). Within the building and construction industry cluster in Australia, the constructors make the greatest contribution to employment, 158,000 firms employ on average 2.3 people. Less than one percent of this sector employs more that 20 people. Among designers, the average size of the some 4,600 architectural firms is 4.6 employees and of the approximately 4,600 engineering consultants, 5.6 people (DISR., 1999). As a consequence, a supply chain consisting of hundreds of organizations delivers major projects. With such fragmentation and such small organizations, only a relatively small number of industry leaders are in a position to plan for strategic IT implementation (Marosszeky et al., 2000). Betts (1999) argues that there is a rather limited strategic use of IT in construction and advocates that industry leaders, national agencies and professional institutions should drive towards a more effective strategic exploitation of IT in the sector. Marosszeky et al. (2000) recommend the development of inter-organizational collaboration to re-engineer the supply chain using IT. To assist in the development of a soundly based strategic approach to IT implementation in construction, this paper reports the results of a questionnaire survey-based investigation into the significant barriers to effective IT implementation and coping strategies to overcome them.
The paper first of all presents a literature review of the barriers to effective IT implementation in the construction industry categorized into three (3) discrete levels: industry, organization and project. Next a similarly structured approach presents coping strategies reported in the literature. The combination of barriers and associated coping strategies provided the background to the development of the survey instrument. The paper then outlines the research methodology, analysis and results. The analysis identifies the most commonly perceived barriers at each level and looks for correlations between barriers and coping strategies.

BARRIERS TO EFFECTIVE IT IMPLEMENTATION

Effective IT implementation in construction is essential to improve productivity. However, the take-up of innovative IT applications and tools has been limited. In an attempt to understand the reasons for the poor diffusion of IT, some researchers have investigated the barriers to effective IT implementation in construction. Reconciling the relevant literature (Love et al., 1996; Tucker and Mohamed, 1996; NSW; 1998; Marsh and Finch, 1998; DIST, 1998; Baxendale, 1999; Smith, 1999; Marsh and Flanagan, 2000; Love et al., 2001; Marosszeky et al., 2000; Marosszeky, 2002) a holistic view of the top-down effect of these barriers is illustrated in Figure 1. The barriers detailed in this figure have been drawn from an extensive review of the literature and categorized into the three levels at which IT implementation barriers exist: industry, organization and project. In the paragraphs that follow, each of these levels and their respective barriers are briefly described. At all levels, numerous barriers inhibit a higher level of IT diffusion in this industry. At the industry level, the barriers that tend to inhibit the adoption of information and communication technologies are typically related to the competitive nature of the industry, the fragmented supply chain comprising mainly small organizations and the dispersion of expertise. One major contributing barrier is the poor inter-operability between different computer applications and/or organizational management strategies. The cost-driven culture of the industry has a profound effect on the uptake and effective utilization of IT investments by individual organizations. Small and medium organizations are particularly sensitive to fluctuations in profit margins resulting in limited resources available for IT expenditure. At the enterprise level, research indicates that many managers are reluctant to invest in innovation and of those that do; they usually provide limited strategic planning to ensure its efficient implementation. Reasoning behind this reluctance to invest in IT may stem from a lack of perceived return on investment on IT expenditure, and a project focus that seeks to achieve the full return on process investment from single projects. Conservative practices of business managers and limited funding devoted to IT expenditure at the organization level sets the scene for poor IT implementation on construction projects. However, the overriding factor at the project level is their relatively short duration and the very tight time frames under which they are delivered, these factors inhibit training and experimentation with IT at the project level. Moreover, many project staff may have low IT literacy and fear changing their work practices to embrace innovative IT applications and tools.

COPING STRATEGIES

The importance of coping strategies as a means of identifying and prioritizing business needs and technical systems has been recognized in several IT planning approaches (Ward and Griffiths, 1996). However, the use of coping strategies in the context of IT implementation in construction has received limited research focus. The first step in this study was to identify a set of IT coping strategies specifically for the construction industry, this was drawn from the literature (Tucker and Mohamed, 1996; Miozza et al., 1998; Finks, 1998; Pena-Mora et al., 1999; Mitropoulos and Tatum, 2000; Mak, 2001; Duyshart et al., 2002; Marosszeky, 2002; Stewart et al., 2003). Figure 2 provides an overview of the top-down effect of coping strategies on the efficient and effective diffusion of IT in construction. The coping strategies have been categorized in the same three levels as the barriers: industry; organization, and project. The first of these levels describes industry-specific strategies that are required at the macro level to promote more effective IT implementation. The second level presents strategies to ensure the smooth diffusion of proposed IT projects at the organization level. The third level describes coping strategies on individual construction projects to ensure that IT has a positive influence on operational processes. All of these coping strategies were included in the questionnaire survey and they were linked to related specific barriers. In the paragraphs that follow, the compiled list of coping strategies, at every level, are briefly described. To overcome barriers to IT uptake, practical and effective coping strategies should firstly be implemented at the industry level (Miozzo et al., 1998). This requires a high degree of commitment from Government, institutions and associations to raise awareness of available IT applications/tools and their benefits. Moreover, to overcome the IT literacy gap between the large and small/medium enterprises (SMEs), a series of IT information forums need to be developed. A possible strategy is to procure construction projects using alliance-based management approaches; this ensures that standardized processes/outputs derived from commonly available IT applications are used throughout the supply chain (Stewart et al., 2003). Clients and their project managers need to drive such a process. At the organization level a series of forums for promoting standardized IT implementation may aid improved IT diffusion but only with the full support of senior management (Miozzo et al., 1998). Their support will ultimately influence the level of funding allocated towards IT investments, which in turn, dictates the degree of training and support provided (Stewart et al., 2003). Achieving these objectives should encourage employees to embrace IT related applications throughout the organization and its projects. Construction projects are very unique environments, which are largely decentralized from the IT architecture of the organization. These projects face very specific IT implementation challenges and thus require definitive coping strategies to overcome them. Appointing a project IT champion would help ensure an improved appreciation and increased level of utilization of IT projects by site staff (Pena Mora et al., 1999). Additionally, dedicating IT training and support sessions within the construction program would enhance the degree of IT diffusion (Duyshart et al., 2002). At all levels, a series of practical and effective coping strategies are required to help overcome IT implementation barriers.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The research methodology was developed with the purpose of achieving the following research goals:
• Refinement of the screened list of barriers;
• Ranking the refined barriers in order of significance;
• Linking barriers to coping strategies;
• Establishing the effectiveness and practicality of coping strategies;
• Recommending guidelines for effective IT implementation.

The study looks at these issues at the above-mentioned three levels.
a. Questionnaire Design

In order to achieve the above research goals, the questionnaire contained questions on the background of the survey respondents and the IT portfolio of their organization. This was followed by eight questions relating to the significance of the barriers at the industry level. For these questions, respondents were required to rate the level of significance of each barrier using a five-point Likert scale from 1 to 5 (“1” not significant to “5” most significant). The next group of questions asked the respondents to link each of the eight barriers to a series of coping strategies and then rate the level of effectiveness (i.e. its potential to overcome one or more of the barriers) and practicality (i.e. ease of implementation) of these strategies. This was done using a scale from 1 to 5, where “1” has very little potential, or most difficult to implement to “5” has great potential or very easy to implement, for effectiveness and practicality, respectively. Following this are two sections that incorporate barriers and coping strategies specifically designed for the organization and project tier, respectively, which also follow the above-mentioned questioning process.

Sampling Procedure

The questionnaire was targeted at respondents from the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) industry. Responses were sought from respondents with different position descriptions to gauge perceptions from a broad range of perspectives that are representative of opinions throughout the sector. The questionnaire was sent to 520 professionals from the AEC industry. A small sample of government project managers also participated in the survey. One hundred and forty (140) positive returns were received, representing an average response rate of 27%. This rate appears to be consistent with other reported mail surveys (Fellows and Liu, 1997). Six questionnaires were eliminated due to missing data, leaving a final sample size of 134. Prior to determining significant barriers, analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to test whether the group of values of each item were equal for each group of respondents: Principal Engineer/Director/Department Head, Site Engineer/Project Manager, Design Engineer, Architect, HRM/Finance/Administration officer, IT professional and Other. This helped clarifying whether or not the opinions of these seven groups were the same for the various barriers at the three levels. The results suggest a consensus between the seven groups in relation to all barriers covered in the survey.

SURVEY RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

The following sections detail the following sections detail the results of the questionnaire survey starting with a brief classification of the respondent profiles, followed by the ranking of barriers according to mean significance, and finally the linking of these barriers to possible coping strategies.

Classification of Respondents

This section details the profile of the organization, business, respondent position and IT applications/tools utilized. Firstly, the questionnaire survey was targeted mainly at the private AEC industry (94%), in addition to, a small percentage (6%) of government and quasi-government AEC professionals. The questionnaire survey primarily aimed to gauge the perceptions of Australian consultants and construction contracting personnel. However, the respondents’ business type profile was categorized into five categories to include secondary businesses types. As expected, most respondents were employed by construction-contracting organizations (48%), followed closely by consultants (39%), with government employees (5%), developer employees (4%) and other (4%) making up the remainder of the respondents. The respondents’ position description was categorized into seven categories. The position description of Principal Engineer/Director /Department Head was the most common (45%), followed by Site Engineer/Project Manager (16%), Design Engineer (14%), Architect (8%), HRM/Finance/Administration Officer (8%), IT professional (7%), and other (2%). The next part of the questionnaire asked respondents to detail what IT applications and tools they had available to them on construction projects. As mentioned previously, the survey adopted an information-centric definition of IT, and thus only those types of applications/tools were included in the survey. In total, seven IT applications and tools were included in the survey, as follows: (1) Internet; (2) e-mail; (3) Local Area Network (LAN); (4) Wide Area Network (WAN); (5) Web-Based Project Management Application (WBPMA); (6) Video conferencing; and (7) On-line remote network (mobile). As expected, all respondents had embraced basic IT applications and had access to e-mail and the Internet (100%). Also, LANs (77%) were widely adopted by these organizations. However, more innovative project management and communication technologies, such as Wide Area Networks (WAN) (37%), Web Based Project Management Applications (WBPMA) (35%), video conferencing (23%) and On-line remote networks (26%), were not yet widely adopted. It is important to note that this research did not focus on establishing the extent to which innovative IT was utilized, but rather it was more concerned to identify the availability of certain IT based technologies in the work environment and the level to which respondents had an appreciation of the role of IT in managing project information and its associated benefits. Respondents were also asked to detail the period within which they had implemented specific IT tools. This time frame was used to reflect the link to previous surveys where IT utilization was limited (Love et al., 1996). A couple of trends can be identified such as: most respondents began to embrace the internet and email in the last 4-6 years; and the more innovative IT applications and tools, that have been implemented, have only been in the last 1-3 years.

Significant Barriers to IT Implementation

The barriers that had been grouped as a result of the literature review were kept together in the survey and respondents were asked to rate their significance on a scale of one to five as detailed previously. Table 1 details the mean significance scores for the eight industry level barriers labelled A through to H. Respondents rated barriers E: Cost driven and/or ill informed client organisations (3.48), H: Poor inter-operability between different applications/organisations (3.46), and G: High cost associated respondents did not see barrier D: Lack of leadership by major client organisations (2.96) and B: Cyclical variations in workload activity levels (2.71) as being highly significant barriers to effective IT implementation for communication. Surprisingly, respondents did not link barriers G and B together as one would expect cost and stability of income to be linked. Perhaps this can be explained by the inherent short-term view of practitioners working in the industry. Table 2 details the mean significance scores for the six organization level barriers labelled A through to F. Respondents rated barriers E: Limited resources available to small and medium enterprises (3.96) and H: Lack of perceived return on investment of IT expenditure (3.77) as the most significant barriers. Adversely, respondents did not see barriers A: Conservative business practices (3.02) and B: Resistance to change by staff (3.00) as being highly significant barriers to effective IT implementation. Finally, Table 3 details the mean significance scores for the six project level barriers labelled A through to F. Respondents rated barrier F: Tight project timeframes inhibit training and experimenting with IT (4.00) as the most significant barrier. Adversely, respondents did not see barriers B: Fear of change and uncertainty by some project participants (2.95) as being highly significant barriers to effective IT implementation.

Table 1: Mean significance of industry level barriers
Code BarrierDescription MeanSignificance Rank
E Cost-driven and/ 3.48 1
or ill-informed client
organisations
H Poor inter-operability 3.46 2
between different
applications
G High cost associated 3.45 3
with IT applications
C Low profit margins 3.33 4
F Relatively low level of
IT awareness(exposure to IT) 3.18 5
A Fragmented nature of 3.07 6
the industry
D Lack of leadership by major 2.96 7
Client organisations
B Cyclical variations in
workload activity levels 2.71 8

Table 2: Mean significance of organization level barriers
Code BarrierDescription MeanSignificance Rank
E Limited resources available 3.96 1
to small and
medium enterprises
F Lack of perceived return 3.77 2
on investment on IT
expenditure
C Lack of organisational 3.26 3
strategic planning
D Reluctance by management 3.08 4
to invest in innovation
at a company level
A Conservative business 3.02 5
practices
B Resistance to change 3.00 6
by staff

Table 3: Mean significance of project level barriers
Code BarrierDescription MeanSignificance Rank
F Tight project timeframes 4.00 1
inhibit training and
experimenting with IT
D Limited IT expenditure 3.48 2
on projects
E Lack of IT leadership 3.45 3
on projects
C Low technology literacy 3.43 4
of some project participants
A Security & privacy issues 3.31 5
B Fear of change and 2.95 6
uncertainty by some
project participants

Linking IT Barriers to Coping Strategies

The next group of questions asked respondents to link the barriers detailed in Tables 1 through to 3 to a series of coping strategies for the industry, organization and project levels, respectively, and then rate the effectiveness and practicality of these strategies. The results of this part of the questionnaire survey are detailed in Tables 4 through to 6 for the three levels, respectively, and described as follows. Columns (1) and (2) detail the coping strategies codes and descriptions. Column (3) details the barrier codes and the percentage of the respondents who linked them to relevant coping strategies (i.e. for Table 4: H (38%) means that 38% of respondents linked barrier H to coping strategy CS1). Column (4) details the mean significance of the linked barriers as per Tables 1 to 3 above. Columns (5) and (6) detail the mean effectiveness and practicality scores, respectively, for the linked barriers in question. These scores are combined in Column (7) (i.e. for Table 4: the CS1-H link = 3.36 + 2.64 = 6.00) to represent a more meaningful rating for the ‘usefulness’ of the coping strategy for overcoming the linked barriers. Finally, each link is ranked according to the significance of the barrier and the ‘usefulness’ of the associated coping strategy. For example, for the industry level link CS1-H (38%) detailed in Column (Cool of Table 4, the importance of the link is determined by multiplying the mean significance by the usefulness score (3.46 × 6 = 20.76). This ranking provides industry and enterprise leaders with a means to focus on the most important barriers that can be overcome by the suggested coping strategies, see Column (9). In order to retain the most significant barriers and their respective links to coping strategies, the authors refined the analysis as follows: (1) Remove barriers with a mean significance < 3; (2) Remove links where less than 30% of respondents linked barriers to coping strategies; and (3) Remove barrier-to-coping strategy links that have a mean usefulness (i.e. mean effectiveness + mean practicality) less than 6. The purpose of these steps is to refine the analysis to ensure that only significant barriers are identified for each level, that coping strategies target their intended barriers, and that the coping strategies are reasonably ‘likely’ to achieve their desired result. The following sections describe the most significant findings from the study at each level.

Industry level

In general, respondents indicated that the suggested coping strategies for the industry level barriers are impractical with a mean score for all links as 2.91 (i.e. < 3) while the mean effectiveness for all links was marginally higher at 3.27. The indication that the coping strategies are impractical could be explained by a perception that these IT barriers are out of the control of individual organisations and need to be addressed at the industry level. This assertion would reinforce the observation of Miozzo et al. (1998), that Government departments and client organisations should provide guidance to the industry. In addition to linking the barriers to coping strategies, respondents were asked to suggest other coping strategies for more effective IT implementation. Only two additional coping strategies were suggested: (1) develop tertiary/professional development courses to raise awareness of IT opportunities, and (2) obtain industry agreements on software types and upgrade timing to ensure improved interoperability. It is interesting that only two respondents were willing or able to provide any additional coping strategies. This could reflect pessimism, a sense of limited control or a lack of understanding of the direction that industry should take. At the industry level, 11 links remain from the above-mentioned refinement process (see Table 4). The CS2-H link (22.32) was ranked first and this was followed closely by the CS4-E link (22.10) as the most appropriate to target by the respondents.

Organization level

The results from the organization level (Table 5) follow similar patterns to the industry level analysis. As with the industry level results, the respondents indicated that the suggested coping strategies for the organization level barriers are impractical with a mean score for all links (e.g. average score for all links) of 2.89 (i.e. < 3) while the mean effectiveness for all links was higher at 3.47. Since the only suggestion for a coping strategy at this level was to “educate managers within the organization” it could be inferred that respondents see many of the suggested strategies as difficult to implement within the operating constraints of the construction industry environment. Perhaps, an IT champion, who has the full backing of corporate management, is required to ensure these strategies can be properly implemented. At the organization level, eight links remain from the refinement process (see Table 5). The CS3-E link (27.40) followed by the CS5-E link (24.00) was ranked as the most appropriate to focus on by organisations.

Project level

The project level results (Table 6) follow a similar pattern, respondents indicating that they considered the suggested coping strategies to be impractical, the mean value for all links is low at (2.88). However, two coping strategies, CS1 and CS2 were perceived to be both practical and effective for overcoming barriers . These relate to providing adequate technical support and involving IT staff with construction projects. Other suggestions were again limited with only two responses for the project level: (1) Ensure on-line firewalls/security is adequate; and (2) Develop methods to evaluate the benefits of IT investments. At the project level, only four links remain from the refinement process (see Table 6). The CS1-C link (24.28) was ranked as the most important at the project level.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The following recommendations have been formulated from the above analysis. Tables 7, 8 and 9 detail individual barriers at the three levels together with corresponding coping strategies considered most suitable to overcome them. Utilising the ranking procedure outlined above, the barriers and their corresponding coping strategies have been presented in order of perceived effectiveness. However, organisations may wish to target particular barriers, for instance, to specifically target barrier number five from Table 7 – Relatively low level of IT awareness (exposure to IT). In this case, three coping strategies are recommended and these are listed in order of perceived effectiveness. A company could proceed to develop a detailed plan for the implementation of each coping strategy. The same approach can be followed for the industry and project levels. To ensure that the empirically determined coping strategies are fully embraced by all tiers of the construction industry it is important that a number of practical recommendations are followed:
• Top management commitment be established and maintained throughout the
IT project lifecycle;
• Adequate budgets are allocated towards IT endeavers to ensure that
their implementation and long-term utilization is sustained; and
• Implement IT-induced changes in a planned and progressive manner.

CONCLUDING REMARKS

The use of IT is growing rapidly, and is expected to become the dominant technology for business communication between organisations in the near future. However, data from the National Office for the Information Economy (NOIE, 2000) shows that the national construction industry lags well behind other industries in its uptake of IT based technologies. This paper has presented an extensive literature review, which was used to identify barriers to, and coping strategies for, IT implementation. Based on the literature review, IT implementation barriers and coping strategies were identified and categorized into three levels; namely industry, organization and project level. The first of these groups focuses on macro level industry-specific factors and barriers. The second group deals with factors and barriers at the organisational level which impact on the efficient and effective diffusion of IT projects throughout an enterprise. The third and final group presents barriers and coping strategies on individual construction projects which impact on the positive influence of IT on operational processes. The questionnaire survey validated the identified set of barriers to IT implementation and the corresponding coping strategies that can assist to overcome them. From the refinement process the most significant barriers to IT implementation and the most ‘practical’ and ‘effective’ coping strategies to overcome them were selected. The most significant barrier for each level and the most ‘useful’ coping strategies to overcome them, respectively, were identified as: o Industry level: Poor interoperability between different applications/organisations; Develop standardized processes/outputs with commonly available IT applications to facilitate inter-operability between members of the value chain; o Organization level: Limited resources available to small and medium enterprises; Adopt IT related applications with short learning curves; o Project level: Low technology literacy of some project participants; Ensure adequate technical support is provided to project staff. From the above it could be concluded that the issue of interoperability between different electronic exchanges is a major challenge facing the industry. This may well explain the continual growth in using web-based applications – as an alternative – to facilitate increased efficiency in data exchange. It may also pave the way for future development of open standards, which is a vital component in attracting small and medium enterprises to participate broadly in adopting information and communication technologies. Such enterprises would definitely opt for technologies with short learning curves to avoid stretching their limited resources and to provide opportunities for the skilling of their staff. This agrees well with the high degree of consensus in the respondents’ perception that IT training and technical support is one of the most ‘practical’ and ‘effective’ means to improve IT implementation. In conclusion, this paper has identified critical barriers to IT implementation and a series of useful coping strategies as perceived by Australian construction professional at the industry, enterprise and project levels.

references: http://www98.griffith.edu.au/dspace/handle/10072/5153
http://www.himss.org/2001Survey/HIMSS/surveyfinal/6.htm

Assignment 2(MIS) Company Visit

2009-10-11T06:53:00.000-07:00

We are task to visit some large local companies/organizations that can be found here in Davao or near to Davao in order for us to learn, and know something about business administration and business flow of information. I myself could say that this kind of activity could challenge me as a student and learn thing through reality. Yeah! This activity is very tiring especially if you have been rejected by the company you choose but at least this will help us especially when we talk about management (time management), that has been taught(always!) by our facilitator. With this, we learn how manage our time (even if we did not perfectly manage it), we learn how to become patient in many rejections we receive, and we learn to have determination. Finally, I found the local organization together with some of my classmates, which would help me comply the requirement and help me gather information. The company that warmly welcomes and accepts us to conduct an interview and visit their company is the RHINE MARKETING CORPORATION. First, I will post some information about this company…

RHINE MARKETING CORPORATION

ORIGIN

In 1947, the late Claude Marion Wilson Jr. after has retirement from the US Army, invested his savings and set up the Claude M. Wilson Trading Co., a company engaged in the imporation and selling of construction materials, essential items needed for the country's reconstruction after World War II. The small enterprise was later renamed Claude Wilson Corporation. The company started selling imported sewing machines, and business machines, principally the Italian Olivetti typewriter.

The Claude Wilson Corporation established its Cebu branch in 1957, at the center of Juan Luna and D. Jakosalem Streets, under the supervision of Mr. Juan Ross. Mr. Lou Da Costa was then General Manager of the Manila Head Office.

In less than a year, the company grew and Cebu branch moved to bigger offices of the old Osmella situated at the corner of D. Jakosalem and Magallanes Streets. Mr. Jose Antonio Martinez became the first branch manager, while another trusted Wilson executive, Mr. Senen Valero, took charge of company operations.

In the later 50's and early 60's, the Philippine economy began to flourish resulting in an increased demand for sewing machines and other home appliances. This gave the company through Claude Wilson's entrepreneurship, the impetus to diversify and expand its product lines.

In line with the government's call for the establishment of more factories, Mr. Wilson decided to manufacture instead of import sewing machines. This daring move was vigorously challenged by competitors who could import sewing machines more cheaply than to manufacture them.

In 1961, Claude Wilson Corporation became Philippine Sewing Machines Manufacturing Corporation (PSMMC). The company head office was in Manila with branches in Cebu and Dagupan, locations designed to meet demands in Luzon and the southern part of the country. Martinez was transfered back to head office in Manila and A.F. Martelino was appointed Cebu Branch Manager.

On May 26, 1964, PSMMC (now METERCOR) formed a marketing arm called Rhine Marketing Corporation principally to sell Rhine sewing machines. Paid-up capital was P50, 000.00.

In the 70's product lines were expanded to include other consumer durables which, like sewing machines, were also in short supply. Since the company's main thrust was to be installment sales, Wilson and his executives reasoned that a provincial head office would stand a better chance of succeeding. That nationale was that a small, cohesive community where people knew each other and have lived in the area for many years would result in safer, less risky sales on credit. Cebu was a natural choice. That policy was a wise one indeed and Rhine today continues to operate a nationwide network of branches from its home base in Cebu.
The following year there more branches opened in 1980. These are located in Makati, Mati, Gingoog, Valencia, San Jose, Calamba and San Fernando.

Rhine Marketing Corporation - Computer Division (RMC-CD) is a leading manufacturer of personal computers, and distributor of a complete line of peripherals and other computer-related services. Established in February 1992, when Rhine Marketing Corporation's interest has evolved from home appliance business to Information Technology (I.T.), we now enjoy a rapid growth and have achieved a good reputation immediately. We not only provide expertise to meet the increasingly sophisticated needs of our clients, but also offer solutions that set new standards for quality performance and value.

Reference: http://www.rhine.com.ph/about-us/rhine-marketing-corporation.html#about%20us

Based on the organization(s) that you visited, what do you think are the risks associated with business and IS/IT change?

…the company chooses one of their employees who is capable or has knowledge/skills that could help us gather information on their company that would reflect to our studies. One of their employees introduces himself to us. He is Mr. Crisologo Abella, MIS staff and a programmer of their branch. He is our interviewee of that company. After introducing each other I ask him a lot of questions that would help us gather information about the question above, together with my co-interviewer.
The branch of Rhine Marketing Corporation we visit is located at San Pedro St., Davao City.
These are some of the important questions that we asked or presented to him:
…How important IT/IS to your company? …What are the systems you have implemented to help the company, how do you call it? …Can you give us some details about the flow of information on this system? …How do you maintain or manage it? …are there any problems you have encounter on developing this system? …what are the risks on maintaining or managing the system? …I’m sure you’ve gone though updating your system? What are the problems or risks you’ve met on updating your system? …what are your techniques or way in order to solve these problems?

…Those are the questions we have presented and after every question, he answered it well. These are the information I have gathered from the interviewee (but I put it in my own words based on my own understanding)… He said that Information System is the most important thing on business because without it their will be no exact flow of information. In order to lessen the capacity of their work, they develop a system and they called it Rhine System. On this system, every data and information for their company such as supplies, payroll, inventory and etc., will be saved and retrieved for every moment they will needing it. He said that he is one of person who developed the software of the Rhine System such as programs, database, as well as managing or maintaining the system. He also rate to us how important is Information system; he rated it as 101%. He also taught us some of the flow of information of their companies. He also taught us what are the components or the thing flows to their system, such us the supplies  sales  inventory  payroll  etc. He said that being the head of the IS personnel and a head of their system maintenance, it cause a lot of work and problem. He said that maintaining IS/IT is as challenge because there are a lot of risks and problems you will encounter and need to solve immediately. He said that first problem you will encounter is from making or developing programs for your system. And as usual it starts from planning what kind of system capable for their company and also its limits. But, a lot of problems you will encounter are from maintaining the system, because it includes updating or changing some aspect of the system. He said that, as time goes by; many changes should be done because technology is also evolving. He also said that one of their main problems is the risk for their data security. Their system is not well secured that can be accessed by unauthorized person and probably cause system error and system change, and the flow of their information will be affected that will cause false information. Updating or changing a system is a lot of work because the whole flow of information will be interrupted that is why they will make an immediate solution for the problem. In order to solve those risks, you should be an expert for this job and well planned. He also said that they encounter a lot of error of their system that is why they have developed a backup system for data recovery. Those are the information he shared to us…

Assignment 2(HRM) My future Job!

2009-07-07T13:38:00.000-07:00

In our world today, from the level of our education you will be able to play an active role in planning and directing your future jobs. In my case, I have a lot of desired careers that I want to achieve for the future. There are a lot of jobs exists today and among those jobs, I choose what job I would like to have in the future. But using our own way of thinking, if you are in a high level of education, you can imagine or think a job that never yet exists. I, as a third year IT student, I can hereby say that I am capable or has the knowledge to develop my own job that haven’t yet exist except on my mind. Speaking of future, all of us have no idea of what our future is, but we can guide or lead our right way from the present to the future by management. Managing our time, actions and the way we does in order to have an idea of what will be our future.

Here are some guidelines on developing you future job:

1. Analyze your current/future lifestyle. Are you happy with your current lifestyle? Do you want to maintain it or change it? Be sure to identify the key characteristics of your ideal lifestyle.
2. Analyze your likes/dislikes. What kinds of job do you like? Think of a job that fit for you.
3. Analyze your passions. Reflect on the times and situations in which you feel most passionate, most energetic, most engaged.
4. Analyze your strengths and weaknesses. Step back and look at yourself from an employer's perspective. What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? Think in terms of work experience, education/training, skill development, talents and abilities, technical knowledge, and personal characteristics.
5. Analyze your definition of success. Spend some time thinking about how you define success. What is success to you: wealth, power, control, contentment…?
6. Analyze your personality. Are you an extravert or an introvert? Do you like thinking or doing? Do you like routines or change? Do you like sitting behind the desk or being on the move? Take the time to analyze yourself first, and then take one or more of these self-assessment tests.
7. Analyze your dream job. Remember those papers you had to write as a kid about what you wanted to be when you grew up? Take the time to revert back to those idyllic times and brainstorm about your current dream job; be sure not to let any negative thoughts cloud your thinking. Look for ideas internally, but also make the effort to explore/research other careers/occupations that interest you.
8. Analyze your current situation. Before you can even do any planning, clearly and realistically identify your starting point.

http://www.quintcareers.com/career_plan.html

By the guidance of our HRM facilitator, we are tasked or assigned to develop a Job Description for a job we would like to hold. If you just expand your mind about your learning from the day you start learning until today, you can think a future job you would like to be. By looking forward into the future, you should expect that the job you will create is in a high demand. In my side, I expanded my knowledge on how can I create a job for the future that is best and right for me and would help other people. I don’t think if my chosen job that popup in my mind already exist or not, but I know that among those millions of job exists that are IT related I can definitely say that the job description that I will develop is also related to some of those jobs. This is the job that I really want to be in the future and I think that this job fit for me. The job description that I would like to become in the future is… Software Developer!

This is one of my dreams that someday in the future I could develop my very own unique software that would help technological enhancement and can be useful in the future especially to IT world. I choose this kind of job I want to be in the future because I was amazed by different software exists nowadays, and how those things help me and everyone. I choose to become an educated IT person because I want to experience or want to know what is behind in the world of technology that is definitely a parner of our daily lives.

God Bless!

COMDDAP experiences!

2009-07-07T11:32:00.000-07:00

COMDDAP (Computer Manufacturers, Distributors and Dealers Association of the Philippines)

Background:

COMDDAP is an association of the country's top information technolgy businesses. Its primary objective is to promote the sustainable development of the of the country's information technology industry through voluntary collaboration of its member companies. It is the goal of COMDDAP to be able to provide its members general views and updates from different sectors - private and government, and highly regarded individuals to further uplift the morale and knowledge of its organization.

The vision of promoting and elevating the standards of Information technology (IT) in the Philippines fueled a group of prominent computer companies to form the Computer Distributors and Dealers Association of the Philippines or COMDDAP. Its initial member-companies represent the world's leading makers and providers of computer product solutions and peripherals.
In 1997, the manufacturing sector - represented by industry leaders Hewlett Packard, Epson and Compaq, among others - was integrated into the COMDDAP membership, making the association a more diverse representation of the IT sector and thus the new name, COMPUTER MANUFACTURERS, DISTRIBUTORS AND DEALERS ASSOCIATION OF THE PHILIPPINES.

Reference: http://www.comddap.org/aboutus.htm

My experiences:

Last July 2, 2009 we went to the Apo View Hotel of Davao to witness the event, the COMDDAP Davao Expo 2009. We are informed by our facilitator in MIS (Management Information System) and HRM (Human Resource Management) about this event. This event will help us as an IT student to gather some information that is related to our course. COMDDAP’s goal is to make IT significant. As we arrive at the event area, the Apo View Hotel of Davao, first we saw, are the exhibits of different technological products such as new modeled computers/laptops, flat screened TV’s, computer mother

boards and etc.. Those are different technologies introduced by different companies for promotions of their products in order to enhance IT practices. After viewing those displayed technologies, we enter to a room to attend different sessions. Different kind of people attended the sessions; there are IT students like us from other schools, IT professionals, teachers, business personnel, and etc, just to witness different business strategies/techniques applied to IT and also to witness the pro

ducts and services that they are promoting. The first session I attended was the ERIC (Enterprise Resource & Information Control) Management System conducted by Mr Celmer L. Santos.

Here are some information about ERIC.

Jupiter Systems Inc. (JSI) is a Philippine-based IT company dedicated to delivering business solutions for medium to large companies globally. JSI is one of the most experienced software houses in the Philippines and was one of the pioneers of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) in the country. The company has been delivering business solutions for the past 25 years.

JSI's flagship product is Enterprise Resource Information and Control (ERIC). ERIC is an integrated financial, distribution, manufacturing and personnel software application. ERIC has extended its scope to include mobile and internet based applications, making it available at the workplace on the internet and on the road.

http://www.jupitersystems.com.ph/eric.aspx

…the next session I attended was the HP (Hewlett Packard), they mainly introduces their main product of that session, the HP Thin Client.

Here are some information about Thin Client:

What is thin client?

A thin client (sometimes also called a lean or slim client) is a client computer or client software in client-server architecture networks which depends primarily on the central server for processing activities, and mainly focuses on conveying input and output between the user and the remote server. In contrast, a thick or fat client does as much processing as possible and passes only data for communications and storage to the server.

Thin clients are computing devices that function as an access device on a network. These solid-state devices connect over a network to a server where the bulk of the processing takes place. Thin clients have no hard drive, allowing for more secure storage of data and applications on the server. In fact, keystrokes, mouse events and screen images are all that is sent between the client and server. This makes the device much more secure than a standard desktop or notebook computer. With no hard drive, fan or other moving parts, thin clients have a much longer lifespan than standard computers and use significantly less power. Lower maintenance costs are another benefit as software application updates, virus scanning and patches can be executed on the server. Deployment costs are also reduced as thin clients can be remotely configured and do not need to be set up individually. Break-fix simply requires replacing the thin client.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thin_client

http://www.hp.com/sbso/solutions/pc_expertise/article/thinclients_consider.html

…information for those products are well discussed and introduced. After the discussions about that product, the in charge conducted a question and answer portion with prizes whoever can give the right answer. The definitely try our very best to be called and give an answer because we are aiming to get the prizes such as USB flash device and t-shirts. But, I got no prizes because I haven’t called and had a chance to answer the questions but anyway I’m still satisfied with their performances in introducing their best products that can help IT people.

…After that session, I decided not to attend on the last session, but anyway I went home brought new information. Those information help gather some ideas on how IT can help our life better. By the help of different companies actually Big Companies who applies the information system in order to improve their businesses. Because they share their knowledge on us about some techniques or strategies to help us develop and extend knowledge about IT.

God Bless!

Assignment 3(MIS)Reflection on Automated election

2009-07-06T03:50:00.000-07:00

Philippines says plan for automated election on again
Fri Jul 3, 2009 3:42pm IST

MANILA (Reuters) - The Philippines will hold automated presidential elections next year after the partners of a joint venture that won a $150 million deal to supply counting machines patched up their differences on Friday, officials said.
"We're back to automation," Jose Melo, head of the Commission on Elections (Comelec), told reporters after Filipino company Total Information Management signed a joint venture agreement with Barbados-based Smartmatic to supply 82,200 counting machines.
Lawmakers, political groups and analysts have previously cast doubts over the automated process. Many feared chaos due to potential machine breakdowns and delays in results transmission, which could lead to a failed election and political limbo.
But analysts say even manual counting would expose the elections to the likelihood of fraud. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has faced four attempts at impeachment on charges she cheated in the last presidential election in 2004.
Melo said the incorporation papers of the joint venture to supply vote counting machines will be filed before the Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday and the contract with Comelec will be signed on Friday, the final deadline to automate the elections in May 2010.
If no automation contract is signed by July 10, Melo said the Philippines will likely scrap the deal and hold elections manually.
The automation should provide results within two days of voting instead of the weeks it takes currently, the agency has said.
On Monday, Melo said the plan to automate polls was likely to be scrapped because Smartmatic's local partner broke off from the deal due to differences, but gave the partners until Friday to resolve their dispute.

Reference: http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-40785720090703

2010 Philippine Automated Election in jeopardy
by Ryuji23 | July 1, 2009 at 03:26 am
MANILA, Philippines - The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) are now on the mindset of going back to manual counting if Smartmatic and TIM will not resolve their conflict. The COMELEC has given the two corporations until Friday to decide whether or not they could push through with the automation contract for the 2010 elections.
If the two companies cannot push through with the automation contract, COMELEC chairman Jose Melo admitted that next year’s elections might be done manually because the commission no longer has the time to convene a second bidding for a new supplier of machines.
Makati Rep. Teodoro Locsin Jr., chairman of the House electoral reform committee, told reporters that TIM president Antuñez wanted 500 million php “up front” from its foreign partner. “If you give me a half a billion pesos, all of these problems will be solved.” - This was what the president of Total Information Management Corp. had demanded in a tease manner, but Smartmatic took seriously.“Of course, they took this as a joke but lawyers do not laugh about such things. They took it as a deal breaker. The lawyers thought this was tantamount to extortion,” Locsin said.Locsin said that by making “impossible demands,” Antunez was laying the groundwork for its defense against a lawsuit to be filed by Smartmatic in Singapore. “P500 million is really big because Smartmatic’s bid is already the lowest. You are not supposed to do that, it’s illegal. You cannot just give P500 million profit to somebody. Why will you do that?” Locsin said.

Reference: http://www.nowpublic.com/world/2010-philippine-automated-election-jeopardy

Goals:
To ensure a credible and transparent electoral process, the modernization of the electoral system through computerization shall be supported to ensure the credibility of polls and correct the deficiencies in the electoral system. Likewise, the Omnibus Election Code shall be further revised and amended to respond to the needs of the present electoral system. Measures to strengthen the party system and regulate the activities of political parties shall be created. State financing of political parties shall also be considered through the passage of the Campaign Finance Bill. The COMELEC’s capacity to raise the level of political discourse and educate citizens regarding their right to vote will be enhanced. This will be done through conduct of continuing citizen and voter education through partnership with civil society groups and other government institutions. The electorate must be empowered with information that would help them vote intelligently. The challenge is to develop the people’s appreciation of their vote as a means to reform the government and receive better services from it. Part of this challenge is the need to raise the awareness of the electorate on relevant issues and the corresponding platforms of the candidates, if the country is to shift from the politics of personality to the politics of party programs.

Reference: http://www.neda.gov.ph/ads/mtpdp/mtpdp2004-2010/pdf/mtpdp%202004-2010%20neda_chapterx13_elections.pdf

Reflections:
Its just one of the big headlines that booms out the whole world of media. It’s the news about the Automated Election that will be used in 2010 election here in Philippines. According to the news updates, there are times that the automation for election has not been approved because of some financial and other conflicts. There are lots of questions that would come up in your mind about this issue, “are the Filipinos ready for the automated election?”, “could this help and improve the election system?”, “are these machines secured enough from some anomalies such us cheating?”, “are we capable for this system?”, and etc.. But such a big question for every responsible Filipino, “Would we go for automated election or not?”.
For me, as an IT student and an educated citizen of the Philippines, I choose to have an automated election Philippines. This is our chance to show the world that we are capable and well educated persons to have this kind of system for election. In my own understanding and point of view about this issue, I urge to choose the automated election because it is one way of helping our country to improve and let the world of IT evolve in us. Technology today is part of our lives for these help us make our life efficient and easy. Automated election helps our country establish a faster, reliable and efficient election system. Information Technology is the most concern about this situation. Businesses are improved and are still revolving in our world through the help of IT/IS.
Another question arises because of our countries economic income. “Can our country (Philippines) have an enough budget to sustain the offered amount?” According to the news headlines, automated election is threatened not to continue because of some financial problem and business transaction conflicts. “Can Philippines provide that such amount?” for me yes, using IT relations, we can find ways to provide the offered amount. Information System can help us deal with Financing problem. If we can understand more way of Information System/ the Information Technology, we will be able to solve our problem.
Develop your world, learn IT!
God bless us all!

Assignment 4(MIS)Green Campus Computing

2009-07-06T02:00:00.000-07:00

1.) In University of Alberta

About this initiative

The Vice-Provost (Information Technology) encourages all computer users to apply green computing practices to ensure that our use of information technologies is sustainable. This site and the Green Computing Initiative contribute to the larger energy management programs at the University of Alberta.

Fall 2009 marks the beginning of the Green Computing Initiative at the University of Alberta. During this first year, the Green Computing Initiative will focus on achieving the following:

* Increasing the daily use of green computing practices by faculty and staff.
* Educating administrators about the merits of ENERGY STAR computers.
* Informing administrators about viable ways to extend the life of computers.
* Educating purchasers about appropriate computers for different types of work.
* Pilot testing ways to enhance the energy efficiency and cost effectiveness of local area networks and data centres.

All of us can contribute to the environmental sustainability of the University of Alberta. Through partnering as part of the Green Computing Initiative, we can all contribute towards information technology practices that will not exhaust the earth's resources.

visit this site for more information:
http://www.vpit.ualberta.ca/green/index.php?ref=about

2.)Green Computing: Using IT Automation to Achieve Energy Efficiency

Overview: The concern over the environmental impact of the increased usage of computing technology has far reaching ramifications on the sustainability of business IT operations. Already increasing energy costs and expanding power utilization needs are having a direct impact on business profitability. Add to this the social concerns over the global climate crisis and conservation efforts that have led to regulatory compliance initiatives, and businesses are increasingly pressured to find new solutions to ensuring IT business implementations are more eco-friendly. Green Computing, or Green IT, is the practice of implementing policies and procedures that improve the efficiency of computing resources in such a way as to reduce the environmental impact of their utilization.

visit this site for more information:
http://whitepapers.techrepublic.com.com/abstract.aspx?docid=1022065

3.) Green Computing

The University of Hertfordshire, recognised as a sector leader in environmental management, has been awarded funding from the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) for a project to incorporate green technologies into the refurbishment of the de Havilland Campus Data Centre in 2009.

This pioneering Reduction And Re-use of Energy in Institutional Data Centres (RARE-IDC) aims to provide world-class innovation in the use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in Higher Education.

visit this site for more information:
http://www.herts.ac.uk/about-us/facilities/learning-resources/about-lis/rare-idc/home.cfm

.... as an IT student, i must be aware of today's IT operations. To sustain and develop the business IT operations, energy cost is also increasing and the need for power utilization is expanding which leads to direct impact to business success. in order to lessen the energy cost and the usage of power, Green Campus Computing concepts can be applied in different universities, IT experts, business people and etc.. Here are some idea about GREEN COMPUTING according to wikipedia, Green computing is the study and practice of using computing resources efficiently. The primary objective of such a program is to account for the triple bottom line, an expanded spectrum of values and criteria for measuring organizational (and societal) success. The goals are similar to green chemistry; reduce the use of hazardous materials, maximize energy efficiency during the product's lifetime, and promote recyclability or biodegradability of defunct products and factory waste. Modern IT systems rely upon a complicated mix of people, networks and hardware; as such, a green computing initiative must be systemic in nature, and address increasingly sophisticated problems. Elements of such a solution may comprise items such as end user satisfaction, management restructuring, regulatory compliance, disposal of electronic waste, telecommuting, virtualization of server resources, energy use, thin client solutions, and return on investment (ROI). The imperative for companies to take control of their power consumption, for technology and more generally, therefore remains acute. One of the most effective power management tools available in 2009 may still be simple, plain, common sense.
Here are some of my suggestions on how Universities can apply the concept of GREEN CAMPUS COMPUTING:
*First of all, the role model of the Green Campus Computing in the said Universities are the administration, faculty and staff/teachers. By their guidance and administration, this concept will be easily applied by everyone in the University. All of the members of the University specially the students and staffs who are constantly using computers and other technologies that consumes power and energy should be aware of this program, the goal and concepts of the program should be discussed and understood.
*Next, everyone should participate/cooperate in this program. All of us should understand the concept of it and apply it in our daily lives. All of us should be responsible in conserving energy and help the mother earth! Through this, all of us are the beneficiary.
*Lastly, each one of us are the model in conserving energy. Let spread this program and teach other about this. let us decrease the cost and improve competitiveness.

God bless us all!

Assignment 1(MIS)Company Reflecting IT/IS

2009-06-25T05:02:00.000-07:00

Our first assignment in Management Information System, facilitated by our facilitator Dr. Randy S. Gamboa, we are asked to choose a local companies or organizations and study about the usage of the Information System and the importance of it on their company, but we must first consult our teacher if the local organizations or companies will be fit or applicable to our studies. All companies nowadays are using Information System so that their companies or organization will be well organized or well planned. This study will help us understand and gather more information about our subject MIS. I suggest four local companies that can be found here in Davao and send it to our facilitator for approval but only two among them are approved, this are the Concentrix Davao SYNNEX Corporation Company and the Wilcon Builders Depot. Among the approved local companies I choose the Wilcon Builders Depot. I choose this company because i'm curious about this kind of company(lol).

Here are some overviews or information about the company I choose…

Build anything. We have everything...

Wilcon Builder's Supply was founded in 1977 in Quezon City, Manila and has since then expanded to several retail outlets within strategic locations in Metro Manila and one in Davao City. The company has revolutionized the construction industry by creating convenience shopping for its customers through its air-conditioned shops, delivery service, and commitment to excellent service. Their 30 years expertises have propelled this once small company to become the pioneer and leader in supplying finishing materials for the building industry.

In 2003, a sister company, Wilcon Builders' Depot was launched with its first outlet in Las Piñas, Alabang. Bigger in size and with more product lines to offer the customer, the company continues to offer the same services that have made Wilcon a household name in the construction supply industry and will be expanding to cater to more customers in the Philippines. Complimenting its smaller shops, the already established Depot outlets are scattered all over the metro offering a wide variety of items for a truly convenient one-stop shopping experience. As of 2009, Wilcon already has a total of 7 traditional Wilcon Supply outlets and 12 well-known Wilcon Depots all over the Metro and one in Davao City.

sources: http://www.wilcon.com.ph/static/web_pages/aboutwilcon1-1.asp

Here are also some information about the usage of IT/IS in this company and the software company that manages their system...

Wilcon Builders` Supply Signs Software Deal With Lawson

Philippine-based home building and construction supplier sees IT investment as a long-term strategy to support growth ST. PAUL, Minn.--(Business Wire)-- Lawson Software (Nasdaq: LWSN) today announced that Wilcon Builders` Supply signed a contract to implement the Lawson M3 Enterprise Management System to help support the company`s business and distribution operations. The Philippines-based company signed the contract during Lawson`s second quarter of fiscal 2009, which ended Nov. 30, 2008.

The Lawson M3 Enterprise Management System provides a number of integrated business application suites that cover core and supporting business processes, including financial management, customer relationship management, supply chain planning, supply chain execution, business intelligence, and mobility. The Wilcon project will include a comprehensive implementation of the Lawson M3 system and will initially support approximately 140 users throughout the company.

"This new relationship with Wilcon is more evidence that we are becoming the obvious choice for retail/wholesale and distribution companies by delivering industry-specific functionality that helps deliver greater value and a strong return on investment," said David Hope, vice president and managing director for Lawson Asia. "And with more than 800 employees in the Philippines, we are in a great position to support our customers in the country and across the region."

"We are investing heavily in cutting-edge IT in spite of the current economic climate, because we see technology as a platform to enhance and support the growth of our business," said William Belo, president and CEO of Wilcon. "For instance, automating warehouse processes, enabling shop floor mobility and gleaning reports using Lawson Business Intelligence can help us improve our customer service levels, especially when there is the potential of regional expansion in the future."

Wilcon`s decision to select Lawson came after an evaluation of competing offerings from other enterprise software providers. "After listening to what all the vendors had to say, we felt Lawson offered the best overall solution fit in terms of the size of its operations in the region and the depth of its expertise in distribution and retail. This is also reflected in the numerous references Lawson has in the industry, which was a key driver in our decision," added Belo.

sources: http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS151774+14-Jan-2009+BW20090114

INFORMATION SYSTEM AND BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS

The Importance of Information Technology and Information Systems

All medium to large organizations depend on Information technology for their continued survival. Consider organizations like British Gas, British Telecom, the Power and Water companies having to manually calculate, millions of customer bills every month or quarter! Clearly the clerical effort involved would make it difficult if not impossible for the organization to make a profit. Similar arguments apply to many other organizations such as the high street banks, central and local government. A recent article in the Daily Telegraph IT supplement suggested that many large organizations could last no longer than 24 hours without IT support! There should be little wonder that attitudes to the development of information systems have changed over the years from an ad hoc almost cavalier approach to a professionally managed, disciplined, planned, and engineering approach.

Strategic Information Systems Planning

Organizations typically develop rolling business plans, they are constructed by taking into account the current business, the external influences on the business (e.g. the economy, government policy and technological advances), and the aims and objectives of the most senior levels of management. The strategic business plan describes how the organization will strive to move from the current business to the target business.

In the past information systems were developed simply to improve the efficiency of specific business functions. More recently information systems have been viewed as tools for obtaining competitive advantage. Avison and Fitzgerald (1995) have discussed the following ways in which information systems can help to achieve competitive advantage

"Redefine the boundaries of particular industries
Develop new products or services,

Change the relationships between suppliers and customers,

Establish barriers to deter new entrants to marketplaces."

Porter (1980) identifies five competitive forces that any organization needs to consider:-

1. Threat of new entrants.

2. Bargaining power of customers.

3. Threat of substitute products or services.

4. Bargaining power of suppliers.

5. Rivalry among existing firms.

Earl (1989) extends Porter’s work by illustrating the strategic role that Information Technology (IT) can play in addressing these forces. The result of Earl’s work is a ‘multiple’ methodology. The methodology adopts a three pronged approach to strategic information systems development. The first prong involves the top-down analysis of business objectives using Critical Success Factors (CSF), SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis and Porter’s five forces. The second prong involves bottom-up analysis of existing systems and the third prong emphasize the creative use of IT.

Bullen and Rockart (1984) have produced a strategic information systems methodology based on CSF analysis. The methodology involves the analysis of business goals and objectives and the factors critical to achieving those objectives. The next stage is the identification of the information systems required to support these CSFs.

The discussion so far has emphasized a holistic approach, looking at high level business objectives rather than detailed functional requirements. These approaches emphasize the importance of shared corporate data, an issue which will be discusses in detail in the next section.

sources:http://www.comp.glam.ac.uk/pages/staff/tdhutchings/chapter1.html#head2

...reflecting on this researches and ideas, this will satisfy how the Wilcon Depot uses the information system for their business strategies. Information Systems support is necessary to achieve the strategic business plan, such as (Wilcon Builder Depot) so the business plan feeds into a Strategic Information Systems Plan, which describes how the current IT systems are intended to evolve into the target IT systems. A 'big bang' approach is infeasible; therefore a project based approach is used. The output of the it is a series of development projects which will either involve modifying existing systems or developing new systems (which are likely to have to interface or integrate with existing systems).

!God Bless!!!

M.I.S. Reflection Learning

2009-06-22T20:44:00.000-07:00

One of our subjects for this semester is the M.I.S. (Management Information System) handled by
our teacher Dr. Randy S. Gamboa. According to him he is now the President of the IT association which
now i believe that he is. He is a very very strict teacher specially on uniform and time management. There is a punishment to every students who violated his rules. Some punishment is that you need to have a talent portion such as "singing" or "dancing".

Here are some information about M.I.S.:

Definition: Management Information Systems (MIS) is the term given to the discipline focused on the integration of computer systems with the aims and objectives on an organization. The development and management of information technology tools assists executives and the general workforce in performing any tasks related to the processing of information. MIS and business systems are especially useful in the collation of business data and the production of reports to be used as tools for decision making.

We did a question and answer portion about Management Information System(MIS), and the question is, "Is it correct that Management Information System (MIS) is the right course description?", according to our facilitator Dr. Randy S. Gamboa, by separating the "M" from "IS" which is "Management", the word management according to si Gamboa has four description (Planning, Directing, Organizing, and Controlling), and "IS" which is Information System.

According to wikipedia, Management in all business and human organization activity is simply the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives. Management comprises planning, organizing, directing, and controlling (a group of one or more people or entities) or effort for the purpose of accomplishing a goal. Resourcing encompasses the deployment and manipulation of human resources, financial resources, technological resources and natural resources. Management can also refer to the person or people who perform the act(s) of management. "IS" which is the acronym for "Information System" and according to wikipedia in a general sense, the term Information System (IS) refers to a system of people, data records and activities that process the data and information in an organization, and it includes the organization's manual and automated processes. In a narrow sense, the term information system (or computer-based information system) refers to the specific application software that is used to store data records in a computer system and automates some of the information-processing activities of the organization. Computer-based information systems are in the field of information technology. The discipline of business processing modelling describes the business processes supported by information systems.

Sir Gamboa gave us some equation about this course MIS, according to him:

IS = IT + PW
it stands for Information System = Information Technology + People Ware

IT = HW + SW
it stands for Information Technology = Hardware + Software

so the eqaution could be simplefies as:

IS = HW+ SW + PW
it stands for Information system = Hardware + Software + Peopleware

now to base on the question, "Is it correct that Management Information System (MIS) is the right course description?", we gather some information that management is not the right word in the course decription because Information system includes people ware and people ware cannot be manage. But for me, MIS is right course description because IT should be manage. It is that, people ware is included "IS" because only people could manage the IT and only people could revolve the system of information. Some students said that Leading is the right word to replace the word Management but for me it is not the right one because Hardware and Software or simply the IT are just human made and cannot be lead. Yes, Management describes as (planning, directing, organizing and controlling) and you cannot direct, control, organize and plan people, but the main reason there is how people manages the Hardware and the Software so that the INFORMATION SYSTEM will continue to revolve.

GOD BLESS!!!

Leadership Roles(CSC)

2009-06-22T20:32:00.000-07:00

Changes in both information technology and competition
continue to change the role of the information systems
executive. CSC (1996) has suggested six new IS
leadership roles which are required to execute IS’s future
agenda: chief architect, change leader, product developer,
technology provocateur, coach and chief operating
strategist. These roles are described in table 1. Although
these roles were produced by the CSC consultancy firm
without any scientific approach, they seem very well
tailored for scientific investigation into IS leadership roles.
People who fill these roles do not necessarily head up new
departments or processes, but they exert influence and
provide leadership across the organizational structure.
When Stephens et al. (1992) selected CIOs for
observation, they applied the following criteria:
· Highest ranking information technology executive
· Reports no more than two levels from CEO, i.e., either
reports to the CEO or reports to one of the CEO's
direct reports
· Areas of responsibility include information systems,
computer operations, telecommunications, office
automation, end-user computing/information center
· Responsibility for strategic planning of information
resources.
six leadership roles (CSC, 1996)

1. Chief architect. The chief architect designs future possibilities for the business. The primary work of the chief architect is to design
and evolve the IT infrastructure so that it will expand the range of future possibilities for the business, not define specific business
outcomes. The infrastructure should provide not just today's technical services, such as networking, databases and desktop operating
systems, but an increasing range of business-level services, such as workflow, portfolio management, scheduling, and specific
business components or objects.
2. Change leader. The change leader orchestrates resources to achieve optimal implementation of the future. The essential role of the
change leader is to orchestrate all those resources that will be needed to execute the change program. This includes providing new
IT tools, but it also involves putting in the place teams of people who can redesign roles, jobs and workflow, who can change beliefs
about the company and the work people do, and who understand human nature and can develop incentive systems to coax people
into new and different behaviors.
3. Product developer. The product developer helps define the company’s place in the emerging digital economy. For example, a
product developer might recognize the potential for performing key business processes (perhaps order fulfillment, purchasing or
delivering customer support) over electronic linkages such as the Internet. The product developer must "sell" the idea to a business
partner, and together they can set up and evaluate business experiments, which are initially operated out of IS. Whether the new
methods are adopted or not, the company will learn from the experiments and so move closer to commercial success in emerging
digital markets.
4. Technology provocateur. The technology provocateur embeds IT into the business strategy. The technology provocateur works
with senior business executives to bring IT and realities of the IT marketplace to bear on the formation of strategy for the business.
The technology provocateur is a senior business executive who understands both the business and IT at a deep enough level to
integrate the two perspectives in discussions about the future course of the business. Technology provocateurs have a wealth of
experience in IS disciplines, so they understand at a fundamental level the capabilities of IT and how IT impacts the business.
5. Coach. The coach teaches people to acquire the skillsets they will need for the future. Coaches have to basic responsibilities:
teaching people how to learn, so that they can become self-sufficient, and providing team leaders with staff able to do the IT-related
work of the business. A mechanism that assists both is the center of excellence - a small group of people with a particular
competence or skill, with a coach responsible for their growth and development. Coaches are solid practitioners of the competence
that they will be coaching, but need not be the best at it in the company.
6. Chief operating strategist. The chief operating strategist invents the future with senior management. The chief operating strategist
is the top IS executive who is focused on the future agenda of the IS organization. The strategist has parallel responsibilities related
to helping the business design the future, and then delivering it. The most important, and least understood, parts of the role have to
do with the interpretation of new technologies and the IT marketplace, and the bringing of this understanding into the development of
the digital business strategy for the organization.

references:

http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:gYmbzKD8kRUJ:csdl2.computer.org/comp/proceedings/hicss/2000/0493/07/04937055.pdf+six+IS+leadership+roles(CSC)&cd=4&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ph

Managerial Roles (Mintzberg)

2009-06-22T20:12:00.000-07:00

Managers undertake activities to achieve the objectives of
the organization. Mintzberg (1994) notes a number of
different and sometimes conflicting views of the manager's
role. He finds that it is a curiosity of the management
literature that its best-known writers all seem to emphasize
one particular part of the manager’s job to the exclusion of
the others. Together, perhaps, they cover all the parts, but
even that does not describe the whole job of managing.
Mintzberg's role typology is frequently used in studies of
managerial work [e.g., 57].
Describing the manager's work has been an ongoing
pursuit of researchers and practitioners. The manager's
work is characterized by brevity, variety, and
fragmentation of tasks, a preference for action (as opposed
to reflection), and a preference for verbal communication
over formal reports [51]. Managers in organizations are
continuously confronted by an array of ambiguous data
and vaguely felt stimuli which they must somehow order,
explicate and imbue with meaning before they decide on
how to respond [46]. Kotter (1999) identified two main
roles for executives: agenda setting and network building.
While agenda setting is concerned with figuring out what
to do despite uncertainty and an enormous amount of
potentially relevant information, network building is
concerned with getting things done through a large and
diverse group of people despite having little direct control
over most of them.
A number of models describing the manager's work
have been proposed including functional descriptions such
as planning, organizing, directing, controlling,
coordinating, and innovating. Similarly, frameworks based
on the methods used to accomplish these functions, for
example, Mintzberg's role typology, have been proposed.
According to Mintzberg (1990), the manager's job can be
described in terms of various roles:

1. Informational Roles. By virtue of interpersonal contacts, both with
subordinates and with a network of contacts, the manager emerges
as the nerve center of the organizational unit. The manager may not
know everything but typically knows more than subordinates do.
Processing information is a key part of the manager's job. As
monitor, the manager is perpetually scanning the environment for
information, interrogating liaison contacts and subordinates, and
receiving unsolicited information, much of it as a result of the
network of personal contacts. As a disseminator, the manager passes
some privileged information directly to subordinates, who would
otherwise have no access to it. As spokesperson, the manager sends
some information to people outside the unit.

2. Decisional Roles. Information is not an end in itself; it is the basic
input to decision making. The manager plays the major role in a
unit's decision-making system. As its formal authority, only the
manager can commit the unit to important new courses of action;
and as its nerve center, only the manager has full and current
information to make the set of decisions that determines the unit's
strategy. As entrepreneur, the manager seeks to improve the unit, to
adapt it to changing conditions in the environment. As disturbance
handler, the manager responds to pressures from situations. As
resource allocater, the manager is responsible for deciding who will
get what. As negotiator, the manager commits organizational
resources in real time.

3. Interpersonal Roles. As figurehead, every manager must perform
some ceremonial duties. As leader, managers are responsible for the
work of the people of their unit. As liaison, the manager makes
contacts outside the vertical chain of command.

reference:
http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:gYmbzKD8kRUJ:csdl2.computer.org/comp/proceedings/hicss/2000/0493/07/04937055.pdf+IS/IT+leadership+roles(Computer+Science+corporation)&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ph

2009-06-21T09:11:00.000-07:00