ME in the FUTURE? Ten years?

Think about yourself worthy to be called as IT professional, how you see yourself 10 years from now, what are your strategies to get there? At least 3000 words

After reading the question for our first assignment in this said subject, I really had a hard time on thinking of what would be the best answer for this. Thinking about myself if I would be worthy to be called as an IT professional in the near future and seeing myself 10 years from now is not an easy task because thinking those things will affect my plan for myself and for my future career.

As an Information Technology (IT) student, am also aiming to be a professional someday. When you do your job, you cannot easily say that you’re already professional. As what I have understood about professionalism it is about doing more than just your job. Professionals are responsive. If you are a pure professional you should know your work well and you must satisfy the needs of your costumer, your boss or even your fellow employee. You should master the art of handling more than one customer at a time while giving them the right services that they want. Professionals should be knowledgeable. It’s true! As an IT professional you must know what your field is and in what field you are master with. You should be updated with the latest innovations and the latest news in the world of Information Technology. You should have enough knowledge that would help your company grow and be competitive with the other bigger companies. Another behavior of a Professional is that they care about what they do. Being knowledgeable with your job is not enough you should also be concern with your job. As an IT professional you should be able to give not only the services that your clients want but the right and perfect services that you could ever give. It is a quality that says we maybe individuals that are competing but when certain circumstances exist we must also show that we are united. The behaviors of being a professional maybe simple to think but what’s not simple are the consistent application of it. It takes effort and proper discipline.

If I want to be recognized as an IT professional in the future I must have some qualities that is present to a true professionals. First quality is trustworthiness. Well, it is very significant to gain the trust of your costumer, your company and your fellow worker. Knowing how to talk to one another is more than a mannerism but it is also the ability to motivate one another to create a good result and you and your fellow employee will be in good terms. When trust is present, you can do your work with no conflict and can gain more costumers that will lead your company and yourself to success. Another quality of a professional is that one should be helpful. Being an IT professional you should be knowledgeable with your work and you should know how to help. One great tool to show that you are willing to help is through negotiating. However, be sure that you negotiate fairly because knowing how to make deals is an essential skill to the success of a professional. If those qualities and behaviors that are mentioned are present, with no doubt you are not just a professional but a person that gets paid well and has a balanced life and you stand out from the crowd and grow rewarding and you can have a satisfying careers. Once you’re truly a professional you can just go anywhere and people will appreciate your work.

Information Technology is not only for creating an environment for the benefit of an organization to advance but also helping them to adjust with the enormous changes outside their own boundaries. IT professionals are responsible for keeping databases, computer and security programs for the entire companies. Now, back in the question, am I worthy to be called an IT professional? As of now, am not sure but having those ideas of what would be the best behavior and good qualities of a professional would be a big help in molding myself so that in the future I would be proud to call myself worthy to be called an IT professional. The duties and responsibilities of an IT professional is very vital and difficult (I guess) so therefore, I should know the field of my expertise since organizations nowadays are relying mostly on the technologies.

Ten years from now. What would I be? A simple question but needs an answer that would be part of my plan for my life. There are enormous job available for an Information Technology student like me. Like, lead application developer whose work is to manage software development teams in design, development, coding, testing and debugging of applications, data modeler the one who analyze the organizational data requirements and create models of data flow, Network manager who is responsible for directing the day-to-day operations and maintenance of the firm’s networking technology, IT consultant who works in partnership with clients, advising them how to use information technology in order to meet their business objectives or overcome problems and also work to improve the structure and efficiency and of an organization’s IT systems and they may be involved in a variety of activities, including marketing, project management, client relationship management and systems development, a web designer that are responsible for creating the look and feel of the World Wide Pages for a client’s web site and may take part in the initial planning of a Web site, meeting with the client to discuss ideas for the layout and organization of the site, the types of colors or images to use (photos, illustrations, videos, etc.), and other matters concerning overall graphic design, programmer the usual and primary job for an IT student who work with the user on development of the software specification. Ability to create and document a conceptual and detailed design and write a code based on a conceptual description of the business logic, or a business analyst who plays a key role in Technology Solutions project from an analytical perspective and analyzes plan documentation, defining and documenting project requirements, and business processes. There are numerous profession offered for a graduate in information technology but the questions are, am I capable of doing those kinds of jobs? Do I have the skill? If I dream one of those jobs that I mentioned, what would be the best plan in achieving that goal or how can I make that dream come true?

One of our instructors told us the essence of planning. Sometimes we consider that we fall short into the ground with our dreams or goals in life because we fail to plan but what we actually did was we plan to fail. He told us that we plan but what bothers there is that we plan to fail and that’s the core why we never achieve our goals. We should plan well to hit the goal, to stay focus and to be able to manage ourselves. There are a lot of ways on how to plan your own career what matters most is on how you deal with the fast changing environment and on how you discipline yourself. Everyone can be what they aim to be if and only if he plans properly and effectively. How you see yourself ten years from now is like plotting your upcoming career that you can accomplish in a maximum span of time of ten years or one decade. Ten years from now I would be a Senior Web Designer or if am not lucky enough with that field I’ll try to fit myself as a Business Analyst. As an Information Technology student I aim to be one of the IT professionals here in the Philippines.

If I plan I should also set some strategies or activities that would help me attain my target. Implementing particular strategies would not be simple because we cannot foretell exactly what would happen next. It should be flexible so that if certain circumstances exist we have some alternative tactics that can assist us to surpass and can still led us nearer to our goal. An effective strategy needs proper discipline. Setting up strategies would never be effective if we don’t discipline ourselves. Not only our strategies are flexible but we ourselves should also be flexible enough so that we can face the dilemmas and maybe barriers along the way.

When I think of steps that would be of great help in achieving what I want for my future, it reminds me of the movie “My Big Love”( I hope everyone of us have seen this movie ^_^ ). In the movie the leading actress (Ms. Toni Gonzaga) has 5 steps to make you fit. As I can still remember, the five steps are GOAL SETTING, START TODAY, NO SHORTCUTS, MOTIVATE YOURSELF and lastly BE HAPPY :-D . These steps are intended for those who aim to be slim and physically fit but it can also be applied in molding your future career. Well, these steps could be part of my strategies to attain my target profession. The steps are simple and easy to understand.

First we have goal setting. I have said earlier that ten years from now I would be an IT professional. I aim to be a Senior Web Designer or a Business Analyst for my future career. It may be easy to set up your goals but you have to make sure that when you set your goals you know what are the possible risk and obstacles along the way. You should be patient, focus and disciplined. When we plan we always have to set our vision, mission, goals and objectives. We have to set our priorities.

Second, start today. Absolutely! We should not start tomorrow, next day, next month or next year but TODAY. After you have set your goals you should start right away. In view of the fact that I am still a student, I must study hard and finish schooling. Currently, I am a fourth year college student but third year in standing. Why? Because I fail my subject (Computer programming I) and with that made me realize that I receive a failure grade for the reason that I lack self discipline and though I aim to pass but unfortunately what I did was I plan to fail. When I say finish schooling, it’s not merely about having a diploma. Since I have to extend hopefully a year here in the university, I should make sure that I will pass my grades (get higher grades if ever^_^) and start to motivate and discipline myself. Encouraging myself to work harder with my studies and restraint myself to stay focus and avoid those temptations that would block my way in accomplishing my plan.

The third on the step is no shortcuts. No one takes place on the top without experiencing the bottom. You can never skip one step in acquiring your goal. Every IT professionals always start from the scratch. What I mean here is that in order to progress and become a professional you should perceive all the necessary steps needed. These may serve as a preparation for you to be commendable on what you will attain in the future. Doing shortcuts just to get hold of their ambition are persons who are lazy and dependent person. Nowadays, most of the people depends their luck to those people who are already on the higher position in a certain company for them to have a job. Though you earn your job on that way you still have to show everyone that you deserve and capable with your job. I’m aiming to be a professional so I have to finish my schooling first. Study well and staying focus on it for me to understand all my subjects. When I graduate, I have to gain experiences. I should start looking for a job that would fit my interest and my field of expertise. It would also be recommendable if I took some studies that would enhance my expertise and since I’m aiming to be a senior web designer someday I have to make sure that I fit that position. If I want to be a senior web designer I have to master my field. I ought to have the required skills like outstanding design collections and ability to manage multiple projects. Since Web Design (from the word itself) creates and designs webs therefore there is a great need of having enough fluency in using photoshop and illustrators. I must have a hardcore experience in using flash, Adobe Photoshop, and any related software in graphic design. It is a requisite that I must be proficient and specialized and mostly advance on the different web application or programming software like PHP, MySql, javascript, HTML, XML, XHTML, CSS, ASP, AJAX, Action Scrip and etc. Moreover, I must also experience and learn how to use and create 3D modeling with the use of some tools like Maya, 3DS Max, Blender, etc. And as a web designer I must be informed and familiarize the web designs standards. On the other hand, I also aim to be a business analyst someday. The business analyst plays a key role in Technology Solutions projects from an analytical point of view. In this position, the candidate or applicant will practice the fundamentals of systems analysis, design, and testing of Technology Solutions projects as assigned, acting as a relationship between the clients and the system developers. Business analyst will work with Divisional and National Consultants and Project Managers to investigate, plan, analyze and develop cost effective solutions for e-commerce and Human Resource business issues. A professional Business Analyst will work closely with Technical Leads and System Developers on system development projects to ensure the systems are meeting the clients’ needs and expectations. And he/she should have strong analytical skills and have experience in one or more of the following areas: Health and Welfare Administration, Pension Administration, HR Self-Service, HR Shared Services, or HRIS/Payroll. All of our work is team-based with the focus on delivering the highest levels of client satisfaction, and therefore strong interpersonal skills are required within the team, as well as with the client. One reason why I aim this work because in this field you are also required to have some travel (weeh, that’s interesting) and may include long-term projects of 12 months or more. Those things that I have mentioned will serve as my guide in acquiring my desired goal in the future. I may have to options but if I would be eager I know I can make may dreams happen.

Next step which is the Fourth step is motivation. I already mentioned the different requirements, skills and behaviors of an IT professional and my vision career. Next, I have to motivate myself. Inspire myself to work hard and study well. I have to mold myself to be capable of slowly achieving my dreams by making sure that I have filled all the required applications to be a best and professional web designer or a business analyst. You can have persons to help you motivate yourself. For me, my family is my inspiration. They are my main impulse why I aim high so that I can help them and I know they are the first persons who will appreciate my achievements. I have to stimulate myself so that my plans won’t fail because I don’t want to plan for failure.

And lastly, be happy. A simple step but it means a lot. If you aim something make sure you are happy with it and would be happy for it. Pointing toward your target goal doesn’t mean you would always be serious and focus on it. I should also make some time to enjoy myself and do what I want to do that would make myself happy and in high spirit so that I will be more eager to motivate myself in achieving my goals. A work of an Information Technology professional is a serious task and needs a lot of brainstorming (I guess. Heheh^_^) therefore I have to manage some time to take off all the stress, anxiety and pressure.

There are several steps you can do in achieving your goal. We have different idea on what would be the best thing to do first and next. We often times change our mind. Just make sure that you know and love what you are doing. Because of the fast evolving technology, people and our environment change. No one knows what will happen in the future therefore we should be flexible with the coming changes in our self and in our surroundings. These changes may affect our plan that’s why you must adapt those changes and motivate yourself so that you will not be tired in aiming your goal. In the future, if you already have your jobs learn to love it and appreciate what you have achieved. But for now, learn to love your course and don’t hesitate to explore new things that would be helpful for you in the coming future and don’t be limited on what you know. Think Big and Dream Big. Who knows? You will be more than what you think you will be. Just don’t forget to pray. Pray not because you want something but pray for thanking the Lord for giving you time to do what to you want to do and pray for enlightenment and patience. That is the number one tool that will help us all the way. And if ever you have achieved what you desired learn to say thanks to the people who help you and to the almighty one. Hopefully, soon I would be worthy in what I wanted to be.

References:
http://www.careerbuilder.com/Article/CB-774-Who-is-Hiring-Top-10-Jobs-in-Information-Technology/?ArticleID=774&cbRecursionCnt=1&cbsid=b9da424f3cbe4fd3ae85d1c9fd8576ef-312003463-RS-4&ns_siteid=ns_us_g_jobs_for_information__
http://www.jobsdb.com/PH/EN/Job.asp?R=JDBP130524799
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/it_consultant_job_description.jsp
http://careers.stateuniversity.com/pages/142/Web-Designer.html
http://www.iqrc.com/ProgrammerJobDescription02nobenefits.htm

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Thanks and more power.

Eighteenth Post: MIS : Information Environment

Assignment 9:
Identify an information environment of your choice and write an essay to address the following questions: (3000 words)
• What should be your role within this environment?
• How can the principles of information organization and representation help you in performing this role?
• What are the challenges facing you in performing the role? How will you address these challenges?

Our task is to identify an information environment and write an easy to address the following question: What should be our role in our chosen environment? How can the principles of information organization and representation help you in performing this role? What are the challenges facing you in performing the role? How will I address these challenges?


To begin with, let me define first the information environment. According to what I have searched on the web, the Information Environment (IE) is to develop and provide services which enable people to find and manage information efficiently and effectively in their learning, teaching or research. The information resources which people need are very varied - books, journals, research papers, teaching resources, videos, maps and more - and while they might be in any format they are increasingly digitalized.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.

Information technology is a powerful tool for meeting environmental objectives and promoting sustainable development. Nowadays, technology plays a vital role in our daily life. Due to fast development of technology these days, information can be acquired everywhere, anytime and
anywhere we want.

An information technology helps or supports the mission of an organization. To do this, Almost all organization hire an IT Professionals in order to help their organizations’ management understand and manage their uncertainties.

Information environment might be defined as an organization having there own information system. Moreover, every organization today have there own information system since we can’t deny the fact that we are now living in a world wherein computers and different innovations are all around
and are most commonly used in any establishment.


In the present world, information environment are countless and are too big that they are able to span the whole world. Identifying an organization that has its leading and finest information environment in which that said organization applies management information systems and information technology expertly and effectively will be a difficult and complicated thing if we would think of a simple and small corporation. But as an Information Technology student, I can only think of a simple and ideal Information environment that would nourish me with all the new information.

Journeying back on the time that I’m still thinking of what course to take, it’s already one of my goals to get a job that would fit my interest. At first, I thought of taking up accountancy, but because of my fathers encouragement I enroll into BS in Information Technology. Am not quite
sure before of what IT is and what kind of environments I would be dealing with after I graduated with this course. But staying in this institution for years and still aiming to graduate, I can now predict or analyze what would be the environments that probably I’ll be dealing with. I took up IT therefore I have to work in an IT environment and be involved with the IT people and IT world.
I’m hoping that one day; I’ll be one of those people who are working on big and well-known companies. We get a job to work and to earn but another thing to remember that we also work to learn. Yes, definitely! In fact, learning is unstoppable. I’m not yearning to work abroad even if there are more and greater opportunities especially on our field. But if an opportunity takes place, I would definitely grab that one. It’s a privilege for us Filipino’s to show how intellectually-giant we are. Having a simple life and be happy is what I aim in life.

As I remember the discussions and reporting that we have in our Management Information System, in an organization Information System plays a vital role for them. The Management Information System department and IT department is considered as the heart and soul of a company. If I would be ask what profession I would like to take, well, that would be a tough decision to make because nobody knows what will happen in the future. But I do dream that I would be working with those jobs related to my interest. Well, I guess dreaming is not that bad? Whenever I tried to visualize that I would be an IT professional looking for an avenue where I can utilize every information that I
acquired in all the yeas that I have studied in the university and looking forward for further opportunity that I can explore more about information technology.

As a whole, am looking for a job suitable for the degree that I have earned and also suits my interest. But the conflict is that, I will choose what information system environment would fit me and not the unemployment. If we observe well, there are a vast number of information system environments that exist in the corporate world nowadays. And honestly speaking, I have many
interests but choosing an environment also depends on my skills. I could be involved in a web developing environment since one of my interest designing a web page. We already discussed some about developing a web page through the use of either jsp or the php. I like surfing the internet and exploring what’s new and what’s best. But I can learn more about this environment if I have enough resources and be able to learn more of what I need.

One of my interests is watching movies. Whenever I watch foreign movies I was so amazed with the that sometimes I cheer myself saying ” one day, you can make your own 3D animations too”, well, I hope so but there is nothing wrong on trying and practice makes perfect, right? In an animation environment is also a good idea to work with since I also love to watch cartoons. If there is a privilege with this environment, no doubt, I would definitely grab it.

As of now, the role of the information environment that I have chosen would be to big responsibility for a student like me. I will need more time in practicing all the needed expertise for the environment I want to suit with.

Establishing an effective, efficient and reliable information environment is not an easy job. We can’t assure that we can assure that we could establish a fully-functional and risk-free environment. The possible challenges that I think we will face in developing an ideal information environment are the limited of resources, security of the environment and financial problem. It would be a big risk if we only have limited resources and we are aiming to have a whole information environment. An ideal and reliable information environment should provide beneficial information to the users. With regards to security, we all know that an information environment is an essential and sensitive ingredient in an organization. Maintaining the security of an information environment is a big challenge that we will face. Absolutely, financial problem is a challenge for us and in an information environment. It
is an ideal way if we could get the resources right away and access the information we need.


After mentioning the challenges that would be a risk my performance in doing my duty in the information environment, I also have some alternatives or strategies to lessen these challenges since it are not that easy to totally overcome those challenges. First is to be open-minded with the
happenings and issues and even ideas of other people. I should not depend on what I know and on the resources that I already have. I can explore information in a simple and easier way. I should be focus on the environment am in.

Seventeenth Post: MIS: MAJOR PAPER UPDATE

July 6,2009 - Our Letter and Company

Me and my group decided to proposed three companies. On our list are the Damosa Land Incorporation, Sta. Ana Multipurpose Cooperative (SAMULCO) and the Six Eleven Global Services. Luckily, one of our proposed company was approved and it is the Sta. Ana Multipurpose Cooperative. And so we directly submit our letter to our instructor to be approved and be signed.

July 8, 2009 - First Company Visit

We, decided to visit our approved company to give our letter to allow us to conduct an interview with their MIS department. We gave our letter to the HR department.

July 11, 2009 - Follow-up Call

One of our group members try to contact our adopted company which is the SAMULCO to ask if we are allowed to conduct an interview.

July 14, 2009 - Second Visit

On our first day of visit we have gathered some data like the background of the company, organizational chart and some information about the company. We are able to interview the IT supervisor of our adopted company. We ask about their hardware components and software used.

Sixteenth Post: MIS: Assignment 8_OUTSOURCING and INSOURCING

As a student of the university and as part of the Institute of Computing, it’s a great opportunity for me to be invited to be part of a seminar-workshop on Information Systems planning together with some of our respected faculty and staff.

In one of the session, outsourcing has been discussed. In our Management Information System subject we always encounter and even discussed about outsourcing and the in-source or in-house. But before we conclude of which is better for the university, let us analyze first and discuss the factors and benefits that we can get on both side and what are their disadvantage.

What is outsourcing?

According to my reliable source which is the Wikipedia, outsourcing is subcontracting a process, such as product design or manufacturing, to a third-party company. The decision to outsource is often made in the interest of lowering cost or making better use of time and energy costs, redirecting or conserving energy directed at the competencies of a particular business, or to make more efficient use of land, labor, capital, (information) technology and resources. Outsourcing involves the transfer of the management and/or day-to-day execution of an entire business function to an external service provider. The client organization and the supplier enter into a contractual agreement that defines the transferred services. Under the agreement the supplier acquires the means of production in the form of a transfer of people, assets and other resources from the client. The client agrees to procure the services from the supplier for the term of the contract.

In outsourcing, the external organization would take over on the management of the outsourced function. Outsourcing can be a good help in an organizations in making a better use of their resources, time and even their infrastructure. It would also help maximize your revenue and minimize your expenses, and you can now concentrate on your core business if you choose to outsource your non-core functions.

What is in-source?

From the Wikipedia, In-sourcing is the opposite of outsourcing; that is in-sourcing (or contracting in) is often defined as the delegation of operations or jobs from production within a business to an internal (but 'stand-alone') entity that specializes in that operation. In-sourcing is a business decision that is often made to maintain control of critical production or competencies. An alternate use of the term implies transferring jobs to within the country where the term is used, either by hiring local subcontractors or building a facility. In-sourcing is widely used in an area such as production to reduce costs of taxes, labor, transportation, etc.

When an organization delegates its work to another entity, which is internal yet not a part of the organization, it is termed as in-sourcing. In-sourcing has also come to be described as transferring work from one organization to another organization which is located within the same country or entrust the work to your staff. In-sourcing can also mean an organization building a new business centre or facility which would specialize in a particular service or product.

Outsourcing versus In-sourcing

Now, let us compare outsourcing and in-sourcing. Let us see what are the advantages and disadvantages that we can get if we choose either of the two and which is better to use in an organization. If a certain organization has a number of what we called non-core processes which will take too much time and effort and also resources if we choose to perform in-house, so therefore, it would be better and wiser if we take the other option, which is the outsourcing. Well, in this case, outsourcing would help you and your organization save on manpower, effort and also time. It would be a benefit to your organization or companies in making a quicker delivery and you can have full attention to your customers.

Outsourcing is again a good option if we want to reduce cost and make faster deliverables. There are times that we want to require some expertise services in some areas of our system but then, do not fall under our core competency, so outsourcing will be a better option if you want to get access to expertise services.

If you want to save on transportation costs and you want to exercise a better control over your project, it would be reliable to choose in-sourcing. Usually, in a work that involves production it is always ideal to opt in-sourcing.

Most of the companies nowadays are opting to outsource because of some reasons. They choose to outsource because it enable an organization to access intellectual capital, they can now focus their job on their core competencies, shorten the delivery cycle time, lower the costs significantly and they think that this is an effective business strategy to improve their business and it is more reliable for them.

Some companies rather choose in-sourcing than outsourcing. Other companies shift from outsource to in-house or in-source because they are not satisfied on outsourcing. They opt to in-source to cut down the cost of labor and taxes and they feel that they can have better customer support and better control over the work.

Advantages and disadvantages

After knowing what in-source and outsource is and after comparing the two, lets define what are their advantages and disadvantages. Here are just few benefits that I found on the web that we can have if we opt to outsource and/or in-source.

Advantage of outsourcing…

Less capital expenditure

Outsourcing is an effective way to extend your budget because you can already outsource at a lower cost. Example if you choose to outsource to countries like India, you can have a high-quality services in a lower cost. So it will reduce your organization’s expense.

Concentrate more on your core business

Another benefit in outsourcing is that if you outsource your non-core functions you will be free to concentrate in your core competencies. And your employees can be put into better use.

Make faster deliveries to customers

As I mentioned earlier, if you choose outsourcing you can make quicker deliveries to your customer and because of this you can save your time and effort.

Get access to specialized services

Through outsourcing you can get expert and skilled services. Because of this benefit, several outsourcers choose for outsourcing. Your outsourcing partner can give you a more proficient service and can help you improve your company.

Increased efficiency

Another benefit in outsourcing is the increased in efficiency. If you would be wise enough and choose to outsource your non-core functions which will be performed by your outsourcing partner, you can efficiently carry out your core functions in-house. Through this, you can have an overall efficiency and you can see your company’s profit.

Advantage of In-sourcing…

Greater insight into the internal workings of the company

One advantage of in-sourcing is that you can have a greater insight into the internal workings of the company. You can have a greater output in the development of your information system because you will see what has worked or failed in the past, how the corporate entity operates and most probably you will discover the culture of the entire organization which I guess is essential for you to know.

Speed of the overall development schedule can be increased

In choosing in-sourcing you can speed up the overall development scheduled because the internal key players are known. You can have a better control on the company’s project and a faster development because you will hire person/s with a greater expertise so if problem occurs you can directly consult those people to see what the conflict is.

Great tool that never gets used

Absolutely, if you are to develop a system through in-sourcing you can have a system that can be declared as yours and you don’t have a similar system with other companies. Any project developed in-house will be subject to the level of expertise and competence available within the organization. Therefore, the development of your system depends on the skill and expertise of the persons you put into task.

Development team is very close to the end user

Another benefit of in-sourcing is that the development team are very close with the end user because of this you can have a high quality product for the end user as a result. The relationship between the development team and the user is essential which aids in both communication and expectations on the delivery. The advantage of this is that, not only the user can benefit both even the developers. It increases the business knowledge of the developers which will reduce the time it requires for the specification and design of the project.

Security and confidentiality

In terms of privacy and the security of the company or an organization, in-source has a greater advantage. So, we have lesser worries about the security of the company’s assets, resources and information.

Disadvantages of outsourcing…

Loose the managerial control

When we outsourced, one disadvantage that we should not overlook is the loose of the managerial control. This comes to pass because the fact that it is more difficult to manage the outsourcing service provider as compare to managing one’s own employees.

Hidden Cost

And sometimes we miss to calculate the hidden potential cost of outsourcing which includes the legal cost of having a contract between two companies and the length of time it takes to coordinate the contract which simply means that the overall cost for outsourcing can never be predict and underestimated.

Threat to the security and confidentiality of issues of a company

Another disadvantage of outsourcing is the threat to the security and confidentiality of a company. It is important to be very careful in choosing what function or non-core competencies to outsource and which is not. Systems such us payroll is a private issue in a company which should be kept inside the organization.

Quality Problems

When you outsourced you sign a contract. Sometimes, outsourcing company will be motivated by profit. To be able to increase their profit they lessen the expense considering that they are able to meet the conditions of the contract. Every contract is made very specific so you will pay for the extra changes.

Tied to the Financial Well-Being of another Company

Once you outsource, you will be turning over part of your business operations to your outsourcing company therefore you are tied to the financial well-being of your outsourcing company. So there is a tendency can be the reason of the bankruptcy of your business.

Disadvantage of In-sourcing…

Required strategic flexibility

Required high investment

When we choose to in-source, we hire IT staff to do the maintenance and the development of the system as well. Therefore, it is necessary for a company to have an additional budget for the salary of those experts.

Loss of access to superior products and services offered by potential suppliers

Every IT Personnel has its own expertise. So, if you choose to have in-sourcing you will be limited on what your hired IT Personnel could do and you can’t access the other services offered by potential suppliers.

The university’s situation…

Before we decide what to choose between in-sourcing and outsourcing, it is still better to weigh things according to the university’s situation and the things involved on it. As being part of the university for years, we, students have already encountered a series of different enrollment system. The entire enrollment system includes the registrar, cashier, and the different local offices. Recalling the previous information system used by the university before they adapt the new system (presently used by the university); they choose to develop an information system through outsourcing. They hire an outsourcing company for the school’s information system and the students have to adjust with the outsourced enrollment system. Then later on, the university decided to change from outsourcing to in-house. Now the university hires two IT Personnel who also have an expertise in developing a certain system and are already part of the faculty of the university. I guess the primary reason why the school administration changed is the cost. So, they hire IT faculties to lessen the cost and expense of the school.

When one of our instructors told us that we already have good and highly-skilled professors and staff who have expertise with the said field, why not use them? Well, I agree with him. It is an advantage for the staff to have an extra income and to share their knowledge and skill on the said field and for the university as well to minimize expense of the school. The security and privacy of the school’s information system is kept on the workforce. And of course, this would make us proud that the person who developed our information system are members of the university and it’s a good evidence that our instructors are not only good on sharing their knowledge through class discussions but we can actually see how good they are as they apply their expertise on their field.

My stand…

As what I have understood, there are different reasons why a certain organization prefers to outsourcing and the others would choose in-source. Usually, organizations or companies depends their choice on the benefits that they could get if they select either of the two.

After discussing what in-sourcing and outsourcing, there advantage and disadvantage and after knowing the situation of our university, now, it’s time for me to choose on where should I stand. Well, I base my decision on what I have observed and understand about the two types of sourcing, the in-sourcing and outsourcing. And I go for in-sourcing or in-house.

Basically, first and important thing to be considered is the cost. I don’t really know how big or small the budget of our university for the labor and in developing and maintaining our information system. I have mentioned above that one of the disadvantages of in-sourcing is that it requires high investment which means there is a possibility that it can not totally lessen the cost. But, you can still minimize the expense if you hire one to three IT personnel to do the job. In terms of maintenance, you can still lessen the expense because you don’t have to spend for fair and for the extra changes since the one who will maintain your information system is already part of your workforce (employee). If we outsource, one benefit we could get is the less of capital expenditure. After surfing the internet, many say that through outsourcing you can lessen the cost. Maybe it’s true but we should not overlook its disadvantage. Mentioned earlier is about the hidden cost so you can never predict how low or high the cost of outsourcing is.

When you outsource, you can have a greater insight on the internal working of the company. This is a great advantage because if you need some information that is necessary for the development of an information system you can automatically ask for assistance to the co-employees who know it well. Unlike outsourcing, you just have a contract with the outsourced company will do what are conditions written on the contract for the development of your system but if you want some changes or add some part of the system, there are additional payments which may increase the company’s expense.

I choose in-sourcing because you can have a tool or an information system that has never been used. It’s nice to hear that you will be using your own system that only your company knows how to use it and how the system flows. Most of the outsourced system services are shared. This means that it’s not only your company is using that kind of information system. If many knows or familiar with the use and the flow of your information system, then this may threaten the security of the important information of the company.

We have our own choices. We have our own beliefs of what is best for our company. Both have its advantage and disadvantage. If we think well as an expert, it is better to weigh and analyze first which would be the best for the organization and where you can benefit more for the success of your company. But it is not totally necessary to choose between outsourcing and in-sourcing. You can in-source and at the same time outsource. But be careful on choosing what function should be outsourced or in-sourced. It would be a benefit for your company if your have both so that you can have the best of what both offers to be able to achieve the goal of your company.

References:

http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-2329742/Advantages-and-challenges-of-developing.html

www.wikipedia.com

http://operationstech.about.com/od/outsourcing/tp/OutSrcDisadv.htm

http://mis.aug.edu/DrJMatls/Mgmt4950/Sourcing.pdf

http://www.outsource2india.com/why_india/articles/outsourcing-versus-insourcing.asp

Fifteenth Post : MIS: Assignment 7_SONA

To answer this question, I surf the internet to look for the full text of the State of the Nation Address (SONA) of our President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for this year that was happened on the month of July because I didn’t actually saw or heard the president on her speech.

After reading the full text, here are some of the areas that the president mentioned that I think related with the ICT (Information and Communications Technology) sector:

Creation of ICT Department
“Kung noong nakaraan, lumakas ang electronics, today we are creating wealth by developing the BPO and tourism sectors as additional engines 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. Let us have a Department of ICT”

As part of the third-world countries, it’s good to know that finally our president decided to have a department that focuses on the issues related to information and communications technology. Compared to other countries, we should not limit ourselves with the modern breakthroughs and the latest trends of technologies that most countries are using nowadays especially those who belong in the first-world countries. We should not be contented of what we have now we must push through advancement to be competent enough with those modernized countries. It was also mentioned there about the BPO or Business Process Outsourcing. I am happy that our nation’s economy is moving towards this so called BPO. BPO helps our fellow Filipino to acquire jobs not only here but also abroad and because of this many of the unemployed people and fresh graduates can grab this opportunity to earn money to provide for their basic needs.

Telecommunication
“Sa telecommunications naman, inatasan ko ang Telecommunications Commission na kumilos na tungkol sa mga sumbong na dropped calls at mga nawawalang load sa cellphone.”

This line really caught my attention. The issue here is the loss of load unexpectedly and the expiration of loads. As a mobile phone user, I also encounter this problem. Since cellphones plays a very important role in the lifestyle of most Filipinos (rich or poor) and a means of communication nowadays cellphone load has already been part of the budget of the Filipinos as part of their expenses. We can’t deny the fact that when this problem occur the telecommunication networks are usually being blamed because they are the one distributing the cellphone loads. It’s a great thing that the government already found a way to prevent this issue. Now, the expiration of the loads has been extended. And I guess everyone of us can benefit from this. Though there are still instances of load loss but am glad that the government made an action.

Automated Election
“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.”

For the first time in the Philippine history, automated election will implemented this coming election in 2010. I would proudly say that this is just one step into a digital advancement. This development can greatly ease the work of the people in voting and counting the votes. And it is much easier to conduct that using a manual system. We are aware that in politics there are cheats and anomalies in election and I guess having this automated election can lessen those issues and can make the process of election faster and easier. I hope that this coming election in 2010 would be a successful one.

Fourteenth Post: MIS : Assignment 6_ Improve Internet Connection

It is really a great privilege if ever I would be hired as an IT consultant by the university president. But before I go on answering the question, let me define first what an IT consultant is and what typical work activities of an IT consultant are.

IT Consultant: Job description

• 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 organization’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.

As what I’ve read, the usual activities that an IT consultant does are the following: meeting with clients to determine requirements, working with clients to define the scope of project, planning timescales and the resources needed, clarifying a client's system specifications, understanding their work practices and the nature of their business, travelling 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. Knowing the typical task of an IT consultant is like knowing how tough their duties and responsibilities in an organization or company. Information Technology consulting is a field that focuses on giving advices on businesses on how to use information technology for them to meet their expected objectives for their businesses.

I know everyone of us were familiar with the internet. With the fast evolving technology, almost all of us know the use of the internet not only for business but also in school and for entertainment. A concrete definition of internet that was given by the Wikipedia is that, “internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standardized Internet Protocol Suite (TCP/IP). It is a network of networks that consists of millions of private and public, academic, business, and government networks of local to global scope that are linked by copper wires, fiber optic cables, wireless connections, and other technologies. The internet carries a vast array of information resources and services, most notably the inter-linked hypertext documents of the World Wide Web (WWW) and the infrastructure to support electronic mail, in addition to popular services such as online chat, file transfer and file sharing, online gaming, and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) person-to-person communication via voice and video.”

In the modern human life, internet played a big role for an easier way of communication. Companies, schools and universities and almost all the establishment has an internet connection so , therefore, we need to consider some things in order to make our internet connectivity be improved. Some of those things are the infrastructure, the technologies (be updated with the latest trends of technology) and the innovations. And the different steps and processes in improving your internet connection should also be considered.

Suggestions…

In a university, an internet connection is very important for the student and the faculty as well. But sometimes, we encounter some errors in the connection. Some of the problems that we often encounter are the frustrating low speed of connection and download, the computer is running slow and error in connection .Having a slow internet connection is a frustration for any user while having a fast high-speed internet connection puts the user at an obvious huge advantage. With all the high technology available today, dialup access remains the slowest of all the internet services available. And on the other hand, cable internet tends to be one of the fastest options in internet services. As a student of the said university and as an IT consultant, there are some tips that I could suggest to improve the internet connectivity of our university.

• Improving the Internet connection

The first tip that I guess would help the university is to get rid of the modem that they used and move to ADSL. Broadband is now available at low cost in most areas. “Always-on” cable and ADSL connections are becoming more widely available nowadays. According to what I have read, these will give you a permanent connection and much faster data speed. When using an ADSL you will need a standardBT telephone line, and pay for a connection through an ISP which provides an ADSL “modem” as part of the installation cost. In a university, there are a lot of computers that share a single modem. This can potentially slow down your computer a bit but usually doesn’t make that much of an impact on the speed of your system.

The next tip focuses on the system security. System security is very important for any computer. All the computers should have anti-virus software and firewalls to help with system security. Examples are: Symantec-Norton AntiVirus, McAfee-Antivirus, and Spyware Doctor AntiVirus 6. Some choose to disable their system security programs in order to speed up the computers but this is never a good idea because the computer won’t run fast for long once you get virus or some spyware on the system. So it is really advisable to install antivirus or antispyware on the computers. It would be better if you would back up your critical data regularly. No matter what type of high speed internet connection the university will use, it’s a good thing to remember to install system security to protect the computers and all its personal and confidential information.

My third suggestion is to test the internet speed. One of the most common issues with the slow internet service is that your provider is not giving you what they have said or advertised. The university is paying for it, so you might as well make sure it’s being used as effectively as possible. In checking the connection speed, there are many sites online where you are able to check your connection for free. You can also use the Network Diagnostic Tool to test the network connection speed.

Another suggestion would be, if a computer is not in use turn it off. Since many computers are sharing the same modem and internet connection, when you turn off those unused computers the competition for limited bandwidth resources decreases and it will usually boost those used computers performance.
Fifth thing to be aware with is that you have to make sure you are not connected to a weak access point signal. There are many ways that an access point can slow down the connection a bit. For instance, the signal between you and the access point is weak, the access point will automatically downgrade its services to a slower speed and sometimes you may encounter n error in the connection. Always check and know what signal you are connected with.

For downloading, I would advice to use FTP download wherever possible. As what I have read, in downloading files you can often choose between FTP (File Transfer Protocol) and HTML download. But for me, File Transfer Protocol, which uses the well known port called “port 21”, is much faster for file transfer.




References:
http://www.high-speed-internet-access-guide.com/articles/increase-modem-speed.html
http://www.telecomsadvice.org.uk/infosheets/internet_connectivity2.htm
http://www.practicalpc.co.uk/computing/comms/speedup.htm
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/it_consultant_job_description.jsp)
http://netequalizernews.com/2009/03/07/7-tips-and-tricks-to-speed-up-your-internet-connection/
http://en.wikipedia.org/

Thirteenth Post : MIS : Assignment 5 - Barriers in IS/IT

Fifth Assignment:
Based on your adopted organization(s), identify and discuss barriers in their IS/IT implementation. (2000words)

Before I go on with my adopted organization(s), I would like to discuss and identify first what are the things that can be considered as barriers in a company’s Information System or Information Technology implementation. I am quite confused with this topic so I search the internet first to have some ideas about the different obstacles in IS/IT implementation. And I admit that I had a hard time looking for a reliable resources or references. And I guess I found some sites that can be appropriate enough to answer this assignment.

Let me define first the meaning of barriers. In my own definition, barriers for me simply mean something that separates one thing from another or something that’s in between. It could be considered as hindrance that an individual may face while he/she is trying to gain entrance into something that may sometimes complicates the situation. So when we say barriers in a company’s information system or information technology implementation, those are obstacles that stand in the way of implementing an IS/IT in a certain organization which may complicates the situation. These barriers are hindrance that the company may face when they try to implement an Information System or Information Technology.

I have read an article about implementing a new Information System, published on June 9, 2008 by Lasan in Management; it talks about the different ideas and questions that would be asked if we will implement a new complex Information System within a company. Doing such big project usually entails a lot of problems that must be solved and a lot of barriers to be crossed, so it gives interest and a challenging road toward completion. As what I have understand, if a certain company wants to have a new IS they must consider a lot of things because getting a new “IS” is a strategic decision, where functionality, applicability, and adaptability play the main role. Some of the things that can be a problem or hindrance in having a new IS are the difficulty in choosing a system, the feedback of the end-users and the cost. Choosing a new system is not a simple one because it will depend on what the company wants and how big the organization is. If you are the owner of a company, it would be incorrect if you say “We want a new system that would work in exactly the same way as the previous one”. Why? Well, in this case you don’t need a new system. When changing the IS, you have the opportunity to review your current businesses, make some improvements, modify them, and make them better than the old one. Next is the end-users feedback. If you are the programmer, you should be patient and aware of the users’ response. It would either be positive or negative. The type of user who would probably have a positive response is those innovators, good and hard workers. On the other hand, the regular workers and complainers usually have a negative feedback. They may have a bad response maybe because the users don’t want to spend extra time thinking about their job or reading the manual, they are quick with complains but are not willing to read the manuals or search the web, or they are satisfied with the old one and they are uncomfortable with the new system. Last is the cost. Of course, it could be an obstacle because we have to consider how much money the company is willing to spend to implement a new IS solution.
As I go on searching the net, I have gathered some information that would help me identify the barriers in an organizations IS/IT implementation. Barriers in information technology in a company are inevitable and actually, there are a lot of it. It could be a technical, physical, human resource, communication, financial, operation or psychological problems. But I would like to point out and discuss about the technical problems, financial problems and the operation problems.

From the word information system, itself, it deals with information and how to manage it. So, it is essential to know how information is transmitted and shared by the company. For the first obstacle, which is the technical problems, some of the problems mentioned that would be classified as a problem in technical are the following: data processing difficulties, time factor in the collection and updating of information, a need for new and modern information system resources, and the need for fund for the processing and printing of information. Based on what I have read and as what I have observed, one thing that conflicts the implementation is the difficulty on data collection and management. Why? It is simply because data collection is a tedious yet a very important part of the whole system. It is referred to us as the hardest and complex part of the whole process so we have to look after it.

For financial problems, an information system needs a sufficient fund for the compensation of the information. The company’s financial state could be a big factor in case the company is in need to improve the information system. It could be an obstacle because if we want to acquire certain resources that soothe the company’s needs it gives as passage to have sufficient resources.

The third obstacle mentioned above is the operation problem. Some of the problems in operations of IS are the need for coordination between the professionals and the educational institutions and the need for full support on the new breakthroughs or technology presented by the programmers or any person concern. If the higher rank lacks the support, this is the hindrance that we are talking about in implementing an Information System/Information Technology in an organization. Why? Well, for me, because you are blocking the company to be updated with the new trends of gadgets that would be useful to improve the performance and speed of your systems.

Now, let’s proceed with my adopted companies. Based from the previous assignments, I have two companies the GH Office Depot, located at 88A Monteverde Avenue, Davao City, and the Lapanday Foods Corporation at Maryknoll Drive, Lanang Davao City. Based from the ideas that I have gathered from the net, I tried to recall all the things that we have discuss on our interview that would fit to answer this assignment.

First, we have the GH Office Depot and we are fortunate to interview their IT Personnel.Recalling our discussion with the company’s IT Personnel and in my own observation, one of the problems that I discover is the lock of more personnel on their IT department. As I remember, Mr. HP (the IT Personnel) is the only person on the IT Department. So he is the only person responsible on the maintenance and repair of the hardware components and the installations of software. That’s really a tough job for him but if he had some people that can help him, well, definitely it will lessen the burden and if problems may occur, he have some bodies who can help him. Another burden would be in their technical resources. As what I have observed, their IT department has fewer computers than I thought. They only use a laptop and one old personal computer (I guess). Though, there computers are still working, there is still a need for upgrade for a better performance. And whenever they purchase a new hardware or change into a new system, the budget and cost is always think of before they decide.

Next we have the Lapanday Foods Corporation. After interviewing there MIS manager and toured in some part of there company, I would probably say that there is no problem in there implementation on there IS/IT. In terms of technical, they always make sure that they properly upgraded there computers to have a faster data processing and a better hardware performance. If ever they want to acquire a new IT/IS for the company, they always make sure that they have a proper budget and effectively choose a computer that would fit the needs of the user and the programs that would be installed. So the first two obstacles that I have stated above are maybe not yet encountered by the company or maybe they already resolved that certain hindrance to the success of their information system. And considering there end-users, I guess there are no problem because as the MIS manager told us that before they implement a new system they study it first and properly introduced and demonstrated to the users. They have trainings beforehand to avoid problems. Compared to my other company, the Lapanday’s Management Information System department have several employees so therefore the job was divided and the process of data would be easy. There would be lesser technical problems that may occur.