Chaotic SouL

HRM Assignment 10

2009-10-15T19:16:00.000-07:00

Human Resource Management and Personnel Management

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

In this definition of personnel management, it shows that human resource management is a model of personnel management. For me, they are somewhat similar, both manages humans or the people of an organization.

“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.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_resource_management

I definitely agree with this statement, without the people who contributed to a company’s success, everything is useless. Human Resource Management is the heart of an organization and it plays a significant role in motivating the employees to become professionals and to bring out the best in them.

“When it comes to handling all the responsibilities associated with maintaining a workforce, personnel management has the most legal and financial responsibilities of the whole organization, without which the overall success of the business is at risk.”
http://it.toolbox.com/wiki/index.php/Personnel_Management

The overall success of an organization depends to its people or personnel. The nicer they are managed, the better the work. In this way, employees are encouraged to do the best they can for the organization.

“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).”
http://www.answers.com/topic/human-resource-management

Humans are an organization's greatest assets; without them, everyday business functions such as managing cash flow, making business transactions, communicating through all forms of media, and dealing with customers could not be completed. In order to maximize organizational effectiveness, human potential—individuals' capabilities, time, and talents—must be managed.

“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.”
-Susan M. Heathfield-
http://humanresources.about.com/od/glossaryh/f/hr_management.htm

Yes, this definition is precisely true. Human Resource Management deals with issues concerning the most vital element of an organization, the people.

HRM Assignment 9

2009-10-15T19:12:00.000-07:00

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
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.

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.

Nature of Human Resource Management
Human Resource Management is a process of bringing people and organizations together so that the goals of each are met. The various features of HRM include:
• It is pervasive in nature as it is present in all enterprises.
• Its focus is on results rather than on rules.
• It tries to help employees deve¬lop their potential fully.
• It encourages employees to give their best to the organization.
• It is all about people at work, both as individuals and groups.
• It tries to put people on assigned jobs in order to produce good results.
• It helps an organization meet its goals in the future by providing for competent and well-moti¬vated employees.
• It tries to build and maintain cordial relations between people working at various levels in the organization.
• It is a multi-disciplinary activity, utilizing knowledge and inputs drawn from psychology, econo¬mics, etc.
Role of Human Resource Management

PLANNING AND ORGANIZING FOR WORK, PEOPLE AND HRM

• STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVE
Develop Human Resource plans and strategies aligned to the organization’s strategic direction and business strategy. Provide tools and tactics to enhance execution of these strategies. Integrate HRM with current and pending legislation and socio-political changes. Integrate Human Resource Management with general organisational management. Manage the interface between HRM processes and systems. Formulate and communicate HRM policies. Scan the environment (both international and national) and identify emerging trends that will affect the organization and the management of people therein. Assess the long-term impact of short-term decisions on people. Manage people related
issues accompanying mergers, alliances and acquisitions. Express (embody) the
philosophy and values regarding people management in the organisation.
• CHANGE MANAGEMENT
Advise management on implications of change for employees. Co-ordinate &
facilitate the change process. Facilitate changed relationships. Provide support
structures for employees during change. Deliberate and proactive
management of the changing environment and its implications for work and
the organization.
• CORPORATE WELLNESS MANAGEMENT
Develop and communicate policies and procedures with regard to the management of well being. Manage occupational health and safety. Manage wellbeing (Employee Assistance programs & Health Promotion programs).

PEOPLE ACQUISITION AND DEVELOPMENT

STAFFING THE ORGANIZATION
As anexample, each of the functions of this role is further unpacked in terms of
activities.

Human Resource Planning (linked to strategic perspective)

Determining requirements of jobs
Recruitment of staff for the organisation
Selection of human resources
Placement of staff
Induction and orientation
Management of a-typical employment situations.
Managementof termination

TRAINING &DEVELOPMENT
• PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
• INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS

ADMINISTRATION OF POLICIES, PROGRAMMES & PRACTICES

• COMPENSATION MANAGEMENT
• INFORMATION MANAGEMENT
• ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT
• FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

According to Mr. Alex Somera, an HR Personnel of Emcor, the Human Resource Department of Emcor is the responsible for managing the Human Resources. For looking for possible employees to fill in vacancies, to analyze cause of the problems of unusual behavior of employees in the working environment. The human Resource department is also responsible for the development of the morale of every employee from the simplest laborer to the highest position in the organization. He also said that all of the transaction regarding the employee can be found in the Human Resource-Department for example like the processing of the Salary, Accounting Division, assist the employee for their basic needs like medication, loan etc. He said that the main purpose of the HRM is to attain the needs of the employees. The welfare of the employees is the topmost priority of the HRD, He said that the human force is the responsible that is why the organization generates, the employees are the reason and responsible for the survival of the industry that is why they have to take care of them, they are the one who builds and keep the organization survive but they could also be the reason to destabilize the industry.
I agree with Mr. Alex Somera, no company will survive without taking care of their human resources. An employee would always complain if there are any irregularities in the organization. If the HRD won’t take action on that, that would cause a problem, maybe it will take effect on the working performance of their employees.

HRM Assignment 8

2009-10-15T19:10:00.000-07:00

On the assumption that you heard/read the SONA of the President last month (July 2009), identify at least 3 areas related to Human Resource Management and explain how these areas can improve our quality of life.
Last July 27,2009 Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo’s SONA for 2009 was delivered at the joint session of the Congress of the Philippines. And the president cited areas that are related to Human Resource Management (HRM).

NAPC MICROFINANCE UNIT

Pursuant to the mandates stipulated in Title II of Republic Act 8425, the National Anti-Poverty Commission, through the Microfinance Unit (MFU), works toward the development of an enabling policy environment for the microfinance industry and ensure that microfinance services reach their target clientele -- the poor. The MFU was created as a separate unit of the NAPC Secretariat in June 2004 by virtue of Special Order No. 2004-22. Since then the Unit has made remarkable gains in the monitoring, policy review, gender mainstreaming, replication of best practices and educating the poor in microfinance.

NAPC’s Thrusts and Functions in Microfinance:

RA 842 the following thrusts and functions of NAPC towards the development of the microfinance sector:

* Development of a policy environment, especially in the area of savings generation
* Rationalization of existing government programs for credit/guarantee
* Utilization of existing government financial entities for provision of MF products/ and services for the poor
* Promotion of mechanisms necessary for implementation of MF services, including indigenous MF practices

The law also mandates NAPC to monitor the utilization of the People’s Development Trust Fund (PDTF) and perform the following activities:

* Source funds for the establishment of/and augmentation of PDTF
* Recommend the accreditation of organizations/institutions acting as resource partners for institutional development
* Ensure that validation/monitoring activities are conducted for PDTF-funded projects
* Promote research and development work on livelihood & MF technology, publications/communications programs for poor beneficiaries

OFW
In good times and bad, overseas Filipinos keep our nation resilient. Their remittances of $16 billion last year were a record. I know that this is not a sacrifice joyfully borne. This is work where it can be
found—in faraway places, among strangers with different cultures. It is lonely work, it is hard work. That is why we are working to create good paying jobs here at home, so that
overseas work will just be a career choice, not the only option for a hardworking Filipino.

Meanwhile, we should make their sacrifices worthwhile. We should take stronger measures to preserve and enhance the value of their hard earned wages. That means stronger consumer protection for overseas Filipinos investing in property and products back home. For them, I am activating an
Investors Protection Task Force.

Labor Protection programs that will generate jobs and employment, protect the Filipino workers here and abroad as well as promote their welfare by ensuring that the terms and conditions of their work, such as wages, working hours and safety measures are humane and just.

Tax Revenues

“We will work to increase tax effort through improved collections and new sin taxes to further our capacity to reduce poverty and pursue growth. Revenue enhancement must come from the Department of Finance plugging leaks and catching tax and customs cheats. I call on tax paying citizens and tax paying businesses, help the BIR and stop those tax cheats”.

This will help the improvement because the returns can be a benefit to all. The infrastructures, the roads, and any other government projects help the people. Though many claims that they cannot feel the benefit from the taxes they’re paying, still, it cant be denied that, sometimes, we were just trying to ignore the existence of the projects that the government give back to our community.

Education
“Ang magandang edukasyon ay susi sa mas magandang buhay, the great equalizer that allows every young Filipino a chance to realize their dreams”, president Arroyo.

"It seeks to mainstream early childhood development in basic education. Our children are our most cherished possession. In their early years we must make sure they get a healthy start in life. They must receive the right food for a healthy body, the right education for a bright and inquiring mind—and the equal opportunity for a meaningful job".

-We built 95,000 classrooms, created 60,000 teaching jobs, and allocated P1.5 billion for teacher training, especially for 100,000f English teachers. One of the most difficult Millennium Development Goal is Education for All by 2015, meaning, universal primary education. Almost no country will achieve it. But we are still trying. We built schools in over a million villages where there were none so that the children can save on transportation going to school. We eliminated miscellaneous fees for primary school. School uniforms are no longer required for public school.
In private high schools, we finance half of the students.

Expand and improve comprehensive early childhood care and education, especially for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged children.
Ensure that the learning needs of all young people and adults are met through equitable access to appropriate learning and life-skills programs.
Improve all aspects of the quality of education and ensure excellence of all so that recognized and measurable learning outcomes are achieved by all, especially in literacy, numeracy and essential life skills.

References:
http://coolbusteratyourservice.blogspot.com/2009/06/pgma-sona-2009-full-text.html
http://www.gov.ph/sona/sona2009/2009_SONA_TECHNICAL_REPORT.pdfhttp://jlp-law.com/blog/state-of-the-nation-address-sona-2009/

MIS Assignment 7

2009-10-15T19:06:00.000-07:00

Reflection:

"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 beings are the most important, potent and critical, resource of any organization because human beings constitute an organization’s most important and vital factor in its success or failure. Through and by men, the money, machines, materials, methods and markets are acquired and utilized. The accomplishment of the goals of an organization depends upon the availability and utilization of all these ingredients the interaction of which are people-caused. The acquisition, utilization, and development of financial, material, technological, and market resources which may be exhaustible are dependent on human resources. An organization may start with zero funding, but with creative, resourceful, hardworking and honest people, it becomes financially viable. On the other hand, a plethora of financial and material resources in an organization may go down the drain if handled by an incompetent and dishonest staff.

Yet the least understood and the worst managed of its resources
Unlike material and financial assets, human beings, by their nature , are highly dynamic and elusive, defying foolproof quantitative analysis and predictability. The challenge of management is not so much in its money, machines, methods, markets but in its people. They are least understood because every man or each one us has its own mind, style and uniqueness, complex in any ways. Also the personal goals of an individual are not realized, because there is and incongruence between individual goals and the organization’s goal and this is likely result in conflict.

Human resources are the worst managed because some companies look at people as an expense items and as factors of production. Hence, relatively fewer funds are provided for activities like screening, selection, training and education. The budget is nil for human resources planning, counseling and research. The management would rather put its money in production, marketing or finance where the returns are visible and countable. This is because their work orientation’s priorities are on organization and management welfare which is mainly for profit.

“Companies are truly unusual in their ability to achieve extraordinary results through ordinary people.”

HRM Assignment 6

2009-10-15T19:03:00.000-07:00

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

We are currently living in the 21st century – the Information Age. Corporation targets to go global, where technology plays the most important role. The Corporation is undergoing radical transformation, the new Industrial Revolution.

The corporation's fate over the next century is as fascinating to contemplate as it is difficult to predict. But as a general proposition, there is no reason to think that the corporation has reached the limits of its adaptive powers. Over the decades, it has proven a remarkably flexible vehicle for spreading commercial risk (and reward) and for organizing investment on a great scale over vast geographic distances. As we speed ahead into a future that is unknowable by definition, it is useful to pause and glance in the rearview mirror. Today's corporation is not an empty vessel waiting to be filled by the future. It is the product of a long and tumultuous history, of opportunities grasped and crises overcome--and it is all the stronger for it.

The Net gives everyone in the organization, the ability to access a mind-boggling array of information in just a click, from anywhere. Instead of seeping out over months or years, ideas can be spread out around the globe in the blink of an eye. That means that the 21st century Corporation must adapt itself to management via the Web. Already, old business models that emphasized fixed assets, working capital, and economies of scale have become increasingly vulnerable to nimbler organizations that employ new technologies to reduce costs.

Leading-edge technology will enable workers on the bottom rungs of the organization to seize opportunity as it arises. Employees will increasingly feel the pressure to get breakthrough ideas to market first. Thus, the corporation will need to nurture an array of formal and informal networks to ensure that these ideas can speed into development. In the near future, companies will call on outside contractors to assemble teams of designers, prototype producers, manufacturers, and distributors to get the job done. Emerging technologies will allow employees and freelancers anywhere in the world to converse in numerous languages online without the need for a translator.

And this rapid flow of information will permeate the organization. We could imagine that orders will be fulfilled electronically without a single phone call or piece of paper. The ''virtual financial close'' will put real-time sales and profit figures at every manager's fingertips via the click of a wireless phone or a spoken command to a computer. And in just a blink of an eye, everything you wanted to know about your company will come in just a second.

In the beginning, the global company was defined as one that simply sold its goods in overseas markets. Later, global companies assumed a manufacturing presence in numerous countries. The company of the future will call on talent and resources--especially intellectual capital--wherever they can be found around the globe, just as it will sell its goods and services around the globe. Indeed, the very notion of a headquarters country may no longer apply, as companies migrate to places of greatest advantage. The new global corporation might be based in the U.S. but do its software programming in Sri Lanka, its engineering in Germany, and its manufacturing in China. Every outpost will be seamlessly connected by the Net so that far-flung employees and freelancers can work together in real time. All this work will be done in an instant. With the use of the internet, speed is the biggest impact in terms of actions, deliberations, and information. And it leaves the old, process-oriented corporation in a total revamp. With everything from product cycles to employee turnover on fast-forward, there is simply not enough time for deliberation.

It is said that the very core of the 21st century Corporation is technology. It simply means that human minds and hands have been removed from an organization's most routine tasks and replaced them with computers and networks. Having this ideal to digitize everything from employee benefits to accounts receivables to product design cuts time, cost, and people from operations, resulting in huge savings and vast improvements in speed.

The truly great 21st century companies will recognize that the real power of technology is not just the ability to make a business more efficient but also its potential to spark transformative change. Much of that change will involve the company's relationship with its customers. In an era of unprecedented choice, in which prices and product specs for almost anything are only a click away, companies will have to offer a lot more than bargain prices.

True 21st century corporations will also learn to manage an elaborate network of external relationships. That far-reaching ecosystem of suppliers, partners, and contractors will allow them to focus on what they do best and farm everything else out. And it will let them quickly take advantage of fleeting opportunities without having to tie up vast amounts of capital. Outsourcing and partnering, of course, are hardly new. But in the coming century, such alliances will become more crucial.

Because of the spark of the rapid development of new technologies, particularly the Internet, the corporation is undergoing a radical transformation that is reaching far across the globe and in every corner of the world. From the early practices, features and structures, corporation in the 21st century will show off beyond what we can imagine.

Reference:
http://www.businessweek.com/common_frames

HRM Assignment 5

2009-10-15T19:00:00.000-07:00

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.

There are many reasons why an organization may need to lay off employees in the current business environment that includes mergers and acquisitions, outsourcing key operations, and eliminating less-than-optimal business lines are just a few. However, at the heart of any layoff decision is the need to remain financially viable and competitive both now and in the future. It can therefore be tempting to continue the cost-saving measures as you select an outplacement services provider for your downsized employees. However, the choices you make can seriously impact your company’s reputation and profitability in the future.

One company that has undergone HR downsizing was Motorola Inc.
Motorola Inc. is laying off 2,600 employees across the company, resultingin a pretax charge of $104 million for the first quarter, the Schaumburg-basedtelecommunications equipment-maker disclosed in a regulatory filing Thursday.

In a separate statement, Motorola said the layoffs are part of a previouslyannounced plan to cut costs by $500 million this year. Executives haddisclosed the cost-reducing program at the beginning of 2008 and warned thatit could mean job losses. Motorola’s employee head count totaled 66,000 at theend of 2007, according to the annual report it filed in February.
The company reports second-quarter earnings on April 24 and is expecting afurther decline in sales and global market share for its cell phone unit.Motorola previously announced that it also is planning to split the handsetdivision into an independent, publicly traded company with a new chiefexecutive who has yet to be hired.
A sizable portion of the 2,600 lost jobs will come from Singapore, where the company is planning to halt cell phone manufacturing by the end of thisyear. The shuttering of those operations will result in the loss of 700 jobs.Motorola said in its 2007 annual report that Singapore, along with China andBrazil, are the company’s largest cell phone manufacturing facilities, and thelion’s share of its handsets are made in Asia.

Other major reductions are to take place in Plantation, Fla., where Motorola will let go of 354 employees, and in a Birmingham, England, facilitythat will lose 120 jobs.

Motorola said the reductions were made across all three of its business units, as well as on the corporate level. Since becoming chief executive in January, Greg Brown has seen significant turnover in senior executives. In February he took direct control of the cell phone unit from Stu Reed, who subsequently left Motorola, and later hired new heads of finance and human resources. Brown also restructured marketing operations, with the chief marketing officer leaving the company.

Crisis of any kind is always an opportunity for change. Anytime ever are people more willing to accept new solutions than when they become necessary. Beyond the spectrum of this crisis, solutions streamline the costs of personnel are always much needed. Processes related to these solutions are delicate and requires attention: for example the right sizing of staff can not do than without a systematic analysis of staffing needs for a longer time span.

When:
• The company goes through a period of crisis (financial, etc) more difficult than usual;
• It is necessary to reorganize and streamline the current activity, for optimal use of available resources;
• It is necessary to restructure the company by the waiver of certain activities or by reducing a significant
amount of their share in total activities;
• There are conflicts between employees and management that has to be resolved;
• Downsizing is necessary.

Methodology

Downsizing can be effective if implemented appropriately. Companies must be careful to avoid sending the wrong messages to employees, shareholders and the media. Successful downsizing requires managers to:

• Evaluate the overall impact of downsizing. The total cost of downsizing-including both financial and non-financial costs-must be taken into account. Managers must calculate the present value of all costs and benefits associated with the cuts, including severance packages, lower employee productivity due to disorder or talent loss, eventual rehiring expenses, future rightsizing costs and the lost opportunity costs associated with not having the appropriate manpower to accelerate out of the downturn. Investing in areas customers care about-while competitors are cutting back-helps position the company to take or sustain the lead once conditions improve. The value created from downsizing should exceed the cost of lower employee morale and potential damage to the company's reputation;
• Develop a smooth downsizing process. It is crucial that managers invest aggressively in upfront planning for the job cuts. A company typically forms a committee to determine the appropriate level of downsizing and creates a process that takes into account the best interests of the company and the shareholders. Other important activities are training managers to conduct layoffs and assisting former employees in their job searches.

Companies use downsizing to:
• Reduce costs;
• Rightsize resources relative to market demand;
• Signal that the company is taking proactive steps to adjust to changing business needs;
• Take advantage of cost synergies after a merger;
• Release the least-productive resources.

References:
http://archives.chicagotribune.com/2008/apr/04/business/chi-fri-motorola-8k-jobcuts-motapr04
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Human-Resources-2866/Downsizing.htm

MIS Journal

2009-10-15T18:18:00.000-07:00

September 27, 2009

Our group agreed to meet today for us to continue our documentation for our major paper. Supposedly, we had to meet 2:00 pm at McDonalds Bajada but due to some circumstances we had started our documentation 6:30 pm. We divided the task, the SWOT analysis was assigned to Edsa and Emilio, and the STEEP analysis was assigned to Karen. The first 3 hours of our documentation was going well but the next hours were strenuous.

It was already 12:00 am when we left at McDonald.

September 25, 2009

On this day, we had our interview at ANFLOCOR. We arrived there at 12:30 pm and we had to wait 30 minutes because office time is 1:00 pm.

We had so many questions that we asked from Mr. Giovanni Pimentel, the IT-Senior Manager of ANFLOCOR. The questions were more about on STEEP and SWOT analysis. We asked him about the Sociological, Technological, Economical, Environmental, and Political factors that are external to the organization. Then, we asked him about the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of their organization. We also asked him about the structure of their company and a brief history of there IS.

We ended our interview at 2:30 pm.

September 25, 2009

During the last few days we have been checking our email account but there is still no reply from Sir Giovanni. So we decided to call them. Fortunately, we were able to talked t Sir Giovanni. We first asked for an apology (thank God! He understands.). Finally, we will have our interview this Friday, September 25, 2009 at 1:00 pm.

September 14, 2009

We sent an email for Sir Giovanni, saying sorry and asking for a reschedule of interview… if we can still.

September 13, 2009

We checked our email and read Sir Giovanni’s reply which was sent on September 10, 2009. Sir Giovanni said that he will be vacant on September 11, 2009 at 1pm. Since, September 11 had already passed and we weren’t able to be there, we felt sorry for ourselves and we were so downhearted and afraid that Sir Giovanni might not allow us to interview him anymore.

September 09, 2009

We went at ANFLOCOR before 8:00 in the morning. Sir Giovanni has not yet arrived and the girl on the reception said that Sir Giovanni will be having an important meeting on that morning, so we might not be entertained. Sir Giovanni’s secretary said that we really cant be entertained so she gave their contact number for us to call and confirm our next interview.

Later that day, we checked our email and figured out that Sir Giovanni had actually sent us a message telling that we can interview him 1pm that day.

August 26, 2009

We sent on email to Sir Giovanni requesting for a third interview.

August 20, 2009

We browsed through internet for STEEP and SWOT analysis examples. After an in-depth study about what and to come up with STEEP and SWOT. We immediately formulated questions for our adopted company.

August 17-19, 2009

We started making the possible contents of our ISNA. After making the draft of our table of contents, we decided the task among the members. The introduction was assigned to Edsa, background information about the company to Edsa and Emilio and the purpose, scope and objective of the study and the approaches to systems building was assigned to Karen.

August 11, 2009

We started to researched and study for our major paper. We browsed the internet looking for articles that are related to our study. We did a research about the STEE and SWOT analysis and examples of it. We also did research about the background information of ANFLOCOR and what is a holding company. Moreover, we researched about the agile method and waterfall method and we also looked for examples of Information System Needs Assessments. After we had gathered such information we discussed and studied it.

August 12, 2009

Again, we consulted Sir Gamboa fro our ghant chart. Luckily, he approved it and it is ok for posting.

August 10, 2009

By this time, we consulted Sir Gamboa for our ghant chart. Unfortunately, we had some mistakes that we hadn’t noticed so we had to revise our ghant chart.

August 06,2009

This day is our schedule for our second interview. We arrived at the ANFLOCOR approximately 8:00 am. The interview started 8:15 am. We asked the IT-senior manager about their strategic transitions in there IS, how their organization does used Information System for competitive advantage and the factors to consider when planning a new system. We also asked him whether their system is in-source or out-source, what are the hardware and software used and how does they manage it e.g. maintenance and back-up. Also we asked him regarding the company’s approached to system building, the SWOT of the company, the problems and issues they had encountered and the flow of their major business and IS operations. However, he refused to give us the information about the flow of their major business and IS operation.

Lastly, we had a picture taking with him and we ended our interview past 9:00 am.

August 04, 2009

Our group decided to discuss or review the slides presentation of the reports so that we can formulate guide questions for our interview. So we met up at the boarding house of one of our group mate after our classes. But before that we did a research on the library and internet for other references.

July 27, 2009

On this day, we had our first ever interview in ANFLOCOR with Mr. Giovanni Pimentel, senior manager – IT and Management Services of ANFLOCOR Company. The scheduled time was 8am, and we were there just on time but only Edsa and Emilio was there to conduct the interview.

The interview was all about the basic information in management information system of the company. It goes smoothly yet a little nervous in our part, we felt intimidated and challenge as well. We asked questions such as the role MIS in their company, how it affect, in what way and some sort of things. We also threw the same questions we had during the class sharing like hacking, resistance, and etc. He shared to us the company background of the company, their services, what kind of company is ANFLOCOR, the history of there is, about their personnel and department, the sub-company it has and a lot more. General thoughts regarding their company was tackled and discussed.

During the interview we informed him regarding the ISNA or major paper we have, if it is okay to conduct a series of interview for the information we needed to complete the study. He told us that he is willing to be interviewed but he also informed us that e cannot give us the confidential information.

Before the interview ended, we also had a picture taking with Sir Pimentel and informed him that we will have another interview with him. It was a good start for our major paper though.

July 23, 2009

After a few days, July 23, we visited our prospect companies and presented a letter asking for interview and ANFLOCOR was one of it. Fortunately, the said company accepted the request and told us to follow-up the request letter on the following day. After a day, we made a call to the company and luckily the senior manager of MIS department gave us a schedule date for interview.

July 15, 2009

On July 15, 2009, we managed to gathered/researched basic information of our prospect company to be adopted from the visitation we had. Through the use of internet we acquired information such as company’s background and company’s profile that is needed for the approval of company adaptation.

July 6, 2009

In our group we started our major paper on July 6, 2009 by searching of what company to be adopted. List of companies were presented to seek for approval from our MIS-instructor. During these days, presenting of different companies were made tow or more times, prior to this, we also started to visit some of the company to ask for permission to conduct a study. Throughout of the visited, some of the companies declined from our request namely: Concentrix and some of the companies which don’t have a MIS.

MIS: Assignment 9

2009-10-14T04:34:00.000-07:00

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

• 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?

The flow of information has changed the way we live in today world. Information is the backbone of every system. Every morning when we read a newspaper having out so much information we came to know the latest happening in the world (of course in details), yeah you are right even the internet .
We can take the example of banking. It is very to transact any amount of money from part of the world to other with help of e-commerce. We can purchase anything online with help of debit and credit cards. This has made our lives more and more simple.
Now days if we want to buy to something and are not getting it nearby store then we can simply search for that thing on internet and then order it on the internet. We will get it delivered at our doorstep with just few clicks of mouse. Similarly if we want to travel around the world we can book airline tickets online and even book rooms for our hotels (of course at competitive rates). People are working on the internet without really having to go outside to their workplace.
Companies can share technologies online. Even the doctors can guide the other doctors while operating on a patient with the help of Information Technology.

A whole new world is coming in our way.

E-Commerce

Electronic commerce, commonly known as (electronic marketing) e-commerce or eCommerce, consists of the buying and selling of products or services over electronic systems such as the Internet and other computer networks. The amount of trade conducted electronically has grown extraordinarily with widespread Internet usage. The use of commerce is conducted in this way, spurring and drawing on innovations in electronic funds transfer, supply chain management, Internet marketing, online transaction processing, electronic data interchange (EDI), inventory management systems, and automated data collection systems. Modern electronic commerce typically uses the World Wide Web at least at some point in the transaction's lifecycle, although it can encompass a wider range of technologies such as e-mail as well.

A large percentage of electronic commerce is conducted entirely electronically for virtual items such as access to premium content on a website, but most electronic commerce involves the transportation of physical items in some way. Online retailers are sometimes known as e-tailers and online retail is sometimes known as e-tail. Almost all big retailers have electronic commerce presence on the World Wide Web.

Electronic commerce that is conducted between businesses is referred to as business-to-business or B2B. B2B can be open to all interested parties (e.g. commodity exchange) or limited to specific, pre-qualified participants (private electronic market). Electronic commerce that is conducted between businesses and consumers, on the other hand, is referred to as business-to-consumer or B2C. This is the type of electronic commerce conducted by companies such as Amazon.com.
Electronic commerce is generally considered to be the sales aspect of e-business. It also consists of the exchange of data to facilitate the financing and payment aspects of the business transactions.
Contemporary electronic commerce involves everything from ordering "digital" content for immediate online consumption, to ordering conventional goods and services, to "meta" services to facilitate other types of electronic commerce.

On the consumer level, electronic commerce is mostly conducted on the World Wide Web. An individual can go online to purchase anything from books or groceries, to expensive items like real estate. Another example would be online banking, i.e. online bill payments, buying stocks, transferring funds from one account to another, and initiating wire payment to another country. All of these activities can be done with a few strokes of the keyboard.
On the institutional level, big corporations and financial institutions use the internet to exchange financial data to facilitate domestic and international business. Data integrity and security are very hot and pressing issues for electronic commerce today.

My role within this environment
Electronic commerce is here to stay. No matter how big the dot-com crisis was or how far the e-entrepreneurs' shares fell in the market, the fact remains that there is still confidence in electronic trading. At least it would appear that investors are confident in e-companies again.
However, not only trust of venture capitalists is of importance -- consumers also have to have faith in on-line business. After all, without consumers there is no e-business. Interacting lawyers, technicians and economists are needed to create a trustworthy electronic commerce environment.
To achieve this environment, thorough and inter-disciplinary research is required and that is exactly what this book is about. Researchers of the project Enabling Electronic Commerce from the Dutch universities of Tilburg and Eindhoven have chosen a number of e-topics to elaborate on trust from their point of view.
This volume makes clear that the various disciplines can and will play a role in developing conditions for trust and thus contribute to a successful electronic market.

How can the principles of information organization and representation help you in performing this role?

The quality of "findability" is the ability of a user to find the information they need, regardless of whether he or she has touched it before, knows exactly where it is, or knows in which repository it resides. To manage unstructured content effectively and efficiently, it must be organized. Structure is needed to address the underlying challenge of managing content.

It helps me to...

Understand my content
The first step in coming to grips with content in any organization is to clarify your business goals. What exactly are they? Why do you need to organize this data? What strategic goal will it achieve? This basic question is often overlooked when starting a project. If there is no legitimate business reason to add metadata or build an enterprise-wide taxonomy or business classification scheme, then doing so is nothing more than a waste of money.

Get it organized. To organize information, we use a sequential process. The steps are as follows: hypothesis, audit, inventory, analyze, clean up and enrich, reorganize, and migrate. Going through each of these steps one at a time will help you achieve your goals quickly and efficiently.

Analysis, cleanup, and enrich. During the inventory you should begin to identify groups of information that belong together, such as invoices, contracts, case files, etc. You should start to capture those attributes in the form of various fields of metadata that can be added to the inventory list. This can be metadata that helps you identify, structure, or administer an object. Every bit of metadata added to an object takes time and money, so its purpose must be extremely well defined and thought through. There is no substitute for a clear metadata strategy.

Reorganize and migrate. This step is where you decide what information is relevant and should be moved into the new environment, grouping together what belongs together and migrating it from the chaotic environment that you’ve been working in to an organized and logical environment.

Establishing virtual personas
An effective means of dealing with the challenge of identifying user groups and understanding their needs is to create virtual “personas”. These are fictitious characters created to represent each of the user types within your organization, distinguished by the way they approach and consume information. These personas should be realistic and bestowed with as much detail as necessary to mimic the needs of the actual user groups.

Don’t get lost in the process
An important caveat: Don’t lose sight of the fact that information is only part of the overall user experience and it’s important not to get lost in organizing data for its own sake. Searching is one way to retrieve information and get access to it. No search engine by itself, however, will provide the perfect solution and meet the needs of all users at the same time without some careful tuning and without considering some of the alternatives and different kinds of search.

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

Protecting Online Privacy
As the network technology we utilize becomes more advanced so do the security issues surrounding these technologies. Evolving from the days of "sneaker net" to gigabit ethernet has introduced seemingly infinite risks associated with our public and private networks.
The Web can be a dangerous place for consumers and businesses. One recent report says credit card fraud is now 12 times higher online than in-store, while another report pegs online fraud at four times the old-fashioned kind. No matter how you slice it, that’s a pretty scary statistic.
But we must also realize that the Web is driving double-digit sales growth and that online fraud still accounts for less than 1.2 cents out of every dollar spent online. As IT professionals, do we have a challenge managing Web security? Yes, we do, but it’s manageable.
Ease of use, flexibility and economy need to be built into the way we manage Web commerce risk. Today, the customer is asked to provide several layers of information for authentication: user ID, password, credit card number and possibly other identifying information such as his or her date of birth, address or zip code. If this information checks out with the credit card company and the business, the customer is allowed to complete the transaction.
But the natural corollary to all these layers of authentication is that consumers are wary of the Web. They know that a social security number entered online could wind up in an identity thief’s hands. They know that a phone number or e-mail address given for “questions about your order” could quickly turn into dinnertime sales pitches or junk e-mails flooding their inboxes. And they want it to stop.

Lack of Confidence Costs
Have you ever considered what you’re losing in online business by not managing security better? It’s estimated that electronic commerce would double if people had greater confidence that their privacy was protected on the Web. In fact, the lack of confidence in privacy outpaces all other concerns--including price and ease of use--in inhibiting people from buying on the Web.
Harris Interactive says 70 percent of consumers worry that their online transactions aren’t secure, and 75 percent are concerned that companies will share their personal information with others. Those fears reduced U.S. online purchasing by $15 billion last year, according to the latest consumer research.
The biggest mistake IT professionals make in assessing Web security is focusing on the challenge and not looking at the business opportunity. If you help build online relationships with customers based on trust, they will ask you to add them to your mailing lists, they will want you to recommend products from marketing partners, and they will stick by you forever.

Solution…
Privacy is the number one concern of Internet users; it is also the top reason why non-users still avoid the Internet. Survey after survey indicates mounting concern. While privacy faces threats from both private and government intrusions, the existing motley patchwork of privacy laws and practices fails to provide comprehensive protection. Instead, it causes confusion that fuels a sense of distrust and skepticism, limiting realization of the Internet's potential.
A unique combination of tools -- legal, technical, and self-regulatory -- is being designed to address the privacy concerns of Internet users. Top-priority objectives include setting limits on government access to personal information, ensuring that new information and communication technologies are designed in ways that protect rather than diminish privacy, and developing appropriate federal legislation to set baseline standards for consumer privacy. This guide is intended to educate Internet users about online privacy, and offer practical suggestions and policy recommendations.

Ways to Protect Your Privacy Online
• Learn how to read online privacy policies
• Opt-out and use any other privacy options offered
• Get a separate account for your personal e-mail
• Teach your kids not to give out personal information online without permission
• Be careful when using social networking sites and picture/video sharing sites
• Learn about - and use - the privacy features in your browser
• Make sure that online transactions are secure
• Learn how to spot phishing and other scams
• Reject or delete unnecessary cookies
• Use security software and promptly install security upgrades
• Safeguard important files and communications
• Use anonymizer tools, but cautiously
• Use strong passwords and protect them
• Use common sense

References:
http://www.ebizq.net/topics/ecm/features/1695.html?page=2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_commerce#Business_applications

MIS: Assignment 8

2009-10-14T04:32:00.000-07:00

As a student, I 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. I have been asked to present your evaluation about outsourcing the information systems functions of the school.

If the Dean of the Institute of Computing will invite me to attend a seminar-workshop these are the things that I will present in my evaluation about outsourcing the information systems functions of the school:

Outsourcing is subcontracting a service 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 has assumed strongly negative connotations in certain circles. To some, outsourcing today means low-cost labour, performing low-value work in substandard or even exploitative conditions. When combined with offshoring, outsourcing has led to rising unemployment and other economic and social ills. Outsourcing and offshoring have become symbols of globalisation’s adverse side effects, and so both practices have become politically volatile.

Reasons for outsourcing

Organizations that outsource are seeking to realize benefits or address the following issues:
• Cost savings. The lowering of the overall cost of the service to the business. This will involve reducing the scope, defining quality levels, re-pricing, re-negotiation, cost re-structuring. Access to lower cost economies through offshoring called "labor arbitrage" generated by the wage gap between industrialized and developing nations.[15]
• Focus on Core Business. Resources (for example investment, people, infrastructure) are focused on developing the core business. For example often organizations outsource their IT support to specilaised IT services companies.
• Cost restructuring. Operating leverage is a measure that compares fixed costs to variable costs. Outsourcing changes the balance of this ratio by offering a move from fixed to variable cost and also by making variable costs more predictable.
• Improve quality. Achieve a step change in quality through contracting out the service with a new service level agreement.
• Knowledge. Access to intellectual property and wider experience and knowledge.[16]
• Contract. Services will be provided to a legally binding contract with financial penalties and legal redress. This is not the case with internal services.[17]
• Operational expertise. Access to operational best practice that would be too difficult or time consuming to develop in-house.
• Access to talent. Access to a larger talent pool and a sustainable source of skills, in particular in science and engineering.[4][18]
• Capacity management. An improved method of capacity management of services and technology where the risk in providing the excess capacity is borne by the supplier.
• Catalyst for change. An organization can use an outsourcing agreement as a catalyst for major step change that can not be achieved alone. The outsourcer becomes a Change agent in the process.
• Enhance capacity for innovation. Companies increasingly use external knowledge service providers to supplement limited in-house capacity for product innovation.[19][20]
• Reduce time to market. The acceleration of the development or production of a product through the additional capability brought by the supplier.
• Risk management. An approach to risk management for some types of risks is to partner with an outsourcer who is better able to provide the mitigation.[21]
• Venture Capital. Some countries match government funds venture capital with private venture capital for startups that start businesses in their country.[1]
• Tax Benefit. Countries offer tax incentives to move manufacturing operations to counter high corporate taxes within another country.

Drawbacks of Outsourcing

Outsourcing can provide considerable benefits to your company. However, there are definitely a number of drawbacks that you need to be aware of in order to make a good assessment:
• Management & Control Problems
Effectively managing the operation of a department within your own company is challenging enough. Effectively controlling an offshore operation is difficult due to the geographical distance, time-zone difference, and lack of face-to-face communication.
• Failure to Deliver
With external sources, you are trusting a third party to deliver a certain quantity/quality of deliverables. Should your provider fail to deliver, you are likely to suffer the consequences despite the Service Level Agreements (SLAs) you had in place.
• Exposure
Outsourcing exposes a certain part of your business to a third party. Unless you completely shield your offshore operation, you might expose your company to a breech of confidentiality, malicious use of system access, and other vulnerabilities in your organization.
• Negative Reputation
Outsourcing has gained a negative reputation and even though studies have proven otherwise, the general public opinion remains that offshoring eliminates domestic jobs. Your employees, clients, and partners might not appreciate the fact that you are offshoring certain business processes especially if that means that you are terminating a part of your domestic operation.
• Company Value
The major risk of outsourcing is that you may not be building the value of your company in terms of personnel, in-house knowledge, and infrastructure. In this case, the value of an outsourcing agreement with a provider will be less effective than an internal department.

If I had to take a position I would choose in-sourcing.

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.

Why Insource?
Insourcing can also reduce variability and help the manufacturer develop and test line extensions with a higher degree of security than with outsourcing. A manufacturer’s response to a crisis, such as tampering, destruction, or compromise, can also be quicker than if its goods are with an outsourcer. However, both insourcing and outsourcing can help an OEM recover from catastrophes, or alleviate short- or long-term capacity issues.
Insourcers can also enjoy improved responsiveness over contract partners. Because they are closer to their customers, insourcers can react more quickly than those that are simply managing a larger supply chain. With the control of insourcing, relationships can be leveraged for additional cost savings. Insourcing is particularly suited for noncommodity products, because companies can provide competitive quotes and lower their cost of goods sold. Finally, if companies do not achieve quality enhancements through outsourcing, they should consider keeping control in-house.

There are cost benefits to insourcing, of course. Average salaries and benefits for qualified staff in Manila are about a third of market rates in other major cities throughout the world, and even lower than high-cost jurisdictions, such as London and New York.
Rents, utilities and other fixed costs are also more affordable in Manila, and they are expected to remain so for the foreseeable future.
As a result, the firm’s global marketing team saves more than half a million dollars annually by doing most of its graphic design and desktop publishing work in Manila. In addition, we have realised similar savings by consolidating much of our software-development work globally in GSM.

Advantages of In-Sourcing
• Substantial cost savings
• Increased Professional Resources
• Direct Management
• Reduced Operational Expenses
• Extended Productivity Hours

What about Outsourcing?
The quick answer to the outsourcing question used to be cost reductions. This still holds true for certain products and contexts. With the right partner, outsourcing can provide significant production scale without capital investment.
For small companies with limited access to capital, outsourcing provides a means to manage cash flow and inventories. Outsourcing is a good option for commodity manufacture, because third parties can offer economies of scale that individual companies cannot reach on their own.
The benefits of minimal capital investment and cash flow, however, may be offset by the increased inventory needed to support the long lead times inherent in outsourced manufacturing.
Managing outsource partners may result in greater personnel costs and a loss of flexibility and control. It’s also important to understand the implications of outsourcing for inventory and cash flow management. A common issue is deciding when an OEM should pay for its product (upon receipt, ex-works, etc.).
In fact, industry experts note that a key factor driving insourcing has been the failure of outsourcing to achieve the consistent, long-term, and significant cost savings that clients anticipate.3
Estimates from Compass Sourcing Services indicate that large outsourcing contracts show, on average, a cost reduction of 15% in the first 18 months of the agreement. However, experts also say that because of growing demand for services and sales charges of many outsourcing contracts, the client’s costs are often 30% higher than those of a well-managed internal operation by the end of the term.3
Another possible drawback of outsourcing material is quality. Although this problem is alleviated by choosing an outsourcer that emphasizes quality, there is a risk that the quality of the product will not meet the expectations of the manufacturer.
There are three key issues to balance in making the decision to outsource or insource manufacturing, as follows:
• The complexity of the product design. Commodity-type products can benefit from the economies of scale and purchasing power of their contract manufacturers.
• The maturity of the product design. Companies should be cautious about outsourcing brand-new products.
• The stability of the market need. Allowing the product and the market to stabilize before considering an outsourcing partner helps ensure a successful transition.
Products that may require future improvements or updates to address market needs may be difficult to outsource because partners may be unwilling to share in the cost of production changes. Depending on the lead times for manufacture, the volume of in-process inventory may be significant. Finally, OEMs must make sure that partners are willing to alter their processes to accommodate individual needs.
For success in outsourcing, it is critical to pick the right partner. No contract is bulletproof. It is important to understand that unexpected things will happen. OEMs must put plans in place to be ready to manage them when they do. Unforeseen changes in ownership or management can seriously alter a partnership and the terms of supply, price, and quality.

What is best for the organization?

If the organization has a number of non-core processes which are taking plenty of time, effort and resources to perform in-house, it would be wise to outsource these non-core functions. Outsourcing in this case, would help you save on time, effort, manpower and would also aid you in making quicker deliveries to your customers.

If the require expertise services in areas which do not fall under your core competency, then outsourcing will be a good option as you can get access to expertise services. For reducing costs and making faster deliverables, outsourcing is again a good option.

If the work involves production, then it would be more ideal for your organization to opt for insourcing, as you can save on transportation costs and exercise a better control over your project.

It is not necessary to choose outsourcing over insourcing or vice versa. The organization can outsource and insource at the same time. By outsourcing and insourcing simultaneously, you can have the best of what both offers and your business can get a competitive advantage!

References:
http://www.in-source.com/benefit.html
http://www.devicelink.com/mddi/archive/07/03/027.html

MIS: Assignment 7

2009-10-14T04:31:00.001-07:00

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.

Last July 27,2009 Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo’s SONA for 2009 was delivered at the joint session of the Congress of the Philippines. And the president cited areas that are related to Information and Communications Technology (ICT) . By the way, ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) is an umbrella term that covers all advanced technologies in manipulating and communicating information. The term is sometimes used in preference to information technology (IT), particularly on these two communities: education and government.

Here are some of the areas related to ICT that was stated by our President Arroyo during her SONA:

Telecommunications

“In telecommunications, I instructed the Telecommunications Commission to
act already on the complaints of dropped calls and disappearing loads in
cellphones. We need to amend the Commonwealth-era Public Service Law.
And we need to do it now.”

The main issue was on a sudden load deduction without service being availed or used by the user. This problem was quite a big deal for the people hence, almost all the Filipino has an access and on the use of mobile technology, although I don’t have one. As far as the development of this issue is concern, the congress had made the action to investigate this issue with the telecommunications company. To date, the bill was made into reality; it is clear then with Telecommunications Company and to the people how there services will cope up and respond to the trend of the issue.

BPO

“If in the past electronics flourished, today we are creating wealth by
developing the business process outsourcing (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.”

The Arroyo Administration’s strategic foresight of using information technology to advantage early on, built the necessary physical and regulatory infrastructure that enabled the Services Sector particularly the Philippine Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) industry, to become one of the main economic growth drivers of the country. The growth in the BPO also improved the country’s Balance of Payments (BOP) and investments.

One of the most important advantages of BPO is the way in which it helps to increase a company’s flexibility. However, several sources have different ways in which they perceive organizational flexibility. Therefore business process outsourcing enhances the flexibility of an organization in different ways.
Let us have a Department of Information and Communications Technology.

Creation of DICT

“Let us have a department of ICT (DICT)!”

Information and communications technology (ICT) is a big help to boost a country's overall competitiveness by improving the efficiency of production processes across sectors and industries, accelerating the growth of knowledge-based services, and empowering people to access unprecedented sources of information and markets,

The strategic importance of ICT to national development and competitiveness is undeniable. Through the establishment of DICT, and it further promote ICT in the country as a tool to create jobs, improve government services, and empower Filipinos.

References:
http://www.gmanews.tv/story/168382/PRESIDENT-ARROYOS-NINTHSTATE-OF-THE-NATION-ADDRESS
http://www.senate.gov.ph/press_release/2008/0603_angara1.asp
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2009/july/03/yehey/top_stories/20090703top8.html

MIS: Assignment 6

2009-10-14T04:11:00.000-07:00

If I were hired by the university president as an IT consultant, what would I suggest in order for the internet connectivity be improved?

In order to improve the internet connectivity of university, the following factors should be considered:

Hardware
If computer is slow, it doesn't matter how fast your Internet connection is, the whole thing will just seem slow. You can only access the Internet as fast as your PC will allow you to. By replacing the hardware, with a newer or better version, in order to bring the system up to date or to improve its characteristics. Common hardware upgrades are installing additional memory (RAM), adding larger hard disks, replacing microprocessor cards or graphics cards, and installing new versions of software, although many other upgrades are often possible as well. Although upgrades are for the purpose of improving a product, there are risks involved—including the possibility that the upgrade will worsen the product. When hardware is upgraded, there is a risk that it will not be compatible with other pieces of hardware in the system. For example, an upgrade of RAM may not be compatible with existing RAM in the computer. Other hardware components may not be compatible after either an upgrade or downgrade, due to the non-availability of compatible drivers for the hardware with a specific operating system.

Type of Internet Connection
Broadband is often called "high-speed" Internet, because it usually has a high rate of data transmission.
Broadband is the transmission capacity with sufficient bandwidth to permit combined provision of voice, data and video. According to ITU report, it refers to DSL and cable modem services with band width greater than 128kbps in at least one direction. In determining the speed connection we should determine the bandwidth of internet type subscribe by the university. Bandwidth is the range of frequencies available to be occupied by signals. In analogue systems it is measured in terms of Hertz (Hz) and in digital systems in bit/s per second (bit/s), the higher the bandwidth, the greater the amount of information that can be transmitted in a given time.

Maintenance
Computer maintenance can include running a disk defrag, scanning disk, virus scanning, malware scanning, and clearing recycle bin. An unusually slow Internet connection experience is often the only sign that computer is infected with viruses or other malware. Delete old files and temporary files. Never allow the free space on C: drive to be less than 10% of the total size or twice the installed RAM (which ever is larger). A well maintained PC will operate much better than a PC that has never had any maintenance. You can google or your local computer repair store should be able to help you with this if you don't know how.

The use of Internet Speed Boosters
One way to improve internet speed is to use a internet speed booster software . It is indeed the solution for great power and web speed as it is capable of installing tweaks that lead to improved connection speed regardless of its nature - Dialup, LAN or DSL. It also monitors your computer silently in the background for processes that have been ended improperly, offering methods to free up unused virtual memory.
Boosting can be very helpful in speeding up internet connection. Like active speed, which dramatically improves any home or office Internet connection, including dial-up modems of any speed, and high-speed connections such as cable modems, DSL, ISDN, T-1, LAN, etc. It works with all Internet services, including AOL and local ISPs.

DSL and Cable Broadband Speed Tweaks

So-called broadband speed tweaks are techniques to improve performance of DSL and cable Internet connections. Home networking enthusiasts started experimenting with cable and DSL tweaks many years ago, when broadband Internet services first became popular.
Performance tweaks for low-speed (dialup) Internet often do not work for broadband links. Additionally, while broadband speed tweaks originally focused on increasing the performance of general Web surfing, speed tweaks are now more commonly made to tune specific applications like P2P file sharing systems and games.
Limitations of Broadband Speed Tweaks
First, broadband tweaks should be made only after your network is tested and running reliably. Speed tweaks are performance optimizations only, not designed to fix installation errors or basic network configuration issues.
You should expect broadband tweaks might yield only small speed increases, and then only in certain situations. For example, a tweak to improve the performance of one online game may only benefit that title and then only initially when it is loading. Broadband tweaks may help certain applications like games but at the same time slow down others like Web browsing. In general, assume any performance benefits you obtain may be on the order of 10-20% gain rather than 100-200%.
Finally, speed tweaks also can create instability on some networks. Depending on the type of equipment and Internet service you use, some tweaks will be technically incompatible and need to be avoided.

About Web Accelerators for Broadband Tweaks
Speed tweaks have been traditionally applied to the network by an administrator manually, one device at a time, but in recent years software applications have been developed to help automate and maintain tweaks.
So-called Internet download accelerators are pre-packaged software programs that automatically apply speed tweaks to a computer. Installing and running an accelerator program will automatically make the Registry, Web browser and other configuration changes. The more sophisticated applications collect information about your computers and network and apply tweaks intelligently to ensure maximum benefit.
While many Web accelerators are designed specifically for dialup networks, examples of accelerator applications useful for broadband are:
• Download Accelerator Plus
• Google Web Accelerator
• Netfury
• ONSPEED

Here are some tips on how to improve the internet connection

1 Ditch your modem. The first tip is to get rid of your modem and move to ADSL. Yes, broadband is available at low cost in most areas. Visit keyword broadband to see if it's supported by your exchange. If you are on broadband you can probably skip the rest of our top tips because you'll be enjoying life rather than fretting about your connection speed.
2 Update your drivers. Ah - still here? You must love your modem! Perhaps cash is limited or you don't have ADSL in your area - read on.
Driver files are updated regularly by most modem manufacturers. For some modems, you can also "flash upgrade" the software in the modem to provide the latest (and fastest) communications software. Even so, you should be sure the driver is right for your operating system. To find the latest drivers, just enter the modem details into a search engine such as aolsearch.aol.co.uk/ or www.google.co.uk with the word "driver". So, to find drivers for a USR Sportster modem, enter "USR Sportster driver" and follow any instructions on how to install it. You can check your current modem drivers from Control Panel. With Windows XP, Select Start | Control Panel | Phone and Modem Options | Modems | Properties | Drivers.
3 Surf when the yanks are in their PJs - the internet is much faster if the rest of the world is asleep. Try surfing while eating your bowl of breakfast corn flakes. It's much more bracing!
4 Tweak your settings. Your PC has some settings that may improve modem throughput. All data sent over the internet goes in data packets. The size of these packets is the Maximum Transmission Unit or MTU. The aim is to send packets that are as large as possible without them needing to be broken down into smaller packets which would slow down your connection speed. A modem user, should set the (MTU) to 1500, the RWIN multiplier to 10 and Time to Live to 35. Download Tweak-Me or Tweak-XP to get this done for automatically you.
5 Use FTP download wherever possible. If you want to download files, you can often choose between FTP or HTML download. FTP, (File Transfer Protocol,) is much faster for file transfers so you should choose that when you can.
6 Use a high speed port. This'll only apply to readers with really old computers. The serial port may use an old, slow chip called a UART. The answer is to fit a high speed serial port with a 16550 UART chip or to fit an internal modem which includes one of these beasties.
7 Use a download tool. There's nothing more frustrating than losing a connection near the end of a one hour download. The good news is that most downloads are resumable which means they can be restarted from where the connection failed. You need the right tool to manage the reconnection - one of the best is shareware Getright. Getright also searches for the fastest download sites and splits the download between several sites with the downloads running in parallel for the maximum possible download speed.
8 Use a faster browser. Once you've connected to AOL, you can start any browser and run it in a second window. Opera is one of the fastest so why not download a free copy and give it a test run?
9 Manage your cache. Every time you use the internet, images and other files are downloaded onto your hard disk. If a particular image or other file is needed in a subsequent session, it can be pulled from the disk faster than it could be downloaded again. They are kept in a "Temporary Internet Files" folder, often called Cache. When the folder is full, Windows deletes the oldest files.
You can vary the size of this folder by visiting Control Panel and selecting Internet Options. If you increase it, then more files can be stored on hard disk but if you go too far, then a slow PC may spend too long searching cache! You'll need to experiment to find the right level for your PC and internet connection speed.
10 Define a blank homepage. Each time you start a browser outside your AOL window, the browser will go to the defined homepage. If this is slow, you should change the home page to a fast web site. If you are a real speed nut, set it to blank. To do this, go to Internet Options as above, and select Use Blank. Now your external browser is up and running in record time.
#1 Don't display images. Text only windows are much faster to download. You can easily restore images when required. Here's how to set whether to display images: From Internet Options (see above) select the Advanced tab. Scroll down until you see the multimedia section, then select or deselect "Show pictures." Select Apply then OK to save your change.
Make these changes and you'll be cruising in the fast lane!

How to Improve Your Broadband Connection over a LAN line

Broadband Connection Speed
The only thing better than a fast broadband Internet connection, is a faster broadband Internet connection. Broadband Internet speed tests allow you to measure your current broadband speed against that of faster broadband Internet connections. There are various programs and software packages that you can purchase through which you can increase the speed of your Internet connection. You can also make adjustments to the hardware components (Upgrade processor speed and memory levels) of your system maximizing your computer’s broadband connection potential.

If you’re not looking to purchase additional software / hardware add-ons, there are manual “tweaks” that you can make to your system through which you can boost your broadband speed.
Increasing Your Broadband Internet Speed

Let’s assume that you access the Internet via a broadband LAN line. The following are 3 examples of ways through which you can manipulate your network settings and increase your broadband speed:

Reduce your network latency by increasing the request buffer size
Tests of LAN broadband connections have shown that delays can be caused as a result of the default request buffer size setting of 4356 decimal. As it is, it has been proven that an increase to a 16384 decimal setting can allow for better performance. (Such an increase is only possible if you have the necessary memory) By utilizing this slight “tweak,” you can noticeably increase your Internet speed and broadband networking capabilities.

Altering your network task scheduler
If you’ve encountered long waits when trying to open network folders, then this “tweak” is for you. One of the default settings with broadband networking is that when you open a network folder, your system performs a test of the networked computer in order to search for scheduled tests. By disabling this option for a LAN connection, you can increase your broadband networking speed.

Increasing your network transfer rate
Transfer rate, also referred to as throughput, refers to the speed at which data can be moved from 1 location to another. Network redirector buffers serve the purpose of optimizing your disk performance, and therefore allowing for the fastest possible broadband networking speed. If you increase the number of network redirector buffers functioning on your system, you could greatly increase your throughput. An Internet speed test following this change will yield noticeable results.

References:
http://www.ehow.com/how_4602240_improve-internet-connection-speed-free.html
http://compnetworking.about.com/od/speedtweaks/Network_Speed_Tweaks_Connection_Speed.htm
http://www.computing.net/answers/networking/improve-my-internet-connection/16768.html

MIS: Assignment 5

2009-10-14T04:05:00.000-07:00

Based on our adopted organization(s), identify and discuss barriers in their IS/IT implementation ..

As innovative technology continues to change, businesses need to adapt at an increasingly fast rate, and must be able to successfully implement major IT projects to stay in the game. However, in every IS/IT implementation there are also barriers or resistance that accompany it. When we talk about “barrier” it is something that obstructs or hinders an action or movement. So I will discuss to you the barriers which prevents an IS/IT to be implemented based on our adopted organization.

Based on our adopted organization, here are some of the barriers in their IT implementation:

The resistance of the people to the Technology

Organizational Politics

Project Implementation takes too Long

Lack of skilled staff and IT Support

Why change when everything is working fine

Lack of Financial Support

The resistance of the people to the Technology
Resistance may develop out of missing knowledge or skills. Some people believe that the introduction of new technology is always accompanied by resistance. This may or may not be true, since new technology is often accompanied by curiosity for the new. The people's resistance is due to a lack of understanding, a missing will to accept the change and missing skills or resources to carry out the change.

Organizational Politics
The organizational structure may cause barriers by being inflexible towards a drastic change in operations. In particular large bureaucratic organizations tend to wither changes which potentially destroy the existing structure. The embedded culture of the organization is another reservoir for potential barriers, in that culture unconsciously influences the thinking, decisions and actions of people working in a given company. Thus culture may dictate inability to escape the past, and inability to invent the future.
People confront the project (resistance), or the project gradually loses commitment by upper management.

Project Implementation takes too Long
Another common obstacle to the IT implementaion is the perception that timelines for such projects are inordinately long. Of course, they are complex and require considerable planning and validation time, in addition to performing the actual upgrade work. However, as with any project, the longer the timeline,the more time it takes to realize the benefit – and the greater the likelihood that it will be interrupted, suspended, or even cancelled. IT organizations need to find ways to define an overall modernization roadmap, deliver in smaller, incremental steps, update the plans as business and IT needs change, and show progress along the way.

Lack of skilled staff and IT Support
In the section relating to Small and Medium Enterpirises (SMEs) and how they work with IT equipment, the results highlight that the majority of SMEs and self-employed workers currently function with little IT support and are left to tackle front end IT issues without consulting an IT expert. Subsequently the time spent by employees on fixing IT issues signifies a worryingly high cost to SMEs.
The system must be maintained and monitor from time to time and the people who will handle this transaction must be well trained and have an expertise on maintaining the system. Not having this kind of people inside the organization will add up to the barriers to the success of the system.

“You can have a perfect IT system running and no one is using it correctly. Companies invest a lot of money in IT and get no or negative business benefits,”

Why change when everything is working fine
There are, however, some disadvantages to the change management methodology that has more to do with not properly following its processes. If resistance from employees is not effectively dealt with through communication, it can derail any project.
Not understanding the culture of your company can allow the rumor mill leaders to circulate incorrect or corrupting information about the change. Also, stakeholders and customers need to be kept informed and brought in on the change. If not, they make also resist the change, and clients may choose to go through another company.
A bad change management plan can also negatively affect an organization. Change management is just that managing change. And, without a plan to deal with every step of the change (before, during and after), the strategy could fail at any point in time, possibly bringing down the entire company.

“It is about realising real and lasting change by recognising the human aspect impacting IT change,“

Lack of Financial Support
In the side of the investors, they may be hesitant to spend money for this project for will be very costly and requires ample time to complete the system yet the results or outcome is unsure. What I can say to the investors in this matter, if we want a changes or development we must take the risk, for business is a gamble, just makes sure that you have all the weapons not to lose in the game.

Reasons for problems in implementation and business change

Most companies find it difficult to implement new information systems and management solutions and to implement the benefit of business change. Business change is a mysterious unknown that is very difficult to manage.
There are several reasons for the problems in business change, mainly:

The company does not organize and manage the actual entities that change

The company does not have a good method to ensure beneficial business change

We do what everybody else does and employ conventional wisdom, which ensures that we have the same problems as everybody else and that we make bad decisions

We implement change on a rickety foundation of uninvolved management, resistant users, administrative objectives, consultant methodologies, no goals for return, etc.

Problems can be avoided by paying constant attention to the "three R's" of project management:
·1 Requirements,
·2 Resources
·3 and Recovery rates.

Still, as difficult as major IT implementations can be, they can be properly executed. The roadmap to success lies in successful planning and management of the overall project. Many problems can be avoided or at least mitigated by paying constant attention to the "three R's" of project management: requirements, resources and recovery rates.
These three R's comprise the foundation of effectively planning and implementing projects. Successful large-scale project managers measure each of these project components and continuously communicate their status to senior management and the project team.

Requirements:
The requirements of an IT implementation define the core reasons a business is investing time and resources in the project. The requirements of a project, often referred to as the project scope, must clearly set out what the project team is expected to deliver, and should be documented in detail.
By accurately documenting the work that needs to be done, the project manager can provide senior management with a better understanding of the time frames and resources that will be required to complete the project.
Prior to commissioning a major initiative, senior management should require the project team to complete a cost/benefit analysis. This analysis should outline high-level deliverables that will result from the project meeting its goals. The project team also should define metrics and benchmarks that can be used to measure the benefits of change and the progress and completion of each deliverable.
For example, if a new system is being deployed that reduces the time required to print, sort and attach hangtags, the current amount of time required to complete these activities must be accurately benchmarked. After the new system has been deployed, management can compare the new tagging time requirements against the historical benchmarks and quantify the amount of time saved.

Resources:
The second of the 3 R's -- resources -- includes all employees, consultants and vendors who are required to successfully complete the project. Resources also encompass the budgets, capital expenditures, equipment and infrastructure necessary to achieve the requirements of the project within the target time frame. Resources are the most important commodities of the project. Without them, none of the project requirements will be completed. They also can be the most difficult aspect of a project to accurately pinpoint.

In determining the amount of resources that will be required to complete a project, many base their calculations on the firm's number of full-time employees (FTEs). Deriving an accurate FTE count, however, can be a difficult task. Thousands of variables change the resource requirements of major projects on a daily basis. People become ill, quit, go on vacations and take maternity or paternity leave.
When establishing an estimate for a project, the project manager must consider the amount of work that needs to be completed and put a stake in the ground in terms of the resources that will be required to do the job. As the project progresses, it is important that the project manager revisit the original estimates with updated information, and adjust his or her team's size, budget projections, etc. accordingly.

Recovery Rates:
The recovery rate can be measured from the time any requirements of the project are completed through the time the business begins to recover its capital investment. A classic mistake of many project managers is to focus 100 percent on the end of the project. If project managers do not develop and manage interim milestones, they are unable to determine the rate at which they are achieving project requirements. As a result, they are not able to clearly determine whether the project is on time and if it will meet the deadline.
In the end, requirements, resources and recovery rates must all be carefully balanced to successfully realize the benefits of a large-scale project that is on time and meets budget. As changes occur, it is imperative that the project manager identifies which of the three R's each change affects. When a project is in balance, any change to one of the three R's will cause a compensatory change in another. For example, as requirements are added to a project, either additional resources or additional time must be added to the initiative.

Conclusion
While the barriers that are mention above are significant, business growth, and even survival, depends on overcoming all of them. Moreover, today’s patchwork of finely tuned, yet highly brittle, legacy applications prevents organizations from quickly capitalizing on new opportunities and winning in a global marketplace. Many organizations have been feeling the negative impact of inaction for years
– but have lacked the ability to make a compelling argument for change.

“Is it not the strongest of the species that survive,
not the most intelligent, but the one most responsive
to change.”
Charles Darwin

References:
http://informationr.net/tdw/publ/papers/1989ISstrat.html
http://www.mywhatever.com/cifwriter/content/22/4481.html

HRM: Assignment 4

2009-10-14T04:00:00.000-07:00

How can the university help you achieve what you want in the future?

What you achieve in the future will bring such honor to the university you came from. Whatever you become you will always carry the name of the school because it has become a significant part of you as human being.
So the question is how can the university help you achieve your dreams? First and foremost the university’s ideals and aspirations are embodied in its Vision, Mission and Goals. The school which will mold your philosophies, aspirations and your decisions plays a great impact on each and every live of the students. It is very important as student to take in what the university aspires for us.

Now let us examine what the university could share in the fulfillment of our dreams? Based on the curriculum offered by each department course, the purpose is to train the students become resilient who could withstand to the challenges of time.

Besides the hands on training, cognitive learning, the university provides affective learning like integrating values to all subjects offered by the university. The moral values could greatly affect the behavior of their students and will serve as guide in every undertaking they will going to take.

My assessment to the mode of teaching of the university has given me courage to be independent because they practice a student-centered method wherein the students could actively participate to the learning process. The integrity and brilliance of the faculty has given the students much encouragement to face the challenges of the mentors.

Although, the university has the scarcity in terms of facilities and equipments it is a challenge to us students to strive harder and to be resourceful and I think it is not hindrance to for us to achieve what we want to be in the future. Our university is just a training place for us in preparation for the real world, it only depends on us if grab that opportunity.

HRM : Assignment 3

2009-07-30T05:54:00.000-07:00

Five(5) different on-line job services and their brief description.

Online Graphic Designer
A graphic designer creates the visual components of various types of media including TV, film, movies, magazines,
written material and even advertising. The graphic designer or graphic artist has the unique job of taking the verbal
ideas from the client and developing a creative way to capture both the information and the emotion that the production
is trying to show. Many graphic designers have extensive education in art, filming and graphic design. Graphic designers
work for large publications or media agencies, whereas others work independently on a project by project basis. Usually
the hours are fairly regular although timelines may require evening or weekend work to meet deadlines. Excellent
communication skills and a creative and unique way of looking at things is a definite asset to a graphic designer.
Artistic talent is a definite asset but is not always essential if the designer has a good eye for the overall picture.

Freelance Web Content Writer
oA website content writer is a person who specializes in providing relevant text content to websites. Their expertise
lies in adapting themselves to whatever particular website demands of them to compose. Most of their work centers
on marketing particular product or service that sites are selling r endorsing.
Since website content writers in the net are numerous, one must take into consideration several criteria in hiring the
person for the job. This includes:

* Relevant experiences in website content writing
* Very good writing skills
* Savvy research skills
* Flexibility adaptability and availability

There are many IT companies that offer professional website content writing services. It is important that business owners
find the writer that suit their company and personal style.

Cryptanalyst
Cryptanalysts analyze and decipher secret coding systems and decode messages for military, political, or law enforcement
agencies or organizations. They help provide privacy for people and corporations, and keep hackers out of important data
systems, as much as they possibly can. Cryptanalysts seek to secure many of the following information systems including
the Internet, electronic mail and home banking. In the financial services industry, they deal with electronic cash or Interac,
credit card transactions and instant teller banking (ATMs). Most of their encryption work deals with the security of cryptographic
number schemes and computational number theories. They design, implement and analyze algorithms for solving problems in
number theory. They also encode messages to hide contents from outsiders. They constantly work on new ways to encrypt
information. Once hackers figure out their codes, they must redo new encryption methods to keep hackers out. Within the
wireless and wired communications sector, they work with cellular phones, pagers, fax encryptors, modems and secure telephones.

Online Data & Business Analyst
Online Data & Business Analyst is the one who will be responsible for data management, data quality and data reporting for the
eCommerce division. This professional will deliver quality quantitative advice to the team that will inform strategic planning and
strategic decision-making. The position is responsible for establishing and tracking performance metrics for the group and
managing customer research. A high degree of comfort with Excel modeling and statistical analysis is required as this
individual will be maintaining complex models that track all metrics related to eCommerce performance.

Medical Transcriptionist
An individual who performs medical transcription is known as a medical transcriptionist or an MT. A medical transcriptionist
is the person responsible for converting the patient's medical records into typewritten format rather than handwritten,
the latter more prone to misinterpretation by other healthcare providers. There are no "formal" educational requirements
to be a medical transcriptionist. Education and training can be obtained through traditional schooling, certificate or diploma
programs, distance learning, and/or on-the-job training offered in some hospitals, although there are countries currently
employing transcriptionists that require 18 months to 2 years of specialized MT training.

Among the five online jobs that I have mention above the one that I like best is the Cryptanalyst because
cryptanalysts are mathematical geniuses and logical problem-solvers with a great deal of patience and mental stamina
although I am not that kind of person but I wanted to be like that someday and also I am naturally curious and like
to help create and break cryptograms(coded messages) and difficult codes.

References:
http://www.flexjobs.com/jobs/graphic-design
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos271.htm
https://careers.peopleclick.com/careerscp/client_thebodyshop/external/en/gateway.do?functionName=viewFromLink&jobPostId=7435&localeCode=en-us&source=Indeed.com&sourceType=PREMIUM_POST_SITE
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Website_content_writer
http://www.schoolsintheusa.com/careerprofiles_details.cfm?carid=1587

HRM : Assignment 2

2009-07-30T05:52:00.001-07:00

JOB I WOULD LIKE TO HOLD IN THE FUTURE

Computer/Software Programmer

Description

Along with the invention and advancement of computer technology came computer languages used for programming computers.
HTML and Java are two common program languages that currently exist. If you can understand and communicate in Java, you're ready
to start your career as a computer programmer.

Java, along with Pascal, Visual Basic, and C++, to name a few, are computer languages used by programmers who create, modify,
and test the forms, scripts and codes that tell computers what to do. They use the languages to teach the computer how to
respond to users and different programs.

Most computers or networks will function with one or two languages. Using that language, software programmers develop software.
Software is a general term for the various programs used to operated computers. Software programmers combine and adapt
existing programs. They may also write new programs in computer code, for daily use and for problem solving.
Programmers sometimes test and debug pre-written computer programs or software packages.

In order to know what kind of programs are required, they speak with the people who will be using them. They must be
good at communicating not only in computer languages, but with real people, as well. They not only develop the programs,
but write up descriptions about them, prepare manuals, help screens, or explain the new software to users. They might have t
o adapt the programs once they're in use, to make them more suitable to the users.

Interest and Skills

Programmers must have lots of experience with hardware, software, and computer systems and processes. They need
to know about programming languages and techniques. They should have a genuine interest in computers and computer
capabilities. They should be methodical, logical, patient, careful, and accurate. Programmers should be adaptable to
new things, and work well under pressure. They also need to be good communicators, and be able to work well with others,
as well as independently.

Typical Tasks

* Discuss the user's requirements
* Plan how the programs will be developed
* Write programs
* Write manuals or explain program's function
* Run tests to ensure programs and computer systems are working properly
* Find faults in programs
* Prepare reports on programs
* Maintain and upgrade programs
* Solve software problems for users
* The typical day for a software programmer will involve working with computers, analyzing, developing, and implementing programs.

http://www.schoolsintheusa.com/careerprofiles_details.cfm?carid=459

HRM : Assignment 1

2009-07-30T05:45:00.000-07:00

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

For our company in HRM we decided to adopt EMCOR for our assignment 1, in which we have to identify
a local organization and discuss some of their practices in HR(Human Resource).

EMCOR which stands for Engineering Machineries Corporation is a Filipino-owned retail business
corporations specializing in appliances, furniture, IT products, motorcycles, and money transfer through i
ts network of specialty chain stores in the Visayas, Mindanao, and Palawan areas. With the launching of their
on-line store, EMCOR will now be making its presence known in the online industry and promote its company’s
goals and vision to the global community.
By definition, Human Resources Management is the art and science of acquiring, motivating, maintaining and
developing people in their jobs in light of their personal, professional and technical knowledge, skills, potentialities,
needs and values and in synchronization with the organization philosophy, resources and culture for the maximum
achievement of individual, organization and society’s goal.

Human Resources Department for me…
For me HR primarily concerns with the employees of the company like recruiting and training the best employee,
ensuring the employees performing their job accordingly and ensuring the personnel and management practices
conform to various regulations of the company. HRD is very important because it protects your company’s most
important asset-people (Human resources) which plays a major role in the success or failure of the company.

The Interview...
On July 3, 2009, we decided to go EMCOR Bajada for our interview in our report on HRM for our assign module in
sharing and we also take that opportunity to ask them for their best practices in Human Resource. So we interviewed
the assistant manager of EMCOR.

Function of Human Resources Department in their Organization

On our first question, we asked the assistant manager what is actually the function of Human Resource department in
the company. He said that all of the transaction regarding the employee can be found in the Human Resource-Department
for example like the processing of the Salary, Accounting Division, assist the employee for their basic needs like medication, loan etc.
Human Resource department is also responsible for planning , developing and efficiently or effectively operating the s
ervices and capabilities of the company , in alignment with the corporate objectives or strategies.
These activities include studying economic indicators, tracking changes in supply and demand of labor,
identifying departments and their current and future needs and monitoring the HR performance.

Importance of Human Resources Department in the Company (EMCOR)

Human Resources department is very important to the company because it are responsible for hiring and protecting your
company’s most important asset-people. Without strong, satisfied and motivated people in place your business will not grow
to its potential. They are the one who can build measurable strategies to address turnover, low morale and underperforming
employees. They instill the employees enthusiasm about your team’s and organization’s goals. It can make contribution to the
organization's effectiveness and efficiency.

Best Practices in HR of the Company

When we asked them for their best practices in Human Resource they said that in EMCOR their best practices are:
• Discipline
They have a disciplinary action for their employee for example, if the employee has did a wrongdoing or improper behavior
in the company, Human Resources department are the one who settle this kind of problem and of course they would have an
hearing for the justices purposes, the employee have the rights to defend their self for the certain act that they've done.
They do not automatically fire the employee. They have a certain process regarding about this matter.

• Training and Development
In Human Resources Development , it focuses on the organizations competencies at the first stage, training, and then
developing the employee, through education, to satisfy the organizations long-term needs and the individuals’ career
goals and employee value to their present and future employers. In EMCOR, some of their employees was done their
master in the famous institute in ASIA.

• Benefits and Compensation in Wage
If you are an employee of EMCOR there are certain benefits that you can avail like the scholarship for the employees and
the children of the employee. They also have a Cooperative which you can apply for a loan with a low interest rate.
In case of emergency regarding the payment of the bill for the medication of the employee, the company would assist those payment.
At the end of the year they also have a thirteenth month pay and bonuses.

http://www.emcor.com

COMDDAP 2009 Learnings/Reflections

2009-07-30T05:22:00.000-07:00

About COMDDAP…

(Computer Manufacturers, Distributors, and Dealers association of the Philippines) COMDDAP held
an Expo last June 2-4, 2009 at The Apo View Hotel, Davao City

COMDDAP is an association of the country's top information technology 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 products, solutions and peripherals.

The Expo...

We went to the Apo View Hotel to witness an exhibit on different technology products and to attend
a seminar on different organizations

It is a three day expo (July 2-4, 2009) that showcases Information Technology (IT). In the hall, are
numbers of companies were there to display their products in their respective booths. This event is not
just a display of best and latest products offered by different businessmen that recognizes Information
Technology as a need in fulfilling the full length of their business’ offers.

Seminars…

We attended 3 different seminars, the first seminar we attended is the ERIC DMS -
Dealer Management System which is under the Jupiter Systems which is a Philippine based
IT Services company dedicated to delivering solutions for medium to large companies. We offer
services covering the entire range of business activities- from marketing and promotion,
procurement/supply chain management, manufacturing, distribution, financial reporting,
business intelligence, and even IT infrastructure security and maintenance.

The ERIC Dealer Management System is an end-to-end software for automotive sales parts,
and service businesses. It covers full range of dealer activities from Customer prospecting and
vehicle services. It also has many features and services need for car dealers.

With ERIC DMS, you can have full visibility over all operations like:
• Schedule prospects for test drives and follow up on appointments
• Monitor and increase sales
• Delight customers with gentle reminders for appointments
• Manage vehicle inventory
• Deliver impeccable service
• Control parts & consumables cost
• Monitor and correctly implement warranty for parts & service
• Report your financial bottom line

The second seminar we attended is about the HP Thin Client which is presented by the
Nexus Technologies. As far as I know, HP Thin Client A thin is an end to end solution widely used
by most of the biggest company all over the world. Compared to the Central Processing Unit, HP
THIN client is more secure especially in times when there is an error being encountered. HP THIN client
reboot to remove virus since it has a deep freeze solution an scan auto- save files even without memory.

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 serverfat client does as
much processing as possible and passes only data for communications and storage to the server for
processing activities, and mainly focuses on conveying input and output between the user and the
remote server. A thin client, sometimes called a lean client, is a low-cost, centrally-managed computer
devoid of CD-ROM players, diskette drives, and expansion slots. The term derives from the fact that
small computers in networks tend to be clients and not servers.

The HP thin Client has the following advantages like enhance security, easy manageability, environment
friendly and lower over-all cost.

The last seminar we attended was the Open Source for Business Application which tackled
about open source, open source softwares and open source for business applications.
They also discussed about the issue concerning Open Source Technology and Proprietary Softwares.

All I can say is that COMDDAP 2009 is indeed a great experience!

References:
http://www.comddap.org/aboutus.htm
http://www.jupitersystems.com.ph/edms.aspx
http://www.hp.com/canada/corporate/hp_info/aboutus.html

MIS 1 Assignment4: Green Campus Computing

2009-07-20T00:49:00.000-07:00

Green Computing Guide

The growing use of computers on campus has caused a dramatic increase in energy consumption, putting negative pressure on CU’s budget and the environment. Each year more and more computers are purchased and put to use, but it’s not just the number of computers that is driving energy consumption upward. The way that we use computers also adds to the increasing energy burden.

Research reveals that most personal desktop computers are not being used the majority of the time they are running and many personal computers nationwide are needlessly left on continuously. Every time we leave computers or lights on we waste electricity. Burning fossil fuels generates most of our electricity and it also emits pollutants, sulfur, and carbon dioxide into the air. These emissions can cause respiratory disease, smog, acid rain and global climate change.

Energy Efficient Computing

Some tested suggestions that may make it possible for you to reduce your computer energy consumption by 80 percent or more while still retaining most or all productivity and other benefits of your computer system, including network connectivity.

http://chronicle.com/free/2009/01/10296n.htm

Campus Computing Goes Green to Save Money

Relocate a college's server computers next to a solar-power generator. Replace AC power with DC power. Cool the servers only where they get the hottest. Put the servers in the ocean and power them with waves.
Those were a few of the ideas discussed last week at a conference, "Greening the Internet Economy," that was designed to address the problem of the soaring financial and environmental costs of information technology. The event, held by the University of California at San Diego, offered a sampling of a new generation of technologies that promise to help colleges make their IT departments both more efficient and more sustainable.
Many of the participants emphasized the importance of systems that could more intelligently measure energy use on the campus. In recent years, colleges have been hurt by the rising costs of powering and cooling their data centers, in part because those costs are difficult to measure and poorly understood (The Chronicle, January 9).
At San Diego, researchers have started work on hardware to help colleges and other organizations understand how to make their servers more efficient. The device, called the GreenLight Instrument, will deploy sensors and software to measure the energy use, humidity, and other variables in various parts of a Sun Modular Data Center, a popular, self-contained complex of servers.
The goal is to encourage engineers to try different computing strategies to reduce electricity consumption, said Thomas A. DeFanti, principal investigator on the project and a senior research strategist at the university's California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology.

http://ecenter.colorado.edu/energy/projects/green_computing.html

Seeing Green
Adelphi University finds seven ways to save power.

http://www.edtechmag.com/higher/september-october-2007/seeing-green.html

How the university can adopt this concept?

By simply following the the green computing practices like reducing the amount that you print, turning off your computer and monitor when not in use, as well as using sleep and hibernate modes when your computer is on. When it's time to buy a computer, consider a notebook or small-size desktop. These use less electricity than traditional desktops.In this way, we can contribute to 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.
This is not a quick fix that can happen overnight. You can implement this one step at a time.
Every little step you take makes a difference.
These include
Green Computing is not just about saving the environment; it is about saving money and creating the most efficient data center possible. The rest falls into place and you are also impacting the world we live in for the next generation.

MIS - Assignment3: Automated Election in 2010

2009-07-12T19:04:00.000-07:00

My Views and Opinions on Automated Election in 2010…

The 2010 election is fast approaching, as an IT student and a citizen of the Philippines,
I or should I say we should be aware of the present issue concerning about the
Automation of the 2010 Election in our country. We should be concern about it because in the
election it is our opportunity or chance to choose our leaders that will govern our nation.

An automated election was proposed by Senator Richard Gordon and officially amended by
Republic Act 9369 or the amended Automated Election System. As the technology evolves,
Comelec sees that there is a need of a change in our electoral process. And this change leads
to the amendment of automation of our election system. In this connection, the realization of
the quest of the Filipino people to have a reliable, clean, honest and fair election results to
the approval of Republic Act 9369 or the amended Automated Election System.

The Winning Bidders

Special Bids and Awards Committee (SBAC) called for bidding for the automation project with a Php 11.3 billion budget.
The two corporation the Smartmatic and Total Information Management Corp. win the bidding of the 2010
election among the seven which have been chosen before. The Smartmatic -Total Information Management Corp.
joint venture beat several other companies with a bid of only Php 7.21 billion to secure the contract. S
ome conflicts also came out among the two but then are resolved.

Smartmatic International Corp. (Smartmatic)
- Smartmatic is a multinational company that specializes in the design and end-to-end deployment of complex
purpose-specific technology solutions. With an unsurpassed technology base, continuous innovation, and quality in
processes and results, Smartmatic is organized around three business areas: Electronic voting systems, intelligent
and integrated security systems for large enterprises and governments, and advanced solutions for people registration
and authentication for a wide range of government applications.

Total Information Management Corp. (TIM)
-provides information technology solutions to corporations. It offers outsourcing services, such as
business process outsourcing, offshore data center operations, managed network services, telecommunication
services, and call center services; business continuity services; technology solutions, such as supplying recertified
and refurbished IBM mainframes and peripheral equipment; and engineering and maintenance services.
The company was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Makati City, the Philippines.

How reliable can the automated election system be?

Comelec claims that the AES (automated election system) cannot be hacked and that the source code will be
open for inspection. These are good for Comelec’s PR efforts, but they do not make automated elections safe
from fraud. In fact, they are smoke screens that cover the real areas where fraud can take place. I
n computing, the term is used in a wider sense to mean using software for enjoyment or self-education,
not necessarily involving unauthorized access.
Hacking is not the problem and, therefore, spending time and money to prevent hacking is not very useful.
If only outsiders would rob you in your home then having grilled windows, special locks, alarms, etc. will ensure your safety.
But if you live in the company of thieves, you can still be robbed. That is what the police refer to as an “inside job.”
The greatest danger of fraud in the 2010 computerized elections will come from insiders in Comelec and computer
vendors, not from outsiders.
In a recent meeting of the Management Association of the Philippines Election Automation subcommittee,
with former Customs and BIR Commissioner Guillermo Parayno, has been asked whether his agencies had ever been hacked.
His answer was no, any intrusions were always by insiders.

Source code inspection

The other point Comelec likes to stress is that the source code of the OMR counting machines will be available for
inspection by computer experts. Looking at the source code is practically useless.
OMR machines are used in schools for scoring tests and in survey companies for tabulating survey results. Members
of the administrative staff in schools and survey companies do not change the source code.
They provide a scoring or tabulating table to modify how the OMR machine scores a test or tabulates a survey.
By changing this table, fraud is easily committed. In order to cheat on the OMR counting machines, all that is
needed is to download a new counting table that changes for whom a shaded circle is counted. In areas where
the candidates that want to cheat are weak, the table can be modified so that votes will be switched. This does
not have to be done on all machines.If done on even just 10 percent of the OMR machines, a
tight race may be reversed in favor of those who are cheating.
How would the counting tables be switched? Since the OMR machines are connected to the Internet,
it is possible for an outside party, in connivance with Comelec or system vendor people, to enable an unseen
computer to load the fraudulent table.
At the end of counting, the original table can be reloaded so that any tests would indicate that the
machines are counting correctly and honestly.
It could also be possible for someone that seems to be authorized to quickly insert a USB memory
stick that would load the fraudulent table.

Go for Automated Election on 2010…

It is interesting that while it was said that the slow transmission and canvassing in the old manual system
created many opportunities for fraud, in the new automated system, very fast transmission and canvassing
in 2010 may lead to massive fraud, frustrating the true votes of our nation. Comparing to the old system
to the this new system is a way for creating a possibilities of a more comprehensive, fast, counting of
votes which is essential in the voting system. Although we could not deny the fact that there is a tendency
of cheating and other underground moves of some officials, compared to the old system this more efficient and fast.

Using the Automated Election we could save time, energy and even money mainly because in all aspect of the election
processes the government basically could lessen the expenses because the system is easy and convenient for the voters.

REFERENCES:
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view/20090306-192592/All-go-for-automated-elections-in-2010
http://www.jpsimbulan.com/2008/08/06/is-the-philippines-ready-for-an-automated-election-system/
http://www.nowpublic.com/world/2010-philippine-automated-election-jeopardy

MIS - Assignment2

2009-07-12T18:53:00.000-07:00

The risks associated with business and IS/IT change?

As the technology progress, the organization must adopt to these changes in order to make their businesses last. Organizations must also address or meet the needs and demands of the customers. So there’s a need for the organization or the company to change their IT/IS. But these changes may contain some risks that can have a negative outcome to the organization.

Our adopted company is Concentrix which mother company is Synnex which Lines of business include technical and customer support, sales and marketing, and back office transaction processing. Industry expertise in technology, communications, and consumer electronics

Here are the risks that I think associated with business and IT/IS change based on the organization that we had visited in bulleted form:

financial risk
functionality risk
managing problem
implementation problem
Lack of expertise
Application complexity
lack of required knowledge

There are some risk associated with business and IS/IT change, one of which is the financial risk. Due to the changing phases of systems, new techniques and technologies business enterprise has invested in Information Technology (IT) /Information System (IS) to hasten and creating a systematize transactions. Some technologies adopted are not suitable to the environment or the needs of the organizations. Moreover embracing new technologies or system usually starts in a trial and error process so the risk factor here is financial risk since not all technologies/system can be use every time we fail. It involves large amount of capital to tests what are the suitable IS/IT in a particular business.
Also the cost of the training of the employee in order for them to know about the new system and we should also consider the cost of the new hardware or software if there is a need to change the old .

Another risk factor is the functionality risk if in case the projects fails to deliver the functionality that the organizations might have expected . Example of this is when the design of the new system fails to capture essentials business requirements. A sytem may be designed with a poor user-system interface . The way in which nontechnical business users must interact with the system. So how can we tell whether a system is unsuccessful or not? This is not always an easy question to answer. Not everyone may agree about the value or effectiveness of a particular information system. There are various criteria have been developed, but the following measures of system success I will mention are considered the most important. High levels system use, as measured by polling users, employing questionnaires, or monitoring parameters such as the volume of on-line transactions.
User satisfaction, as measured by questionnaires or interviews. This might include users’ opinions on the accuracy, timeliness, and relevance of information: on the quality of service; and perhaps on the schedule of operations.
Favorable attitudes of users about information systems and the information system staff. Achieved objectives, the extent to which the system meets its specified goals, as reflected by the quality of decision making relating from user of the system.

There is also a management problem with strategic transitions that be continually stated like how the organization obtain the maximal long-run benefit from the technology without destroying the positive features of the organization? Managers must adjust their policies to the technology, the environment constraints and opportunities (regulations, loyal customers), and the organization.

The implementation problems are considered typical for each stage of the systems developemnet life cycle when the implementation process is poorly managed. Time, money, and resources have been not been alloted to researching the problem. The problem remains poorly defined. Objectives of the implementation project will be vague and ambigous; benefits will be difficult to measure. Little or no time is spent in pleliminary planning. There are no standards to use in estimating preliminary cost or duration of the project.

Another risk is the application complexity. since systems differ dramatically in their size, scope, level of complexity, and organizational and technical components. Some systems development projects are more likely to fail because they carry a much higher of risk thatn others.

Lack of required knowledge, in changing the IS of an organization there are inadequate documentation of existing systems or incomplete findings from systems study activities. The staff should have knowledge about how to use the system. This may require an amount of time for them to know the system. Users may refuse to spend any time helping the project team gather the requisite information.

Now that the business has developed management may proceed to create another project for the new system. One risk involve is the project risk. Projects that cannot be completed within budget, schedule and/or quality constraints. There are times when one cannot beat the deadline so the project schedule cannot be attain. There is the greater tendency that the project may takes time to prepare and the allocated budget maybe affected since the time projected was not meet.

"Risk is fundamentally about uncertainty in work performance and the resulting outcomes."

12 Leadership Roles

2009-06-30T05:27:00.000-07:00

A. Create an Inspiring Vision and Lead by Example

Create an inspiring vision; establish shared values; give direction and stretch goals

Manage change strategically, take risks, create change; lead change; manage resistance to change

Lead by example; practice what you preach; set an example, and share risks or hardship

B. Empower, Insprire, and Energize People

Be enthusiastic; inspire and energize people; create a positive work environment

Empower people; delegate authority; be open to ideas; have faith in the creativity of others

Communicate openly and honestly; give clear guidelines; set clear expectations

Empathize; be willing to discuss and solve problems; listen with understanding; support and help

C. Build and Lead a Team

Use team approach; facilitate cooperation; involve everyone; trust your group; rely on their judgment

Bring out the best in your people; have common touch with them; coach and provide effective feedback

Permit group decision; help your team reach better decisions

Monitor progress, but don't micromanage, lead your team; avoid close supervision; do not overboss; do not dictate; lead team self-assessment

Reference:
http://www.businessperform.com/articles/leadership_role_playing.html

Assignment 1:Some of the Best Practices in IT/IS of our chosen Organization

2009-06-25T00:32:00.000-07:00

One of the Local Organization that we had interviewed is the Global Connect e-solutions.

Global Connect eSolutions combines specialized knowledge and substantially higher quality customer service to deliver global support solutions, consulting services, back office processing services and software support. They also offer outbound services such as telemarketing, tele-collections, sales verifications, surveys and other derived services.

At Global Connect eSolutions, they offer the benefits of highly educated, English-speaking workforce and well-trained management team focused on continuous growth and a mark of high performance to be the global contact center of choice. They are proud to say that their company fosters a family-like atmosphere that teaches and exudes our vision, mission and core values. We promote an active lifestyle of personally imbibing the commitment of ensuring consistency in the delivery of high quality products and services to our clients' business.

Practices in IT/IS:

They believed that there is a technique, method, process activity, incentive or reward that is more effective at delivering a particular outcome than any other technique, method or process.
Shared knowledged and Group performance.
they are not afraid to stop and reevaluate if things are not going well.
They prepare a system implementation plan early.
They also said that MIS can include software that helps in decision making, data resources such as databases, the hardware resources of a system, decision support system, people management and project management applications and any computerized processes that enable the department to run efficiently.

The other company that we had visited is Concentrix.

Synnex is the mother company of Concentrix, their line of business includes technical and customer support, sales and marketing, and back office transaction processing.
Since 1983, it has been recognized as an outsourcing innovator, offering clients the latest in emerging technology and business process outsourcing.

The core of the company is its technology call center. They have industry expertise in technology, communications, and consumer electronics. They deliver knowledge-based services that have one measure of success — customer satisfaction.

Practices in IT/IS:

Teamwork- they make a team effort but speak with one voice.
Try to keep projects small and modular.
They are constantly evolving.
Concentrix maximizes the long-term value of our clients' customers.
They plan for maintenance.
Keep risks visible and managed.

References:
http://www.callcenterdirectory.net/call-center-companies/Global-Connect-eSolutions-2309.html
http://www.concentrix.com/

2009-06-22T20:26:00.000-07:00

elow sir and classmates,
I'm Emilio Jopia Jr. BSIT-3 (4th yr in usep) I'm currently enrolled in subject MIS and HRM.This is my second time to be under by Sir Gamboa.I expect that this sem. to be fruitful in learning and fun.

-emilio jopia jr.

Reflection on the First Day!

2009-06-22T19:18:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, I was absent during the first day of MIS (Management Information System) subject.However, I take the initiative to ask my class of what they had tackled on that day.

Having been under by Sir Gamboa before, I know that students who are first time to be handled by Sir Gamboa will have to take the "initiation" in which they have to introduce themselves and show their talents.

By definition, "An 'MIS' is a planned system of the collecting, processing, storing and disseminating data in the form of information needed to carry out the functions of management".

MIS related jobs may not be the forefront movers of the business entity but they play a major roles in creating an organize structure of data in order to have a system that is ideal to the company.

"An Organization without a System is Chaos".

-Emilio Jopia Jr.