Right or Alright

Posted on by blessie

Is it reasonable to blame someone for using pirated software when it costs two month’s salary to buy a legal copy of MS Office?

Is it right? No it is not. It’s stealing another person’s property.  It’s the 8th commandment: Thou shall not steal.

But is it alright? The answer to this second question is dictated by the acceptable ethical values as sanctioned by the community. For ethics is relative. In the context of the third world countries, the answer would be ‘Yes’.

Software developers have to understand and differentiate between what is right and alright to be able combat piracy effectively. The crafting of legal sanctions is dictated by what is right but the imposition of legal sanctions is dictated by what is alright.

Like any other property which are padlocked for security, software developers are improving and strengthening the security plans of the software programs they release. Andre Armstrong and Vic Luu said: By implementing a security plan for software protection, software developers gain the benefits of protection from piracy as well as obtain the ability to implement additional license models. A security implementation plan that balances the time and resources with the desired outcome is possible given the wide range of security options.

‘IT’ matters

Posted on by blessie

Information Technology (IT) is the 3rd subject on my second of the 6 trimesters under the Program Masters of Management in Business Management (MMBM) of UPV Graduate Program. It is timely that IT is offered as one of the first subjects because this shall help me survive the other succeeding subjects. I am amazed to know that the software in my PC has more to offer than just email, Word, Excel and Powerpoint. I think I have found a new best friend in Access. I am eager to use this in my office to showcase how much I have learned during this term. Every day and every time, I am learning more features.

Both on a personal and professional level:

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Mgt 268, sec 2. Second Trimester 2015-2016.               UPV MMBM

IT has given me access to information, anytime, anywhere.

IT has made me more effective and more efficient. And I have found the time to dedicate myself to innovative thinking.

IT has given me the chance interact with talented and creative people beyond geographical boundaries. And in the process has expanded my learning horizon.

IT has basically made the world smaller. And families, friends and colleagues closer.

If the wheel and axle were the best tools 5,000 years ago,

IT is the best tool 5,000 years henceforth.

So yes, IT truly matters.

KM in Philam Life

Posted on by blessie

Philam Life is the largest life insurance company in terms of assets and income. It is turning 70 next year. Philam Life continuously innovate and transform not only its products and services but also its processes.  It has adopted and invested heavily in new electronic systems to protect its core product: life insurance policy information. And it has meticulously documented and stored these processes and knowledge in voluminous manuals.

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Lost Tacit Knowledge

When Philam Life migrated to Microsoft Office, documentation of processes were converted to electronic copies.

There were challenges during the implementation and for sometime. Primary barrier is in communication and training to convert into paperless system. Large sums of money has been invested in Knowledge Management (KM), but the target end-users are not knowledgeable in the features of KM and use its full potential. Electronic copies of processes and manuals were not properly indexed and stored in a common permanent sites for ease of retrieval. There is a need structure succession and information storage such that the users learn from the past and not turn in circles of reinventing the wheel.

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Those strong in Tacit Knowledge may be weak in Explicit Knowledge.

To address this, soon, Philam Life will unveil its new Target Operating Model where a separate department for Training and Quality Assurance (TQA) was created. It is a gathering of employees skilled in documenting processes to convert tacit knowledge into explicit knowledge. I see that it shall be a fruitful partnership between and among the different departments. The TQA department is into the exciting and challenging field of KM for efficient exchange of information, to foster learning and promote innovation. For it is important that knowledge is shared so employees are empowered to act and decide in the most efficient use of time – time as a finite and valuable resource of a company.IMG_2906

The Youth learning from shared Explicit Knowledge. For their Empowerment.

 

Featured image is from: https://manilenya222.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/1.jpg

 

Ripples

Posted on by blessie

My ever dearest pamangkin (true and pseudo),

Aristotle said ‘Man is by nature a social animal’. And perhaps, Filipinos are more, if not the most, social of all. In 1995, SMS was launched as a promotional gimmick and in 1998 it became part of the mobile services targeting the hearing impaired audience.

But Filipinos adopted to it as an extension of ‘kamusta?’ where no particular response is expected. With the release of smartphones, suddenly, everyone has at least one social media account. Geographical boundaries became smaller among friends, and the concept of physical community where everyone is a relative of a relative or a friend of a friend expanded to the virtual world. In the global study called Wave7, it was confirmed that The Philippines is still the social media capital of the world.

With the shift of our nations employment from agriculture (30.4%) to services (54.1%) , you should realize by now that your personal and professional self is one and the same. Your services is packaged within yourself.  You and your product are one and the same. The way we present ourselves in the different social media platforms influences the perception of our peers, colleagues and potential employer of ourselves and of our product. If you want to target a specific audience or separate your personal self from your product, then subscribe to the appropriate social media to connect to the target market. Example, Linkedin for Professionals, Facebook for personal and WordPress, as (if) an academic requirement. In this way, you can maximize the benefits of social media to foster personal relationship and promote professional growth.

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The use of social media should be balanced by responsibility. And so I commit myself, and you in your behalf to:

  • Have sense of awareness of how the readers of my social media platform will perceive me as a person or my services as packed in myself.
  • Select a social media app to target a desired audience. And to continue to remind the people within the circle of my influence, ‘Your friends are in Facebook, but Facebook is not your friend’. So don’t rant, nag or offload your angst in your timeline. Call instead.
  • Observe social media etiquette: respect intellectual property, do not bully, do not respond if none is required, use blind cc for announcements, loop in only those who are required, among others.

Please expect a PM from me should I find you deviating from the above.

Finally, humor me by rating your dear Tita thru here: 8 Commandments for all True Titas.

I remain, your loving,

Tita Manay Baby

 

PS. I know you shall luv this: samsung

Business Intelligence for Efficiency

Posted on by blessie

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The objective of using Business Intelligence is for efficient use of Time as a scarce resource. Every day and every time, decisions are made in the organizations. But the quality of data generated from the information determines the quality of BI support a decision maker can have. Even the best and most expensive Business Intelligence tools cannot translate poor quality information into intelligible data that can support improved decision making.1 Hence, the need to encourage the effective use of Business Intelligence. Michelle Cipollone identified the following best practices that contribute to the success of BI:

  • Communicate openly and often. It is important that members understand how their efforts to record information diligently and accurately, contribute to a faster and correct decision. Training users is crucial in making BI tools work.
  • Set Goals. – Use BI tools to in setting goals. Define achievable goals and expanding towards higher goals based on the forecast from the BI tools.
  • Show the Value. – Share success stories on the use of BI tools. How targets are achieved or costs are avoided due to the accurate forecasts thru the use of BI tools.

A firm may adopt varied and different motivation techniques to encourage usage of BI tools. Producers of information may be rewarded for Accuracy, Timeliness and Completeness. End users are rewarded by achieving the set goals with least amount of time on review and revisions and can allocate time to more productive activities. For innovative use of BI tools, I believe both producers and users should be affirmed and recognized.

Certainly, inappropriate and intentional disregard for company directives to support usage of BI tools should have a punitive consequence corresponding to gravity of the actions.

 

 

 

1Loshin, D. (2011). Business Impacts of Poor Data Quality. Information Quality Journal, 1-10. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-373717-5.00001-4

 

Shopping

Posted on by blessie

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s.pnghopping in the internet is not different from the mall, it is only the medium that changed. Buyers still search and compare. It has elevated consumer knowledge  as more and more online tools and data becomes available. Product comparison has become wider thru reviews and blogs.

Inconvenience is often experienced on the return policy and process. Returns should be an opportunity for service recovery and possible further sales. It is important that customer confidence is strengthened at all contact points for customer loyalty.

As a working mother and wife, the top three items that I will not hesitate to buy over the internet are: grocery items, tickets and books. Grocery items are homogeneous and are usually sold thru retailers. Grocery shopping in the internet can be more convenient if there is a market niche for working mothers.  Some options that I would like to see is delivery to my preferred location, standing instructions for scheduled/periodic delivery of specific items and option to cancel or modify an order at an agreed lead time. According to American Marketing Association France, South Korea and UK has more established online grocery shopping. Another product which I often buy online are travel and entertainment tickets. I am not actually buying the ticket but the convenience of online-shopping. And thanks to Amazon, I won’t hesitate to buy books online.

Customer confidence is a critical factor in e-commerce. And this or the lack of it, is the reason why I may hesitate to purchase some items and all together will not buy specific items at all.

My top three products that I shall hesitate to buy over the internet are: complex products that require professional guidance such as Universal Life Insurance Products, life extending medicines where quality and control is critical, and made to order items where fit and form is prime consideration like couture dresses.

Definitely, I will not buy precious stones over the internet. Also fresh produce such as fish, meat, poultry or even coffee. As these items are perishable. And I will not be buying for an outright need such as a casket. I just won’t.

But this product differentiation is not absolute. E-commerce is ever changing and technology is perpetually advancing. Perhaps, in time, sellers and consumers, including myself, shall toggle between digital and physical shopping carts seamlessly.

 

Wired

Posted on by blessie

wired.jpegTruly the benefits of using wireless network technology for efficient use of resources: money, time and manpower, is real. The opportunities for growth and expansion is boundless and expansionary for an organization.

Wireless network technology has dramatically changed the communication channels from face-to-face to virtual. It has removed the boundary of time and location. It has opened the communication borders along and within the organizational structure. Wireless network technology made it possible for employees to contribute to the organization anytime, anywhere, 24/7.

My company, philamlife a Pan-Asian organization, has greatly reduced our Travel and Entertainment costs with the use of Desktop Sharing, Microsoft Outlook Outlook-icon.png Tools on Calendaring, Web Conferencing  skype.png and Shared Workspaces  download (7). Yammer yammerprovides Collaboration Tools, Instant Messaging, Bulletin Boards, Personal and Groups spaces. And that it just for operation processes. For sales and marketing, breakthrough on paperless transactions using iPad apple.png and 24/7 access for customers and intermediaries has been the focus lately.

I would like to see my organization reach more customers, deliver deeper and wider array of services and achieve customer loyalty thru the use of wireless network technologies. I feel there is a potential in the retail market where no insurance company has yet created a niche.

The amount of information has increased and its flow is faster than ever. But, as the management process of Panning, Leading, Organizing and Control, it always ends with control. To ensure safe usage of wireless networks, there should be:

  • A clear and defined company policy in the usage of tools available thru wireless network technologies. All members of the organization should adhere to this policy with annual certification for each member.
  • Put in place security measures suggested by cisco.com to operate a secured network: Data Encryption, User Authentication, Secure Access, Control Systems. More information is provided by Federal Communications Commission.
  • There should be an information retention policy. The knowledge gained from the myriad of information in the wireless network should be properly stored for easy retrieval with defined access level for employees.  There should be a reference point for decisions and to prevent duplication of efforts for similar initiatives in the future. Non-value adding information should not be retained for efficient use of space and resources.

Everyone and everyone should be wired, but it should be wired securely.

 

IT Outsourcing : medium or large?

Posted on by blessie

Articles on Information Technology outsourcing almost always quotes the large sums of capital outlay and cost savings involved in the contract. Aside from being a strategic initiative, these large sums have made IT outsourcing attractive to decision makers of organizations. But surveys show that roughly half of the respondents rated their IT outsourcing a success* (and roughly half rated it a failure). Perhaps if the survey also show the amount allocated for the project that succeeded, it would answer (or negate) the proposition:  the larger the investment in IT outsourcing, the more successful.

Three common reasons for outsourcing are: to cut or stabilize costs, improve the firm’s focus on its core operations, and upgrade the firm’s capabilities and services.* These reasons are actually driven by efficient use of resources of an organizations for the purpose of delivering better products or services.

Managers can expect to encounter problems in outsourcing: quality problems, exposure to legal liabilities, negative impact on business partner and customer relationships and satisfaction, and potential data and security breaches.* For offshore outsourcing, often there is an issue on semantics in both cultural and legal aspect. Which when summarized all these boils down to three: commitment, ethics and compliance.

For an organization’s IT Outsourcing to be effective, it has to maintain a healthy mix of Internal Control over Financial Reporting. Towards this end, the organization should hire and maintain a strong Risk and Compliance Officers and  a vigorous Audit and Legal Team. A sturdy monitoring and support team ensure that issues are identified and solved at an early stage and the outsourcing company is able to sustain their contractual obligations.

Most of the celebrated IT Outsourcing are of the high net worth companies. But for most managers of small to medium  organizations, where resources is limited and Information System and Technology requirement is basic, is IT outsourcing as relevant to their immediate and medium term business strategies?  Perhaps not as much.SML

But for innovative and entrepreneurial managers, there is a market for and a career in IT outsourcing in this area. It may not be as largely funded, but the percentage of return could be not half that bad. Which means a success rate of ‘roughly half’. Not bad.

 

 

*Reynolds, G. W. (2010). Information technology for managers. Boston, MA: Course Technology, Cengage Learning.

 

The Manager and IS

Posted on by blessie

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Technology has transformed the way we do business. The primary factor as I see it is the expansionary growth of technology which made the concept of space smaller, the concept of distance shorter and the concept of time relative.

Information in the internet keeps accumulating at 700,000 web pages per minute.  ‘In 2013, only 22% of the information in the digital universe was considered useful data, but less than 5% of the useful data was actually analyzed – leaving a massive amount of data lost as dark matter in the digital universe. By 2020, more than 35% of all data could be considered useful data, thanks to the growth of data from the Internet of Things, but it will be up to businesses to put this data to use.’* There is a need to process this information to drive business growth and expansion. The purpose of creating a system to manage the flow, storage and retrieval of information is to convert information into knowledge. Because access to knowledge is empowering. Empowered work force promotes innovation, promotes efficient use of resources, and promotes growth of the business.

To harness the potential behind the use of IS, managers must be visionary, innovative and create an environment for sustainable delivery of results where goals, objectives processes are clearly communicated. These skills guided by the principles of management of Planning, Leading, Organizing and Controlling shall make managers participate effectively in IS decisions.

 

 

*Price, G. (n.d.). How Large is the Digital Universe? How Fast is It Growing? 2014 EMC Digital Universe Study Now Available:. Retrieved April 02, 2016, from http://www.infodocket.com/2014/04/16/how-large-is-the-digital-universe-how-fast-is-it-growing-2014-emc-digital-universe-study-now-available/

 

 

 

 

IT and Me

Posted on by blessie

Aside from two computer subjects in college, which I took in the ‘90s, I do not have any other formal training in IT. I studied COBOL and spreadsheets then but my school curriculum was ahead of its time. When I joined the corporate world, the most common office equipment was still the adding machine and typewriter, computers were few and generally off limits for new hires. While spreadsheets were still in yellow lined papers called worksheets. Phone is shared by everyone, unlike now when each work station has a phone unit, aside from, of course that each has, at least, one mobile phone. Eventually, COBOL, I forgot. But Word and Excel became my best office tool.
My younger sister, who was then in school, had a cellular phone, while I, who was already working, do not. Because I do not find a need for it. I only got a cellular phone when I became engaged to a seafarer. Among my friends, I was one of the last to have a Friendster account and was the last to migrate to FB. I have an Instagram account, for curiosity, but it has since been inactive because, again, I do not find it necessary to toggle from one social media app to another.
While others adapt to IT with ease, I go thru a slow process of needs analysis, feedback and endorsement from friends, families and associates. But for the primary tool in my office, I can fairly say that I am one of those who gets to know it ahead of others and am able to master usage faster. Obviously, because I needed to.
In the past 20 years, I have been working with a vast amount of information and record keeping using a voluminous columnar, then to a bulky PC and then more recently a laptop. Communication and training has been faster and less expensive with the use of IP phones, teleconference, webinars, Skype. I have to adapt and adopt to unconventional training methodologies by creating training materials conducive for learning in this time.
Technology has changed my life, both personally and professionally. Professionally, I am an eager learner and I volunteer to perform UAT tests. But personally, trying out new programs and apps, is not my cup of tea. Professionally, technology dictates my processes. But personally, I prefer to maintain a certain level of control, for I do not want IT to completely rule over my life.
And here I am, creating in a blog, an academic requirement. I see myself converting from a paper diary to a blog. Slowly.