Based on my readings, technological change is a change in the set of feasible production possibilities. Technological change (TC) is a term that is used to describe the overall process of invention, innovation and diffusion of technology or processes. Pertaining to the computer history, technology is perishable and moves faster than in any other industry. This rapid-fire pace means continuous increases in productivity and competitiveness for our industry and the myriad of other industries.
I have read a quote from Scott G. McNealy, Chairman, President, & CEO, Sun Microsystems …. "Miss one development cycle and you are seriously hurt. Miss Two and you are mortally wounded." That has come to depend on computer products and services for their vitality. Just as our industry has adapted to meet the demands of the competitive global marketplace, so too has our work force.
In the case of USEP, I’ve observed that these three that I’ve mentioned below would be very helpful for the staffs, faculty, and students and for the whole university.
Wireless fidelity (WI-Fi)
Wi-Fi is wireless technology which enables connection between two or more devices wirelessly for data sharing purposes. It is wireless networking which is based on IEEE 802.11 standards. it is now being used by millions of people using various devices such as personal computers, laptops, pads', printers, camera, games, mp3 players etc, more and more gadgets are coming with built in feature of this amazing wireless technology.In the whole USEP, WI-Fi is very pertinent in order to facilitate convenient access to information, to eliminate the need for wires and cables in order to access data and media, to aid compatibility and connectivity between different systems in the network and most especially to eliminate the need for other paraphernalia like switchboards, adapters and plugs that clutter up the work station.
Online System
• Online system for me would be very significant for the whole USEP in a way that the different procedures and process that the University wants should be done in online approaches. The best example for this is the online registration for the students who are planning to take USEPAT exams in order to shun from hassles and bustles. This process would be very useful for the students to be acquainted with the results for the said examination.
RFID
• As what I have knew it was implemented by the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to easily track the plate numbers the vehicles. RFID (radio frequency identification) is a technology that incorporates the use of electromagnetic or electrostatic coupling in the radio frequency (RF) portion of the electromagnetic spectrum to uniquely identify an object, animal, or person. In USEP, I can say that implementing RFID is very much essential for the University to monitors those students and other people who are entering the university.
References:
wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology
http://www.wifinotes.com/
http://searchmanufacturingerp.techtarget.com/sDefinition/0,,sid193_gci805987,00.html
Friday, March 26, 2010
♥♥Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP♥♥
Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP) has been developed to aid in recognizing appropriate portfolio of computer based application and relevant information processing activities to support organizations’ information needs. SISP is not a single solution or method for IS planning but an umbrella term for host of methods and techniques that are more or less based on different paradigms of world, organizations, and humans. Characteristic for available SISP methods is their focus on a single organization.
Two Core Arguments:
First:
At a minimum, a firm’s information systems investments should be aligned with the overall business strategy and in some cases may even become an emerging source of competitive advantage. While no one disagrees with this, operations management researchers are just starting to study how this alignment takes place and what the measurable benefits are. An issue under examination is how a manufacturer’s business strategy, characterized as either “market focused” or “operations focused,” affects its ability to garner efficiency versus customer service benefits from its ERP investments.
Second:
Companies can best achieve IS-based alignment or competitive advantage by following a proactive, formal and comprehensive process that includes the development of broad organizational information requirements. This is in contrast to a “reactive” strategy, in which the IS group sits back and responds to other areas of the business only when a need arises. Such a process is especially relevant to ERP investments, given their costs and long-term impact. Seegars, Grover and Teng have identified six dimensions that define an excellent SISP process.
1. Comprehensiveness .Comprehensiveness is “the extent to which an organization attempts to be exhaustive or inclusive in making and integrating strategic decisions”.
2. Formalization. Formalization is “the existence of structures, techniques, written procedures, and policies that guide the planning process”.
3. Focus. Focus is “the balance between creativity and control orientations inherent within the strategic planning system”.
4. Top-down flow. SISP should be initiated by top managers, with the aid of support staff.
5. Broad participation. Even though the planning flow is top-down, participation must involve multiple functional areas and, as necessary, key stakeholders at lower levels of the organization.
6. High consistency. SISP should be characterized by frequent meetings and reassessments of the overall strategy.
If in case i will be hired and tasked to develop a SISP for a particular company, these are the following questions that I will going to prepare for the said meeting. The following questions that I have mentioned below are significant and helpful in developing a SISP in a company.
1.Why Plan?
We all plan at some time in our lives and when we do, it’s usually for one of two basic reasons. One is we want to accomplish something, some goal, be it practical or idealistic. Or we want to avoid or prevent something, such as hardships. In planning we use whatever facts we have to help us make our best guess about the future and choose the best and most practicable steps to accomplish our goals. In order for a business to be successful, there needs to be a road map for success. A strategic plan helps to provide direction and focus for all employees. It points to specific results that are to be achieved and establishes a course of action for achieving them. A strategic plan also helps the various work units within an organization to align themselves with common goals.
2. What is the company profile?
It is very significant to be oriented with the firm's history, number and quality of its human, financial, and physical resources organizational and management structure, past, current and anticipated performance, and its reputation, and the standing of its goods or services. In other words to know first the different company products and operations that the company have to have easy way in developing SISP.
3. what are the mission, vision, goals and objectives of the company?
It is also pertinent to be familiar with the company’s vision and mission in SISP implementation because it serves you in carrying out leadership role, unifying efforts and building alignment and loyalty among employees. Mission tells you the fundamental purpose of the organization. It defines the customer and the critical processes. It informs you of the desired level of performance. A Vision outlines what the organization wants to be, or how it wants the world in which it operates to be. It concentrates on the future. It is a source of inspiration. It provides clear decision-making criteria. Objectives could cover growth, profitability, technology and some offerings however goals are ultimate time-based measurements to be achieved by implementing strategies in pursuit of the company's objectives
4. Why does a company needs a strategic information systems planning?
Strategic information systems planning is relevant to know with the process of identifying a portfolio of computer-based applications that will assist an organization in executing its business plans and realizing its business goals.
5. what are are the critical success factors of the company?
In SISP implementation we must identify also the Critical Success Factor which is necessary for an organization or project to achieve its mission. It is a critical factor or activity required for ensuring the success of a company. In any organization certain factors will be critical to the success of that organization, in the sense that, if objectives associated with the factors are not achieved, the organization will fail - perhaps catastrophically so.
6. What are the strength and weaknesses in implementing SISP?
trength and weaknesses must also identify to know are the positive or negative aspects of the external and internal environments that are under the direct control of a firm. Listing of a company's strengths and weaknesses are a normal part of any attempt at strategic information systems plan (SISP) for virtually all companies. Strengths are those things that your company does well which help you perform your jobs, deliver value to your customers and/or give you an advantage over your competition. It is important to determine your weaknesses to get them out in the open, with everyone in basic agreement that these are actually weaknesses, so the team can determine what to do about each one, if anything.
References:
http://scm.ncsu.edu/public/facts/facs060329.html
http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1238296
http://www.jmis-web.org/articles/v13_n1_p35/index.html
http://www.ebrc.fi/kuvat/Makipaa_paper.pdf
Two Core Arguments:
First:
At a minimum, a firm’s information systems investments should be aligned with the overall business strategy and in some cases may even become an emerging source of competitive advantage. While no one disagrees with this, operations management researchers are just starting to study how this alignment takes place and what the measurable benefits are. An issue under examination is how a manufacturer’s business strategy, characterized as either “market focused” or “operations focused,” affects its ability to garner efficiency versus customer service benefits from its ERP investments.
Second:
Companies can best achieve IS-based alignment or competitive advantage by following a proactive, formal and comprehensive process that includes the development of broad organizational information requirements. This is in contrast to a “reactive” strategy, in which the IS group sits back and responds to other areas of the business only when a need arises. Such a process is especially relevant to ERP investments, given their costs and long-term impact. Seegars, Grover and Teng have identified six dimensions that define an excellent SISP process.
1. Comprehensiveness .Comprehensiveness is “the extent to which an organization attempts to be exhaustive or inclusive in making and integrating strategic decisions”.
2. Formalization. Formalization is “the existence of structures, techniques, written procedures, and policies that guide the planning process”.
3. Focus. Focus is “the balance between creativity and control orientations inherent within the strategic planning system”.
4. Top-down flow. SISP should be initiated by top managers, with the aid of support staff.
5. Broad participation. Even though the planning flow is top-down, participation must involve multiple functional areas and, as necessary, key stakeholders at lower levels of the organization.
6. High consistency. SISP should be characterized by frequent meetings and reassessments of the overall strategy.
If in case i will be hired and tasked to develop a SISP for a particular company, these are the following questions that I will going to prepare for the said meeting. The following questions that I have mentioned below are significant and helpful in developing a SISP in a company.
1.Why Plan?
We all plan at some time in our lives and when we do, it’s usually for one of two basic reasons. One is we want to accomplish something, some goal, be it practical or idealistic. Or we want to avoid or prevent something, such as hardships. In planning we use whatever facts we have to help us make our best guess about the future and choose the best and most practicable steps to accomplish our goals. In order for a business to be successful, there needs to be a road map for success. A strategic plan helps to provide direction and focus for all employees. It points to specific results that are to be achieved and establishes a course of action for achieving them. A strategic plan also helps the various work units within an organization to align themselves with common goals.
2. What is the company profile?
It is very significant to be oriented with the firm's history, number and quality of its human, financial, and physical resources organizational and management structure, past, current and anticipated performance, and its reputation, and the standing of its goods or services. In other words to know first the different company products and operations that the company have to have easy way in developing SISP.
3. what are the mission, vision, goals and objectives of the company?
It is also pertinent to be familiar with the company’s vision and mission in SISP implementation because it serves you in carrying out leadership role, unifying efforts and building alignment and loyalty among employees. Mission tells you the fundamental purpose of the organization. It defines the customer and the critical processes. It informs you of the desired level of performance. A Vision outlines what the organization wants to be, or how it wants the world in which it operates to be. It concentrates on the future. It is a source of inspiration. It provides clear decision-making criteria. Objectives could cover growth, profitability, technology and some offerings however goals are ultimate time-based measurements to be achieved by implementing strategies in pursuit of the company's objectives
4. Why does a company needs a strategic information systems planning?
Strategic information systems planning is relevant to know with the process of identifying a portfolio of computer-based applications that will assist an organization in executing its business plans and realizing its business goals.
5. what are are the critical success factors of the company?
In SISP implementation we must identify also the Critical Success Factor which is necessary for an organization or project to achieve its mission. It is a critical factor or activity required for ensuring the success of a company. In any organization certain factors will be critical to the success of that organization, in the sense that, if objectives associated with the factors are not achieved, the organization will fail - perhaps catastrophically so.
6. What are the strength and weaknesses in implementing SISP?
trength and weaknesses must also identify to know are the positive or negative aspects of the external and internal environments that are under the direct control of a firm. Listing of a company's strengths and weaknesses are a normal part of any attempt at strategic information systems plan (SISP) for virtually all companies. Strengths are those things that your company does well which help you perform your jobs, deliver value to your customers and/or give you an advantage over your competition. It is important to determine your weaknesses to get them out in the open, with everyone in basic agreement that these are actually weaknesses, so the team can determine what to do about each one, if anything.
References:
http://scm.ncsu.edu/public/facts/facs060329.html
http://portal.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1238296
http://www.jmis-web.org/articles/v13_n1_p35/index.html
http://www.ebrc.fi/kuvat/Makipaa_paper.pdf
♥♥Google♥♥
Google is a highly successful Internet business. Recently they have broadened their scope with a multitude of new tools. Research Google’s business model and answer the following questions below. You may add additional information not included in these questions.
Questions:
Explain Google’s business model.
1. Who are their competitors?
2. How have they used information technology to their advantage?
3. How competitive are they in the market?
4. What new services do they offer?
5. What makes them so unique?
6. How competitive are they in the international market?
Google’s Profile:
Google Incorporation is one company that earns its profit mainly from advertising using their very own Google search engine, Gmail e-mail service, Google Maps, Google Apps, Orkut social networking and Youtube video sharing, which are all offered to the public for free. It is a public corporation of the Americans and Googleplex, its headquarter is located at Mountain View, California since 2003. This company continues to grow very well and was being ranked number one by Fortune Magazine's as the "Best Place to Work In" for multiple times. The name "Google" was originated from the word "googol" which means 10 raised to the power of hundred or 1 with a hundred of zeroes, and "googol" was often misspelled as "google". Since this term has been increasingly used in our everyday language, "google" was added into the dictionaries, carrying the meaning of "obtaining information using the Internet through Google Search Engine".
Google is a corporation that is becoming more profitable by the day. This massive internet giant has a continuous growth that has made it one of the richest technology based companies in the world. It currently employs thousands of people has has stretched itself across the four corners of the cyber world. This all begs the question; how are Google achieving this? Google's business model boils down to two primary focuses advertising and innovation. Google's co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have said themselves that the current pre-dominant business model for commercial search engines is advertising. Google Ads went from a means to generate the necessary revenue to keep the budding search engine on its feet to a profit machine that became a key focus in Google's business plans. This form of advertising is cheap for businesses to buy, easy for Google to distribute and highly profitable. On top of all this, the ingenuity of it is that it allows other individuals to generate their own money by getting other web users to click on the advertisements when they visit their web site. Within no time businesses and indivduals alike wanted a piece of the Google Ads action. This sudden popularity was used as part of the model and therefore allowed Google to get its own name around the cyber world, quickly gaining the title of biggest search giant. It has been growing ever since. The other side of Google's hugely successful business plan is innovation. The Google brand became one of the internets most well known names within just years of it being in operation. The advertisement system and the quality of Google's search algorithms set the search engine at the top of its game. Realising that their success couldn't just stop there, Google turned to innovation. The company quickly expanded, providing endless services to the individual; Google News, Google Maps, Google Earth, Froogle, Google Scholar, Google Products the list goes on an on. Innovation became a key part of Google's business plan as it allowed them to expand at the rate they do.
In summary, simplistic as they are, these two foundations of the Google business model have been extra-ordinarily successful, and their continuing ingenuity will probably provide growth for this vast company for a long time.
Google’s Competitors:
1. Apple
2. Microsoft
3. Amazon
4. Facebook
5. Twitter
6. Mozilla
7. Yahoo
8. Cisco
9. IBM
10. Nokia
Googles Business strategy and competative advantage
Google's advantage is more of a company philosophy than a technical
advantage. Thus far they have simply remembered what works on the
Internet. I have read an article frm net. It goes like this .When people talk about Google as a corporate entity, they often talk—jealously, at times—about the company’s innovative culture, with its sprawling campus, free meals and endless amenities. One of the people at the forefront of that culture is Google’s CIO. Ben Fried believes that IT plays a pivotal role in building a great culture—and subsequently a great company—and he puts it into practice in a number of ways. One part of that is making technology accessible and open. By giving users what they want—instead of what the company believes is best—Fried believes CIOs can empower employees to do more. “It’s almost insulting to people when they hear, ‘We know better than you how it’s best for you to work,’” he says. And the company benefits not only from the increased productivity and morale, but also when recruiting talented support professionals.
But it also puts a good face on IT. In an era in which business users believe their IT organizations take too long and spend too much for products and services that don’t meet their needs, CIOs and their teams need to make smarter decisions, he says. Fried has gleaned these and other lessons from his time at Google, and from his previous work as an infrastructure architect at Morgan Stanley. Fried spoke recently about his IT leadership philosophy with CIO Insight Editor in Chief Brian P. Watson.
How competitive are they in the market?
I have read news from net and it says “The latest data released from comScore explains global search results for 2009, with some very familiar trends, as well as some very interesting new trends. The most obvious and familiar trend is Google retaining its lead among the search made worldwide, however the most surprising new trend is that Microsoft has increased its market share considerably. Of the top three major search engines Yahoo got the lowest percentage change, year on year, for 2009. Google had 87.8 billion searches in 2009 which is a 58% increase from 2008, a lo0ng way behind came Yahoo with 9.4 billion searches and a 13% increase from 2009. The main surprise of the new data is Microsoft who came in fourth place with 4.1 billion searches – a huge 70% leap from 2008 search market data…”
Using Google Analytics Aggregated data Google can collect statistics regarding other search engines and how they refer you to sites.
In effect what keywords they refer, vs. what keywords others refer. They also can get raw counts in the number of unique visitors and total visitors by referrer This is only possible because Google Analytics is a centralized web application maintained and operated by Google vs. AWStats another common used analytics platform which is installed maintained and operated by the webmaster. Food for thought: What other web applications have shifted paradigms and what effect and potential does all this newly related aggregated data worth.
• Imagine that Google Spreadsheets can be used to aggregate related ideas in effect creating a sort of GoogleSets.
• Imagine that GoogleTalk can be used to aggregate written context in effect creating Artificial Intelligence Chatbots with similar effects of Jabberwacky.com and beyond
• Imagine that Google Writeley can be used to aggregate thought, not just necessarily of what you write but more specifically what you write, when you write it, how you write, and revise including the whole process etc
• Imagine in effect borrowing the collective intelligence from its users.
Google Offers New Services
Here are the lists:
New Storage Service
Google Inc has announced its very own cloud-based online storage service which will allow Google Docs users to upload any type of file of up to 250 MB while they will have access to a total storage capacity of 1GB.
(14 January, 2010, by Desire Athow)
Google Click-to-Call (Billing) in Ads on Mobile Devices
Google sent out notification to its AdWords advertisers that this month “your location-specific business phone number will display alongside your destination url in ads that appear on high-end mobile devices. Users will be able to click-to-call your business just as easily as they click to visit your website. You’ll be charged for clicks to call, same as you are for clicks to visit your website.”
(Jan 5, 2010 at 7:59am ET by Greg Sterling)
Google Goggles
A new service that promises to make searching the internet as easy as taking a photo. The application, which will premier on Android devices, will let a user snap a photo of anything and then Google will deliver search results based on that image.
(December 7th, 2009 by Stefan Constantinescu)
Free DNS Service
Google just released their newest service which is public DNS. DNS is one of the most important services when it comes to using the internet. The main reason to use the service is reliability, speed and increased security. Google has put in other measures to help with overall security.
(December 5th 2009 by serverguy)
Google Phone – Nexus One -
Nexus One is expected to display the latest generation of Linux-based open sourceAndroid operating system. In fact, this is also first phone that will be marketed directly by Google, in turn setting up extremely higher expectations for the product. Engadget has already reviewed the phone before the launch and it beings some interesting set of information you might link to know. The phone is also said to bring tough competition for Apple iPhone.
Google’s Caffeine Search Engine -
Caffeine is the next version of Google’s search-engine infrastructure and will soon be available to the wider audience. Caffeine engine is expected to offer technology to deliver faster and more accurate results. This version was available for test and there is no specific date for launch given yet, but Google is sure to develop it fully in early 2010
Google’s Ebook Store -
Google has always been fond of books and have encouraged it reader to take part often. With that love Google now plans to launch an online store for ebooks, which is expected to come in the first half of 2010. Google Ebook store will have half a million books initially in partner will few publishers. On the launch it is expected to have more than 500,000 books ready to be purchased from online stores such as Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.
Google Chrome OS -
Google Chrome Brower was a great hit and recently it also moved ahead of Apple Safari. And next in store we have Google Chrome OS – an open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted only at netbooks. Google has planned to open-source its code, and will make Google Chrome OS available to users in the second half of 2010
5. Google Drive – GDrive
Users usually have complained of not having enough space for them to store emails, photos, and files. With that in mind, Google came up the idea of Gdrive included in Google pack – online file backup and storage service from Google that integrated with Google services like Gmail, Picasa Web Albums, Google Calendars, and many others. GDrive allows you to access your files from anywhere, anytime, and from any device – be it from your desktop, web browser or cellular phone. Google Drive is highly anticipated and expected to be released in 2010 but it will only be an extended version of Google Docs. Instead of sending attachments, you’ll be able to upload files to Google Drive from Gmail.
What makes google unigue?
Based on my readings from the internet, the things which makes google a unigue one is that Google grows in a natural fashion, unlike any other company I know of. Google develops tools that are internally useful and then releases them to the world. Google does not develop products to sell to the world. Google does not have external contracts, at least in the traditional sense, as far as I can tell. Google is obviously best known for search and for ads associated with search. This is in essence Google’s one true product. It is the one feature Google developed for the outside world. When Google developed search it was no different from a small company. It is what Google has done since then that makes Google different. Google doesn’t answer to any external power. They don’t have anyone they have to deliver a product to. There is no contract with a deadline. Due to not having any external dependencies, Google can continuously iterate over a product until it reaches a state of near perfection. It can stay in internal testing as long as Google wants and no one is going to care. See Gmail, Google Maps, etc. This then allows Google to use the perfect form of the alert process. Continuous iterations and testing and development, continues improvement. Then as Google sees fit, release the products. As they get better and better, more people use them and more money from ads comes in. It’s also unlikely any other company is going to be able to pull this off. Google hit on the formula for ads before anyone else. They now have such a commanding lead in that arena that to compete with them you need deep pockets of money of your own. That makes it difficult to launch a company and follow Google’s lead of avoiding external dependencies and having the near perfect product development process. Google’s contracts are different from most companies’ contracts. Google isn’t developing a product for these companies. All they are doing is giving them an existing product that Google has already completed and released. Development on that product might still be happening, but it happens within Google, not within the kingdom of the contract. Google is still free to develop how ever they want.
References:
http://google.com/
http://www.google-search-engine-optimization.com/2009/01/google-incorporation.html
http://scenariothinking.org/wiki/images/2/2d/GoogleBizModel.png
http://siliconangle.com/blog/2010/02/09/google-launches-competitor-to-twitter-then-facebook-called-google-
http://www.reportlinker.com/p053261/Google-Company-Profile.html
http://www.seoconsult.co.uk/SEO-News/search-engine-marketing/microsoft-increases-market-share-but-google-are-still-top-of-the-search-tree.html
http://mashable.com/2009/08/03/bing-market-share/
Questions:
Explain Google’s business model.
1. Who are their competitors?
2. How have they used information technology to their advantage?
3. How competitive are they in the market?
4. What new services do they offer?
5. What makes them so unique?
6. How competitive are they in the international market?
Google’s Profile:
Google Incorporation is one company that earns its profit mainly from advertising using their very own Google search engine, Gmail e-mail service, Google Maps, Google Apps, Orkut social networking and Youtube video sharing, which are all offered to the public for free. It is a public corporation of the Americans and Googleplex, its headquarter is located at Mountain View, California since 2003. This company continues to grow very well and was being ranked number one by Fortune Magazine's as the "Best Place to Work In" for multiple times. The name "Google" was originated from the word "googol" which means 10 raised to the power of hundred or 1 with a hundred of zeroes, and "googol" was often misspelled as "google". Since this term has been increasingly used in our everyday language, "google" was added into the dictionaries, carrying the meaning of "obtaining information using the Internet through Google Search Engine".
Google is a corporation that is becoming more profitable by the day. This massive internet giant has a continuous growth that has made it one of the richest technology based companies in the world. It currently employs thousands of people has has stretched itself across the four corners of the cyber world. This all begs the question; how are Google achieving this? Google's business model boils down to two primary focuses advertising and innovation. Google's co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin have said themselves that the current pre-dominant business model for commercial search engines is advertising. Google Ads went from a means to generate the necessary revenue to keep the budding search engine on its feet to a profit machine that became a key focus in Google's business plans. This form of advertising is cheap for businesses to buy, easy for Google to distribute and highly profitable. On top of all this, the ingenuity of it is that it allows other individuals to generate their own money by getting other web users to click on the advertisements when they visit their web site. Within no time businesses and indivduals alike wanted a piece of the Google Ads action. This sudden popularity was used as part of the model and therefore allowed Google to get its own name around the cyber world, quickly gaining the title of biggest search giant. It has been growing ever since. The other side of Google's hugely successful business plan is innovation. The Google brand became one of the internets most well known names within just years of it being in operation. The advertisement system and the quality of Google's search algorithms set the search engine at the top of its game. Realising that their success couldn't just stop there, Google turned to innovation. The company quickly expanded, providing endless services to the individual; Google News, Google Maps, Google Earth, Froogle, Google Scholar, Google Products the list goes on an on. Innovation became a key part of Google's business plan as it allowed them to expand at the rate they do.
In summary, simplistic as they are, these two foundations of the Google business model have been extra-ordinarily successful, and their continuing ingenuity will probably provide growth for this vast company for a long time.
Google’s Competitors:
1. Apple
2. Microsoft
3. Amazon
4. Facebook
5. Twitter
6. Mozilla
7. Yahoo
8. Cisco
9. IBM
10. Nokia
Googles Business strategy and competative advantage
Google's advantage is more of a company philosophy than a technical
advantage. Thus far they have simply remembered what works on the
Internet. I have read an article frm net. It goes like this .When people talk about Google as a corporate entity, they often talk—jealously, at times—about the company’s innovative culture, with its sprawling campus, free meals and endless amenities. One of the people at the forefront of that culture is Google’s CIO. Ben Fried believes that IT plays a pivotal role in building a great culture—and subsequently a great company—and he puts it into practice in a number of ways. One part of that is making technology accessible and open. By giving users what they want—instead of what the company believes is best—Fried believes CIOs can empower employees to do more. “It’s almost insulting to people when they hear, ‘We know better than you how it’s best for you to work,’” he says. And the company benefits not only from the increased productivity and morale, but also when recruiting talented support professionals.
But it also puts a good face on IT. In an era in which business users believe their IT organizations take too long and spend too much for products and services that don’t meet their needs, CIOs and their teams need to make smarter decisions, he says. Fried has gleaned these and other lessons from his time at Google, and from his previous work as an infrastructure architect at Morgan Stanley. Fried spoke recently about his IT leadership philosophy with CIO Insight Editor in Chief Brian P. Watson.
How competitive are they in the market?
I have read news from net and it says “The latest data released from comScore explains global search results for 2009, with some very familiar trends, as well as some very interesting new trends. The most obvious and familiar trend is Google retaining its lead among the search made worldwide, however the most surprising new trend is that Microsoft has increased its market share considerably. Of the top three major search engines Yahoo got the lowest percentage change, year on year, for 2009. Google had 87.8 billion searches in 2009 which is a 58% increase from 2008, a lo0ng way behind came Yahoo with 9.4 billion searches and a 13% increase from 2009. The main surprise of the new data is Microsoft who came in fourth place with 4.1 billion searches – a huge 70% leap from 2008 search market data…”
Using Google Analytics Aggregated data Google can collect statistics regarding other search engines and how they refer you to sites.
In effect what keywords they refer, vs. what keywords others refer. They also can get raw counts in the number of unique visitors and total visitors by referrer This is only possible because Google Analytics is a centralized web application maintained and operated by Google vs. AWStats another common used analytics platform which is installed maintained and operated by the webmaster. Food for thought: What other web applications have shifted paradigms and what effect and potential does all this newly related aggregated data worth.
• Imagine that Google Spreadsheets can be used to aggregate related ideas in effect creating a sort of GoogleSets.
• Imagine that GoogleTalk can be used to aggregate written context in effect creating Artificial Intelligence Chatbots with similar effects of Jabberwacky.com and beyond
• Imagine that Google Writeley can be used to aggregate thought, not just necessarily of what you write but more specifically what you write, when you write it, how you write, and revise including the whole process etc
• Imagine in effect borrowing the collective intelligence from its users.
Google Offers New Services
Here are the lists:
New Storage Service
Google Inc has announced its very own cloud-based online storage service which will allow Google Docs users to upload any type of file of up to 250 MB while they will have access to a total storage capacity of 1GB.
(14 January, 2010, by Desire Athow)
Google Click-to-Call (Billing) in Ads on Mobile Devices
Google sent out notification to its AdWords advertisers that this month “your location-specific business phone number will display alongside your destination url in ads that appear on high-end mobile devices. Users will be able to click-to-call your business just as easily as they click to visit your website. You’ll be charged for clicks to call, same as you are for clicks to visit your website.”
(Jan 5, 2010 at 7:59am ET by Greg Sterling)
Google Goggles
A new service that promises to make searching the internet as easy as taking a photo. The application, which will premier on Android devices, will let a user snap a photo of anything and then Google will deliver search results based on that image.
(December 7th, 2009 by Stefan Constantinescu)
Free DNS Service
Google just released their newest service which is public DNS. DNS is one of the most important services when it comes to using the internet. The main reason to use the service is reliability, speed and increased security. Google has put in other measures to help with overall security.
(December 5th 2009 by serverguy)
Google Phone – Nexus One -
Nexus One is expected to display the latest generation of Linux-based open sourceAndroid operating system. In fact, this is also first phone that will be marketed directly by Google, in turn setting up extremely higher expectations for the product. Engadget has already reviewed the phone before the launch and it beings some interesting set of information you might link to know. The phone is also said to bring tough competition for Apple iPhone.
Google’s Caffeine Search Engine -
Caffeine is the next version of Google’s search-engine infrastructure and will soon be available to the wider audience. Caffeine engine is expected to offer technology to deliver faster and more accurate results. This version was available for test and there is no specific date for launch given yet, but Google is sure to develop it fully in early 2010
Google’s Ebook Store -
Google has always been fond of books and have encouraged it reader to take part often. With that love Google now plans to launch an online store for ebooks, which is expected to come in the first half of 2010. Google Ebook store will have half a million books initially in partner will few publishers. On the launch it is expected to have more than 500,000 books ready to be purchased from online stores such as Amazon.com and Barnesandnoble.com.
Google Chrome OS -
Google Chrome Brower was a great hit and recently it also moved ahead of Apple Safari. And next in store we have Google Chrome OS – an open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted only at netbooks. Google has planned to open-source its code, and will make Google Chrome OS available to users in the second half of 2010
5. Google Drive – GDrive
Users usually have complained of not having enough space for them to store emails, photos, and files. With that in mind, Google came up the idea of Gdrive included in Google pack – online file backup and storage service from Google that integrated with Google services like Gmail, Picasa Web Albums, Google Calendars, and many others. GDrive allows you to access your files from anywhere, anytime, and from any device – be it from your desktop, web browser or cellular phone. Google Drive is highly anticipated and expected to be released in 2010 but it will only be an extended version of Google Docs. Instead of sending attachments, you’ll be able to upload files to Google Drive from Gmail.
What makes google unigue?
Based on my readings from the internet, the things which makes google a unigue one is that Google grows in a natural fashion, unlike any other company I know of. Google develops tools that are internally useful and then releases them to the world. Google does not develop products to sell to the world. Google does not have external contracts, at least in the traditional sense, as far as I can tell. Google is obviously best known for search and for ads associated with search. This is in essence Google’s one true product. It is the one feature Google developed for the outside world. When Google developed search it was no different from a small company. It is what Google has done since then that makes Google different. Google doesn’t answer to any external power. They don’t have anyone they have to deliver a product to. There is no contract with a deadline. Due to not having any external dependencies, Google can continuously iterate over a product until it reaches a state of near perfection. It can stay in internal testing as long as Google wants and no one is going to care. See Gmail, Google Maps, etc. This then allows Google to use the perfect form of the alert process. Continuous iterations and testing and development, continues improvement. Then as Google sees fit, release the products. As they get better and better, more people use them and more money from ads comes in. It’s also unlikely any other company is going to be able to pull this off. Google hit on the formula for ads before anyone else. They now have such a commanding lead in that arena that to compete with them you need deep pockets of money of your own. That makes it difficult to launch a company and follow Google’s lead of avoiding external dependencies and having the near perfect product development process. Google’s contracts are different from most companies’ contracts. Google isn’t developing a product for these companies. All they are doing is giving them an existing product that Google has already completed and released. Development on that product might still be happening, but it happens within Google, not within the kingdom of the contract. Google is still free to develop how ever they want.
References:
http://google.com/
http://www.google-search-engine-optimization.com/2009/01/google-incorporation.html
http://scenariothinking.org/wiki/images/2/2d/GoogleBizModel.png
http://siliconangle.com/blog/2010/02/09/google-launches-competitor-to-twitter-then-facebook-called-google-
http://www.reportlinker.com/p053261/Google-Company-Profile.html
http://www.seoconsult.co.uk/SEO-News/search-engine-marketing/microsoft-increases-market-share-but-google-are-still-top-of-the-search-tree.html
http://mashable.com/2009/08/03/bing-market-share/
♥♥steps for "critical success factors"♥♥
Critical Success Factor (CSF) is the term for an element that is necessary for an organization or project to achieve its mission. It is a critical factor or activity required for ensuring the success of your business. The term was initially used in the world of data analysis, and business analysis. For example, a CSF for a successful Information Technology (IT) project is user involvement.
A plan should be implemented that considers a platform for growth and profits as well as takes into consideration the following critical success factors:
* Money: positive cash flow, revenue growth, and profit margins.
* Your future: Acquiring new customers and/or distributors.
* Customer satisfaction: How happy they are.
* Quality: How good is your product and service?
* Product or service development: What's new that will increase business with existing customers and attract new ones?
* Intellectual capital: Create assets from the tools you make to run your business.
* Strategic relationships: New sources of business, products and outside revenue.
* Employee attraction and retention: Your ability to find, train, and keep employees and to let go employees that are not a good fit.
* Sustainability: Your personal ability to keep it all going.
Before anything else we should examine first on how to identify CSFs
When a customer gives you business, he does so for many reasons but there are usually a few critical ones. Without those factors, he would not order from you. The rest of the reasons don't make a lot of difference. When you run your business and market it, you give customers many reasons why they should buy from you. You'll say that you give good value, you're reliable, your products are good quality and you have a high level of customer service. Your customers hear the same thing from all their suppliers but they chose you - you need to know exactly why. The reason you need to know this is because you're doing all these different things, many of them quite expensive, and many of them have no effect at all on whether you get that order. You want to concentrate on those activities which your customers find critical and which make them order from you. Your best bet is to periodically discuss your business with your best customers. They will give you feedback and tell you what they would like to see. Is quick delivery important or would they rather see a lower price? Is it important that you keep items in stock? Would they like to see you more often to discuss their orders or is a quick check by telephone enough? What about particular characteristics of your products - should they be lighter, heavier, shinier, different colours etc?
Once you have discussed your business with a number of your best customers you will notice a pattern - groups of customers will value the same things. Now it is time for you to do the selecting and decide which of the things your customer’s value is going to be priorities for you. What you are looking for are things you can do more of and better without increasing your costs and things which you can do better than your competition. If some of your customers value a quick response time and you're the only business of that type in the area, you've got one of your critical success factors. At the same time, this identifies a good target market for you - other businesses similar to those customers in the same area. Now your business strategy is streamlined: for this group of customers you use your proximity to them to give fast service and you tell similar prospects that fast service is one of your strong points. If that is the critical success factor for this group of customers you will be able to concentrate on it and stop doing some of the other things they don't value. You may even be able to charge more.
Critical success factors (CSFs) have been used significantly to present or identify a few key factors that organisations should focus on to be successful. As a definition, critical success factors refer to "the limited number of areas in which satisfactory results will ensure successful competitive performance for the individual, department, or organisation” (Rockart and Bullen, 1981). Identifying CSFs is important as it allows firms to focus their efforts on building their capabilities to meet the CSFs, or even allow firms to decide if they have the capability to build the requirements necessary to meet critical success factors (CSFs). "Critical Success Factors are the areas of your business or project that are absolutely essential to its success. By identifying and communicating these CSFs, you can help ensure your business or project is well-focused and avoid wasting effort and resources on less important areas. By making CSFs explicit, and communicating them with everyone involved, you can help keep the business and project on track towards common aims and goals...
"Identifying your CSFs is a very iterative process. Your mission, strategic goals and CSFs are intrinsically linked and each will be refined as you develop them. Here are the summary steps that, used iteratively, will help you identify the CSFs for your business or project:
First Step: Establish your business's or project's mission and strategic goals...
Second Step: For each strategic goal, ask yourself "what area of business or project activity is essential to achieve this goal?" The answers to the question are your candidate CSFs.
Third Step: Evaluate the list of candidate CSFs to find the absolute essential elements for achieving success - these are your Criticial Success Factors. As you identify and evaluate candidate CSFs, you may uncover some new strategic objectives or more detailed objectives. So you may need to define your mission, objectives and CSFs iteratively.
Fourth Step: Identify how you will monitor and measure each of the CSFs.
Fifth Step: Communicate your CSFs along with the other important elements of your business or project's strategy.
Seventh Step: Keep monitoring and reevaluating your CSFs to ensure you keep moving towards your aims. Indeed, whilst CSFs are sometimes less tangible than measurable goals, it is useful to identify as specifically as possible how you can measure or monitor each one...
To make sure you consider all types of possible CSFs, you can use Rockart's CSF types as a checklist.
Industry - these factors result from specific industry characteristics. These are the things that the organization must do to remain competitive.
Environmental - these factors result from macro-environmental influences on an organization. Things like the business climate, the economy, competitors, and technological advancements are included in this category. These relate to environmental factors that are not in the control of the organisation but which an organisation must consider in developing CSFs. Examples for these are the industry regulation, political development and economic performance of a country, and population trends. For example, Ladbrokes, a UK bookmaker, will be establishing an international business in Italy where it has just acquired a business license, a requirement for foreign sports betting firms prior to establishing a business in the country (Citywire, 2007).
Strategic - these factors result from the specific competitive strategy chosen by the organization. The way in which the company chooses to position themselves, market themselves, whether they are high volume low cost or low volume high cost producers, etc.
Temporal - these factors result from the organization's internal forces. Specific barriers, challenges, directions, and influences will determine these CSFs." Temporal factors are temporary or one-off CSFs resulting from a specific event necessitating their inclusion. Rockart and Bullen (1981) state that typically, a temporal CSF would not exist and they give as an example of a firm which "lost executives as a result of a plane crash requiring a critical success factor of rebuilding the executive group". However, with the evolution and integration of markets globally, one could argue that temporal factors are not temporal anymore as they could exist regularly in organisations. For example, a firm aggressively building its business internationally would have a need for a core group of executives in its new markets. Thus, it would have the CSF of "building the executive group in a specific market" and it could have this every year for different markets.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_success_factor
http://rapidbi.com/created/criticalsuccessfactors.html
http://www.coursework4you.co.uk/essays-and-dissertations/critical-success-factors.php
A plan should be implemented that considers a platform for growth and profits as well as takes into consideration the following critical success factors:
* Money: positive cash flow, revenue growth, and profit margins.
* Your future: Acquiring new customers and/or distributors.
* Customer satisfaction: How happy they are.
* Quality: How good is your product and service?
* Product or service development: What's new that will increase business with existing customers and attract new ones?
* Intellectual capital: Create assets from the tools you make to run your business.
* Strategic relationships: New sources of business, products and outside revenue.
* Employee attraction and retention: Your ability to find, train, and keep employees and to let go employees that are not a good fit.
* Sustainability: Your personal ability to keep it all going.
Before anything else we should examine first on how to identify CSFs
When a customer gives you business, he does so for many reasons but there are usually a few critical ones. Without those factors, he would not order from you. The rest of the reasons don't make a lot of difference. When you run your business and market it, you give customers many reasons why they should buy from you. You'll say that you give good value, you're reliable, your products are good quality and you have a high level of customer service. Your customers hear the same thing from all their suppliers but they chose you - you need to know exactly why. The reason you need to know this is because you're doing all these different things, many of them quite expensive, and many of them have no effect at all on whether you get that order. You want to concentrate on those activities which your customers find critical and which make them order from you. Your best bet is to periodically discuss your business with your best customers. They will give you feedback and tell you what they would like to see. Is quick delivery important or would they rather see a lower price? Is it important that you keep items in stock? Would they like to see you more often to discuss their orders or is a quick check by telephone enough? What about particular characteristics of your products - should they be lighter, heavier, shinier, different colours etc?
Once you have discussed your business with a number of your best customers you will notice a pattern - groups of customers will value the same things. Now it is time for you to do the selecting and decide which of the things your customer’s value is going to be priorities for you. What you are looking for are things you can do more of and better without increasing your costs and things which you can do better than your competition. If some of your customers value a quick response time and you're the only business of that type in the area, you've got one of your critical success factors. At the same time, this identifies a good target market for you - other businesses similar to those customers in the same area. Now your business strategy is streamlined: for this group of customers you use your proximity to them to give fast service and you tell similar prospects that fast service is one of your strong points. If that is the critical success factor for this group of customers you will be able to concentrate on it and stop doing some of the other things they don't value. You may even be able to charge more.
Critical success factors (CSFs) have been used significantly to present or identify a few key factors that organisations should focus on to be successful. As a definition, critical success factors refer to "the limited number of areas in which satisfactory results will ensure successful competitive performance for the individual, department, or organisation” (Rockart and Bullen, 1981). Identifying CSFs is important as it allows firms to focus their efforts on building their capabilities to meet the CSFs, or even allow firms to decide if they have the capability to build the requirements necessary to meet critical success factors (CSFs). "Critical Success Factors are the areas of your business or project that are absolutely essential to its success. By identifying and communicating these CSFs, you can help ensure your business or project is well-focused and avoid wasting effort and resources on less important areas. By making CSFs explicit, and communicating them with everyone involved, you can help keep the business and project on track towards common aims and goals...
"Identifying your CSFs is a very iterative process. Your mission, strategic goals and CSFs are intrinsically linked and each will be refined as you develop them. Here are the summary steps that, used iteratively, will help you identify the CSFs for your business or project:
First Step: Establish your business's or project's mission and strategic goals...
Second Step: For each strategic goal, ask yourself "what area of business or project activity is essential to achieve this goal?" The answers to the question are your candidate CSFs.
Third Step: Evaluate the list of candidate CSFs to find the absolute essential elements for achieving success - these are your Criticial Success Factors. As you identify and evaluate candidate CSFs, you may uncover some new strategic objectives or more detailed objectives. So you may need to define your mission, objectives and CSFs iteratively.
Fourth Step: Identify how you will monitor and measure each of the CSFs.
Fifth Step: Communicate your CSFs along with the other important elements of your business or project's strategy.
Seventh Step: Keep monitoring and reevaluating your CSFs to ensure you keep moving towards your aims. Indeed, whilst CSFs are sometimes less tangible than measurable goals, it is useful to identify as specifically as possible how you can measure or monitor each one...
To make sure you consider all types of possible CSFs, you can use Rockart's CSF types as a checklist.
Industry - these factors result from specific industry characteristics. These are the things that the organization must do to remain competitive.
Environmental - these factors result from macro-environmental influences on an organization. Things like the business climate, the economy, competitors, and technological advancements are included in this category. These relate to environmental factors that are not in the control of the organisation but which an organisation must consider in developing CSFs. Examples for these are the industry regulation, political development and economic performance of a country, and population trends. For example, Ladbrokes, a UK bookmaker, will be establishing an international business in Italy where it has just acquired a business license, a requirement for foreign sports betting firms prior to establishing a business in the country (Citywire, 2007).
Strategic - these factors result from the specific competitive strategy chosen by the organization. The way in which the company chooses to position themselves, market themselves, whether they are high volume low cost or low volume high cost producers, etc.
Temporal - these factors result from the organization's internal forces. Specific barriers, challenges, directions, and influences will determine these CSFs." Temporal factors are temporary or one-off CSFs resulting from a specific event necessitating their inclusion. Rockart and Bullen (1981) state that typically, a temporal CSF would not exist and they give as an example of a firm which "lost executives as a result of a plane crash requiring a critical success factor of rebuilding the executive group". However, with the evolution and integration of markets globally, one could argue that temporal factors are not temporal anymore as they could exist regularly in organisations. For example, a firm aggressively building its business internationally would have a need for a core group of executives in its new markets. Thus, it would have the CSF of "building the executive group in a specific market" and it could have this every year for different markets.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_success_factor
http://rapidbi.com/created/criticalsuccessfactors.html
http://www.coursework4you.co.uk/essays-and-dissertations/critical-success-factors.php
♥♥Organizational Changes♥♥
The only thing that is permanent on the face of the earth is change; and this is also applied into different varieties of business. The change is somehow important if it is intended to begin the improvement. Every organization needs change in improving the business environment or managerial aspect. The change depends unto what extent it should reach and what difficulties it will cross. Sometimes, organization takes the changes to align in the economic variations and it is truly hard to pulse the wave of economic climate. Usually organizational change is provoked by some major outside driving force, e.g., substantial cuts in funding, address major new markets/clients, need for dramatic increases in productivity/services, etc.
Typically, organizations must undertake organization-wide change to evolve to a different level in their life cycle, e.g., going from a highly reactive, entreprenueral organization to more stable and planned development. Transition to a new chief executive can provoke organization-wide change when his or her new and unique personality pervades the entire organization. Organizational change is defined as the process by which organizations reach the desired goals. Organizational change occurs when an organization restructures resources to increase the ability to create value and improve effectiveness. A declining company seeks ways to regain customers; a growing organization designs new products. A well-planned organizational change creates value for stakeholders. In a business manner, the organizational change is about a significant change in the organization, such as reorganization or adding a major new product or service. This is in contrast to smaller changes, such as adopting a new computer procedure. Organizational change can seem like such a vague phenomena that it is helpful. Any type of thinking about our world requires some kind of conceptual model, implicit or otherwise, which structures and guides our thinking and renders it meaningful. For studies of Organizational change, conceptual models and practical models are indispensable. Change is a necessary way of life in most organizations. Change is all around us in the dynamic society surrounding today’s organizations; the question of whether change will occur is no longer relevant. Organizational change is the alteration of work environment in organization. Automation plays an increasingly important role in the world economy and in daily experience. Engineers strive to combine automated devices with mathematical and organizational tools to create complex systems for a rapidly expanding range of applications and human activities.
Automation is the use of control systems (such as numerical control, programmable logic control, and other industrial control systems), in concert with other applications of information technology (such as computer-aided technologies [CAD, CAM, CAx]), to control industrial machinery and processes, reducing the need for human intervention. In the scope of industrialization, automation is a step beyond mechanization. Whereas mechanization provided human operators with machinery to assist them with the muscular requirements of work, automation greatly reduces the need for human sensory and mental requirements as well. Processes and systems can also be automated.
Many roles for humans in industrial processes presently lie beyond the scope of automation. Human-level pattern recognition, language recognition, and language production ability are well beyond the capabilities of modern mechanical and computer systems. Tasks requiring subjective assessment or synthesis of complex sensory data, such as scents and sounds, as well as high-level tasks such as strategic planning, currently require human expertise. In many cases, the use of humans is more cost-effective than mechanical approaches even where automation of industrial tasks is possible. Specialised hardened computers, referred to as programmable logic controllers (PLCs), are frequently used to synchronize the flow of inputs from (physical) sensors and events with the flow of outputs to actuators and events. This leads to precisely controlled actions that permit a tight control of almost any industrial process. Human-machine interfaces (HMI) or computer human interfaces (CHI), formerly known as man-machine interfaces, are usually employed to communicate with PLCs and other computers, such as entering and monitoring temperatures or pressures for further automated control or emergency response. Service personnel who monitor and control these interfaces are often referred to as stationary engineers. Currently, for manufacturing companies, the purpose of automation has shifted from increasing productivity and reducing costs, to broader issues, such as increasing quality and flexibility in the manufacturing process. The old focus on using automation simply to increase productivity and reduce costs was seen to be short-sighted, because it is also necessary to provide a skilled workforce who can make repairs and manage the machinery. Moreover, the initial costs of automation were high and often could not be recovered by the time entirely new manufacturing processes replaced the old. (Japan's "robot junkyards" were once world famous in the manufacturing industry.) Automation is now often applied primarily to increase quality in the manufacturing process, where automation can increase quality substantially. For example, automobile and truck pistons used to be installed into engines manually. This is rapidly being transitioned to automated machine installation, because the error rate for manual installment was around 1-1.5%, but has been reduced to 0.00001% with automation. Hazardous operations, such as oil refining, the manufacturing of industrial chemicals, and all forms of metal working, were always early contenders for automation.
Another major shift in automation is the increased emphasis on flexibility and convertibility in the manufacturing process. Manufacturers are increasingly demanding the ability to easily switch from manufacturing Product A to manufacturing Product B without having to completely rebuild the production lines. Flexibility and distributed processes have led to the introduction of Automated Guided Vehicles with Natural Features Navigation.
The main advantage of automation are:
* Replacing human operators in tedious tasks.
* Replacing humans in tasks that should be done in dangerous environments (i.e. fire, space, volcanoes, nuclear facilities, under the water, etc)
* Making tasks that are beyond the human capabilities such as handling too heavy loads, too large objects, too hot or too cold substances or the requirement to make things too fast or too slow.
* Economy improvement. Sometimes and some kinds of automation implies improves in economy of enterprises, society or most of humankind. For example, when an enterprise that has invested in automation technology recovers its investment; when a state or country increases its income due to automation like Germany or Japan in the 20th Century or when the humankind can use the internet which in turn use satellites and other automated engines.
Controversial factors
* Unemployment. It is commonly thought that automation implies unemployment because the work of a human being is replaced in part or completely by a machine. Nevertheless, the unemployment is caused by the economical politics of the administration like dismissing the workers instead of changing their tasks. Since the general economical policies of most of the industrial plants are to dismiss people, nowadays automation implies unemployment. In different scenarios without workers, automation implies more free time instead of unemployment like the case with the automatic washing machine at home. Automation does not imply unemployment when it makes tasks unimaginable without automation such as exploring mars with the Sojourner or when the economy is fully adapted to an automated technology as with the Telephone switchboard.
* Environment. The costs of automation to the environment are different depending on the technology, product or engine automated. There are automated engines that consume more energy resources from the Earth in comparison with previous engines and those that do the opposite too.
* Human being replacement. In the future there is a possibility that the Artificial intelligence could replace and improve a human brain and the robots would become not only fully automated but fully autonomous from the human beings (Technological singularity)
Rationalization is an informal fallacy of reasoning in which one constructs a logical justification for a belief, decision, action or lack thereof that was originally arrived at through a different mental process. It is a defense mechanism in which perceived controversial behaviors or feelings are explained in a rational or logical manner to avoid the true explanation of the behavior or feeling in question. This process can be in a range from fully conscious (e.g. to present an external defense against ridicule from others) to mostly subconscious (e.g. to create a block against internal feelings of guilt).
Rationalization is one of the defense mechanisms proposed by Sigmund Freud, which were later developed further by his daughter Anna Freud.
According to the DSM-IV rationalization occurs "when the individual deals with emotional conflict or internal or external stressors by concealing the true motivations for his or her own thoughts, actions, or feelings through the elaboration of reassuring or self serving but incorrect explanations."
Re-engineering is the basis for many recent developments in management. The cross-functional team, for example, has become popular because of the desire to re-engineer separate functional tasks into complete cross-functional processes. Also, many recent management information systems developments aim to integrate a wide number of business functions. Enterprise resource planning, supply chain management, knowledge management systems, groupware and collaborative systems, Human Resource Management Systems and customer relationship management systems all owe a debt to re-engineering theory.
Paradigm shift is a change in a fundamental model of events, has since become widely applied to many other realms of human experience as well, even though Kuhn himself restricted the use of the term to the hard sciences. According to Kuhn, "A paradigm is what members of a scientific community, and they alone, share." (The Essential Tension, 1977). Unlike a normal scientist, Kuhn held, "a student in the humanities has constantly before him a number of competing and incommensurable solutions to these problems, solutions that he must ultimately examine for himself." (The Structure of Scientific Revolutions). Once a paradigm shift is complete, a scientist cannot, for example, posit the possibility that miasma causes disease or that ether carries light. In contrast, a critic in the Humanities can choose to adopt an array of stances (e.g., Marxist criticism, Deconstruction, 19th-century-style literary criticism), which may be more of less fashionable during any given period but which are all regarded as legitimate.
It is a change from one way of thinking to another. It's a revolution, a transformation, a sort of metamorphosis. It just does not happen, but rather it is driven by agents of change.
References:
http://ivythesis.typepad.com/term_paper_topics/2009/08/organizational-change.html
http://www.santarosa.edu/~ssarkar/cs66fl06/ch14notes.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rationalization_(fallacy)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_process_reengineering
http://www.taketheleap.com/define.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradigm_shift
Typically, organizations must undertake organization-wide change to evolve to a different level in their life cycle, e.g., going from a highly reactive, entreprenueral organization to more stable and planned development. Transition to a new chief executive can provoke organization-wide change when his or her new and unique personality pervades the entire organization. Organizational change is defined as the process by which organizations reach the desired goals. Organizational change occurs when an organization restructures resources to increase the ability to create value and improve effectiveness. A declining company seeks ways to regain customers; a growing organization designs new products. A well-planned organizational change creates value for stakeholders. In a business manner, the organizational change is about a significant change in the organization, such as reorganization or adding a major new product or service. This is in contrast to smaller changes, such as adopting a new computer procedure. Organizational change can seem like such a vague phenomena that it is helpful. Any type of thinking about our world requires some kind of conceptual model, implicit or otherwise, which structures and guides our thinking and renders it meaningful. For studies of Organizational change, conceptual models and practical models are indispensable. Change is a necessary way of life in most organizations. Change is all around us in the dynamic society surrounding today’s organizations; the question of whether change will occur is no longer relevant. Organizational change is the alteration of work environment in organization. Automation plays an increasingly important role in the world economy and in daily experience. Engineers strive to combine automated devices with mathematical and organizational tools to create complex systems for a rapidly expanding range of applications and human activities.
Automation is the use of control systems (such as numerical control, programmable logic control, and other industrial control systems), in concert with other applications of information technology (such as computer-aided technologies [CAD, CAM, CAx]), to control industrial machinery and processes, reducing the need for human intervention. In the scope of industrialization, automation is a step beyond mechanization. Whereas mechanization provided human operators with machinery to assist them with the muscular requirements of work, automation greatly reduces the need for human sensory and mental requirements as well. Processes and systems can also be automated.
Many roles for humans in industrial processes presently lie beyond the scope of automation. Human-level pattern recognition, language recognition, and language production ability are well beyond the capabilities of modern mechanical and computer systems. Tasks requiring subjective assessment or synthesis of complex sensory data, such as scents and sounds, as well as high-level tasks such as strategic planning, currently require human expertise. In many cases, the use of humans is more cost-effective than mechanical approaches even where automation of industrial tasks is possible. Specialised hardened computers, referred to as programmable logic controllers (PLCs), are frequently used to synchronize the flow of inputs from (physical) sensors and events with the flow of outputs to actuators and events. This leads to precisely controlled actions that permit a tight control of almost any industrial process. Human-machine interfaces (HMI) or computer human interfaces (CHI), formerly known as man-machine interfaces, are usually employed to communicate with PLCs and other computers, such as entering and monitoring temperatures or pressures for further automated control or emergency response. Service personnel who monitor and control these interfaces are often referred to as stationary engineers. Currently, for manufacturing companies, the purpose of automation has shifted from increasing productivity and reducing costs, to broader issues, such as increasing quality and flexibility in the manufacturing process. The old focus on using automation simply to increase productivity and reduce costs was seen to be short-sighted, because it is also necessary to provide a skilled workforce who can make repairs and manage the machinery. Moreover, the initial costs of automation were high and often could not be recovered by the time entirely new manufacturing processes replaced the old. (Japan's "robot junkyards" were once world famous in the manufacturing industry.) Automation is now often applied primarily to increase quality in the manufacturing process, where automation can increase quality substantially. For example, automobile and truck pistons used to be installed into engines manually. This is rapidly being transitioned to automated machine installation, because the error rate for manual installment was around 1-1.5%, but has been reduced to 0.00001% with automation. Hazardous operations, such as oil refining, the manufacturing of industrial chemicals, and all forms of metal working, were always early contenders for automation.
Another major shift in automation is the increased emphasis on flexibility and convertibility in the manufacturing process. Manufacturers are increasingly demanding the ability to easily switch from manufacturing Product A to manufacturing Product B without having to completely rebuild the production lines. Flexibility and distributed processes have led to the introduction of Automated Guided Vehicles with Natural Features Navigation.
The main advantage of automation are:
* Replacing human operators in tedious tasks.
* Replacing humans in tasks that should be done in dangerous environments (i.e. fire, space, volcanoes, nuclear facilities, under the water, etc)
* Making tasks that are beyond the human capabilities such as handling too heavy loads, too large objects, too hot or too cold substances or the requirement to make things too fast or too slow.
* Economy improvement. Sometimes and some kinds of automation implies improves in economy of enterprises, society or most of humankind. For example, when an enterprise that has invested in automation technology recovers its investment; when a state or country increases its income due to automation like Germany or Japan in the 20th Century or when the humankind can use the internet which in turn use satellites and other automated engines.
Controversial factors
* Unemployment. It is commonly thought that automation implies unemployment because the work of a human being is replaced in part or completely by a machine. Nevertheless, the unemployment is caused by the economical politics of the administration like dismissing the workers instead of changing their tasks. Since the general economical policies of most of the industrial plants are to dismiss people, nowadays automation implies unemployment. In different scenarios without workers, automation implies more free time instead of unemployment like the case with the automatic washing machine at home. Automation does not imply unemployment when it makes tasks unimaginable without automation such as exploring mars with the Sojourner or when the economy is fully adapted to an automated technology as with the Telephone switchboard.
* Environment. The costs of automation to the environment are different depending on the technology, product or engine automated. There are automated engines that consume more energy resources from the Earth in comparison with previous engines and those that do the opposite too.
* Human being replacement. In the future there is a possibility that the Artificial intelligence could replace and improve a human brain and the robots would become not only fully automated but fully autonomous from the human beings (Technological singularity)
Rationalization is an informal fallacy of reasoning in which one constructs a logical justification for a belief, decision, action or lack thereof that was originally arrived at through a different mental process. It is a defense mechanism in which perceived controversial behaviors or feelings are explained in a rational or logical manner to avoid the true explanation of the behavior or feeling in question. This process can be in a range from fully conscious (e.g. to present an external defense against ridicule from others) to mostly subconscious (e.g. to create a block against internal feelings of guilt).
Rationalization is one of the defense mechanisms proposed by Sigmund Freud, which were later developed further by his daughter Anna Freud.
According to the DSM-IV rationalization occurs "when the individual deals with emotional conflict or internal or external stressors by concealing the true motivations for his or her own thoughts, actions, or feelings through the elaboration of reassuring or self serving but incorrect explanations."
Re-engineering is the basis for many recent developments in management. The cross-functional team, for example, has become popular because of the desire to re-engineer separate functional tasks into complete cross-functional processes. Also, many recent management information systems developments aim to integrate a wide number of business functions. Enterprise resource planning, supply chain management, knowledge management systems, groupware and collaborative systems, Human Resource Management Systems and customer relationship management systems all owe a debt to re-engineering theory.
Paradigm shift is a change in a fundamental model of events, has since become widely applied to many other realms of human experience as well, even though Kuhn himself restricted the use of the term to the hard sciences. According to Kuhn, "A paradigm is what members of a scientific community, and they alone, share." (The Essential Tension, 1977). Unlike a normal scientist, Kuhn held, "a student in the humanities has constantly before him a number of competing and incommensurable solutions to these problems, solutions that he must ultimately examine for himself." (The Structure of Scientific Revolutions). Once a paradigm shift is complete, a scientist cannot, for example, posit the possibility that miasma causes disease or that ether carries light. In contrast, a critic in the Humanities can choose to adopt an array of stances (e.g., Marxist criticism, Deconstruction, 19th-century-style literary criticism), which may be more of less fashionable during any given period but which are all regarded as legitimate.
It is a change from one way of thinking to another. It's a revolution, a transformation, a sort of metamorphosis. It just does not happen, but rather it is driven by agents of change.
References:
http://ivythesis.typepad.com/term_paper_topics/2009/08/organizational-change.html
http://www.santarosa.edu/~ssarkar/cs66fl06/ch14notes.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rationalization_(fallacy)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_process_reengineering
http://www.taketheleap.com/define.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradigm_shift
♥♥Steps of Information Systems Planning♥♥
ISP is the planning of information systems for an organization. Information system planning is assessing the information needs of an organization and defining the systems, databases and technologies that best satisfy those needs.
Information systems planning
Planning terminology
•mission: it is a broad enduring statement giving the organizations “reason for being”.
•objectives-: are desired future positions and destinations the organizations intend to reach in order to fulfill its mission
•Strategies-it’s a general direction in which an objective is to be sought
•Policies-is a general guideline that directs and constraints decision –making within an organization.
ISP essentially involves
•I) Identification of the stage of IS in the org.
•ii) Identification of the applications of organizational ISs,
•iii) Evaluation of each of these applications, based on established evaluation criteria
•iv) Establishing a priority ranking for these application, and
•V) Determining the’optimum’architectutre of IS for serving the top priority applications
THE NOLAN STAGE MODEL
•Stage 1-initiation stage-in this, the technology is placed in the organization's
• Few applications in the organization are computerized
•Stage-2 expansion stage-rapid and uncontrolled growth in the number and variety of IT applications takes place
•Stage-3 formalization or control stage because in this stage organizations gain control over the technology’s resources by implementing formal control processes and standards.
Stage-4
•Nolan has described this growth stage as maturity or integration stage as by this stage organizations gain sufficient experience and maturity in IS/IT applications.
•In this stage, applications are integrated, controls are adjusted.
•Planning is well established and so, we call this stage as the stage of perfection also.
Stage 5-integration stage
•In this the use of new technology increases rapidly, providing new benefits.
•Stage 6-data administration, in this controls are further lowered to encourage development of systems which contribute to strategic advantage of the organization.
•Stage 7-in the enhance growth model this stage is termed as the maturity stage which indicates the application portfolio is complete and matches the objectives of the org.
4 stage model of IS planning
1. Strategic planning
•A) derivation from the organizational plan
•B) Strategic fit with organizational culture
•C) Strategy set transformation
2. Information requirement analysis
•A) Define underlying organizational requirements
•B) Develop sub system matrix
•C) Define and evaluate information requirements for organizational sub-systems
3. Resource allocation
•A) Return on investment
•B) Charge out
•C) Portfolio approach
•D) Steering committees
4. Project planning
•A) milestones
•B) critical path method
•C) Gantt chart
Organization structure of MIS
•Should be located in the overall structure of the organization
•A) as a part of financial department
•B) MIS under direct control of chairman
•C) MIS is a distinct function.
Information Systems (IS) are those systems which employ some form(s) of
information technology in the handling and processing of specific collections of
information (eg student enrolment information).
• Why plan?
– To obtain resources
•Financial
•Facilities – “Capacity planning”
•Staff
–To align I/S with the business
–To identify needed applications
–To establish goals, schedules, and milestones in order to track progress
–To provide an opportunity for communication with top management and user management
•Outcomes vs. process?
•Reactive vs. proactive?
•Planning vs. forecasting?
–Forecasting is predicting the future
–Planning is being prepared for that future
•Establish a mission statement
•Assess the environment
•Set goals and objectives
•Derive strategies and policies
•Develop long-, medium-, and short-range plans
•Implement plans and monitor results
Establish a mission statement
•These are the services that you are responsible for; it is your place in the organization
•It is not what you are supposed to achieve, it is who you are and what you do in the company
Assess the environment(s) . . .
1.The capabilities of the IT department
2.The readiness of the company to use IT
3.The status of our customers, our industry
4.The status of the economy, government regulations, environment, society, etc.
5.Technology
This is similar to a SWOT analysis – Strengths and Weakness – items no. 1 & 2; and Opportunities and Threats – items no. 3, 4, & 5
Goals and Objectives
• Set goals – what do you want to achieve?
• Set objectives – what are your specific, measurable targets?
Derive strategies and policies
• Strategies for
– Technology focus
– Personnel and career development
– Aligning with the company
– Others . . .
• Policies for
– Funding criteria; how much to spend on IT?
– Allocation criteria; priority setting
– Organizational arrangements
– Use of outside IT services, outsourcing
– Selling IT services to outside organizations
– Others . . .
Short-, medium-, and long-range plans
• Short-range – the next year, the next budget period; developing and operating current systems
• Medium-range – committing to development efforts for applications that will take more than one year to complete; meeting management’s current information needs, projected into the future for as many years as needed to complete them. This is what most organizations call “Long-Range Planning.”
• Long-range planning – preparing for management’s future information needs. These are not application specific; they are investments in infrastructure; it is creating an information architecture.
And finally, implement plans and monitor results!
Key Elements of the Strategic Plan
With the above in mind, the following elements constitute this revised IT/IS Strategic Plan. The
key imperatives are identified as:
a. Teaching and Learning. A teaching and learning environment enriched by
imaginative and effective employment of IT
b. Research. Research activity which is facilitated and empowered by enriched IT/IS
capabilities, and an e-Research strategy which enhances international research capabilities.
c. Management. Improvement to the management processes, structures and funding for
IT/IS to allow the University to achieve a consistently high-quality IT/IS environment
in the most cost-effective fashion.
d. Service Quality. Adoption of a “service quality” approach, supported by more
obvious delineation of central/decentralised services, accountabilities and performance
standards.
e. Infrastructure. Realisation of opportunities to achieve scale benefits from a more
consistent and comprehensive IT/IS infrastructure employing appropriate standards.
f. Applications. The integration of core administrative applications providing shared
access to reliable corporate information.
1. Technologies Supporting Teaching and Learning
In this collaborative context the Teaching & Learning Committee will develop an eLearning
policy, and associated educationally sound good practice guidelines for online learning in areas
such as:
_ developing content for online environments
_ providing lecture content on line
_ online assessment
_ provision of lab material online
_ help desk functions for student users
2. Access to IT Facilities & Services
Students will be provided with those IT facilities, services and resources deemed necessary to improve their learning experiences. These facilities may include for example, Internet access, Wireless LAN, dedicated or laboratory computers, printing, basic productivity and specialized application software, electronic learning material, Help Desk support. Access will be free wherever it is considered essential to students’ studies, and will take into account those with special needs. Where quotas for IT facilities or services are necessary, they will be adequate to meet student needs. They will be reviewed annually. Provision will be made to encourage and support students’ ability to access electronic resources across the University campuses, and off-campus as far as this is practicable. Research students will be provided with adequate dedicated access to network-connected computers.
3. Communications
A communications environment will be developed which encourages a rich exchange between staff and students and students with each other, employing a wide variety of media in both synchronous and asynchronous modes.
4. Partnerships
color=green]Recognizing the size of investment which may be necessary to fully exploit the capabilities of learning technology, the University will seek to enter into appropriate strategic partnerships and alliances, nationally and internationally, to enable it to benefit from the combined efforts of a group of similar universities or other organizations.
The University has a reputation for high quality research which it intends to extend, especially in the context of major national and international shifts towards collaborative, IT- and communications-enabled research programmes. It intends to position itself to engage in this global e-research environment, and to attract and retain national and international researchers. This necessitates the provision of high performance computing resources and networks which enable the development and transfer of large, complex databases, access to remote high-performance research equipment, and seamless online collaboration.
5. e-Research Strategy
A strategy will be developed for enabling researchers within the University to engage in national and international e-research; collaborating with researchers elsewhere in the use of major network-accessible high-performance research facilities, such as supercomputers, telescopes, high-energy physics equipment, major data resources, etc.
6. Research Resources
Research staff and research students will be given access to a range of IT-based research resources, including high-performance computing, high volume secure data storage, reliable high-speed campus, national and international networks, access grids (providing semi immersive videoconferencing).
7. Research Infrastructure Support
The University will identify and facilitate the development of generic research resources and requirements which can be shared across the University. In order to realize the full potential of its investment in technology, the University will refresh a range of structures, systems and services. The strategic management of technology will necessitate clearer definition of roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders which involved in planning, implementation and assessment of IT/IS services. It will also introduce management strategies, processes and project management controls that may reduce the total cost of ownership and limit risk to the IT/IS environment. The ultimate aim is to establish a clearly defined governance structure that effectively delivers quality services, eliminates duplication and ensures all stakeholders benefit from the provision of IT/IS services.
8. Governance
Establish a clearly defined IT/IS governance structure with clear terms of reference for IT/IS committees, in which relevant stakeholders are represented and which make decisions which reflect University-wide interests.
9. Strategy
Develop University-wide IT/IS strategy, plans, policies and standards in collaboration with relevant key stakeholders (particularly learning, teaching and research) and review regularly to ensure currency
10. Policy
Build and communicate university-wide IT/IS policies and standards for core services, ensuring that appropriate local innovation is encouraged, that it works to support the overall good of the
University and means are found to institutionalized innovations of general value.
11. IT Organization
Develop an IT/IS organization structure and approval and funding processes which best aligns policy development with implementation capability. Establish coordinated support for University-wide common applications, processes, systems and user servicing, enabling faculties and business units to leverage the core infrastructure without duplication. Implement formal project and process management and ensure major IT initiatives are supported by business cases which are aligned to university objectives. Ensure business cases are adequately evaluated to ensure University-wide benefits will take precedence over benefits to individual business units.
Manage risk to the IT/IS environment by developing and implementing and testing common, co coordinated Disaster Recovery and Continuity Plans for all key items of infrastructure for the whole University. The University intends to provide high quality, responsive services and support to its diverse community operating in multiple locations. The provision of a coordinated, efficient and professional IT services, which offer staff and students the requisite level of support, is one of the main goals of this strategic plan. This model recognizes the need to combine central and devolved support in a seamless fashion. Support activities in all locations will be underpinned by a consistent set of service standards, clearly delineated roles, effective escalation systems, and well coordinated processes. Support staff will be provided with a supportive framework enabling them to be fully competent, professional and efficient in assisting users to become self reliant.
12. Help Desk
Establish a University-wide Help Desk which operates as a “One Stop Shop” for all major IT/IS enquiries, accessible 24x7, supported by Help Desk software which formalizes escalation procedures, coordinates responses (central and local), and integrated seamlessly with any continuing local Help Desks and with local IT/IS support, ensuring responses are to a consistently high quality across the University.
13. Hardware and Software Provisioning
Ensure economies of scale and improved efficiencies are gained by rationalizing procurement arrangements for equipment and software.
Provide online streamlined ordering, approval and status of provisioning cycle. Establish an asset management and equipment replacement program that recognizes the total costs of ownership and addresses lifecycle replacement requirements and achieves a uniform capability of deploying emerging applications and technologies. Establish formal license management standards and processes for distribution, auditing and management of software licenses, so that more effective use is made of centralized software acquisition.
14. Service Level Agreements
Develop service level agreements which define University-wide, consistent standards for service provision and user support, and measure performance against those standards.
15. Staff and Student IT skills
Establish a baseline set of IT literacy skills for staff and students which are the minimum necessary to make optimal use of Universities’ IT infrastructure. Provide comprehensive and appropriate opportunities for staff and students to recognize their skill levels and the benefits of enhanced skills and to improve their IT skills accordingly. The University community will be given an IT/IS infrastructure which enables seamless communication and facilitates mobility, but which is also flexible enough to support specialized computing requirements. In response, a key strategy is to provide university-wide, common software and hardware platform (with a standard software suite of productivity tools), which will support the immediate need for improved information sharing, but also address the increasing requirements for data storage, computing power and total system security. The infrastructure will be appropriately flexible to respond to, and support, users with specialized needs. An increasingly mobile user community requires an enterprise wide network infrastructure which supports multimedia delivery off-campus. This will necessitate the provision of highly functional web and portal systems, integrated voice, data and video services and broadband capabilities.
16. Standardized Core Infrastructure
Establish a University-wide consistent and common infrastructure consisting of a secure, reliable and fast universal network, along with individual personal computers with a common suite of office-productivity software connected to the network, and network-accessible electronic resources and application systems.
Ensure these core services are managed and supported in accordance with common guidelines for development and deployment of specific applications and services.
Deploy a very limited number of Standard Operating Environments with core basic components to all University computers used by staff and students, to enable improved asset lifecycle management, reduced administrative overheads associated with supporting various operating systems, and ready deployment of security and productivity-enhancing software. Ensure appropriate allowance is made for certain specialized requirements for Research or for Teaching and Learning.
17. Web Capabilities
Develop a Web environment which is user friendly, easily managed and maintained, consistent across all web sites, up to date and readily navigable. Recognize the Web as a primary facility to
Support teaching and learning, research, administrative and marketing activities of UWA.
Provide portals for all student and staff applications.
Support, extend and improve the provision of Website content management.
Establish simple, consolidated Web access to all repositories for electronic resources used for teaching and research.
18. Communications
Improve consistency and functionality of primary electronic communications capabilities, including email, address lists, document sharing and calendaring, integrated with each other.
Enable integrated communications, with voice, video and data communications accessible from anywhere within the University, from fixed and mobile locations, utilizing a variety of devices and platforms. Examples could include the provision of common email, Voice over IP, videoconferencing, SMS and instant messaging, where it is cost effective to do so.
19. Computers
Provide local and shared computational resources for teaching and learning and for research (including e-Research) needs. Coordinate the provision of student computer labs recognizing the increasing use of mobile computing platforms to support comprehensive provision of student computing resources.
20. Network
Maintain a high performance network, with local and global high speed links. Provide a wireless infrastructure. Provide a Virtual Private Network (VPN) capability for secure access from off-campus and Wireless locations.
21. Security
Develop university-wide standards, processes and resources for proactive and reactive management of all security threats including hacking, viruses, denial-of-service attacks, spam and inappropriate or illegal use of IT facilities including physical and electronic security.
Enable consistent access to key applications and electronic resources by use of a common account name and password, with appropriate user authentication and authorization where appropriate.
22. Data Storage
Provide shared and local facilities for data storage needs of staff and students, involving (where cost-effective) the deployment of network-attached storage, extended use of portable storage devices, etc.
Formulate and implement policies for data storage including back ups, archives, disaster recovery, data protection and privacy.
23. Disaster Recovery and Contingency
Establish tested disaster recovery and contingency plans for all major IT/IS systems, applications and infrastructure.
The University will ensure that data which is sourced from core systems is reliable, consistent and easy to access. It intends to redress current shortcomings which see duplication of data entry and limitations in reporting compromising the reliability of information extracted from corporate systems. The aim will be to improve support for decision making by providing consistent information, achieved through closer integration of core administrative applications.
The development of innovative applications to support specific administrative, teaching and research needs has been an important element of local technical support for many years. The university will aim to leverage local innovation and deploy widely to common benefit. The development of applications will be supported by formal procedures and standards.
24. Data Integration
Provide central aggregation points for administrative information such as staff and student information. Provide integration of current major administrative applications to enable UWA to continue to acquire and integrate new application technologies, utilizing real-time sharing of data between applications where appropriate. Ensure corporate information systems and data collections are owned, developed, managed and operated for the benefit of the whole University.
25. Electronic Resource Management
Establish appropriate mechanisms to enable proper management of electronic material used for teaching and research purposes, to ensure it is reliable, discoverable, re-usable, and can be integrated into existing or new teaching and research electronic environments, such as learning management systems and e-Research applications; also so that Copyright and other IP requirements are satisfied.
26. Application Development
Establish an effective development capability, adequately resourced and accessible to all sections of the University, which is responsive to local requirements for new application development and which broadly deploys innovative solutions for University-wide benefit.
27. Application Deployment
Establish consistent desktop software configurations and implement software distribution tools to reduce the support tasks of installing, maintaining and updating desktop software environments and to ensure corporate information systems are accessible on the standard desktop environments with a minimum of effort.
Quality ISP
A quality ISP must exhibit five distinct characteristics before it is useful. These five are presented in the table that follows.
1. Timely - An ISP that is created long after it is needed is useless. In almost all cases, it makes no sense to take longer to plan work than to perform the work planned.
2. Useable - It must be so for all the projects as well as for each project. The ISP should exist in sections that once adopted can be parceled out to project managers and immediately started.
3. Maintainable - New business opportunities, new computers, business mergers, etc. all affect the ISP. The ISP must support quick changes to the estimates; technologies employed, and possibly even to the fundamental project sequences. Once these changes are accomplished, the new ISP should be just a few computer program executions away.
4. Quality - While the ISP must be a quality product, no ISP is ever perfect on the first try. As the ISP is executed, the metrics employed to derive the individual project estimates become refined as a consequence of new hardware technologies, code generators, techniques, or faster working staff. As these changes occur, their effects should be installable into the data that supports ISP computation. In short, the ISP is a living document. It should be updated with every technology event, and certainly no less often than quarterly.
5. Reproducible - That is, when its development activities are performed by any other staff, the ISP produced should essentially be the same. The ISP should not significantly vary by staff assigned.
Benefits of Strategic Systems Planning
• The strategic systems planning process provides many benefits to the organization. The process:
• Enables senior management to view the enterprise in terms of key business functions and data.
• Identifies information and systems needed to support the business priorities.
• Establishes a technology platform and a framework for information systems development.
• Anchors system development to business plans.
• Sets priorities and expectations for systems projects.
Reference:
http://www.its.uwa.edu.au/__data/page/130001/IT_Strategic_Plan.pdf
http://viu.eng.rpi.edu/publications/strpaper.pdf
http://www.google.com.ph/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=2&ved=0CA4QFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cis.gsu.edu%2F~emclean%2FIS%2520Strategic%2520Planning.ppt&rct=j&q=what+is+information+system+strategic+planning&ei=uf5ES47sE4K0NuLK5bIB&usg=AFQjCNHN-eCGwVXRbUO6UcjoDFmZlqVq7Q
http://www.scribd.com/doc/9651267/Information-Systems-Planning
Information systems planning
Planning terminology
•mission: it is a broad enduring statement giving the organizations “reason for being”.
•objectives-: are desired future positions and destinations the organizations intend to reach in order to fulfill its mission
•Strategies-it’s a general direction in which an objective is to be sought
•Policies-is a general guideline that directs and constraints decision –making within an organization.
ISP essentially involves
•I) Identification of the stage of IS in the org.
•ii) Identification of the applications of organizational ISs,
•iii) Evaluation of each of these applications, based on established evaluation criteria
•iv) Establishing a priority ranking for these application, and
•V) Determining the’optimum’architectutre of IS for serving the top priority applications
THE NOLAN STAGE MODEL
•Stage 1-initiation stage-in this, the technology is placed in the organization's
• Few applications in the organization are computerized
•Stage-2 expansion stage-rapid and uncontrolled growth in the number and variety of IT applications takes place
•Stage-3 formalization or control stage because in this stage organizations gain control over the technology’s resources by implementing formal control processes and standards.
Stage-4
•Nolan has described this growth stage as maturity or integration stage as by this stage organizations gain sufficient experience and maturity in IS/IT applications.
•In this stage, applications are integrated, controls are adjusted.
•Planning is well established and so, we call this stage as the stage of perfection also.
Stage 5-integration stage
•In this the use of new technology increases rapidly, providing new benefits.
•Stage 6-data administration, in this controls are further lowered to encourage development of systems which contribute to strategic advantage of the organization.
•Stage 7-in the enhance growth model this stage is termed as the maturity stage which indicates the application portfolio is complete and matches the objectives of the org.
4 stage model of IS planning
1. Strategic planning
•A) derivation from the organizational plan
•B) Strategic fit with organizational culture
•C) Strategy set transformation
2. Information requirement analysis
•A) Define underlying organizational requirements
•B) Develop sub system matrix
•C) Define and evaluate information requirements for organizational sub-systems
3. Resource allocation
•A) Return on investment
•B) Charge out
•C) Portfolio approach
•D) Steering committees
4. Project planning
•A) milestones
•B) critical path method
•C) Gantt chart
Organization structure of MIS
•Should be located in the overall structure of the organization
•A) as a part of financial department
•B) MIS under direct control of chairman
•C) MIS is a distinct function.
Information Systems (IS) are those systems which employ some form(s) of
information technology in the handling and processing of specific collections of
information (eg student enrolment information).
• Why plan?
– To obtain resources
•Financial
•Facilities – “Capacity planning”
•Staff
–To align I/S with the business
–To identify needed applications
–To establish goals, schedules, and milestones in order to track progress
–To provide an opportunity for communication with top management and user management
•Outcomes vs. process?
•Reactive vs. proactive?
•Planning vs. forecasting?
–Forecasting is predicting the future
–Planning is being prepared for that future
•Establish a mission statement
•Assess the environment
•Set goals and objectives
•Derive strategies and policies
•Develop long-, medium-, and short-range plans
•Implement plans and monitor results
Establish a mission statement
•These are the services that you are responsible for; it is your place in the organization
•It is not what you are supposed to achieve, it is who you are and what you do in the company
Assess the environment(s) . . .
1.The capabilities of the IT department
2.The readiness of the company to use IT
3.The status of our customers, our industry
4.The status of the economy, government regulations, environment, society, etc.
5.Technology
This is similar to a SWOT analysis – Strengths and Weakness – items no. 1 & 2; and Opportunities and Threats – items no. 3, 4, & 5
Goals and Objectives
• Set goals – what do you want to achieve?
• Set objectives – what are your specific, measurable targets?
Derive strategies and policies
• Strategies for
– Technology focus
– Personnel and career development
– Aligning with the company
– Others . . .
• Policies for
– Funding criteria; how much to spend on IT?
– Allocation criteria; priority setting
– Organizational arrangements
– Use of outside IT services, outsourcing
– Selling IT services to outside organizations
– Others . . .
Short-, medium-, and long-range plans
• Short-range – the next year, the next budget period; developing and operating current systems
• Medium-range – committing to development efforts for applications that will take more than one year to complete; meeting management’s current information needs, projected into the future for as many years as needed to complete them. This is what most organizations call “Long-Range Planning.”
• Long-range planning – preparing for management’s future information needs. These are not application specific; they are investments in infrastructure; it is creating an information architecture.
And finally, implement plans and monitor results!
Key Elements of the Strategic Plan
With the above in mind, the following elements constitute this revised IT/IS Strategic Plan. The
key imperatives are identified as:
a. Teaching and Learning. A teaching and learning environment enriched by
imaginative and effective employment of IT
b. Research. Research activity which is facilitated and empowered by enriched IT/IS
capabilities, and an e-Research strategy which enhances international research capabilities.
c. Management. Improvement to the management processes, structures and funding for
IT/IS to allow the University to achieve a consistently high-quality IT/IS environment
in the most cost-effective fashion.
d. Service Quality. Adoption of a “service quality” approach, supported by more
obvious delineation of central/decentralised services, accountabilities and performance
standards.
e. Infrastructure. Realisation of opportunities to achieve scale benefits from a more
consistent and comprehensive IT/IS infrastructure employing appropriate standards.
f. Applications. The integration of core administrative applications providing shared
access to reliable corporate information.
1. Technologies Supporting Teaching and Learning
In this collaborative context the Teaching & Learning Committee will develop an eLearning
policy, and associated educationally sound good practice guidelines for online learning in areas
such as:
_ developing content for online environments
_ providing lecture content on line
_ online assessment
_ provision of lab material online
_ help desk functions for student users
2. Access to IT Facilities & Services
Students will be provided with those IT facilities, services and resources deemed necessary to improve their learning experiences. These facilities may include for example, Internet access, Wireless LAN, dedicated or laboratory computers, printing, basic productivity and specialized application software, electronic learning material, Help Desk support. Access will be free wherever it is considered essential to students’ studies, and will take into account those with special needs. Where quotas for IT facilities or services are necessary, they will be adequate to meet student needs. They will be reviewed annually. Provision will be made to encourage and support students’ ability to access electronic resources across the University campuses, and off-campus as far as this is practicable. Research students will be provided with adequate dedicated access to network-connected computers.
3. Communications
A communications environment will be developed which encourages a rich exchange between staff and students and students with each other, employing a wide variety of media in both synchronous and asynchronous modes.
4. Partnerships
color=green]Recognizing the size of investment which may be necessary to fully exploit the capabilities of learning technology, the University will seek to enter into appropriate strategic partnerships and alliances, nationally and internationally, to enable it to benefit from the combined efforts of a group of similar universities or other organizations.
The University has a reputation for high quality research which it intends to extend, especially in the context of major national and international shifts towards collaborative, IT- and communications-enabled research programmes. It intends to position itself to engage in this global e-research environment, and to attract and retain national and international researchers. This necessitates the provision of high performance computing resources and networks which enable the development and transfer of large, complex databases, access to remote high-performance research equipment, and seamless online collaboration.
5. e-Research Strategy
A strategy will be developed for enabling researchers within the University to engage in national and international e-research; collaborating with researchers elsewhere in the use of major network-accessible high-performance research facilities, such as supercomputers, telescopes, high-energy physics equipment, major data resources, etc.
6. Research Resources
Research staff and research students will be given access to a range of IT-based research resources, including high-performance computing, high volume secure data storage, reliable high-speed campus, national and international networks, access grids (providing semi immersive videoconferencing).
7. Research Infrastructure Support
The University will identify and facilitate the development of generic research resources and requirements which can be shared across the University. In order to realize the full potential of its investment in technology, the University will refresh a range of structures, systems and services. The strategic management of technology will necessitate clearer definition of roles and responsibilities of all stakeholders which involved in planning, implementation and assessment of IT/IS services. It will also introduce management strategies, processes and project management controls that may reduce the total cost of ownership and limit risk to the IT/IS environment. The ultimate aim is to establish a clearly defined governance structure that effectively delivers quality services, eliminates duplication and ensures all stakeholders benefit from the provision of IT/IS services.
8. Governance
Establish a clearly defined IT/IS governance structure with clear terms of reference for IT/IS committees, in which relevant stakeholders are represented and which make decisions which reflect University-wide interests.
9. Strategy
Develop University-wide IT/IS strategy, plans, policies and standards in collaboration with relevant key stakeholders (particularly learning, teaching and research) and review regularly to ensure currency
10. Policy
Build and communicate university-wide IT/IS policies and standards for core services, ensuring that appropriate local innovation is encouraged, that it works to support the overall good of the
University and means are found to institutionalized innovations of general value.
11. IT Organization
Develop an IT/IS organization structure and approval and funding processes which best aligns policy development with implementation capability. Establish coordinated support for University-wide common applications, processes, systems and user servicing, enabling faculties and business units to leverage the core infrastructure without duplication. Implement formal project and process management and ensure major IT initiatives are supported by business cases which are aligned to university objectives. Ensure business cases are adequately evaluated to ensure University-wide benefits will take precedence over benefits to individual business units.
Manage risk to the IT/IS environment by developing and implementing and testing common, co coordinated Disaster Recovery and Continuity Plans for all key items of infrastructure for the whole University. The University intends to provide high quality, responsive services and support to its diverse community operating in multiple locations. The provision of a coordinated, efficient and professional IT services, which offer staff and students the requisite level of support, is one of the main goals of this strategic plan. This model recognizes the need to combine central and devolved support in a seamless fashion. Support activities in all locations will be underpinned by a consistent set of service standards, clearly delineated roles, effective escalation systems, and well coordinated processes. Support staff will be provided with a supportive framework enabling them to be fully competent, professional and efficient in assisting users to become self reliant.
12. Help Desk
Establish a University-wide Help Desk which operates as a “One Stop Shop” for all major IT/IS enquiries, accessible 24x7, supported by Help Desk software which formalizes escalation procedures, coordinates responses (central and local), and integrated seamlessly with any continuing local Help Desks and with local IT/IS support, ensuring responses are to a consistently high quality across the University.
13. Hardware and Software Provisioning
Ensure economies of scale and improved efficiencies are gained by rationalizing procurement arrangements for equipment and software.
Provide online streamlined ordering, approval and status of provisioning cycle. Establish an asset management and equipment replacement program that recognizes the total costs of ownership and addresses lifecycle replacement requirements and achieves a uniform capability of deploying emerging applications and technologies. Establish formal license management standards and processes for distribution, auditing and management of software licenses, so that more effective use is made of centralized software acquisition.
14. Service Level Agreements
Develop service level agreements which define University-wide, consistent standards for service provision and user support, and measure performance against those standards.
15. Staff and Student IT skills
Establish a baseline set of IT literacy skills for staff and students which are the minimum necessary to make optimal use of Universities’ IT infrastructure. Provide comprehensive and appropriate opportunities for staff and students to recognize their skill levels and the benefits of enhanced skills and to improve their IT skills accordingly. The University community will be given an IT/IS infrastructure which enables seamless communication and facilitates mobility, but which is also flexible enough to support specialized computing requirements. In response, a key strategy is to provide university-wide, common software and hardware platform (with a standard software suite of productivity tools), which will support the immediate need for improved information sharing, but also address the increasing requirements for data storage, computing power and total system security. The infrastructure will be appropriately flexible to respond to, and support, users with specialized needs. An increasingly mobile user community requires an enterprise wide network infrastructure which supports multimedia delivery off-campus. This will necessitate the provision of highly functional web and portal systems, integrated voice, data and video services and broadband capabilities.
16. Standardized Core Infrastructure
Establish a University-wide consistent and common infrastructure consisting of a secure, reliable and fast universal network, along with individual personal computers with a common suite of office-productivity software connected to the network, and network-accessible electronic resources and application systems.
Ensure these core services are managed and supported in accordance with common guidelines for development and deployment of specific applications and services.
Deploy a very limited number of Standard Operating Environments with core basic components to all University computers used by staff and students, to enable improved asset lifecycle management, reduced administrative overheads associated with supporting various operating systems, and ready deployment of security and productivity-enhancing software. Ensure appropriate allowance is made for certain specialized requirements for Research or for Teaching and Learning.
17. Web Capabilities
Develop a Web environment which is user friendly, easily managed and maintained, consistent across all web sites, up to date and readily navigable. Recognize the Web as a primary facility to
Support teaching and learning, research, administrative and marketing activities of UWA.
Provide portals for all student and staff applications.
Support, extend and improve the provision of Website content management.
Establish simple, consolidated Web access to all repositories for electronic resources used for teaching and research.
18. Communications
Improve consistency and functionality of primary electronic communications capabilities, including email, address lists, document sharing and calendaring, integrated with each other.
Enable integrated communications, with voice, video and data communications accessible from anywhere within the University, from fixed and mobile locations, utilizing a variety of devices and platforms. Examples could include the provision of common email, Voice over IP, videoconferencing, SMS and instant messaging, where it is cost effective to do so.
19. Computers
Provide local and shared computational resources for teaching and learning and for research (including e-Research) needs. Coordinate the provision of student computer labs recognizing the increasing use of mobile computing platforms to support comprehensive provision of student computing resources.
20. Network
Maintain a high performance network, with local and global high speed links. Provide a wireless infrastructure. Provide a Virtual Private Network (VPN) capability for secure access from off-campus and Wireless locations.
21. Security
Develop university-wide standards, processes and resources for proactive and reactive management of all security threats including hacking, viruses, denial-of-service attacks, spam and inappropriate or illegal use of IT facilities including physical and electronic security.
Enable consistent access to key applications and electronic resources by use of a common account name and password, with appropriate user authentication and authorization where appropriate.
22. Data Storage
Provide shared and local facilities for data storage needs of staff and students, involving (where cost-effective) the deployment of network-attached storage, extended use of portable storage devices, etc.
Formulate and implement policies for data storage including back ups, archives, disaster recovery, data protection and privacy.
23. Disaster Recovery and Contingency
Establish tested disaster recovery and contingency plans for all major IT/IS systems, applications and infrastructure.
The University will ensure that data which is sourced from core systems is reliable, consistent and easy to access. It intends to redress current shortcomings which see duplication of data entry and limitations in reporting compromising the reliability of information extracted from corporate systems. The aim will be to improve support for decision making by providing consistent information, achieved through closer integration of core administrative applications.
The development of innovative applications to support specific administrative, teaching and research needs has been an important element of local technical support for many years. The university will aim to leverage local innovation and deploy widely to common benefit. The development of applications will be supported by formal procedures and standards.
24. Data Integration
Provide central aggregation points for administrative information such as staff and student information. Provide integration of current major administrative applications to enable UWA to continue to acquire and integrate new application technologies, utilizing real-time sharing of data between applications where appropriate. Ensure corporate information systems and data collections are owned, developed, managed and operated for the benefit of the whole University.
25. Electronic Resource Management
Establish appropriate mechanisms to enable proper management of electronic material used for teaching and research purposes, to ensure it is reliable, discoverable, re-usable, and can be integrated into existing or new teaching and research electronic environments, such as learning management systems and e-Research applications; also so that Copyright and other IP requirements are satisfied.
26. Application Development
Establish an effective development capability, adequately resourced and accessible to all sections of the University, which is responsive to local requirements for new application development and which broadly deploys innovative solutions for University-wide benefit.
27. Application Deployment
Establish consistent desktop software configurations and implement software distribution tools to reduce the support tasks of installing, maintaining and updating desktop software environments and to ensure corporate information systems are accessible on the standard desktop environments with a minimum of effort.
Quality ISP
A quality ISP must exhibit five distinct characteristics before it is useful. These five are presented in the table that follows.
1. Timely - An ISP that is created long after it is needed is useless. In almost all cases, it makes no sense to take longer to plan work than to perform the work planned.
2. Useable - It must be so for all the projects as well as for each project. The ISP should exist in sections that once adopted can be parceled out to project managers and immediately started.
3. Maintainable - New business opportunities, new computers, business mergers, etc. all affect the ISP. The ISP must support quick changes to the estimates; technologies employed, and possibly even to the fundamental project sequences. Once these changes are accomplished, the new ISP should be just a few computer program executions away.
4. Quality - While the ISP must be a quality product, no ISP is ever perfect on the first try. As the ISP is executed, the metrics employed to derive the individual project estimates become refined as a consequence of new hardware technologies, code generators, techniques, or faster working staff. As these changes occur, their effects should be installable into the data that supports ISP computation. In short, the ISP is a living document. It should be updated with every technology event, and certainly no less often than quarterly.
5. Reproducible - That is, when its development activities are performed by any other staff, the ISP produced should essentially be the same. The ISP should not significantly vary by staff assigned.
Benefits of Strategic Systems Planning
• The strategic systems planning process provides many benefits to the organization. The process:
• Enables senior management to view the enterprise in terms of key business functions and data.
• Identifies information and systems needed to support the business priorities.
• Establishes a technology platform and a framework for information systems development.
• Anchors system development to business plans.
• Sets priorities and expectations for systems projects.
Reference:
http://www.its.uwa.edu.au/__data/page/130001/IT_Strategic_Plan.pdf
http://viu.eng.rpi.edu/publications/strpaper.pdf
http://www.google.com.ph/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=2&ved=0CA4QFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cis.gsu.edu%2F~emclean%2FIS%2520Strategic%2520Planning.ppt&rct=j&q=what+is+information+system+strategic+planning&ei=uf5ES47sE4K0NuLK5bIB&usg=AFQjCNHN-eCGwVXRbUO6UcjoDFmZlqVq7Q
http://www.scribd.com/doc/9651267/Information-Systems-Planning
♥♥What are the two most frequently experienced causes of frustration of IS professionals and users while working on an IS plan? Note: you are required to interview an IS professional/s for your answer♥♥
Computer Division (RMC-CD) is a leading manufacturer of personal computer, and distributor of a complete line of peripherals and other computer related services.
It has been our adopted company in our group for MIS2. Mr. Cris, the MIS head of RMC-CD accommodated us well in the said interview. He has told us about the two most frequently experienced causes of frustration of IS professionals and users while working on an IS plan. We have found out that RMC-CD branch in Davao City has adopted an in-house programmer. The Rhine System, (name of their IS) was developed by their self-employed personnel.
In IS planning, According to Sir Cris, the programmer must choose a programming language that will suits to his capability so that he can make the system effectively. He has mentioned that every database administrator must update from the internet latest advancement in programming. A programmer has to update his knowledge because nowadays technology is fast paced and constant to change.
Sir Cris had told us the different frustrations that he encountered in working with the Information System Plan:
1. System flow or manual procedure- see to it that whatever the customer wants, it is pertinent that he/she must prepare the important things or data needed in a particular project. For an instance, customer wishes for a quality and easy system, it is important to consider the following like manual procedure had been set, there is legal contract between you (programmer) and customer and finalize first the data and reports needed.
2. Cost – see to that the system costing would depend on the quality of a project. Making a system is impossible without financial support. From the hardware to software, all of this has a cost. That's the reason why a company must have good financial capacity to cater expense of systems.
3. Limitation (restriction) – it refers to the time allocated for the system to be finished.
4. Mood- it refers to the behavioral condition of a programmer. Moods might influence the quality and performance of programmers while programming. It is evident from literature that positive and negative moods influence divergent thinking, quantity/quality of ideas and creative problem solving. The programmers' performance and the quality of their work could be affected by their moods when they develop or test an application.
References:
http://www.rhine.com.ph/
Wikipedia.com
It has been our adopted company in our group for MIS2. Mr. Cris, the MIS head of RMC-CD accommodated us well in the said interview. He has told us about the two most frequently experienced causes of frustration of IS professionals and users while working on an IS plan. We have found out that RMC-CD branch in Davao City has adopted an in-house programmer. The Rhine System, (name of their IS) was developed by their self-employed personnel.
In IS planning, According to Sir Cris, the programmer must choose a programming language that will suits to his capability so that he can make the system effectively. He has mentioned that every database administrator must update from the internet latest advancement in programming. A programmer has to update his knowledge because nowadays technology is fast paced and constant to change.
Sir Cris had told us the different frustrations that he encountered in working with the Information System Plan:
1. System flow or manual procedure- see to it that whatever the customer wants, it is pertinent that he/she must prepare the important things or data needed in a particular project. For an instance, customer wishes for a quality and easy system, it is important to consider the following like manual procedure had been set, there is legal contract between you (programmer) and customer and finalize first the data and reports needed.
2. Cost – see to that the system costing would depend on the quality of a project. Making a system is impossible without financial support. From the hardware to software, all of this has a cost. That's the reason why a company must have good financial capacity to cater expense of systems.
3. Limitation (restriction) – it refers to the time allocated for the system to be finished.
4. Mood- it refers to the behavioral condition of a programmer. Moods might influence the quality and performance of programmers while programming. It is evident from literature that positive and negative moods influence divergent thinking, quantity/quality of ideas and creative problem solving. The programmers' performance and the quality of their work could be affected by their moods when they develop or test an application.
References:
http://www.rhine.com.ph/
Wikipedia.com
♥♥Business plan and the IS plan? ♥♥
Let me define first a business plan, in its simplest form, will usually define where you want your business to be within a certain period of time (usually five years) and how you plan on getting there. A business plan is as important for starting a business as blueprints are for building your house. A business plan is a formal statement of a set of business goals, the reasons why they are believed attainable, and the plan for reaching those goals. It may also contain background information about the organization or team attempting to reach those goals.
When starting a new business, writing a business plan is an important first step to getting started. A business plan will lay out the direction for the future of your company and begin to establish standards for success. A complete business plan should include five-year financial projections. These projections will assist investors with making decisions about your business and help you to know how much funding you will need to get things rolling.
A business plan should define how you would like to operate your business. This includes describing the management team, the marketing strategy, and the methods in which you will interact with customers. A business plan might project a strategy that reflects the management style of the founders of the business. The definition should be clear but flexible.
Business plans are developed for many purposes. One company might be looking for funding from investors. Another company might be looking for a loan from a bank. Your company might just need to plan out the company’s strategy to make sure it is successful. Whatever the case, every business needs a business plan.
Purpose of the Business Plan
It must operate and, ultimately, succeed or fail. For management or entrepreneurs seeking external support, the plan is the most important sales document that they are ever likely to produce as it could be the key to raising finance etc. Preparation of a comprehensive plan will not guarantee success in raising funds or mobilizing support, but lack of a sound plan will, almost certainly, ensure failure.
Importance of the Business Planning Process
Preparing a satisfactory business plan is a painful but essential exercise. The planning process forces managers or entrepreneurs to understand more clearly what they want to achieve, and how and when they can do it. Even if no external support is needed, a business plan can play a vital role in helping to avoid mistakes or recognize hidden opportunities. It is much easier to fold a sheet of paper than a business.
For many, many entrepreneurs and planners, the process of planning (thinking, discussing, researching and analyzing) is just as, or even more, useful than the final plan. So, even if you don't need a formal plan, think carefully about going through the planning process. It could be enormously beneficial to your business.
Anticipate many weeks of hard work and several drafts of the emerging plan to get the job right. A clearly written and attractively packaged business plan will make it easier to interest possible supporters, investors etc. A well-prepared business plan will demonstrate that the managers or entrepreneurs know the business and that they have thought through its development in terms of products, management, finances, and most importantly, markets and competition.
WHAT is ISP?
• ISP = IS + P
Why Planning is Important?
• Systematic approach in dealing with future uncertainties. It focuses efforts and resources on long-term, general objectives and yet provides a foundation for short-term activities. Provides a framework for action. Planning involves thinking ahead and designing future action.
Definition.
• ISP is the planning of information systems for an organization. Information system planning is assessing the information needs of an organization and defining the systems, databases and technologies that best satisfy those needs.
ISP Key Activities
1. Describing current situation: it includes a listing of the manual and automated processes, listing of manual and automated data, technology inventory and human resources inventory.
2. Describing future situation: includes blueprints of manual and automated processes, blueprints of manual and automated data, technology blueprints and human resources blueprints.
3. Describing scheduling of the project: includes scheduling of manual and automated processes, scheduling of manual and automated data, technology of scheduling and human resources scheduling.
ISP Planning Types
• Top-Down Planning: A generic information systems planning methodology that attempts to gain a broad understanding of the information system needs of the entire organization.
• Bottom-up Planning: generic information systems planning methodology that identifies and defines IS development projects based upon solving operational business problems or taking advantages of some business opportunities.
Components of ISP
• The Process of Information Systems Planning
• Strategic Alignment of Business and IT
• Selecting Systems to Invest In
• Project Management Issues
Why ISP?
Why do we need to plan for IS?
To ensure that IS both complements and assists in the achievement of our business goals.
To ensure that the use of scarce resources are maximized within a business.
To maximize the benefits of changing technology.
To take account of the different viewpoints of business professionals and IT professionals.
Who Perform ISP?
IS Planners / System Analyst
Variety of stakeholders (i.e. sponsor, users)
Top management commitment
successful ISP.
Where & When ISP?
Any organization that has interest in getting the best out of its IT investments.
Facing problems
Grabbing opportunities.
Information Systems (IS) fail to satisfy huge, diverse and complicated information requirements of their users.
HOW?
Look at business structure, function, processes, culture
Look at existing IT
Look at available technology.
Carry out interviews.
Develop policies.
Develop application portfolio.
Plan schedules for migration, implementation etc.
Characteristics of a Quality ISP
A quality ISP must exhibit five distinct characteristics before it is useful. These five are presented in the table that follows.
1. Timely - The ISP must be timely. An ISP that is created long after it is needed is useless. In almost all cases, it makes no sense to take longer to plan work than to perform the work planned.
2. Useable - The ISP must be useable. It must be so for all the projects as well as for each project. The ISP should exist in sections that once adopted can be parceled out to project managers and immediately started.
3. Maintainable - The ISP should be maintainable. New business opportunities, new computers, business mergers, etc. all affect the ISP. The ISP must support quick changes to the estimates; technologies employed, and possibly even to the fundamental project sequences. Once these changes are accomplished, the new ISP should be just a few computer program executions away.
4. Quality - While the ISP must be a quality product, no ISP is ever perfect on the first try. As the ISP is executed, the metrics employed to derive the individual project estimates become refined as a consequence of new hardware technologies, code generators, techniques, or faster working staff. As these changes occur, their effects should be installable into the data that supports ISP computation. In short, the ISP is a living document. It should be updated with every technology event, and certainly no less often than quarterly.
5. Reproducible - The ISP must be reproducible. That is, when its development activities are performed by any other staff, the ISP produced should essentially be the same. The ISP should not significantly vary by staff assigned.
Reference:
http://www.cse.dmu.ac.uk/~nkm/sisp/CONTENTS.html
http://www.business-plan-success.com/Articles/BusinessPlanDefinition/
http://www.tdan.com/view-articles/5262
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_plan
When starting a new business, writing a business plan is an important first step to getting started. A business plan will lay out the direction for the future of your company and begin to establish standards for success. A complete business plan should include five-year financial projections. These projections will assist investors with making decisions about your business and help you to know how much funding you will need to get things rolling.
A business plan should define how you would like to operate your business. This includes describing the management team, the marketing strategy, and the methods in which you will interact with customers. A business plan might project a strategy that reflects the management style of the founders of the business. The definition should be clear but flexible.
Business plans are developed for many purposes. One company might be looking for funding from investors. Another company might be looking for a loan from a bank. Your company might just need to plan out the company’s strategy to make sure it is successful. Whatever the case, every business needs a business plan.
Purpose of the Business Plan
It must operate and, ultimately, succeed or fail. For management or entrepreneurs seeking external support, the plan is the most important sales document that they are ever likely to produce as it could be the key to raising finance etc. Preparation of a comprehensive plan will not guarantee success in raising funds or mobilizing support, but lack of a sound plan will, almost certainly, ensure failure.
Importance of the Business Planning Process
Preparing a satisfactory business plan is a painful but essential exercise. The planning process forces managers or entrepreneurs to understand more clearly what they want to achieve, and how and when they can do it. Even if no external support is needed, a business plan can play a vital role in helping to avoid mistakes or recognize hidden opportunities. It is much easier to fold a sheet of paper than a business.
For many, many entrepreneurs and planners, the process of planning (thinking, discussing, researching and analyzing) is just as, or even more, useful than the final plan. So, even if you don't need a formal plan, think carefully about going through the planning process. It could be enormously beneficial to your business.
Anticipate many weeks of hard work and several drafts of the emerging plan to get the job right. A clearly written and attractively packaged business plan will make it easier to interest possible supporters, investors etc. A well-prepared business plan will demonstrate that the managers or entrepreneurs know the business and that they have thought through its development in terms of products, management, finances, and most importantly, markets and competition.
WHAT is ISP?
• ISP = IS + P
Why Planning is Important?
• Systematic approach in dealing with future uncertainties. It focuses efforts and resources on long-term, general objectives and yet provides a foundation for short-term activities. Provides a framework for action. Planning involves thinking ahead and designing future action.
Definition.
• ISP is the planning of information systems for an organization. Information system planning is assessing the information needs of an organization and defining the systems, databases and technologies that best satisfy those needs.
ISP Key Activities
1. Describing current situation: it includes a listing of the manual and automated processes, listing of manual and automated data, technology inventory and human resources inventory.
2. Describing future situation: includes blueprints of manual and automated processes, blueprints of manual and automated data, technology blueprints and human resources blueprints.
3. Describing scheduling of the project: includes scheduling of manual and automated processes, scheduling of manual and automated data, technology of scheduling and human resources scheduling.
ISP Planning Types
• Top-Down Planning: A generic information systems planning methodology that attempts to gain a broad understanding of the information system needs of the entire organization.
• Bottom-up Planning: generic information systems planning methodology that identifies and defines IS development projects based upon solving operational business problems or taking advantages of some business opportunities.
Components of ISP
• The Process of Information Systems Planning
• Strategic Alignment of Business and IT
• Selecting Systems to Invest In
• Project Management Issues
Why ISP?
Why do we need to plan for IS?
To ensure that IS both complements and assists in the achievement of our business goals.
To ensure that the use of scarce resources are maximized within a business.
To maximize the benefits of changing technology.
To take account of the different viewpoints of business professionals and IT professionals.
Who Perform ISP?
IS Planners / System Analyst
Variety of stakeholders (i.e. sponsor, users)
Top management commitment
successful ISP.
Where & When ISP?
Any organization that has interest in getting the best out of its IT investments.
Facing problems
Grabbing opportunities.
Information Systems (IS) fail to satisfy huge, diverse and complicated information requirements of their users.
HOW?
Look at business structure, function, processes, culture
Look at existing IT
Look at available technology.
Carry out interviews.
Develop policies.
Develop application portfolio.
Plan schedules for migration, implementation etc.
Characteristics of a Quality ISP
A quality ISP must exhibit five distinct characteristics before it is useful. These five are presented in the table that follows.
1. Timely - The ISP must be timely. An ISP that is created long after it is needed is useless. In almost all cases, it makes no sense to take longer to plan work than to perform the work planned.
2. Useable - The ISP must be useable. It must be so for all the projects as well as for each project. The ISP should exist in sections that once adopted can be parceled out to project managers and immediately started.
3. Maintainable - The ISP should be maintainable. New business opportunities, new computers, business mergers, etc. all affect the ISP. The ISP must support quick changes to the estimates; technologies employed, and possibly even to the fundamental project sequences. Once these changes are accomplished, the new ISP should be just a few computer program executions away.
4. Quality - While the ISP must be a quality product, no ISP is ever perfect on the first try. As the ISP is executed, the metrics employed to derive the individual project estimates become refined as a consequence of new hardware technologies, code generators, techniques, or faster working staff. As these changes occur, their effects should be installable into the data that supports ISP computation. In short, the ISP is a living document. It should be updated with every technology event, and certainly no less often than quarterly.
5. Reproducible - The ISP must be reproducible. That is, when its development activities are performed by any other staff, the ISP produced should essentially be the same. The ISP should not significantly vary by staff assigned.
Reference:
http://www.cse.dmu.ac.uk/~nkm/sisp/CONTENTS.html
http://www.business-plan-success.com/Articles/BusinessPlanDefinition/
http://www.tdan.com/view-articles/5262
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Business_plan
♥♥Ten Years From Now♥♥
“He who fails to plan, plans to fail”
As it was discussed, I learned that strategic planning is pertinent in order for us to anticipate the upcoming changes that may happen in terms of technology.
According to wikipedia.org, Strategic Planning is an organization's process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy, including its capital and people. Strategic Planning is a process by which we can envision the future and develop the necessary procedures and operations to influence and achieve that future...
Planning - there won't be any individual on this planet who doesn't know its importance in getting many things done. It's a proven empirical fact that just by the act of planning people would accomplish many tasks than they would have if they had not planned. Then, why would everyone not indulge in daily planning? I guess the answer is -because for majority, planning is not sustainable and so it is not worth spending time on it. Everytime I started planning my day or week, i could complete many tasks - yet, I drifted as time progressed, lost in daily pressures, inadequate time, catching things up etc, etc Planning definitely takes time, but the time spent is many times less than time saved out of irregular schedule of activities. So...how does one go about committing oneself for 'regular planning'? I guess I am not the authority to answer this question - but, I believe self-discipline and persistence are the two keys that unleash the power of planning in one's life.
In the business world organizations use strategic planning as a way to outline how they plan to strategically progress towards their desired goals. A strategic approach is simply a way of looking at multiple ways of accomplishing a goal or objective and evaluating the pro’s and con’s of each. A strategic approach also encourages you to develop a backup plan so that if your initial plan doesn’t work, you can quickly switch to your plan B with a minimum of loss or down time. This is one of the key benefits to strategic planning. Most companies and people start out by identifying a goal and working towards achieving their goal without doing much (if any) advanced planning. This is an approach that will get you moving and it is better than not having a goal and not doing anything at all but to make real progress you will need to put more effort into it.
When it comes to putting more effort into it that can be done in one of two ways. The first way is that you can just add more physical effort and keep trying harder. The second way is by investing more time into planning before hand so that you can get a better understanding of exactly what has to be done and how it needs to be done. When there’s more than one good way to accomplish the goal that’s when it can be very beneficial to plan strategically. By planning strategically you look at both the pro’s and the con’s of each approach and your able to select the best approach based on your analysis of the two. As a safe guard and to increase your odds of success you’ll want to develop a backup plan so that if a unexpected or unforeseen problem does arise you have a backup plan to implement. And perhaps more importantly, is that you're in a planning and problem solving frame of mind and you keeping your attention and efforts focused on achieving your goals regardless of what problems arise.
So to do personal strategic planning effectively you need to
1.) Identify your goals and
2.) Create a plan to achieve your goals
3.) You also think about alternative ways of achieving your goals
4.) You develop a backup plan and you stay committed to the achievement of your goal.
By developing a personal strategic plan the effectively includes all four of the above elements you will greatly increase the likely hood of you achieving your key or major
Vision
how the community will be changed
(very long term goals)
Mission
broad statement of what you will do
to achieve vision
Goals
broad, general results to be achieved
by end of planning period (3-5 yrs)
Objectives
measurable, time-limited results
leading to achievement of goals (1-3 yrs)
Strategies
general description of actions you will take
to achieve goals
Activities / tactics
programs, services, administration
to implement strategies
and achieve objectives
Values
what you believe is right & important;
guiding principles
As in many other fields, strategic planning professionals often cloak their work in pseudo scientific jargon designed to glorify their work and create client dependence. In reality, strategic planning processes are neither scientific nor complex. With modest, front-end assistance and the occasional services of an outside facilitator, organizations can develop and manage an on-going and effective planning program.
To assist organizations--small businesses and nonprofit organizations in particular--we have developed a planning process based on six simple questions. Realistic answers to these can help to guide the owners and managers of any business or organization toward a successful future.
1. Why are we in business?
2. How do we do business?
3. Where are we now?
4. Where do we want to be?
5. How can we get there?
6. How will we know we've arrived?
1. Why are we in business?
Vision--the future position and value of the organization (present tense, seven words or less).
Mission--the organization and its purpose (one hundred words or less):
* who we are,
* who we serve,
* what products and services we offer, and
* how we make them available.
Driving forces--the conditions which "drive" the organization:
* products/services offered,
* market focus/needs,
* technology,
* production capability/capacity,
* method of sale,
* method of distribution,
* natural resources,
* size and growth, or
* profit/return on investment.
2. How do we do business?
Values--the bases on which we want decisions to be made and actions to be taken.
Culture--traditions, ethics, and other standards which influence the way things are accomplished in the organization.
Climate--the interpersonal and physical environments: is the organization a good place to be and to work?
3. Where are we now?
Environmental assessment--identifying factors which can impact our mission:
* strengths,
* weaknesses,
* opportunities,
* threats,
* competition, and
* constraints.
Strengths and weaknesses ---are internal to the organization: how can we identify them and capitalize on our strengths and minimize or eliminate our weaknesses?
Opportunities and threats ---are external to the organization: again, how can we identify them and take advantage of the opportunities while countering the threats?
Competition and constraints ---can be either internal or external. Competition is any activity or condition which competes for the same resources. Constraints can arise from social, political, legal, educational, industrial, or managerial activities or conditions which prevent or inhibit accomplishing the organization's mission. How can we meet the competition and change or accommodate the constraints?
4. Where do we want to be?
Strategies--where we want to be and what we want to achieve.
Goals and objectives--directly support our mission. Goals should be SMART:
* S-pecific,
* M-easurable,
* A-chievable,
* R-ealistic, and
* T-imely.
Gap analysis--determining the difference between where we are and where we want to be.
5. How can we get there?
Tactics--specific action plans to implement our strategies--the right people doing the right things at right time in the right way for the right reasons.
Resources--there are only five:
* people,
* property,
* time,
* money, and
* technology (or knowledge).
6. How will we know we've arrived?
Management--establishing budgets, controls, and reporting systems and designating a coordinator to monitor each element of the strategic plan.
It is also true that strategic planning may be a tool for effectively plotting the direction of each individual; however, strategic planning itself cannot foretell exactly how we will evolve and what issues will surface in the coming days in order to plan our future strategy. Therefore, strategic innovation and tinkering with the 'strategic plan' have to be a cornerstone strategy for us to survive various obstacles in life.
Planning in organizations and public policy is both the organizational process of creating and maintaining a plan; and the psychological process of thinking about the activities required to create a desired goal on some scale. As such, it is a fundamental property of intelligent behavior. This thought process is essential to the creation and refinement of a plan, or integration of it with other plans, that is, it combines forecasting of developments with the preparation of scenarios of how to react to them.
The term is also used to describe the formal procedures used in such an endeavor, such as the creation of documents diagrams, or meetings to discuss the important issues to be addressed, the objectives to be met, and the strategy to be followed. Beyond this, planning has a different meaning depending on the political or economic context in which it is used.
Two attitudes to planning need to be held in tension: on the one hand we need to be prepared for what may lie ahead, which may mean contingencies and flexible processes. On the other hand, our future is shaped by consequences of our own planning and actions. Planning is a process for accomplishing purpose. It is blue print of business growth and a road map of development. It helps in deciding objectives both in quantitative and qualitative terms. It is setting of goals on the basis of objectives and keeping in view the resources.
What should a plan be?
A plan should be a realistic view of the expectations. Depending upon the activities, a plan can be long range, intermediate range or short range. It is the framework within which it must operate. For management seeking external support, the plan is the most important document and key to growth. Preparation of a comprehensive plan will not guarantee success, but lack of a sound plan will almost certainly ensure failure.
Purpose of Plan
Just as no two organizations are alike, so also their plans. It is therefore important to prepare a plan keeping in view the necessities of the enterprise. A plan is an important aspect of business. It serves the following three critical functions:
* Helps management to clarify, focus, and research their businesses or project's development and prospects.
* Provides a considered and logical framework within which a business can develop and pursue business strategies over the next three to five years.
* Offers a benchmark against which actual performance can be measured and reviewed.
Importance of the planning Process
A plan can play a vital role in helping to avoid mistakes or recognize hidden opportunities. Preparing a satisfactory plan of the organization is essential. The planning process enables management to understand more clearly what they want to achieve, and how and when they can do it.
A well-prepared business plan demonstrates that the managers know the business and that they have thought through its development in terms of products, management, finances, and most importantly, markets and competition.
Planning helps in forecasting the future, makes the future visible to some extent. It bridges between where we are and where we want to go. Planning is looking ahead.
Essentials of planning
Planning is not done off hand. It is prepared after careful and extensive research. For a comprehensive business plan, management has to
1. Clearly define the target / goal in writing.
1. It should be set by a person having authority.
2. The goal should be realistic.
3. It should be specific.
4. Acceptability
5. Easily measurable
2. Identify all the main issues which need to be addressed.
3. Review past performance.
4. Decide budgetary requirement.
5. Focus on matters of strategic importance.
6. What are requirements and how it will be met?
7. What will be the likely length of the plan and its structure?
8. Identify shortcomings in the concept and gaps.
9. Strategies for implementation.
10. Review periodically.
As an IT Consultant someday!!!
An IT consultant works in partnership with clients, advising them how to use information technology in order to meet their business objectives or overcome problems. Consultants work to improve the structure and efficiency and of an organsiation's IT systems.
IT consultants may be involved in a variety of activities, including marketing, project management, client relationship management and systems development.
They may also be responsible for user training and feedback. In many companies, these tasks will be carried out by an IT project team. IT consultants are increasingly involved in sales and business development, as well as technical duties.
Typical work activities
Task typically involve:
• meeting with clients to determine requirements;
• working with clients to define the scope of a project;
• planning timescales and the resources needed;
• clarifying a client's system specifications, understanding their work practices and the nature of their business;
• travelling to customer sites;
• liaising with staff at all levels of a client organisation;
• defining software, hardware and network requirements;
• analysing IT requirements within companies and giving independent and objective advice on the use of IT;
• developing agreed solutions and implementing new systems;
• presenting solutions in written or oral reports;
• helping clients with change-management activities;
• project managing the design and implementation of preferred solutions;
• purchasing systems where appropriate;
• designing, testing, installing and monitoring new systems;
• preparing documentation and presenting progress reports to customers;
• organising training for users and other consultants;
• being involved in sales and support and, where appropriate, maintaining contact with client organisations;
• identifying potential clients and building and maintaining contacts.
Key skills for IT consultants
• analytical approach to work
• excellent problem-solving skills
• interpersonal skills
• communication skills
• ability to absorb complex technical information and pass this on clearly
• stamina to meet deadlines
• ability to work under pressure
• project-management skills
• detailed technical knowledge
• motivation.
Training to be an IT consultant
Training is usually on the job, and may include training in programming languages, systems analysis and testing, or in business skills. Practical project experience under supervision is also given.
Information technology consulting (IT consulting, Computer consultancy, Computing consultancy, technology consulting or business and technology services) is a field that focuses on advising businesses on how best to use information technology to meet their business objectives. In addition to providing advice, IT consultancies often implement, deploy, and administer IT systems on businesses' behalf.
Despite what people might tell you, strategic planning is an art. As with other arts, you can do better with good training and tools, but at the end of the day, there is no replacement for skill and experience.
In times of economic turmoil - or even just turmoil in a specific industry - many companies turn away from their strategic planning to focus on short-term issues. In many cases this is warranted - your course may not be as important if the ship is sinking - but in far more cases, this departure can lead to bad strategy and failure.
PostSubject: Re: Assignment 1 (Due: before November 14, 2009, 13:00hrs) Wed Jan 06, 2010 6:19 pm Reply with quote Edit/Delete this post
Think about yourself worthy to be called as IT professional, how do you see yourself 10 years from now, what are your strategies to get there? (At least 3000 words)
“He who fails to plan, plans to fail”
As it was discussed, I learned that strategic planning is pertinent in order for us to anticipate the upcoming changes that may happen in terms of technology.
According to wikipedia.org, Strategic Planning is an organization's process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy, including its capital and people. Strategic Planning is a process by which we can envision the future and develop the necessary procedures and operations to influence and achieve that future...
Planning - there won't be any individual on this planet who doesn't know its importance in getting many things done. It's a proven empirical fact that just by the act of planning people would accomplish many tasks than they would have if they had not planned. Then, why would everyone not indulge in daily planning? I guess the answer is -because for majority, planning is not sustainable and so it is not worth spending time on it. Everytime I started planning my day or week, i could complete many tasks - yet, I drifted as time progressed, lost in daily pressures, inadequate time, catching things up etc, etc Planning definitely takes time, but the time spent is many times less than time saved out of irregular schedule of activities. So...how does one go about committing oneself for 'regular planning'? I guess I am not the authority to answer this question - but, I believe self-discipline and persistence are the two keys that unleash the power of planning in one's life.
In the business world organizations use strategic planning as a way to outline how they plan to strategically progress towards their desired goals. A strategic approach is simply a way of looking at multiple ways of accomplishing a goal or objective and evaluating the pro’s and con’s of each. A strategic approach also encourages you to develop a backup plan so that if your initial plan doesn’t work, you can quickly switch to your plan B with a minimum of loss or down time. This is one of the key benefits to strategic planning. Most companies and people start out by identifying a goal and working towards achieving their goal without doing much (if any) advanced planning. This is an approach that will get you moving and it is better than not having a goal and not doing anything at all but to make real progress you will need to put more effort into it.
When it comes to putting more effort into it that can be done in one of two ways. The first way is that you can just add more physical effort and keep trying harder. The second way is by investing more time into planning before hand so that you can get a better understanding of exactly what has to be done and how it needs to be done. When there’s more than one good way to accomplish the goal that’s when it can be very beneficial to plan strategically. By planning strategically you look at both the pro’s and the con’s of each approach and your able to select the best approach based on your analysis of the two. As a safe guard and to increase your odds of success you’ll want to develop a backup plan so that if a unexpected or unforeseen problem does arise you have a backup plan to implement. And perhaps more importantly, is that you're in a planning and problem solving frame of mind and you keeping your attention and efforts focused on achieving your goals regardless of what problems arise.
So to do personal strategic planning effectively you need to
1.) Identify your goals and
2.) Create a plan to achieve your goals
3.) You also think about alternative ways of achieving your goals
4.) You develop a backup plan and you stay committed to the achievement of your goal.
By developing a personal strategic plan the effectively includes all four of the above elements you will greatly increase the likely hood of you achieving your key or major goals in life.
Vision
how the community will be changed
(very long term goals)
Mission
broad statement of what you will do
to achieve vision
Goals
broad, general results to be achieved
by end of planning period (3-5 yrs)
Objectives
measurable, time-limited results
leading to achievement of goals (1-3 yrs)
Strategies
general description of actions you will take
to achieve goals
Activities / tactics
programs, services, administration
to implement strategies
and achieve objectives
Values
what you believe is right & important;
guiding principles
As in many other fields, strategic planning professionals often cloak their work in pseudo scientific jargon designed to glorify their work and create client dependence. In reality, strategic planning processes are neither scientific nor complex. With modest, front-end assistance and the occasional services of an outside facilitator, organizations can develop and manage an on-going and effective planning program.
To assist organizations--small businesses and nonprofit organizations in particular--we have developed a planning process based on six simple questions. Realistic answers to these can help to guide the owners and managers of any business or organization toward a successful future.
1. Why are we in business?
2. How do we do business?
3. Where are we now?
4. Where do we want to be?
5. How can we get there?
6. How will we know we've arrived?
1. Why are we in business?
Vision--the future position and value of the organization (present tense, seven words or less).
Mission--the organization and its purpose (one hundred words or less):
* who we are,
* who we serve,
* what products and services we offer, and
* how we make them available.
Driving forces--the conditions which "drive" the organization:
* products/services offered,
* market focus/needs,
* technology,
* production capability/capacity,
* method of sale,
* method of distribution,
* natural resources,
* size and growth, or
* profit/return on investment.
2. How do we do business?
Values--the bases on which we want decisions to be made and actions to be taken.
Culture--traditions, ethics, and other standards which influence the way things are accomplished in the organization.
Climate--the interpersonal and physical environments: is the organization a good place to be and to work?
3. Where are we now?
Environmental assessment--identifying factors which can impact our mission:
* strengths,
* weaknesses,
* opportunities,
* threats,
* competition, and
* constraints.
Strengths and weaknesses ---are internal to the organization: how can we identify them and capitalize on our strengths and minimize or eliminate our weaknesses?
Opportunities and threats ---are external to the organization: again, how can we identify them and take advantage of the opportunities while countering the threats?
Competition and constraints ---can be either internal or external. Competition is any activity or condition which competes for the same resources. Constraints can arise from social, political, legal, educational, industrial, or managerial activities or conditions which prevent or inhibit accomplishing the organization's mission. How can we meet the competition and change or accommodate the constraints?
4. Where do we want to be?
Strategies--where we want to be and what we want to achieve.
Goals and objectives--directly support our mission. Goals should be SMART:
* S-pecific,
* M-easurable,
* A-chievable,
* R-ealistic, and
* T-imely.
Gap analysis--determining the difference between where we are and where we want to be.
5. How can we get there?
Tactics--specific action plans to implement our strategies--the right people doing the right things at right time in the right way for the right reasons.
Resources--there are only five:
* people,
* property,
* time,
* money, and
* technology (or knowledge).
6. How will we know we've arrived?
Management--establishing budgets, controls, and reporting systems and designating a coordinator to monitor each element of the strategic plan.
It is also true that strategic planning may be a tool for effectively plotting the direction of each individual; however, strategic planning itself cannot foretell exactly how we will evolve and what issues will surface in the coming days in order to plan our future strategy. Therefore, strategic innovation and tinkering with the 'strategic plan' have to be a cornerstone strategy for us to survive various obstacles in life.
Planning in organizations and public policy is both the organizational process of creating and maintaining a plan; and the psychological process of thinking about the activities required to create a desired goal on some scale. As such, it is a fundamental property of intelligent behavior. This thought process is essential to the creation and refinement of a plan, or integration of it with other plans, that is, it combines forecasting of developments with the preparation of scenarios of how to react to them.
The term is also used to describe the formal procedures used in such an endeavor, such as the creation of documents diagrams, or meetings to discuss the important issues to be addressed, the objectives to be met, and the strategy to be followed. Beyond this, planning has a different meaning depending on the political or economic context in which it is used.
Two attitudes to planning need to be held in tension: on the one hand we need to be prepared for what may lie ahead, which may mean contingencies and flexible processes. On the other hand, our future is shaped by consequences of our own planning and actions. Planning is a process for accomplishing purpose. It is blue print of business growth and a road map of development. It helps in deciding objectives both in quantitative and qualitative terms. It is setting of goals on the basis of objectives and keeping in view the resources.
What should a plan be?
A plan should be a realistic view of the expectations. Depending upon the activities, a plan can be long range, intermediate range or short range. It is the framework within which it must operate. For management seeking external support, the plan is the most important document and key to growth. Preparation of a comprehensive plan will not guarantee success, but lack of a sound plan will almost certainly ensure failure.
Purpose of Plan
Just as no two organizations are alike, so also their plans. It is therefore important to prepare a plan keeping in view the necessities of the enterprise. A plan is an important aspect of business. It serves the following three critical functions:
* Helps management to clarify, focus, and research their businesses or project's development and prospects.
* Provides a considered and logical framework within which a business can develop and pursue business strategies over the next three to five years.
* Offers a benchmark against which actual performance can be measured and reviewed.
Importance of the planning Process
A plan can play a vital role in helping to avoid mistakes or recognize hidden opportunities. Preparing a satisfactory plan of the organization is essential. The planning process enables management to understand more clearly what they want to achieve, and how and when they can do it.
A well-prepared business plan demonstrates that the managers know the business and that they have thought through its development in terms of products, management, finances, and most importantly, markets and competition.
Planning helps in forecasting the future, makes the future visible to some extent. It bridges between where we are and where we want to go. Planning is looking ahead.
Essentials of planning
Planning is not done off hand. It is prepared after careful and extensive research. For a comprehensive business plan, management has to
1. Clearly define the target / goal in writing.
1. It should be set by a person having authority.
2. The goal should be realistic.
3. It should be specific.
4. Acceptability
5. Easily measurable
2. Identify all the main issues which need to be addressed.
3. Review past performance.
4. Decide budgetary requirement.
5. Focus on matters of strategic importance.
6. What are requirements and how it will be met?
7. What will be the likely length of the plan and its structure?
8. Identify shortcomings in the concept and gaps.
9. Strategies for implementation.
10. Review periodically.
As an IT Consultant someday!!!
An IT consultant works in partnership with clients, advising them how to use information technology in order to meet their business objectives or overcome problems. Consultants work to improve the structure and efficiency and of an organsiation's IT systems.
IT consultants may be involved in a variety of activities, including marketing, project management, client relationship management and systems development.
They may also be responsible for user training and feedback. In many companies, these tasks will be carried out by an IT project team. IT consultants are increasingly involved in sales and business development, as well as technical duties.
Typical work activities
Task typically involve:
• meeting with clients to determine requirements;
• working with clients to define the scope of a project;
• planning timescales and the resources needed;
• clarifying a client's system specifications, understanding their work practices and the nature of their business;
• travelling to customer sites;
• liaising with staff at all levels of a client organisation;
• defining software, hardware and network requirements;
• analysing IT requirements within companies and giving independent and objective advice on the use of IT;
• developing agreed solutions and implementing new systems;
• presenting solutions in written or oral reports;
• helping clients with change-management activities;
• project managing the design and implementation of preferred solutions;
• purchasing systems where appropriate;
• designing, testing, installing and monitoring new systems;
• preparing documentation and presenting progress reports to customers;
• organising training for users and other consultants;
• being involved in sales and support and, where appropriate, maintaining contact with client organisations;
• identifying potential clients and building and maintaining contacts.
Key skills for IT consultants
• analytical approach to work
• excellent problem-solving skills
• interpersonal skills
• communication skills
• ability to absorb complex technical information and pass this on clearly
• stamina to meet deadlines
• ability to work under pressure
• project-management skills
• detailed technical knowledge
• motivation.
Training to be an IT consultant
Training is usually on the job, and may include training in programming languages, systems analysis and testing, or in business skills. Practical project experience under supervision is also given.
Information technology consulting (IT consulting, Computer consultancy, Computing consultancy, technology consulting or business and technology services) is a field that focuses on advising businesses on how best to use information technology to meet their business objectives. In addition to providing advice, IT consultancies often implement, deploy, and administer IT systems on businesses' behalf.
Despite what people might tell you, strategic planning is an art. As with other arts, you can do better with good training and tools, but at the end of the day, there is no replacement for skill and experience.
In times of economic turmoil - or even just turmoil in a specific industry - many companies turn away from their strategic planning to focus on short-term issues. In many cases this is warranted - your course may not be as important if the ship is sinking - but in far more cases, this departure can lead to bad strategy and failure.
References:
http://managementhelp.org/plan_dec/str_plan/str_plan.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planning
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/it_consultant_job_description.jsp
http://www.woodwarddavis.com/plandef.html
As it was discussed, I learned that strategic planning is pertinent in order for us to anticipate the upcoming changes that may happen in terms of technology.
According to wikipedia.org, Strategic Planning is an organization's process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy, including its capital and people. Strategic Planning is a process by which we can envision the future and develop the necessary procedures and operations to influence and achieve that future...
Planning - there won't be any individual on this planet who doesn't know its importance in getting many things done. It's a proven empirical fact that just by the act of planning people would accomplish many tasks than they would have if they had not planned. Then, why would everyone not indulge in daily planning? I guess the answer is -because for majority, planning is not sustainable and so it is not worth spending time on it. Everytime I started planning my day or week, i could complete many tasks - yet, I drifted as time progressed, lost in daily pressures, inadequate time, catching things up etc, etc Planning definitely takes time, but the time spent is many times less than time saved out of irregular schedule of activities. So...how does one go about committing oneself for 'regular planning'? I guess I am not the authority to answer this question - but, I believe self-discipline and persistence are the two keys that unleash the power of planning in one's life.
In the business world organizations use strategic planning as a way to outline how they plan to strategically progress towards their desired goals. A strategic approach is simply a way of looking at multiple ways of accomplishing a goal or objective and evaluating the pro’s and con’s of each. A strategic approach also encourages you to develop a backup plan so that if your initial plan doesn’t work, you can quickly switch to your plan B with a minimum of loss or down time. This is one of the key benefits to strategic planning. Most companies and people start out by identifying a goal and working towards achieving their goal without doing much (if any) advanced planning. This is an approach that will get you moving and it is better than not having a goal and not doing anything at all but to make real progress you will need to put more effort into it.
When it comes to putting more effort into it that can be done in one of two ways. The first way is that you can just add more physical effort and keep trying harder. The second way is by investing more time into planning before hand so that you can get a better understanding of exactly what has to be done and how it needs to be done. When there’s more than one good way to accomplish the goal that’s when it can be very beneficial to plan strategically. By planning strategically you look at both the pro’s and the con’s of each approach and your able to select the best approach based on your analysis of the two. As a safe guard and to increase your odds of success you’ll want to develop a backup plan so that if a unexpected or unforeseen problem does arise you have a backup plan to implement. And perhaps more importantly, is that you're in a planning and problem solving frame of mind and you keeping your attention and efforts focused on achieving your goals regardless of what problems arise.
So to do personal strategic planning effectively you need to
1.) Identify your goals and
2.) Create a plan to achieve your goals
3.) You also think about alternative ways of achieving your goals
4.) You develop a backup plan and you stay committed to the achievement of your goal.
By developing a personal strategic plan the effectively includes all four of the above elements you will greatly increase the likely hood of you achieving your key or major
Vision
how the community will be changed
(very long term goals)
Mission
broad statement of what you will do
to achieve vision
Goals
broad, general results to be achieved
by end of planning period (3-5 yrs)
Objectives
measurable, time-limited results
leading to achievement of goals (1-3 yrs)
Strategies
general description of actions you will take
to achieve goals
Activities / tactics
programs, services, administration
to implement strategies
and achieve objectives
Values
what you believe is right & important;
guiding principles
As in many other fields, strategic planning professionals often cloak their work in pseudo scientific jargon designed to glorify their work and create client dependence. In reality, strategic planning processes are neither scientific nor complex. With modest, front-end assistance and the occasional services of an outside facilitator, organizations can develop and manage an on-going and effective planning program.
To assist organizations--small businesses and nonprofit organizations in particular--we have developed a planning process based on six simple questions. Realistic answers to these can help to guide the owners and managers of any business or organization toward a successful future.
1. Why are we in business?
2. How do we do business?
3. Where are we now?
4. Where do we want to be?
5. How can we get there?
6. How will we know we've arrived?
1. Why are we in business?
Vision--the future position and value of the organization (present tense, seven words or less).
Mission--the organization and its purpose (one hundred words or less):
* who we are,
* who we serve,
* what products and services we offer, and
* how we make them available.
Driving forces--the conditions which "drive" the organization:
* products/services offered,
* market focus/needs,
* technology,
* production capability/capacity,
* method of sale,
* method of distribution,
* natural resources,
* size and growth, or
* profit/return on investment.
2. How do we do business?
Values--the bases on which we want decisions to be made and actions to be taken.
Culture--traditions, ethics, and other standards which influence the way things are accomplished in the organization.
Climate--the interpersonal and physical environments: is the organization a good place to be and to work?
3. Where are we now?
Environmental assessment--identifying factors which can impact our mission:
* strengths,
* weaknesses,
* opportunities,
* threats,
* competition, and
* constraints.
Strengths and weaknesses ---are internal to the organization: how can we identify them and capitalize on our strengths and minimize or eliminate our weaknesses?
Opportunities and threats ---are external to the organization: again, how can we identify them and take advantage of the opportunities while countering the threats?
Competition and constraints ---can be either internal or external. Competition is any activity or condition which competes for the same resources. Constraints can arise from social, political, legal, educational, industrial, or managerial activities or conditions which prevent or inhibit accomplishing the organization's mission. How can we meet the competition and change or accommodate the constraints?
4. Where do we want to be?
Strategies--where we want to be and what we want to achieve.
Goals and objectives--directly support our mission. Goals should be SMART:
* S-pecific,
* M-easurable,
* A-chievable,
* R-ealistic, and
* T-imely.
Gap analysis--determining the difference between where we are and where we want to be.
5. How can we get there?
Tactics--specific action plans to implement our strategies--the right people doing the right things at right time in the right way for the right reasons.
Resources--there are only five:
* people,
* property,
* time,
* money, and
* technology (or knowledge).
6. How will we know we've arrived?
Management--establishing budgets, controls, and reporting systems and designating a coordinator to monitor each element of the strategic plan.
It is also true that strategic planning may be a tool for effectively plotting the direction of each individual; however, strategic planning itself cannot foretell exactly how we will evolve and what issues will surface in the coming days in order to plan our future strategy. Therefore, strategic innovation and tinkering with the 'strategic plan' have to be a cornerstone strategy for us to survive various obstacles in life.
Planning in organizations and public policy is both the organizational process of creating and maintaining a plan; and the psychological process of thinking about the activities required to create a desired goal on some scale. As such, it is a fundamental property of intelligent behavior. This thought process is essential to the creation and refinement of a plan, or integration of it with other plans, that is, it combines forecasting of developments with the preparation of scenarios of how to react to them.
The term is also used to describe the formal procedures used in such an endeavor, such as the creation of documents diagrams, or meetings to discuss the important issues to be addressed, the objectives to be met, and the strategy to be followed. Beyond this, planning has a different meaning depending on the political or economic context in which it is used.
Two attitudes to planning need to be held in tension: on the one hand we need to be prepared for what may lie ahead, which may mean contingencies and flexible processes. On the other hand, our future is shaped by consequences of our own planning and actions. Planning is a process for accomplishing purpose. It is blue print of business growth and a road map of development. It helps in deciding objectives both in quantitative and qualitative terms. It is setting of goals on the basis of objectives and keeping in view the resources.
What should a plan be?
A plan should be a realistic view of the expectations. Depending upon the activities, a plan can be long range, intermediate range or short range. It is the framework within which it must operate. For management seeking external support, the plan is the most important document and key to growth. Preparation of a comprehensive plan will not guarantee success, but lack of a sound plan will almost certainly ensure failure.
Purpose of Plan
Just as no two organizations are alike, so also their plans. It is therefore important to prepare a plan keeping in view the necessities of the enterprise. A plan is an important aspect of business. It serves the following three critical functions:
* Helps management to clarify, focus, and research their businesses or project's development and prospects.
* Provides a considered and logical framework within which a business can develop and pursue business strategies over the next three to five years.
* Offers a benchmark against which actual performance can be measured and reviewed.
Importance of the planning Process
A plan can play a vital role in helping to avoid mistakes or recognize hidden opportunities. Preparing a satisfactory plan of the organization is essential. The planning process enables management to understand more clearly what they want to achieve, and how and when they can do it.
A well-prepared business plan demonstrates that the managers know the business and that they have thought through its development in terms of products, management, finances, and most importantly, markets and competition.
Planning helps in forecasting the future, makes the future visible to some extent. It bridges between where we are and where we want to go. Planning is looking ahead.
Essentials of planning
Planning is not done off hand. It is prepared after careful and extensive research. For a comprehensive business plan, management has to
1. Clearly define the target / goal in writing.
1. It should be set by a person having authority.
2. The goal should be realistic.
3. It should be specific.
4. Acceptability
5. Easily measurable
2. Identify all the main issues which need to be addressed.
3. Review past performance.
4. Decide budgetary requirement.
5. Focus on matters of strategic importance.
6. What are requirements and how it will be met?
7. What will be the likely length of the plan and its structure?
8. Identify shortcomings in the concept and gaps.
9. Strategies for implementation.
10. Review periodically.
As an IT Consultant someday!!!
An IT consultant works in partnership with clients, advising them how to use information technology in order to meet their business objectives or overcome problems. Consultants work to improve the structure and efficiency and of an organsiation's IT systems.
IT consultants may be involved in a variety of activities, including marketing, project management, client relationship management and systems development.
They may also be responsible for user training and feedback. In many companies, these tasks will be carried out by an IT project team. IT consultants are increasingly involved in sales and business development, as well as technical duties.
Typical work activities
Task typically involve:
• meeting with clients to determine requirements;
• working with clients to define the scope of a project;
• planning timescales and the resources needed;
• clarifying a client's system specifications, understanding their work practices and the nature of their business;
• travelling to customer sites;
• liaising with staff at all levels of a client organisation;
• defining software, hardware and network requirements;
• analysing IT requirements within companies and giving independent and objective advice on the use of IT;
• developing agreed solutions and implementing new systems;
• presenting solutions in written or oral reports;
• helping clients with change-management activities;
• project managing the design and implementation of preferred solutions;
• purchasing systems where appropriate;
• designing, testing, installing and monitoring new systems;
• preparing documentation and presenting progress reports to customers;
• organising training for users and other consultants;
• being involved in sales and support and, where appropriate, maintaining contact with client organisations;
• identifying potential clients and building and maintaining contacts.
Key skills for IT consultants
• analytical approach to work
• excellent problem-solving skills
• interpersonal skills
• communication skills
• ability to absorb complex technical information and pass this on clearly
• stamina to meet deadlines
• ability to work under pressure
• project-management skills
• detailed technical knowledge
• motivation.
Training to be an IT consultant
Training is usually on the job, and may include training in programming languages, systems analysis and testing, or in business skills. Practical project experience under supervision is also given.
Information technology consulting (IT consulting, Computer consultancy, Computing consultancy, technology consulting or business and technology services) is a field that focuses on advising businesses on how best to use information technology to meet their business objectives. In addition to providing advice, IT consultancies often implement, deploy, and administer IT systems on businesses' behalf.
Despite what people might tell you, strategic planning is an art. As with other arts, you can do better with good training and tools, but at the end of the day, there is no replacement for skill and experience.
In times of economic turmoil - or even just turmoil in a specific industry - many companies turn away from their strategic planning to focus on short-term issues. In many cases this is warranted - your course may not be as important if the ship is sinking - but in far more cases, this departure can lead to bad strategy and failure.
PostSubject: Re: Assignment 1 (Due: before November 14, 2009, 13:00hrs) Wed Jan 06, 2010 6:19 pm Reply with quote Edit/Delete this post
Think about yourself worthy to be called as IT professional, how do you see yourself 10 years from now, what are your strategies to get there? (At least 3000 words)
“He who fails to plan, plans to fail”
As it was discussed, I learned that strategic planning is pertinent in order for us to anticipate the upcoming changes that may happen in terms of technology.
According to wikipedia.org, Strategic Planning is an organization's process of defining its strategy, or direction, and making decisions on allocating its resources to pursue this strategy, including its capital and people. Strategic Planning is a process by which we can envision the future and develop the necessary procedures and operations to influence and achieve that future...
Planning - there won't be any individual on this planet who doesn't know its importance in getting many things done. It's a proven empirical fact that just by the act of planning people would accomplish many tasks than they would have if they had not planned. Then, why would everyone not indulge in daily planning? I guess the answer is -because for majority, planning is not sustainable and so it is not worth spending time on it. Everytime I started planning my day or week, i could complete many tasks - yet, I drifted as time progressed, lost in daily pressures, inadequate time, catching things up etc, etc Planning definitely takes time, but the time spent is many times less than time saved out of irregular schedule of activities. So...how does one go about committing oneself for 'regular planning'? I guess I am not the authority to answer this question - but, I believe self-discipline and persistence are the two keys that unleash the power of planning in one's life.
In the business world organizations use strategic planning as a way to outline how they plan to strategically progress towards their desired goals. A strategic approach is simply a way of looking at multiple ways of accomplishing a goal or objective and evaluating the pro’s and con’s of each. A strategic approach also encourages you to develop a backup plan so that if your initial plan doesn’t work, you can quickly switch to your plan B with a minimum of loss or down time. This is one of the key benefits to strategic planning. Most companies and people start out by identifying a goal and working towards achieving their goal without doing much (if any) advanced planning. This is an approach that will get you moving and it is better than not having a goal and not doing anything at all but to make real progress you will need to put more effort into it.
When it comes to putting more effort into it that can be done in one of two ways. The first way is that you can just add more physical effort and keep trying harder. The second way is by investing more time into planning before hand so that you can get a better understanding of exactly what has to be done and how it needs to be done. When there’s more than one good way to accomplish the goal that’s when it can be very beneficial to plan strategically. By planning strategically you look at both the pro’s and the con’s of each approach and your able to select the best approach based on your analysis of the two. As a safe guard and to increase your odds of success you’ll want to develop a backup plan so that if a unexpected or unforeseen problem does arise you have a backup plan to implement. And perhaps more importantly, is that you're in a planning and problem solving frame of mind and you keeping your attention and efforts focused on achieving your goals regardless of what problems arise.
So to do personal strategic planning effectively you need to
1.) Identify your goals and
2.) Create a plan to achieve your goals
3.) You also think about alternative ways of achieving your goals
4.) You develop a backup plan and you stay committed to the achievement of your goal.
By developing a personal strategic plan the effectively includes all four of the above elements you will greatly increase the likely hood of you achieving your key or major goals in life.
Vision
how the community will be changed
(very long term goals)
Mission
broad statement of what you will do
to achieve vision
Goals
broad, general results to be achieved
by end of planning period (3-5 yrs)
Objectives
measurable, time-limited results
leading to achievement of goals (1-3 yrs)
Strategies
general description of actions you will take
to achieve goals
Activities / tactics
programs, services, administration
to implement strategies
and achieve objectives
Values
what you believe is right & important;
guiding principles
As in many other fields, strategic planning professionals often cloak their work in pseudo scientific jargon designed to glorify their work and create client dependence. In reality, strategic planning processes are neither scientific nor complex. With modest, front-end assistance and the occasional services of an outside facilitator, organizations can develop and manage an on-going and effective planning program.
To assist organizations--small businesses and nonprofit organizations in particular--we have developed a planning process based on six simple questions. Realistic answers to these can help to guide the owners and managers of any business or organization toward a successful future.
1. Why are we in business?
2. How do we do business?
3. Where are we now?
4. Where do we want to be?
5. How can we get there?
6. How will we know we've arrived?
1. Why are we in business?
Vision--the future position and value of the organization (present tense, seven words or less).
Mission--the organization and its purpose (one hundred words or less):
* who we are,
* who we serve,
* what products and services we offer, and
* how we make them available.
Driving forces--the conditions which "drive" the organization:
* products/services offered,
* market focus/needs,
* technology,
* production capability/capacity,
* method of sale,
* method of distribution,
* natural resources,
* size and growth, or
* profit/return on investment.
2. How do we do business?
Values--the bases on which we want decisions to be made and actions to be taken.
Culture--traditions, ethics, and other standards which influence the way things are accomplished in the organization.
Climate--the interpersonal and physical environments: is the organization a good place to be and to work?
3. Where are we now?
Environmental assessment--identifying factors which can impact our mission:
* strengths,
* weaknesses,
* opportunities,
* threats,
* competition, and
* constraints.
Strengths and weaknesses ---are internal to the organization: how can we identify them and capitalize on our strengths and minimize or eliminate our weaknesses?
Opportunities and threats ---are external to the organization: again, how can we identify them and take advantage of the opportunities while countering the threats?
Competition and constraints ---can be either internal or external. Competition is any activity or condition which competes for the same resources. Constraints can arise from social, political, legal, educational, industrial, or managerial activities or conditions which prevent or inhibit accomplishing the organization's mission. How can we meet the competition and change or accommodate the constraints?
4. Where do we want to be?
Strategies--where we want to be and what we want to achieve.
Goals and objectives--directly support our mission. Goals should be SMART:
* S-pecific,
* M-easurable,
* A-chievable,
* R-ealistic, and
* T-imely.
Gap analysis--determining the difference between where we are and where we want to be.
5. How can we get there?
Tactics--specific action plans to implement our strategies--the right people doing the right things at right time in the right way for the right reasons.
Resources--there are only five:
* people,
* property,
* time,
* money, and
* technology (or knowledge).
6. How will we know we've arrived?
Management--establishing budgets, controls, and reporting systems and designating a coordinator to monitor each element of the strategic plan.
It is also true that strategic planning may be a tool for effectively plotting the direction of each individual; however, strategic planning itself cannot foretell exactly how we will evolve and what issues will surface in the coming days in order to plan our future strategy. Therefore, strategic innovation and tinkering with the 'strategic plan' have to be a cornerstone strategy for us to survive various obstacles in life.
Planning in organizations and public policy is both the organizational process of creating and maintaining a plan; and the psychological process of thinking about the activities required to create a desired goal on some scale. As such, it is a fundamental property of intelligent behavior. This thought process is essential to the creation and refinement of a plan, or integration of it with other plans, that is, it combines forecasting of developments with the preparation of scenarios of how to react to them.
The term is also used to describe the formal procedures used in such an endeavor, such as the creation of documents diagrams, or meetings to discuss the important issues to be addressed, the objectives to be met, and the strategy to be followed. Beyond this, planning has a different meaning depending on the political or economic context in which it is used.
Two attitudes to planning need to be held in tension: on the one hand we need to be prepared for what may lie ahead, which may mean contingencies and flexible processes. On the other hand, our future is shaped by consequences of our own planning and actions. Planning is a process for accomplishing purpose. It is blue print of business growth and a road map of development. It helps in deciding objectives both in quantitative and qualitative terms. It is setting of goals on the basis of objectives and keeping in view the resources.
What should a plan be?
A plan should be a realistic view of the expectations. Depending upon the activities, a plan can be long range, intermediate range or short range. It is the framework within which it must operate. For management seeking external support, the plan is the most important document and key to growth. Preparation of a comprehensive plan will not guarantee success, but lack of a sound plan will almost certainly ensure failure.
Purpose of Plan
Just as no two organizations are alike, so also their plans. It is therefore important to prepare a plan keeping in view the necessities of the enterprise. A plan is an important aspect of business. It serves the following three critical functions:
* Helps management to clarify, focus, and research their businesses or project's development and prospects.
* Provides a considered and logical framework within which a business can develop and pursue business strategies over the next three to five years.
* Offers a benchmark against which actual performance can be measured and reviewed.
Importance of the planning Process
A plan can play a vital role in helping to avoid mistakes or recognize hidden opportunities. Preparing a satisfactory plan of the organization is essential. The planning process enables management to understand more clearly what they want to achieve, and how and when they can do it.
A well-prepared business plan demonstrates that the managers know the business and that they have thought through its development in terms of products, management, finances, and most importantly, markets and competition.
Planning helps in forecasting the future, makes the future visible to some extent. It bridges between where we are and where we want to go. Planning is looking ahead.
Essentials of planning
Planning is not done off hand. It is prepared after careful and extensive research. For a comprehensive business plan, management has to
1. Clearly define the target / goal in writing.
1. It should be set by a person having authority.
2. The goal should be realistic.
3. It should be specific.
4. Acceptability
5. Easily measurable
2. Identify all the main issues which need to be addressed.
3. Review past performance.
4. Decide budgetary requirement.
5. Focus on matters of strategic importance.
6. What are requirements and how it will be met?
7. What will be the likely length of the plan and its structure?
8. Identify shortcomings in the concept and gaps.
9. Strategies for implementation.
10. Review periodically.
As an IT Consultant someday!!!
An IT consultant works in partnership with clients, advising them how to use information technology in order to meet their business objectives or overcome problems. Consultants work to improve the structure and efficiency and of an organsiation's IT systems.
IT consultants may be involved in a variety of activities, including marketing, project management, client relationship management and systems development.
They may also be responsible for user training and feedback. In many companies, these tasks will be carried out by an IT project team. IT consultants are increasingly involved in sales and business development, as well as technical duties.
Typical work activities
Task typically involve:
• meeting with clients to determine requirements;
• working with clients to define the scope of a project;
• planning timescales and the resources needed;
• clarifying a client's system specifications, understanding their work practices and the nature of their business;
• travelling to customer sites;
• liaising with staff at all levels of a client organisation;
• defining software, hardware and network requirements;
• analysing IT requirements within companies and giving independent and objective advice on the use of IT;
• developing agreed solutions and implementing new systems;
• presenting solutions in written or oral reports;
• helping clients with change-management activities;
• project managing the design and implementation of preferred solutions;
• purchasing systems where appropriate;
• designing, testing, installing and monitoring new systems;
• preparing documentation and presenting progress reports to customers;
• organising training for users and other consultants;
• being involved in sales and support and, where appropriate, maintaining contact with client organisations;
• identifying potential clients and building and maintaining contacts.
Key skills for IT consultants
• analytical approach to work
• excellent problem-solving skills
• interpersonal skills
• communication skills
• ability to absorb complex technical information and pass this on clearly
• stamina to meet deadlines
• ability to work under pressure
• project-management skills
• detailed technical knowledge
• motivation.
Training to be an IT consultant
Training is usually on the job, and may include training in programming languages, systems analysis and testing, or in business skills. Practical project experience under supervision is also given.
Information technology consulting (IT consulting, Computer consultancy, Computing consultancy, technology consulting or business and technology services) is a field that focuses on advising businesses on how best to use information technology to meet their business objectives. In addition to providing advice, IT consultancies often implement, deploy, and administer IT systems on businesses' behalf.
Despite what people might tell you, strategic planning is an art. As with other arts, you can do better with good training and tools, but at the end of the day, there is no replacement for skill and experience.
In times of economic turmoil - or even just turmoil in a specific industry - many companies turn away from their strategic planning to focus on short-term issues. In many cases this is warranted - your course may not be as important if the ship is sinking - but in far more cases, this departure can lead to bad strategy and failure.
References:
http://managementhelp.org/plan_dec/str_plan/str_plan.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planning
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/p/types_of_job/it_consultant_job_description.jsp
http://www.woodwarddavis.com/plandef.html
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