...a writeful protest...

Making things work out…

For one last time we tried to discuss with our first adopted company to talk about their business operations. Though they're not allowed to say it, we still tried to pass a list of guide questions for them to answer. We got their answers on the day their PSD officer told us to come back. On the 9^th of September, we finally had their answers. Unfortunately, their answers were not able to satisfy the conditions in making the assessment T_T. We felt so pathetic that day but then we decided to find another organization to become our adopted company. Haay…that moment, I was just hoping for the best to come.

Our desperation: our hope…

            As days go near to the major paper submission, we felt so desperate that we looked for another company to be adopted. We only had one choice though. On September 16, we went to our instructor for approval of the letter and then we submitted it to our prospect adopted company. The company was located at San Pedro St. which we were entertained well as we reached their establishment. (We are not allowed to state and publish in any forum or blog the name of our new company. It is due to the company’s IT Manager’s request.)

            We were entertained by the IT Manager of the company which we were treated properly. He asked us our purpose of conducting our interview in their company and we conferred at their office. Afterward explaining, he told us that if he is to decide, he would love to accommodate and help us. But then, he was not the one to decide with the situation and he has to confirm our request to their vice-president for approval if he permits. Before we depart from their office, we left our contact number hoping that our request will be approved.

            After a week of waiting for their approval, we decided to go straight to their office and verify personally if our request is approved by their vice-president on the afternoon of September 23^rd. Unfortunately, he informed us that his boss didn't approve our letter because their programmers had just started making the company's inventory system. They can't accommodate us because of their busy schedule. We were so sad T_T. However, the IT manager, whom we talked with, guaranteed us that he'll help still help us with our major paper. He'll recommend us with his business partner and he suggested that we will meet up by 6 pm of Saturday (September 26) to introduce his business partner. We were so desperately hoping for a positive response. 

Still hoping…

            On September 26, few hours before the agreed time of meeting with the IT Manager’s business partner, we went to our adopted company and talk to him. We were so frantic and felt like we don’t have any choice but to convince the IT Manager of the company to allow us to conduct an interview and assess their information system.  We explained to him the great help that he'll be given to us if he would grant our request in assessing the information system in their company. After several negotiations, we were able to convince him with our request. We agreed that our information from the company is only limited to the knowledge of the IT Manager and no further questions to be done with the higher positions in the company. We asked him the basic structure and elements of their company and left a questionnaire for him to answer. He agreed that we’ll get his answers on by Monday. And that’s how our first interview goes.

            Our hope isn’t gone yet and during our visit last September 28^th, we were expecting that we’ll be able to get the questionnaire accompanied with his answers. Unfortunately, he was not able to answer the questions that we gave him because he got so busy during the days. We were so distressed by the situation and hoping for the next to be a good one. Then the good one comes right when you need it. He decided to answer all the questions needed in our assessment. In all fairness to him, his answers were just the thing we needed the most. After a while, he finished it and also answered our follow-up questions. He was just so kind. Also, he added that everything we discussed and tackled should not be posted in any forms except our major paper. And as a respect, we abided the rules he imposed to us.

Getting there…

            After getting the answers, we started our documentation right away. It was a week of hardship and sleepless nights. We took a long time in stating our recommendation and our implementation plan, but then we still got through with it. And finally, we completed the documentation for our major paper. It was not really easy because we were just given few days to finish the assessment. And on October 1, the day to submit the major paper, we submitted our major paper for further checking with our instructor. There were few modifications that our instructor noticed in our paper. After the checking is done, he gave us a temporary grade of 3.0 and told us that our major paper is ready for ring bound. After getting out of his office, we hurriedly modify our major paper. Right after we finish the modifications and revised our major paper, our instructor announced that the consultation and submission of major paper for that day is stopped and will continue by next week. It was frustrating but then we were relieved that we finally finished our major paper after all our hard work. ^_^

…

           It took me quite a while to furnish my answer to this last assignment in MIS 1. I went reading a lot of sites pertaining to what sir means with “Information Environment”. I asked my classmates about it and visit forums from the previous year. And somehow, I was enlightened. ^____^

           From what I’ve understand and as I browse meanings in the internet, information environment is a place wherein information is being gathered, processed, used, stored, and updated according to the specifications of the one in need of such information. It is known that there are a lot of information resources all over the world that can be used to support researchers, learners, teachers and administrators in their work and study. The production of information is on the increase and ways to deal with this effectively are required because people are in need of information in achieving their respective goals and ideals. Therefore, there is the need to ensure that quality information isn't lost amongst the masses of digital data created everyday. Information environment could be anywhere whether it’s a business or school setting. As long as it conveys proper settings for learning information and resources that is used and published. There are a lot of information environment nowadays and honestly, while making this post, I still got to think on what information environment I should choose. But since I’ve reached this top, well maybe then, I have to decide.

          Honestly, I am a frustrated blogger. Yes, that’s true…ridiculous if you think about it. How do I say so? Well seriously, I love to write or should I say express my own thoughts and emotions in writing. However, I still get the hang up of being so reluctant with my work. I also suffer being so clumsy and lazy when I desire to do such tasks. (I’m working to minimize my problems though.) In my way of inclining my frustration in my own satisfaction, the information environment I chose is the blog sites in the internet.

“The fundamental principle behind the Web was that once someone somewhere made available a document, database, graphic, sound, video, or screen at some stage in an interactive dialogue, it should be accessible (subject to authorization, of course) by anyone, with any type of computer, in any country. And it should be possible to make a reference – a link – to that thing, so that others could find it.”
- Tim Berners-Lee: “Weaving the Web” – 1999

  

Blog is a platform by which you can tell people what you know and what you want to tell with them. Blogging is a proof to be an immensely useful platform for the individuals to speak out their minds to the outside world. Years ago, there was no such thing as a “blog;” but today blogs have become very influential components of the Internet, and their importance is growing exponentially. The word “blog” is a shortened form of “web log,” and it stands for a web site that keeps a log (much like a diary) of people’s thoughts, their actions, and their reactions to other people’s thoughts and actions. Today, there are millions of blogs on the Internet. Some blogs are personal blogs which for some people it is a medium of showing their selves in telling their interests and goals. It can also be a psychologically fulfilling tool for self expression. For teenagers to elderly people, they use blogs as a journal for radical views on politics, government, system, technology, nature etc. Blogs often become a source for them to communicate with others, especially those who have the same line of interest and also help in expanding their social circle. It provides means or place for public expression of opinion. Some blogs are built for business and corporate purposes. It becomes a substantial tool to enhance communication and culture within the corporation where people share their views about their work and experience which provides learning to the other employees as well. It can also be an eminent opportunity to communicate with their clients. This adds to their marketing, branding and public relations purposes. Blogs proof to be an official platform where business can display official information like company news, new product launch etc. Moreover, blogs also can be used as tools for creating on-line communities of people interested in the same subjects – or in each other.

Consequently, as a mean part of this information environment, it is my role to take responsibility in creating posts that is substantial to the readers. The reader would somehow able to know some information and facts regarding posts from my blog. I definitely believe that timely information is significant to readers who value current news and facts. During the years, some blogs have become “news sources,” publishing stories like newspapers, radio stations and TV stations. Knowing that people (many or few) consume your content (read your blog) causes a sense of responsibility (to varying degrees). It is similar to an actor or a journalist discovering that people admire or enjoy their work and instantly receive an additional motivation to do their very best. Not everyone in life knows what it's like to have an audience but blogs are changing that and soon, everyone who chooses to will have an audience. It will be a decision of choice instead of circumstance on posting subsequent topics into your blog. Being an IT student, being equip with updates of the new technology should also be considered in creating posts in the blog. For the readers’ sake, it is their rights to acknowledged with the latest news and events.

In performing this role, it is just to consider the help from the principles of information organization and representation. Information organization is important for people to find and understand information. This is done in order for the information to collected and recorded, retrieved, evaluated and selected, understood, processed and analyzed, applied, and rearranged and reused. Blogging is a conventional way of redistribution of information to the readers and other bloggers. The content that the blogger published could quite possibly be someone's media consumption tomorrow and maybe inspire posts by other bloggers. With the principles of information organization and representation, quality information will be produced. By blogging, the readers internalize the idea, inspiration or issue that was published and thus give valid information that somehow helps in attaining their respective daily goals.

 

  In acquiring certain tasks, certain challenges are also being encountered. In blogging, you should find specific topics and related sources in order to provide convincing posts and factual information. The first thing to consider is the time. More appropriately, once started blogging, you have to commit certain amount of time everyday. Up-to-date posts would mostly likely engage visitors to your blog. Second is the subject you are to post in your blog. You should know the topics and facts you are discussing in order for the readers to acquire ideas and inspirations while reading your blog. Last one is maintenance in your blog. It is your responsibility in maintaining good posts in your blog and creates a favorable site for gaining information.

As I browse more on the internet I’ve found four specific ways that blogs are causing change among the masses.

1. Activism

Media consumption has traditionally been a passive event. While each medium requires varying degrees of attention and concentration, very few require active participation. Reading a book demands thinking and concentration but the act of reading very rarely motivates the reader to write his own book. And, for the few who do receive that authorial inspiration, many obstacles stand between a finished book and publication. The passive nature of traditional media consumption may be by design or it may be due to circumstances but the reality is that blogs DO NOT ENCOURAGE passive behavior. In fact, blogs are the polar opposite of passive media consumption. Blogs encourage people to publish their content for the world. By definition this is an activity and blogging encourages this activity.

Contrast a habitual television viewer, aka couch potato, with a blogger. The couch potato watches programming and maybe talks about what he saw at the office water cooler. The blogger may watch a similar show or possibly read something interesting on the Web and blogs about it for the entire world to read. Additionally, the content that the blogger published could quite possibly be someone's media consumption tomorrow and maybe inspire posts by other bloggers.

      The point isn't that bloggers will change the world but that blogging is an activity and getting involved affects people in many positive ways. Additionally, by blogging, the participants internalize the idea, inspiration or issue that was published. The result of this internalization a sense of "ownership" because personal time and energy was invested in the blog post. 

2. Audience

Knowing that people (many or few) consume your content (read your blog) causes a sense of responsibility (to varying degrees). It is similar to an actor or a journalist discovering that people admire or enjoy their work and instantly receive an additional motivation to do their very best. Not everyone in life knows what it's like to have an audience but blogs are changing that and soon, everyone who chooses to will have an audience. It will be a decision of choice instead of circumstance.

3. Votes

Links are votes. Commenting about a topic is a vote. Bloggers are trading in votes. With search engines like Google and services like Technorati, Daypop and Blogdex, every blogger who adds a link or bitches about a movie, enters a vote for that particular topic or Web site. The more bloggers that link or comment, the more important that topic becomes and the more visible it is to the rest of the world. The more visible the topic becomes, the more it will be talked about and the cycle will continue.

That is only one example of how linking and commenting on a topic can register a vote of support or condemnation. Without a blog (or a Web site) it is impossible for an individual to have anything close to that type of impact on a particular topic. Empowering individuals with the ability to actually make a difference with something he or she cares about is a powerful thing. Be careful with those links.

4. Lens

Because bloggers have a means to publish anything to a global audience they begin to view the world around them through a blogging lens. Everyday events suddenly become potential blog posts. An awareness develops that didn't previously exist. An otherwise ordinary individual is now seeing things in her personal experiences as possible content for a global publication.

Journalists learn to view life through the lens of “the story.” Artists learn to perceive the world as inspiration for their next masterpiece. Musicians learn to gobble up sounds and experiences as fuel for their next platinum record. Mathematicians learn to see numerical patterns in nature and are motivated to develop Nobel-winning equations. And now bloggers are learning to view everything around them as inspiration for their blog.

As an information environment, blogging should be done accordingly, just as it follows the regulations impose by certain individuals or organizations involved or linked in the making of the blog post. Certain policies should be considered and acquired. From this, a proper management of the information environment will be applied.

  

Sources:

http://www.jisc.ac.uk/whatwedo/themes/informationenvironment.aspx

http://www.southernct.edu/organizations/rccs/news/blogs.html

http://pagerankandalexa.com/content/why-anyone-needs-blog

http://www.webraw.com/quixtar/archives/2004/10/blogging_101_the_importance_of_blogs.php

In-source or Outsource

If I’m invited by the Dean of the Institute of Computing to attend a seminar-workshop on information systems planning with some of the faculty members and asked to present your evaluation about outsourcing the information systems functions of the school, I would take into account on what position I should take in. Honestly, there’s a lot to consider on which side should be taken in. Let’s just discus first what insourcing (in-house) and outsourcing means and its benefits in applying it in the school.

Outsourcing is subcontracting a process, such as product design or manufacturing, to a third-party company. It began in the early eighties when organizations started delegating their non-core functions to an external organization that was specialized in providing a particular service, function or product. In outsourcing, the external organization would take on the management of the outsourced function. Most organizations choose outsourcing because outsourcing offers a lot of advantages. When organizations outsource to countries like India, they benefit from lower costs and high-quality services. Moreover organizations can concentrate more on core functions once they outsource their non-core functions. Outsourcing can also help organizations make better use of their resources, time and infrastructure.

In outsourcing, the outsourcer and the outsourcing partner have a greater relationship when compared to the relationship between a buyer and a seller. In outsourcing, the outsourcer trusts the outsourcing partner with vital information. Outsourcing is no longer confined to the outsourcing of IT services. Outsourcers in the US and UK now outsource financial services, engineering services, creative services, data entry services and much more. Most organizations are opting to outsource because outsourcing enables organizations to access intellectual capital, focus on core competencies, shorten the delivery cycle time and reduce costs significantly. Organizations feel outsourcing is an effective business strategy to help improve their business.

Basically, outsource service providers offer higher quality services at a lower cost. This makes the advantages of IT development outsourcing obvious. As I’ve searched on the internet, I saw its good sides and bad sides in adapting it to the company. One of its given advantages are the following:

Ø Outsourcing IT development is a most effective way to stretch your budget. When managers plan IT development outsourcing, they usually make it their aim to cut down the company's expenditures by 30%. This is a figure that speaks for itself. Of course, there's always the risk of failure, but if you outsource prudently, you'll afford to implement projects of such a scale that would be impossible for you to reach on your own.

Ø If you need to have state-of-the-art IT solutions worked out and innovations implemented with small losses, outsourcing may be the only way out. It will save you from the nightmare of retraining your employees (or even hiring new ones) and/or paying for re-equipment.

Ø Cutting your costs and upgrading the quality of the services you offer will allow you to expand the competitive capacity of your business. I suppose the state the IT market is in today makes this simple argument a crucial one.

Ø When you outsource IT development to an outside company, you can concentrate on your core activities. You won't be able to completely forget all about the project or its part that you have chosen to outsource as soon as you sign a contract with an outsource service provider, but you won't have to get scattered, either.

Ø If you deal with an experienced and highly qualified vendor, you'll be able to gain valuable expertise in support of your IT capacity. Almost any vendor will surely try to set a dependency trap for you, but it doesn't mean you have to acquire the dependency pattern instead of learning everything you can derive from the vendor's expertise.

However, there are also certain facts of disadvantages in outsourcing. Various studies show that 20% to 35% of IT outsourcing contracts is not revived after they expire. Needless to say that most customers in these cases are not satisfied with the quality and/or price of the services. Here some other facts:

Ø You will lose control over the project or at least over the part that you have chosen to outsource. This is the problem that frightens almost any manager who has little or no experience in outsourcing. This is the challenge any business involved in outsourcing faces. This is the risk you have to take. It is inevitable that outsource service providers should take control - at least in part - over outsourcing projects. However, they are not supposed to abuse the confidence reposed in them by their customers. In order to minimize the risk, you have to be extremely careful studying the background of your potential vendor. Once you decide in favor of this or that company and begin negotiating the contract, you should try to make the whole process of the project implementation as transparent for you as it is possible.

Ø An outsource service provider might be trying to diversify the business so zealously that achieving progress in one particular area becomes questionable. The solution to this problem lies in the company's portfolio. Examine the relevant case studies and success stories, ask the vendor for references, and, if you are still uncertain, do not hesitate to check these references.

Ø A number of problems may arise due to the incompetence of a customer who is a novice in outsourcing. That's right, you don't have to think that an outsource service provider is the root of all evil. Incompetent customers tend to make modifications in standards and procedures that have been long established. A vendor who knows that the customer is always right tries to implement the project the way the customer wants it, which finally leads to a total mess-up.

On the other hand, insourcing (in-house), the opposite of outsourcing often term as or contracting in is often defined as the delegation of operations or jobs from production within a business to an internal (but 'stand-alone') entity that specializes in that operation. Insourcing is a business decision that is often made to maintain control of critical production or competencies. An alternate use of the term implies transferring jobs to within the country where the term is used, either by hiring local subcontractors or building a facility.

When an organization delegates its work to another entity, which is internal yet not a part of the organization, it is termed as insourcing. The internal entity will usually have a specialized team who will be proficient in the providing the required services. Organizations sometimes opt for insourcing because it enables them to maintain a better control of what they outsource. Insourcing has also come to be defined as transferring work from one organization to another organization which is located within the same country. Insourcing can also mean an organization building a new business centre or facility which would specialize in a particular service or product. Organizations involved in production usually opt for insourcing in order to cut down the cost of labor and taxes amongst others. The trend towards insourcing has increased since the year 2006. Organizations who have been dissatisfied with outsourcing have moved towards insourcing. Some organizations feel that they can have better customer support and better control over the work outsourced by insourcing their work rather than outsourcing it.

Same with outsourcing there are also certain benefits for having in-house programmers in the university. Here are some:

Ø An internal employee is more likely to have a deeper understanding of your business and the industry. This knowledge and insight definitely comes in handy in choosing the right keywords to optimize for. An in-house programmer is already familiar with the language, brands and product lines involved.

Ø Direct control over the resources doing the work permits better control over the results. An internal LPM directly coordinates and manages each activity with resources that can be in nearby offices. In this model, the people doing the work also directly coordinate it.

Ø Reduce recurring costs associated with managing a Help Desk including staffing and training.

Ø Improve service levels and increase professionalism among Help Desk staff.

Ø Realign your staffing as necessary

Ø Take advantage of existing Help Desk infrastructure and recent call management software implementation

Ø Predictable monthly service charge for service

In spite of the advantages mentioned, there are also disadvantages in adapting in-source in an organization.

Ø The sheer volume of personnel needed to meet the localization requirement can be perfectly viable when localizing into just a few languages but becomes less so—if not economically infeasible—when localizing products into many languages.

Ø Work frequency in each language – in-house personnel must have enough work on a regular basis to remain cost effective.

Ø Infrastructure – in-house personnel need offices, computers, telephones, office supplies, and so forth to function properly. The key to success is keeping these resources utilized on value-add activities. Under-utilization means excess capacity that can quickly consume the savings that insourcing provides over out-sourcing.

Ø Require significant staff changes

Ø Invest time in management of insourcing company

Ø Requires investment in technology and process

Ø Facility and technology must be provided and managed by the organization

With the mentioned advantages and disadvantages of in-source and outsource, it is good to believe that the university can apply with both of these functions. Either could still be helpful in the operations in the school. However, it is just to consider the will and capabilities of the qualified personnel in the school that can perform the said the outgoing process of developing the systems used in the university. Since the school has one of the best programmers here in the city, why don’t we try to adapt in-sourcing in the school? It’s true that altering the school from outsource to in-source would make such difficulties. However, difficulties are always accompanied in advancing to modern modification. Having spent the past few years handing over control of troublesome processes to service providers, it is just right to o bring control of problematic systems back in-house. The school should apt to take the challenge and I believe that the university can still overcome the changes later on. Of course, it needs considerable analysis and examinations in getting the perfect picture. Adapting in-source takes a big planning and if the university can discuss firmly the needs of the system, then it would be appropriate to utilize in-source programmers in the school.

Sources:

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

http://dictionary.bnet.com/definition/insourcing.html

http://www.searchenginepanel.com/top-five-advantages-to-in-house-link-building/

First: “Kung noong nakaraan, lumakas ang electronics, today we are creating wealth by developing the BPO and tourism sectors as additional engines of growth. Electronics and other manufactured exports rise and fall in accordance with the state of the world economy. But BPO remains resilient. With earnings of $6 billion and employment of 600,000, the BPO phenomenon speaks eloquently of our competitiveness and productivity. Let us have a Department of ICT….”

I’m deeply appreciative that the president has finally decided to build a sector to focus on information and communications technology. BPO (Business Process Outsourcing) has been growing through the years which caters varied support services functions namely: (1) Human Resources such as recruitment and payroll; (2) Customer Service and helpdesk functions; (3) Procurement and materials management; (4) proof reading and editing; and (5) layout and design. Being part of the third- world country is never a hindrance to be part of modernization in the industry today. Having Department of ICT in the country would help the big problem of the government in employment. This could give opportunities to Filipinos to acquire jobs here and abroad. This also promotes to the foreign business and investors that the country has a pool-skilled of people. Therefore, enables us to get their attention in making investments here in the country which could make and give a lot more of employment to the Filipino applicants.

Second: “As a country in the path of typhoons and in the Pacific Rim of Fire, we must be as prepared as the latest technology permits to anticipate natural calamities when that is possible; to extend immediate and effective relief when it is not….The mapping of flood- and landslide-prone areas is almost complete. Early warning, forecasting and monitoring systems have been improved, with weather tracking facilities in Subic, Tagaytay, Mactan, Mindanao, Pampanga….”

It is a need of the country to have the latest technology in forecasting possible and coming natural calamities that could happen in the country. It is a fact that we are experiencing climate change thus engage us in calamity occurrences nationwide. It is a great benefit for all of the Filipinos to have the latest technology for warning devices of possible calamity that will happen in the country. In this manner, we will know now when and how to get ready when calamities come.

Third: “As the process of fundamental political reform begins, let us address the highest exercise of democracy…voting! In 2001, I said we would finance fully automated elections. We got it, thanks to Congress….”

The automation of the election would definitely start on the year 2010 (the next national elections). This step for modernization is one way of the country to advance in technology and be one of the country to adapt this new kind of intervention. As I’ve said in my current posts about election automaiton, this amendment would ensure easy and fast election and provides credible and transparent electoral process.

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There have been many points about ICT in the SONA of the president and I just that I would really be realized and still be continued even her term ends. As her last words “We can and we must-march-forward-with-hope, optimism and determination. We must come together, work together and walk together toward the future.”, we should go hand in hand in working hard for the future. After all, we all aim for one goal – PROGRESSION.

Source:

http://ralphguzman.org/2009/07/27/full-transcript-president-gloria-macapagal-arroyos-sona-2009/