1000715846 Minhajul Alam's Answers

1st Blog Questions

1. Define the meaning of the terms data, information and knowledge according to Thomas Davenport's Information Hierarchy (1997).

Ans: Define the meaning of the terms data, information and knowledge according to Thomas Davenport's Information Hierarchy (1997)

According to Davenport and Prusak it is possible to define:Data is a set of discrete, objective facts about events.

Informationit has a shape and it is organized to some purposes. "Information is data endowed with relevance and purpose.

Knowledgeconverting data into information thus requires knowledge. And knowledge, by definition, is specialized" (Peter Drucker).

2. What are the characteristics of the above terms?

Ans: Data describes only a part of what happened; it provides no judgment or interpretation and no sustainable basis of action. But data is important to organizations because it is essential raw material for the creation of information. Data becomes information through the five "C":Contextualized, Calculated, Categorized, Corrected, Condensed.
Information becomes knowledge through the four "C":Comparison, Consequents, Connections, Conversation.

4. Is there any possibility of a fourth level of Information Hierarchy? Elaborate.

Ans: One of the more detailed descriptions of the conceptual hierarchy of knowledge has been given by Earl. It differs from most extant hierarchies, as the distinguishing character of knowledge is its social acceptance. This reflects the idea that knowledge has to be interpersonal or objective. According to Earl, there are actually four levels of knowledge needed to understand organizational information, each level representing an increasing amount of structure, certainty and validation. First, organizational events are represented, collected and processed to generate data. Data are further manipulated, presented and interpreted to generate information. Information then leads to knowledge as it is tested, validated and codified. Earl emphasizes the idea that knowledge emerges through inter-personal validation. The underlying conception, however, is still based on viewing data as the raw material from which knowledge is created.


2nd Blog Questions

After an effort well shown in previous blogs, I would like to see some reviews/opinions on the most common question in managing strategic information systems.
Considering the organizational environments (internal, external and new work) and the technology environments (hardware, software and data trends), what current technologies do you predict will have the most impact on the way work is done? Why?
Answer in proper paragraphs, in essay form. Try not to exceed 500 words.

Ans: Nowadays, with the development of the technology, the environment of organization becomes more and more complex, more and more new situations appear in the organization.

Organizational environment refers to the forces that can make an impact. Forces made up opportunities and threats. Organizations dose not exist in isolation. It works with the overall environment. The environments have been divided into two main parts as internal environment and external environment.

Internal Environment
Organizations internal environment refers to the elements within the organization. Internally, an organization can be viewed as a resource conversion machine that takes inputs (labor, money, materials and equipment) from the external environment (i.e., the outside world), converts them into useful products, goods, and services, and makes them available to customers as outputs.● Current employees● Management● Trade unions● Share holders

External Environment
It consists of all the outside institutions and forces that have an actual or potential interest or impact on the organization's ability to achieve its objectives: ● Competitive● Technological● Political● Legal

Through the relationship between the internal environment and external environment we can understand that the external environment impact the internal environment. Meanwhile, the technology becomes the important part in the external environment.The technology environment advances in organizational performance and impact the nowadays organization and work environment in four aspects.

Hardware trends:
Personal computers have been popularized from 1980s, today’s business becomes more and more rely on the computers, not only B2B (Business to Business) but also the B2C (Business to Customer). The innovation of the hardware makes the business easy and fast. The expansion of the chip also improves the store ability of the database.

Software trends:
Software also becomes the important part in today’s business. In order to improve the efficiency of the business, more and more software has been developed such as the accounting software; HR (Human Resource) management software etc. under these software help the business and management become easy and fast such as easy operation, easy maintain, easy update personal information and easy calculate.

Data trends:
Information becomes the important part in today’s business. The new technology make data and information management easily and safe. Not only the staffs but also the administrator can access the information easily and data management organizes internal facts into data record format, because of the technology environment, information management and digitized media become the main trend in business.

Communication trends:
Telecom as an integral component of IS (Information System) management and the communication-based information systems link organizations to their suppliers and customers, also shifted mainframe-centered computing to network-centric computing.

As above said, the technology impact today’s business in many ways, but the organization environment and the technology environment can not exist in isolation, the combination is necessary and important, the management information system will become the main technology and knowledge in current and future business and work situations.

3rd Blog Questions

With experience of blogging in the first 2 assignments, by now it would be easier to get ideas on posting blogs to answer questions and giving reviews/opinions. Answer the questions below with proper elaboration. Do not re-write the questions; just give a proper header for each answer will do.

1. Why is it important for business strategy to drive organisational strategy and IS strategy? What might happen if business strategy was not the driver?

Ans: What might happen if business strategy was not the driver?Simply put, organizational strategy is a clear definition of how the organization needs to change – over time - in order to be able to deliver the strategy of the enterprise and an actionable plan of how to make the transformation. This requires both the thinking and analysis to compare current state to desired state and define the gap, and the execution capabilities to make the requisite changes happen. Developed and implemented effectively organizational strategy enables companies to convert strategic intent into sustainable and high performance results.The role of information systems in providing competitive advantage and the frequent need for business re-engineering that accompanies adoption of new technology are discussed. Strategic IT planning and the evaluation process tonsure proper alignment of technology to business goals are also explained. Global IT issues are also considered.so it is important for business strategy to drive organizational strategy and IS strategy.Business Strategy - is concerned more with how a business competes successfully in a particular market. It concerns strategic decisions about choice of products, meeting needs of customers, gaining advantage over competitors, exploiting or creating new opportunities etc.business strategy models should not: just be statements of intent; come across like a political speech; have concrete meaning only to management; concern themselves with events far in the future or have little relevance to today.so if business strategy was not the driver, it might make the business fail.

2. Consider a traditional manufacturing company that wanted to take advantage of the Internet and the Web. What might be a reasonable business strategy and how would organisational and IS strategy need to change?

Ans: If a traditional manufacturing company that wanted to take advantage of the Internet and the Web, the business model of the company has changed from the traditional to E-commerce manufacture. Electronic markets allow cooperating competing companies to control how a market in a certain business area operates. This can have strategic implications due to way this manipulates the environmental threat and opportunities. Internet commerce has the potential to replace traditional sales channels in both the business-to consumer and business-to-business sectors. In addition e-commerce can generate new business opportunities, for instance the sale of electronic content has provided a new channel for the distribution of music, and it may be argued, provided a different product. Overall, the business model has changed, so the operation of the organization also would be changed.

As a business strategy is developed it should be used to inform the strategies of the departments that make up the organization, in this way the Organizational and IS strategy of a company would be influenced by the business strategy. When a company wants to change its business model from traditional to E-commerce, the Organizational and IS strategy will also change following the Business Strategy so that the IS Strategy Triangle can keep balance. Adoption of e-commerce strategies implies that new technologies must be mastered and new ways of working will be encountered. An organization must analyze the requirements and ensure that it can meet them so that the organization can have a high success in its business.

3. What does this tip from Fast Company mean: “The job of the CIO is to provide organisational and strategic flexibility”?

Ans: Office of the CIO in support of the campus wide IT process:• Communications• Financial Planning• Project Management• Security, Privacy and Policy s. Assistance Strategic Technology AcquisitionSome of these services correspond to departments in the Office of the CIO, but they are presented here as services to the campus IT community instead of as organizational unit.
Since the Respondents said they needed to be more involved in vision setting, organizational strategy and communication, in addition to the advice they provide to the business on technology, the CIOs considered application development and integration as potential areas for cost reductions, while intelligence and analytics were not considered as important. And they also believe that application development and integration are still significant areas of focus for achieving cost reductions and securing overall value. However, Knowledge, intelligence and analytics, on the other hand, are not considered priorities. According these, the CIOs of Fast Company suggested the business strategy and organizational strategy and declares that the job of the CIO is to provide organizational and strategic flexibility.

* Questions derived from Pearlson & Saunders (2006).


4th Blog Questions

For this blog, the topic is on our latest lecture on IT and the Design of Work. Implementation of IT system helps in changing the way work is done, but there seems to be resistance from the human workers when the technology replaces the routine and mechanical works.

1. Why might a worker resist the implementation of a new technology? Give some examples to support the idea.

Ans: When the new technology comes to implement the workers routine work, many of the staff will resist. The new IT technology may lower morale and job satisfaction, with employees feeling they are just "pushing buttons". For example, the manager put a pinhole camera in the workshop to manage the workers. This would make the workers unhappy, because they think when they are working, at the same time someone is surveillance. And the worker also thinks they have the privacy even if they at working, the pinhole camera also violate their privacy. Another example is that a truck delivery company put a GPS system in every truck to control the location of each driver, and if the driver goes other place that no-related to the worker, the company would give punishment to that driver. In doing this way, the company can manage the work routine better, but the drivers would not happy with this action. They will think that there are eyes look at he/she, and they will feel angry.

Using technology to manage workers will reduce the enthusiasm when the staffs do the job. They think they just like the robots when they under the surveillance. If the dissatisfaction increased, it will give a big impact on the company itself.

2. What are some of the possible consequences of asking a worker to use a computer or similar device in his or her job? Critically discuss this.

Ans: When ask a worker to use a computer in his job, then some possible consequences will appears. Firstly, because this is the first time for the worker using computer in his job, and he is not familiar with this computer. Although using computer to finish the work, the work efficiency is low. Secondly, to make the work well by using computer, the worker should learn much new knowledge on new technology. It will cause the complaints from worker and affect his mood. Thirdly, during the work processes, maybe the worker should make the database or any other things. At that time, he dont know how to do, and he will ask professionals to solve the problem, which will cause self-humiliation, and he cannot achieve self-worth.

3. How can IT alter an individual’s work? How can a manager insure that the impact is positive rather than negative?

Ans: IT changes the employee's work from traditional way to a new era. In past, all the tasks done by the worker, by using IT, the most tasks are done by the computer. The communication among the workers is also changed into electronic ways. IT enable various electronic approached done by the computer, and the worker did less tasks than traditional.

For the managers. They must come out ways that make the employees accept worker under the computer device, they must ensure that the impact is positive rather than negative. For example, in the evaluation stage, the manager can find those who are very hard in the work process, and give a reward in the last of month. In this way, the worker's enthusiasm can be increase by the rewards.

* Questions derived from Pearlson & Saunders (2006).

Development in IT and work arrangement

As time goes by, there are more innovations and inventions emerging in the society here and there, especially in the field of IT. In this case, a worker will choose to resist the implementation of a new technology because of some inner thoughts. Firstly, I will state some examples about this point.

1. Human resistance to the use of information technology in construction companies
Information Technology with all its capabilities promise a big potential for construction companies to gain competitive advantage in the market. In the construction industry, it is believed that the use of IT will contribute to improved performance and reduced cost by, for example, reliably tracking and managing construction materials, documents, etc. However, because the human dimension is not given adequate consideration, the process of implementing IT often fails to bring the intended result (Audi et al. 2005).

2. The role and barrier of labour in choosing and implementing information-based technologies
Labour's resistance to the introduction and utilization of IT could lessen its potential impacts. As understood, it is a little impact for the workers to do the things in their job positions whtn the new technologies appearing at present. In some extent, it will influence their wages and effects of their work. Here, it is in the field of policy and industrial development, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA.

Factually, the value from the workers can not display obviously by that way since IT plays a more important role in the work. It is also the factor that how IT alters an individual’s work.
Although the pressure is lower than before that the new IT has not come out, the workers' contributions is also less than before. However, by this way, a manager will insures that the impact is positive rather than negative. The reason why it is like that is Information Technologies will improve and then promote the development of the companies and increase more profits than before.

So, it illustrates that as soon as IT develops, it will have an impact in the design of work.



References
[1] Audi, Fani, Heru and Purwoadi. (Thursday, 1 September, 2005) 'Human resistance to the use of information technology in construction companies' [online] (Cited 29 March 2009). Available from: www.articlearchives.com/computing/software-services-applications/1021707-1.html.

Review Malaysia Technology Expo (MTE) 2009

On 20th February, 2009, we went to Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with three lecturers. After going there, we found there were a lot of new inventions finished by many famous students from some famous universities in Malaysia.

Here, I chose two kind innovations of them to explain as below. (Initially, I prepared two pieces of pictures showing here. However, they could not be uploaded in this space. Therefore, I will describe a little about them.)

1. High sensitivity material for nuclear radiation dose measurement
Objective: Developing a high sensitivity and low cost thermoluminescence (TL) material for routine thermoluminescence dosimetry (TLD) applications in quantifying radiation dosage from X-rays, gamma-rays and beta radiation. This invention is from nuklear malaysia. I think it is very updated and new in ideas and thought.

2. Biotechnology improved synthetic seeds (low cost seeds production technology)
Synthetic seed refers to the encapsulation of somatic embryos that functionally mimic the behaviouss of true seeds and sprout into seedings under suitable conditions. Therefore, it also has many advantages. It is another advance in improving IT field.

Besides, there are other innovations on that day. They promote the development of IT in Malaysia.

These are a little information about reviewing MTE 2009.

IT and Design of Work

1. Why might a worker resist the implementation of a new technology? Give some examples to support the idea.

Answer: When the new technology comes to implement the workers routine work, many of the staff will resist. The new IT technology may lower morale and job satisfaction, with employees feeling they are just "pushing buttons". For example, the manager put a pinhole camera in the workshop to manage the workers. This would make the workers unhappy, because they think when they are working, at the same time someone is surveillancing. And the worker also think they have the pravacy even if they at working, the pinhole camera also violate their privacy. Another example is that a truck delivery comany put a GPS system in every truck to control the location of each driver, and if the driver go other place that no-related to the worker, the company would give punishment to that driver. In doing this way, the company can manage the work routine better, but the drivers would not happy with this action. They will think that there are eyes look at he/she, and they will feel angry.


Using technology to manage workers will reduce the enthusiasm when the staff do the job. They think they just like the roborts when they under the surveillance. If the dissatisfaction increased, it will give a big impact on the company itself.

2. What are some of the possible consequences of asking a worker to use a computer or similar device in his or her job? Critically discuss this.

Answer: There are do have some possible consequences of asking a worker to use a computer or similar device in his or her job. The most possible one is that the worker is new to the company and the manager said that they need to use the computer to manager his worker, and see if he can do well and stay in the company after the pre-use. In situation, the worker would agree this way of managing, because it related to his future development.

Another possible sitauation that the worker agree to use a computer in his job is that they are in the trainning phase before they really work in the company. The trainning of employees is very important for the company and the manager will always ask the employees work under the electronic device, which is a easy way to manage their trainning process. Thus, the employees may agree to work with a computer device.


3. How can IT alter an individual’s work? How can a manager insure that the impact is positive rather than negative?

Answer: IT change the employee's work from traditional way to a new eara. In past, all the tasks done by the worker, by using IT, the most tasks are done by the computer. The communication among the workers is also changed intoo electronic ways. IT enable various electronic approached done by the computer, and the worker did less tasks than traditional.

For the managers. they must cme out ways that make the employees accept worker under the computer device, they must ensure that the impact is postive rather than negative. For example, in the evaluation stage, the manager can find those who are very hard in the work process, and give a rewards in the last of month. In this way, the worker's enthusiasm can be increase by the rewards.

Implementaion of new technology

Too many good technology applications have failed because of sabotage by users who want to stay with the status quo. Although implementation of a new technology may increase productivity and reduce costs, the workers always resist them because of the lower morale and lower satisfaction when the technology replaces the routine and mechanical works. And is makes the workers feel that they are just “pushing buttons”. And new technology is often seen as a miracle fix that will automatically lead to faster, more efficient, and more profitable results. Implementing a new technology initiative is never easy. It takes a lot of planning and decision-making and, above all, cooperation. What makes a company work is people, processes and technology. Basically, how a company manages change — not how it implements new technology — will determine the outcome of new initiatives. Most business people agree the greatest challenges to new technology success are usually more behavioral than technical [1].

And another factor of the resistance from new technology is the money. In the traditional approach, the compensation and rewards are often individually-based, and the hiring are more reliance on clerical skills with little on computers. But in the new approach – implementation of new technology, the compensation and rewards are often team-based or contractually spelled out, and the hiring are often electronic with recruiting websites and electronic testing. More informated work that requires a higher level of IT skills. So the implementation of new technology possible hurting morale and undermining efforts encourage workers to contribute their ideas to the organization.

When workers feel threatened by these several factors, they will likely to resist it. The resistance can be overt and observable. For example, they slowdown their works or sabotage their works. The resistance also can be covert and not readily observable because it is doe under the guise of ‘working as usual’ [2].

If asking a work to use a computer, mobile phone or other similar device in his job, the product quality may not guarantee by the worker. Since there are more difficult for managers to evaluate and compensate performance when implementing a new technology, the worker must be extremely self-disciplined. And the workers can disconnect them from corporate culture. Furthermore, the labor unions, politicians etc factor may worried about foreign outsourcing of software development and computer service enabled by the same technologies.

As soon as accepting the implementation of the new technology, it will change their individual’s work. technology continues to drastically alter the way individuals work, helping to level the playing field for individuals with disabilities and expand opportunities for employers to benefit from their capabilities. IT changes the nature of work. It result in the work are fulfilled by the computer or other devices automatically [2]. It includes the people with disabilities in diversity recruitment goals, create partnerships with disability-relater advocacy organizations. Such as the communization patterns have also changed, workers now use mobile devices to send and receive messages and tap into database, greatly affecting sales and service tasks. And the cost and time needed to access information is dramatically lower, giving workers new tools. At the same time, the work has become much more team oriented – an effect amplified by the internet. Hence, these changes alter the individual’s work to the digital information technology.

The existing literature on the impact of technology has proven that the impact is positive rather than negative. Since the automation may increase productivity and reduce costs, IT creates million of new jobs, some in entirely new industries, the manager insure that the impact is positive rather than negative. Furthermore, the more work is team – oriented, enabled by communication and collaboration technologies. Geographic constraints of enabling telecommuting. And for the human resources factor, the manager think, the new strategies are need to supervise, evaluate, and compensate remotely performed. The telecommuting has gained popularity since the late 1990s it don’t take up office space and lowering facilities costs. And it also increased flexibility are more productive and express higher levels of job satisfaction. Considering with the cost and productivity the manager inures that the impact is positive rather than negative.

Reference:
1. Fred Ode (June, 2008) To Avoid End-User Rejection of New Technology Implementation, Available at http://joke.qq.com/z/blue/200741/gnjggs.htm,( Access at March 27, 2009)
2. Department of Labor (August 2005), Strategic Connections: Recruiting Candidates with Disabilities, Available at: http://www.dol.gov/odep/pubs/fact/connect.htm （Access at March 28th, woo9）

IT and the Design of Work

1. When a new technology implementation occurs, the workers might resist this new technology implementation. Many workers feel that they will not be capable of learning a new procedure, and this can lead to insecurity about their own ability. Much of this fear comes from a lack of hands-on experience. Other fears are due to a lack of understanding and explanation about the change. Workers feel that implementation of technological systems will affect them in an adverse way, such as the loss of their job or a loss of their present status [1]. For example, In tradtional approaches, the supervision is personal, but in new technology supervision is electronic devices, which will result in lossing jobs for workers and reducing their status. Even though, the new technology needs worker as supervison, then the supervision must be professional in new technology. In addition, when a new technology added, then the work is more team oriented and the rewards also will be team-based replace individually-based. At that time, the workers will reject this new technology. Furthermore, the new technology will make the workers have no privacy, and all their behaviors will control by machines and electronic devices. On the other hand, in order to make the work well, workers must study the new technology and understand it, which provides burden to them. Overall, the reasons for worker resist the new technology are: no freedom, no individual work status, study more knowledge on new technoly, less jobs, and so on.

2. When ask a worker to use a computer in his job, then some possible consequences will appears. Firstly, because this is the first time for the worker using computer in his job, and he is not familiar with this computer. Although useing computer to finish the work, the work efficiency is low. Secondly, to make the work well by using computer, the worker should learn many new knowledge on new technology. It will cause the complaints from worker and affect his mood. Thirdly, during the work processes, maybe the worker should make the database or any other things. At that time, he dont know how to do, and he will ask professionals to solve the problem, which will cause self-humiliation, and he cannot achieve self-worth.

3. IT can make the individual work into team work to enhance the productivity and work efficiency, and it make the work designing again. Furthermore, IT make the individual work more easy, for example, previously the work should do work by hand, but IT can use the monitoring systems to make the work finish automatically, which alleviate working pressure for workers.

In order to make the workers accept the new technology, the managers must overcome the resistance problems. By selecting appropriate solutions or mechanisms, it is possible to avoid most human resistance to change. Activities by management can aid in achieving this meshing of people and of technological systems.
* Top Management Leadership--Top management must reinforce its commitment to the new system. They should stress the fact that people are essential to the successful implementation of the system. If employees believe top management fully supports a new project or technology, they will be more likely to cooperate with the implementation [1].

* Line Accountability for Change--All employees from the factory floor through the top management level need to be completely involved and committed to designing the system and making the system work. Line accountability in this process is critical. Line managers should commit to keeping workers up-to-date about their progress as well as making sure employees have the necessary experience to provide valuable input to the design of the system. Employees can often suggest ideas from their experience that design engineers and technicians have not considered. Involvement can also give employees a greater sense of responsibility and pride in the project. It becomes "our" system rather than "their" system. Both worker, and organization will benefit [1].
* Total Immersion for People--Giving decision-making responsibility to lower levels within the organization gives people a greater sense of responsibility and pride in their work. It also motivates them to want the system to be successful. To reinforce this commitment, top management should include and communicate the new systems' success in the organization's goals and mission. Employees should be rewarded according to these new goals [1].

Reference:
[1] People: a critical element of new technology implementation. Retrieved March 28, 2009, from Word Wide Web: http://www.entrepreneur.com/tradejournals/article/9200330_1.html

Malaysia Technology Expo 2009

Malaysia Technology Expo 2009 (MTE 2009)was held in PWTC, Kuala Lumpur from 19th to 21st Feb 2009.

After finishing the E-commerce class, we went the Expo with many friends and several lecturers (Mr. Ting, Mr. Yamen and Mrs. Pheobe) on 20 Feb 2009. There are many new Technology are displayed in the exhibition hall, some of them are by the professors or lecturers of National Universities in Malaysia. The technologies can be generated into several parts: Education, Industry, Technology, Agriculture and Medicine).

One of the technology shown in the exhibition was the Bullet-Proof Vest, which impress me in deeply. Although I forgot the name of the Invent Author and the University name, I still remember that the Bullet-Proof Vest is designed by the Nano technology. The staff there explains the knowledge about Nano for us and allow us to try to have a dress. And the another technology attracted me is the greenhouse effect. The flowers has a good environment to blossom with its technology.

Overall, Malaysia Technology Expo 2009 has influence a lot, and help me know lots of the new information technology in modern society. And I also realized that learn better in information technology is really necessary for us.

Malaysia Technology Expo 2009

Malaysia Technology Expo 2009 was held in PWTC, Kuala Lumpur from 19th to 21st Feb 2009.
We go their with Mr. yamen and Mrs. Pheobe. When we went there, we can find out many new technology showed by the Malaysia national university who invented it. There also have many different aspects of the new technology such as the agriculture, medicine, education and industry. The University Sains Malaysia shows their new technology in the Technology EXPO such as Non-Catalytic Supercritical Alcohol Technology for Biodiesel Production.Conclusion, I can learn many new technology of many different aspects of the fields, especially in the Information Technology.

Implementation of IT system

I think there have many external and internal factors will make a worker resist the implementation. For the external factors such as lack of equipment, unreliability, lack of technical support and other resource – related issues [1]; for example: the investment is large when the company decide to change their working environment from traditional way to the technology way. So at the beginning of the changing, the company will consider their budget very carefully. In this time, the new technology equipment will be very limited. Under this situation, two or three person share one laptop or the new machine, this will make them have the time crash when they use the new equipment. If they have the time crash when they using the computer to calculate the financial report, other person who can not use the computer will give up using it, if this situation happens very often, the employees will have the conflict mode to use the new equipment and finally give up using the new equipments. Meanwhile, lack of the technical support and enough resource also will make the resistance happen.
For the internal factors such as the organizational culture, beliefs about the training and technology, and openness to change are also obvious in the new technology [1]. For example, the new technology such as the computer, remote video meeting will make the business and work convenient and fast, but these new technologies also will have some negative influence such as reduce the face – to – face chance among the staff in the company, the employees lack of communication with each other and the beliefs and trust with each other also will reduce under this situation.

The manager aware of these problems and first they can create chance for employees to contact with other in order to increasing their face – to – face chance. For example, if the finance department have some technology problems such as the how to use the new calculation software, the technology department can take some short classes for the finance department employees to teach them how to use the new software. This can build the reliable among the employees. Then, the company should invest more fund to build up new equipment, more equipments will reduce more time crash of using the equipments. All these ways can build employees’ confidence to learn the new technology and use the new equipment.

After the workers accept the new technology, these new technologies will change their individual’s work. For example, the traditional way of doing the financial report is using the calculator, this will cost many time on calculating. After using the accounting software, the finance department can reduce the calculating time and meanwhile the accuracy also will increase. Under these obviously change of working; the manager insures that the implementation of new technology can be positive rather than negative by taking initiative. So in the long run, organizations may take advantage of the flexibility of information technology through alternations in physical and organizational structure. “Location independence” of work permits remote collaboration and remote supervision. Physical location of work can be determined by criteria such as employee needs rather than location of physical resources. Ideally, organizational and employee need for flexibility should be combined in such a way that both benefit. [2]

Reference:
[1] Online Submission, Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology--TOJET v6 n1 Jan 2007 http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED500073&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=ED500073

[2] Olson, Margrethe H, “Impact of Information Technology in Work Organization: A Positive View”, 1984, Stern School of Business, New York University, IS – 84 – 92,

STRATEGY TRIANGLE

Successful firms have an overriding business strategy that drives bot organizational strategy and IS strategy. The decision made regarding the structure, hiring practices, and other components of the organizational strategy, as well as diceision regarding applications, hardware and other IS components, are all driven by the firm’s business objectives, strategies, and tactics.

IS strategy can itself effect and is affected by changes in a firm’s business and organizational strategies. In order to perpetuate the balance needed for successful operation, changes in the IS strategy must be accompanied by changes in both the organizational and overall business strategy. If a firm design its business strategy to use IS to gain strategic advantage, the leadership position in IS can only be sustained by constant innovation. The business, IS , and organizational strategies must constantly be adjusted.

IS strategy always involves consequences intended or not within business and organizational strategies. For instance, placing computers on employee desktops, without an accompanying set of changes to job descriptions, process design, compensation plans, and business tactics will fail to produce the anticipated productivity improvement.

A strategy is a plan. A business strategy is a well articulated vision of where a business seeks to go and how it expects to get there. It is the form by which a business communicates its goals. Management constructs this plan in response to market forces, customer demands, and organizational capabilities. Customer demands comprise the wants and needs of the individuals and companies who purchase the products and services available in the marketplace.

Organizational strategy includes the organization’s design as well as the choices it makes to define, set up, coordinate, and control its work processes. The organizational strategy is a plan that answers the question ‘How will the company organize in order to achieve its goals and implement its business strategy?’ For instance, a simple framework for understanding the design of an organization is the business diamond, organization try to change their cultures but fail to change the way they manage and control cannot be effective.

IS strategy is the plan an organization uses in providing information services. IS allows a company to implement its business strategy. Business strategy is a function of competition for example, what is the customer wan and what the competition does.

Reference:
1. Information Systems Strategy Triangle. From web: http://cobhomepages.cob.isu.edu/KreggAytes/mba624/notes/IS_StrategyTriangle.htm
2. Michael E. Porter, (1985). Competitive Advantage. New York: Free Press

IT AND THE DESIGN OF WORK

Information system (IS) is designed to produce information that can be used to support the activities of managers and other workers. IS is used to aid business processess, functional areas and data processing where data is converted into information for decision making. Information system is formed under five resources, they are people, hardware, software, communication and data. People in information system refers to the IT (Information technology) and IS professionals.

To understand how an IS works, it is important to know the steps involved in the data process. The first step in the data process is to record the data. Data such as expenses, sales, profit, amount of merchandise purchased and dealers’ information are entered with the input devices into the computer system for future use in preparing reports or other documents. Such data is entered on a daily basis in a batch processing system, if not immediately. This is done as such data is needed not only on a daily basis but on a periodic basis for financial and legal purposes. Data is converted into information with the IS. Personal computers, workstations, scanners and electronic communication tools are example of input devices that are associated with the IS.

Data processing is attained through personal computers or servers that process the data into information. Though these business applications are computerized, the core processes used by these IS are still based on customary classification, rearranging and the ‘double-entry’ system introduced in the past. With the UBS software, data can be stored in various files and categories. This storing is done by people within a specific department. For example, a staff in the accounting department will record all the accounting data while the sales department will store information regarding customers and suppliers into the information system. Among the categories that the data can be classified into are accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll, purchases and other information that need to be stored.

Emerging Technology

When most people think of the technological environment the first thing that comes to mind is whether or not they "have the Internet". This is only one part of the world of business. Every day a new piece of technology is being developed somewhere around the world. The technological environment could be something as simple as whether or not vendors use Interact to receive payment, or do you have to pay cash. The degree to which a region has an advanced technological environment is often related to the health of the economic environment which would contain the companies that are making money, and paying taxes, to support the government funds spent on the infrastructure.

In 21st century, Internet and browser are almost as common as text book and chalk board. Teachers are painfully aware of the importance of bringing technology into their curriculum, both to engage students and also to give them the skills they will need to success. Now that the hardware and connectivity are in place, the push is on to find the media that teachers can use to make utilizing technology worthwhile.

Using a lot of technology in conjunction with their project, for instance, learn how to download and resize the pictures, do word processing, cutting and pasting on the computer, and going back and editing. Student can did their assignment by posting blog.

Reference:

1. Using technology (2002). retrieved from
http://www.nationalmathtrail.org/nmt_report/using_technology.htm

2. W. Tim G. Richardson (23rd Jan 2009), The 6 environments, retrieved from
http://www.witiger.com/internationalbusiness/6environments.htm

Malaysia Technology Expo 2009

Malaysia Technology Expo 2009 or can be known as MTE 2009 was held in PWTC, Kuala Lumpur on the 19th till 21st February 2009.
When i went there, I found many new Malaysia Technology what were showed by the universities who invented it. Which attract my sight first was the Bio-ink technology. The research was done by UTM, Malaysia. Their objectives were to develop natural Bio-ink by using renewable and sustain able biological resources from plant resins and pigments; to produce lasting and attractive color for Ink by using natural pigments from plants that can lower the cost of production.
Another one was Sustainable production of natural dyes for textile product via submex. The invention were produced using mini pilot scale SUBMEX(10L), patent disclosure has been submitted, product—chemical free, recommended for a delicate and sensitive skin consumer, possible to scale up the process due to its low cost and sustainable technology. It was invented by MTUN.
In a conclusion, I have seen many new Malaysia Technology on Malaysia Technology Expo 2009.

Implementation of new technology

Workers resist the implementation of new technology because they are fear of loss of status, money, control or something else that they value such as losing a workplace with which they are comfortable. For example, construction workers in US resist the implementation of new technology which requires computer knowledge. According to the president of Chicago-based landscape contracting firm, many of company’s younger workers are technically savvy because they growing up using computer while the implementation of IT can cause a lot of distress for some older workers who do not use computer [1] .In another case, a company promise the process workers a 5% increase in their pay if they increased the number of assemblies they produced by 30% over a one-month period but the increase in productivity was only possible if the process worker learned and used the new computer controlled production machine. One of the reasons is that the bonus is not enough for to make changes to lifestyle. The second reason would be whether they will get the bonus as promised because in the past the management always reneged and excuses to not giving the bonus. The third reason is that the workers could not achieve the standard given because they had never used computer and fear of the prospect [2].
Human are people of habit, and it is hard for many people to change the way they have in the past. The workers tend to fear of unknown, and introducing change means the introduction of new and unknown elements to their work environment.
When workers feel threatened by some changes, they will likely to resist it. The resistance can be overt and observable. For example, they slowdown their works or sabotage their works. The resistance also can be covert and not readily observable because it is doe under the guise of ‘working as usual’ [3].

The manager insures that the implementation of new technology can be positive rather than negative by taking initiative. Involvement of system users in the implementation of the system not only produces better results but also helps overcome resistance to the changes in how work gets done. The system users will support the implementation if they involve in the designing the changes in the organization. Alteration in routine practices and work procedures decrease worker's confidence and ability to perform successfully. Participation in planning and implementation helps the workers accept new technology and working methods. Change can creates conflict within an organization between those who support the change and those who do not. Workers do not change unless they see a good reason for they to so. So the important first step to implement a new technology is to make a persuasive case for change by mount a political campaign and present an agenda. The workers also need to know why the change is necessary and important. The message must be show repeatedly using multiple media such as slide presentations, graphs and charts, and in one-on-one conversations. Sometime the increase of level of dissatisfaction with the current system is necessary to build the changes in the system.

[1] Mike Soniat (2008), ‘Overcoming Employee Resistance to Technology’, available at http://www.constructionexec.com/Issues/September_2008/Workforce_Development.aspx [Accessed 25 March 2009]

[2] Leslie Allan,‘Why People Resist Change’, available at
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Why+People+Resist+Change-a01073927411 [Accessed 25 March 2009]

[3] Louise Fleming, ‘Business Studies: Your step by step guide to HSC success’ available at http://books.google.com.my/books?id=c_DsWIQ4QvoC&pg=PA27&lpg=PA27&dq=example+worker+resist+new+technology&source=bl&ots=P-SmKQrzuS&sig=rlryY2STTWQ2FbQIgo6zewCknZM&hl=en&ei=7cnJScvOO5yi6gPR_7ivAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result#PPA28,M1 [Accessed 25 March 2009]

[4] Robert T. Bramson and Ruth A. Bramson (2004), available at http://www.ajronline.org/cgi/content/full/184/6/1727 [Accessed 24 March]

1. Why might a worker resist the implementation of a new technology? Give some examples to support the idea.
The worker like use differentiation strategy. Even use new technology can reduce cost and time, but some are become normal and not special. Example: handtailor product compared to electronic embroider , some people like handtailor product due to its special and can not find one as the same as it in the world.2. What are some of the possible consequences of asking a worker to use a computer or similar device in his or her job? Critically discuss this.If the worker is really don’t adopt to the computer and feel hard to use, he or she might give up the job which they were doing now.
3. How can IT alter an individual’s work? How can a manager insure that the impact is positive rather than negative?
Though the computer, even people are far from each other, still can communication with the work .
For a manager , before doing the thing, he need collect dat from internet which is much more fast way.then planning and allocating the jobs. before do a project, he can evluate it with IT's help.

Malaysia Technology Expo 2009

Malaysia Technology Expo 2009 or can be known as MTE 2009 was held in PWTC, Kuala Lumpur on the 19th till 21st February 2009. Under the invention and innovation categories there were numbers of classed started from Class A till Class W. Each classes represented different kinds of industry such as telecommunication, agriculture, architecture and so on. Meanwhile, each of the innovation and invention consist of a project leader and few group members. On the other hand, there were some introduction about the University Kebangsaan Malaysia, UKM such as the faculties, the institute and etc.

Information Systems Strategy Triangle

1.Why is it important for business strategy to drive organisational strategy and IS strategy? What might happen if business strategy was not the driver?

Business strategy:
Where a business wants to go and how it’s going to get there.
Derived from market forces, customer demand, and organizational capabilities.
Competitive Advantage
Doing something well that customers value and competitors can’t do well.
If a capability is going to provide competitive advantage, it must be:
rare
valuable
inimitable
Competitive advantage produces “super-normal” profits.
It is often the result of many small decisions, which, in totality, create a “system” that has competitive advantage over other “systems.”
First-mover advantage – being the first to implement a particular strategy can “distance” one firm from the others, at least temporarily.
Sometimes, moving first allows a firm to develop a large enough market share that the competitive advantage can be sustained for a long period.
Threshold variables – not reaching this minimum level (or not having this capability at all) puts the firm at a competitive disadvantage.

Organizational goal (e.g., increase market share, etc.)

Strategy – plan for meeting goal

Org Culture

Org Capabilities and processes

IT

Fit/Alignment
Organizational goal (e.g., increase market share, etc.)

Strategy – plan for meeting goal

Org Culture

Org Capabilities and processes

IT
Fit/Alignment

Figure A: An alternative view of the relationship between business strategy, organizational strategy, and information systems
Porter’s strategies for achieving competitive advantage:
Low cost
Differentiation
Focus (niche)
Hypercompetition Framework
Assumptions:
Every advantage is eroded, they only last until competitors catch up. Once something is no longer an advantage it becomes a cost of doing business.
Sustaining an advantage is less important than creating new ones.
Advantages should be used to cause disruption; you should not try to sustain them. A series of “disruption” advantages can be used to erode competitors’ positions.
Initiatives should be started before the benefits of a current advantage erode.

Reflection question: How can a firm use information systems to
become a low cost leader
differentiate its products in the marketplace

Organizational strategies
How will the business organize itself to implement its business strategy?
Consists of: (See Figure 1.7 in text)
Organization
Business processes
Formal reporting relationships (structure)
Informal networks/communication
Decision processes/authority
Control
Decision processes/authority
Data (availability and use)
Planning processes
Performance measurement and evaluation
Culture
Values
Incentives and rewards
Informal networks/communication
Information Systems strategy
What IS capabilities would assist the organization in implementing its business strategy and fit with the organization strategy?
Alternative view - IT-oriented business strategy approach: What business strategy would allow the business to use a unique implementation of IT to gain competitive advantage (e.g., the Amazon approach).
Specifically, what IT architecture (hardware, software, network capabilities, and data) will allow the implementation of the chosen business strategy?

2
Electronic markets allow cooperating competing companies to control how a market in a certain business area operates. This can have strategic implications due to way this manipulates the environmental threat and opportunities. Internet commerce has the potential to replace traditional sales channels in both the business-to consumer and business-to-business sectors. In addition e-commerce can generate new business opportunities, for instance the sale of electronic content has provided a new channel for the distribution of music, and it may be argued, provided a different product. Overall, the business model has changed, so the operation of the organization also would be changed.


3. Chief information officers (CIOs) have the difficult job of running a function that rues a lot of resources but offers little measurable evidence of its value. Line managers are increasingly assuming responsibility for planning, building, and running information systems that affect their operations. To respond to business and technological changes, CIOs now must build relationships with line managers and assume new and more strategic roles. The strategic role of the CIO is becoming ever more complex, requiring an expansion of the organizational and structural possibilities for filling that role. This paper presents an extensive literature review on the role of the CIO. The research examines CIO role in Norwegian organizations. In this paper, results from a survey of Norwegian CIOs are presented. Norwegian CIOs have on average worked in the current organization for eight years, have worked in information technology (IT) for twelve years, report mostly to the CEO or CFO, and have eleven people reporting to them. A large percentage have a masters degree. Also, formal IS planning tended to be adopted by organizations with higher annual revenue, larger number of total employees, and broader span of control (i.e., the number of people reporting to the CIO). Higher CIO reporting level was also associated with greater extent of information systems plan implementation.
CIOs have two targets when they manage the IT project portfolio, money and time. CIOs estimate how much time each IT employee has to work on projects (as opposed to support). The combination of that time is use to determine the total project time for the year.
Typically, if a CIO does not spend all they planned then can accrue that money for future use. However, time is different. Every hour that reserved for projects is lost forever if it is not used that way.
In this troubled times, there is a huge demand for IT projects, it is critical that staff time is utilized efficiently. Historically CIOs approved projects, and then they waited for those championing the projects to bring them forward. The issue with that approach is that many managers are busy they tend to wait until the last possible moment to get things going. In the mean time, that time set aside for projects is going unused.
CIOs should encourage business manager and other champions to getting things moving sooner and telling them the resources are available now.

1. M.A. Dorenbos, The Information Systems Strategy Triangle, Available at: http://fhict.fontys.nl/es/MScModules/Isom/Shared%20Documents/Sheets/Chapter+1_Info+Stg+Triangle%5B1%5D.ppt ( Access on February 28, 2009)
2.Information Systems Strategy Triangle:
www.cobhomepages.cob.isu.edu/KreggAytes/mba624/no...

Information Systems Strategy Triangle

1.Why is it important for business strategy to drive organisational strategy and IS strategy? What might happen if business strategy was not the driver?

Business strategy:
Where a business wants to go and how it’s going to get there.
Derived from market forces, customer demand, and organizational capabilities.
Competitive Advantage
Doing something well that customers value and competitors can’t do well.
If a capability is going to provide competitive advantage, it must be:
rare
valuable
inimitable
Competitive advantage produces “super-normal” profits.
It is often the result of many small decisions, which, in totality, create a “system” that has competitive advantage over other “systems.”
First-mover advantage – being the first to implement a particular strategy can “distance” one firm from the others, at least temporarily.
Sometimes, moving first allows a firm to develop a large enough market share that the competitive advantage can be sustained for a long period.
Threshold variables – not reaching this minimum level (or not having this capability at all) puts the firm at a competitive disadvantage.

Organizational goal (e.g., increase market share, etc.)

Strategy – plan for meeting goal

Org Culture

Org Capabilities and processes

IT

Fit/Alignment
Organizational goal (e.g., increase market share, etc.)

Strategy – plan for meeting goal

Org Culture

Org Capabilities and processes

IT
Fit/Alignment

Figure A: An alternative view of the relationship between business strategy, organizational strategy, and information systems
Porter’s strategies for achieving competitive advantage:
Low cost
Differentiation
Focus (niche)
Hypercompetition Framework
Assumptions:
Every advantage is eroded, they only last until competitors catch up. Once something is no longer an advantage it becomes a cost of doing business.
Sustaining an advantage is less important than creating new ones.
Advantages should be used to cause disruption; you should not try to sustain them. A series of “disruption” advantages can be used to erode competitors’ positions.
Initiatives should be started before the benefits of a current advantage erode.

Reflection question: How can a firm use information systems to
become a low cost leader
differentiate its products in the marketplace

Organizational strategies
How will the business organize itself to implement its business strategy?
Consists of: (See Figure 1.7 in text)
Organization
Business processes
Formal reporting relationships (structure)
Informal networks/communication
Decision processes/authority
Control
Decision processes/authority
Data (availability and use)
Planning processes
Performance measurement and evaluation
Culture
Values
Incentives and rewards
Informal networks/communication
Information Systems strategy
What IS capabilities would assist the organization in implementing its business strategy and fit with the organization strategy?
Alternative view - IT-oriented business strategy approach: What business strategy would allow the business to use a unique implementation of IT to gain competitive advantage (e.g., the Amazon approach).
Specifically, what IT architecture (hardware, software, network capabilities, and data) will allow the implementation of the chosen business strategy?

2
Electronic markets allow cooperating competing companies to control how a market in a certain business area operates. This can have strategic implications due to way this manipulates the environmental threat and opportunities. Internet commerce has the potential to replace traditional sales channels in both the business-to consumer and business-to-business sectors. In addition e-commerce can generate new business opportunities, for instance the sale of electronic content has provided a new channel for the distribution of music, and it may be argued, provided a different product. Overall, the business model has changed, so the operation of the organization also would be changed.


3. Chief information officers (CIOs) have the difficult job of running a function that rues a lot of resources but offers little measurable evidence of its value. Line managers are increasingly assuming responsibility for planning, building, and running information systems that affect their operations. To respond to business and technological changes, CIOs now must build relationships with line managers and assume new and more strategic roles. The strategic role of the CIO is becoming ever more complex, requiring an expansion of the organizational and structural possibilities for filling that role. This paper presents an extensive literature review on the role of the CIO. The research examines CIO role in Norwegian organizations. In this paper, results from a survey of Norwegian CIOs are presented. Norwegian CIOs have on average worked in the current organization for eight years, have worked in information technology (IT) for twelve years, report mostly to the CEO or CFO, and have eleven people reporting to them. A large percentage have a masters degree. Also, formal IS planning tended to be adopted by organizations with higher annual revenue, larger number of total employees, and broader span of control (i.e., the number of people reporting to the CIO). Higher CIO reporting level was also associated with greater extent of information systems plan implementation.
CIOs have two targets when they manage the IT project portfolio, money and time. CIOs estimate how much time each IT employee has to work on projects (as opposed to support). The combination of that time is use to determine the total project time for the year.
Typically, if a CIO does not spend all they planned then can accrue that money for future use. However, time is different. Every hour that reserved for projects is lost forever if it is not used that way.
In this troubled times, there is a huge demand for IT projects, it is critical that staff time is utilized efficiently. Historically CIOs approved projects, and then they waited for those championing the projects to bring them forward. The issue with that approach is that many managers are busy they tend to wait until the last possible moment to get things going. In the mean time, that time set aside for projects is going unused.
CIOs should encourage business manager and other champions to getting things moving sooner and telling them the resources are available now.

1. M.A. Dorenbos, The Information Systems Strategy Triangle, Available at: http://fhict.fontys.nl/es/MScModules/Isom/Shared%20Documents/Sheets/Chapter+1_Info+Stg+Triangle%5B1%5D.ppt ( Access on February 28, 2009)
2.Information Systems Strategy Triangle:
www.cobhomepages.cob.isu.edu/KreggAytes/mba624/no...

The Tech Expo @ PWTC

That day was one of the most memorable day that I had, we had a look at the tech expo @ PWTC, which we went there by invitation as well...There were lots of people there exhibiting their final year projects, even though most of them are not quite related to our field. But we still gain a lot of knowledge through it, and I finally get it why is it called a Tech Expo, because it's showing how technology helps to improve our country, this is why those students and lecturers of respective universities are showing their stuff; they will soon become our countries innovators anytime. Therefore, I feel that it is a very great event to have in Malaysia, so that people will know there are many innovators in this country.

I learnt a lot of stuff in the expo, hopefully our university will soon have a booth up there :). Anyway, its been a fun day with the lecturers and fellow friends. My speed is a bit slow here...so unable to upload the photos that we took together during that day...but yall can make a visit to my blog at http://warrenlee713.spaces.live.com.

Will write till here then...need to study for the upcoming mid term.

MIS assignment

1. Why is it important for business strategy to drive organisational strategy and IS strategy?
What might happen if business strategy was not the driver?
Simply put, organizational strategy is a clear definition of how the organization needsto change – over time - in order to be able to deliver the strategy of the enterpriseand an actionable plan of how to make the transformation. This requires both thethinking and analysis to compare current state to desired state and define the gap,and the execution capabilities to make the requisite changes happen.Developed and implemented effectively organizational strategy enablescompanies to convert strategic intent into sustainable and high performanceresults.
Therole of information systems in providing competitive advantage and the frequent need for business re-engineering that accompanies adoption of new technology are discussed. Strategic IT planning and the evaluation process toensure proper alignment of technology to business goals are also explained. Global IT issues are also considered.
so it is important for business strategy to drive organisational strategy and IS strategy.
Business Strategy - is concerned more with how a business competes successfully in a particular market. It concerns strategic decisions about choice of products, meeting needs of customers, gaining advantage over competitors, exploiting or creating new opportunities etc.business strategy models should not: just be statements of intent; come across like a political speech; have concrete meaning only to management; concern themselves with events far in the future or have little relevance to today.
so if business strategy was not the driver, it might make the business fail.
2. Consider a traditional manufacturing company that wanted to take advantage of the Internet and the Web. What might be a reasonable business strategy and how would organisational and IS strategy need to change?When a traditional manufacturing company wants to take advantage of the Internet and the Web, its business model changed from traditional business to e-commerce business. in order to make the business sucessfully,E-commerce provides many new ways for businesses and consumers to communicate and conduct business.The information strategy also would has a big change. Online implementation need the hardware to support and proper software to make the online process work. It also need a wide network so others can view the information abt this organization. The database would be some different than before, because it is through internet, the record was automatically done by the proper procedure.
3. What does this tip from Fast Company mean: “The job of the CIO is to provide organisational and strategic flexibility”?
Office of the CIO in support of the campuswide IT process:
· Communications· Financial Planning· Project Management· Security, Privacy and Policy s. Assistance Strategic Technology Acquisition
Some of these services correspond to departments in the Office of the CIO, but they are presented here as services to the campus IT community instead of as organizational unit
Reference:
[1]organizational strategy , from World Wide Web:http://www.charlesmore.com/cms/files/So_What_is_Organizational_Strategy_Anyway_ID35137.pdf
[2]information systems strategy,from World Wide Web:http://www.u21global.edu.sg/portal/corporate/docs/PDAFS/771_17logos_v3.pdf
[3]business strategy,from World Wide Web:http://tutor2u.net/business/strategy/what_is_strategy.htm
[4]CIO,from world wide web:http://technology.berkeley.edu/cio/services/

The importance of IS Strategy Triangle and its relationship

1. The Information Systems Strategy Triangle is a simple framework for understanding the impact of IS on organizations. From the Information System Strategy Triangle, we can see that the IS strategy triangle consists of Business Strategy, Organizational Strategy and Information Strategy. A Business Strategy is a well-articulated vision of where the business seeks to go and how it expects to get there. It is the form by which a business communicates its goals. Organizational strategy is concerned with envisioning a future for your family business, creating value in the eyes of your customers, and building and sustaining a strong position in the marketplace. Information Strategy means the hardware, software, application, database, procedure, people, network.

As we know, the Successfully firms’ business strategy drives both their organizational and IS strategies. It means that they must seek to balance business, organizational, and IS strategies. IS Strategy is affected by the other strategies a firm uses. Organizational and Information Strategy are then dependent upon the Business Strategy. Changes in any strategy requires changes in the others to maintain balance (rubber band!). Business, IS and organizational strategies must be constantly adjusted. IS strategy always involves consequences on business and organizational strategy [1].

Since the business strategy drives both Organizational and Information strategy, it keep a key role in the IS Strategy Triangle. If the business strategy doesn’t drive the other strategies, the triangle will become unbalance. That is, the balance among the three strategy would be broken, and it may lead to the failure of an organization. And the organizations are hard to be successful in businesses without the balance in IS Strategy Triangle.

2. If a traditional manufacturing company that wanted to take advantage of the Internet and the Web, the business model of the company has changed from the traditional to E-commerce manufacture. Electronic markets allow cooperating competing companies to control how a market in a certain business area operates. This can have strategic implications due to way this manipulates the environmental threat and opportunities. Internet commerce has the potential to replace traditional sales channels in both the business-to consumer and business-to-business sectors. In addition e-commerce can generate new business opportunities, for instance the sale of electronic content has provided a new channel for the distribution of music, and it may be argued, provided a different product. Overall, the business model has changed, so the operation of the organization also would be changed.

As a business strategy is developed it should be used to inform the strategies of the departments that make up the organization, in this way the Organizational and IS strategy of a company would be influenced by the business strategy. When a company wants to change its business model from traditional to E-commerce, the Organizational and IS strategy will also change following the Business Strategy so that the IS Strategy Triangle can keep balance. Adoption of e-commerce strategies implies that new technologies must be mastered and new ways of working will be encountered. An organization must analyze the requirements and ensure that it can meet them so that the organization can have a high success in its business.

3. The Chief Information Officer (CIO), whose position is providing strategic direction, planning, oversight, delivery and accountability for information technology (IT) activities. This position requires an individual to roll up their sleeves and contribute while leading the IT function within the organization. Key areas of responsibility include planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling company information technology functions. The Chief Information Officer will serve as the primary point of contact, Kiewit's technology head, and report to the Senior Vice President of Operations and Administration. The incumbent will work with technology to provide a strategy for driving the company's Business Plan and effectively communicate the strategy throughout the organization [2].

Since the Respondents said they needed to be more involved in vision setting, organizational strategy and communication, in addition to the advice they provide to the business on technology, the CIOs considered application development and integration as potential areas for cost reductions, while intelligence and analytics were not considered as important. And they also believe that application development and integration are still significant areas of focus for achieving cost reductions and securing overall value. However, Knowledge, intelligence and analytics, on the other hand, are not considered priorities. According these, the CIOs of Fast Company suggested the business strategy and organizational strategy and declare that the job of the CIO is to provide organizational and strategic flexibility.

Reference:

1. M.A. Dorenbos, The Information Systems Strategy Triangle, Available at: http://fhict.fontys.nl/es/MScModules/Isom/Shared%20Documents/Sheets/Chapter+1_Info+Stg+Triangle%5B1%5D.ppt ( Access on February 20, 2009)
2. Omaha N.E (January 23, 2009), [Posted 2009/01/23 ]EXECUTIVE CONSTRUCTION JOBS, Chief Information Officer (CIO), Available at:
http://www.constructionexecutive.com/constructionjobs/2037/Chief-Information-Officer-(CIO).html (Access on February 20, 2009).

Importance of the IS Strategy Triangle

The Information Systems(IS) Strategy Triangle is a simple framework which relates business strategy with IS strategy and organisational strategy. That is to say, the IS Strategy Triangle consists of business strategy, organisational strategy and information strategy.

As we know, a successful firm should have its own aims and plans. To this point, it is that successful firms have an overriding business strategy that drives both organisational strategy and IS strategy. As business strategy is the foundation of successful business. Because the decisions made regarding the structure, hiring practices, and other components of the organisational strategy, as well as decisions regarding applications, hardwares, and other IS components, are all driven by the firms' business objectives, strategies, and tactics. Meanwhile, successful firms carefully balance these three strategies----they purposely design their organisation and their IS strategies to complement their business strategy.

A strategy is a plan. A business strategy is a well-articulated vision of where a business seeks to go and how it excepts to get there. It is a form by which a business communicates its goals. Therefore, we can say, the business strategy is the leader and guider among these three strategies. If it is not the driver, then only the other two will go to the wrong way so that the firm will get failure in its business. There is no doubt that the IS Strategy Triangle will be not the correct and perfect strategy objectives. If only the three strategies do their right job, the firm will achieve competitive advantage among the competitors.

Organizational strategy and information strategy must complement each other. They mustbe designed so that they support, rather than hinder each other. If a decision is made tochange one corner of the triangle, it is necessary to evaluate the other two corners to ensure that balance is preserved. Changing business strategy without thinking through the effectson the organizational and IS strategies will cause the business to struggle until balance isrestored. Likewise, changing IS or the organization alone will cause an imbalance.


Considering a traditional manufacturing company that wanted to take advantage of the Internet and the Web, positioning for speed, one of the New 7-S's framework (D'Aveni), might be a reasonable business strategy. Because to offer an alternative to these third-party Web sites, GE Medical Systems reacted as quickly as possible to bring GEMedicalSystems.com online with services specifically designed for the Internet. For example, the Web site allowed medical technicians to download and test software for upgrading their MRIs. If pleased atthe end of the 30-day trial period, these customers could buy the upgrade. The Web site also enabled GE Medical Systems to monitor the productivity of its customers’equipment in real time via the Web, to provide personalized capacity managementanalysis, and to offer the services of its specialists to remedy mechanical problems that they observed. These services created 'superior stakeholder satisfactionand' and 'shifted the rules of competition' in their industry.

Organisational strategy includes the organisation's design as well as the choices it makes to define, set up, coordinate and control its work processes. IS strategy is the plan an organisation uses in providing information services. IS allows a company to implement its business strategy and is also a function of competition (Wiley, 2008). Therefore, the organisational strategy and IS strategy need to change their design, choices and plans to the firms.


“The job of the CIO is to provide organisational and strategic flexibility” means that Fast company is a full-color not-quite-monthly (10 issues per year) business magazing that reports on innovation, digital media, technology, change management, leadership, design and social responsibility. The chief information officer (CIO) is a job title for the board level head of information technology within an organization. The CIO typically reports to the chief financial officer and in IT-centered organizations to the chief executive officer （Hexun， 2009）.




References：
[1] Wiley. (2008) The Information Systems Strategy Triangle. [online] (cited 18 February 2009). Available from
.
[2] Hexun. (2009) CIO accepts new concepts and technology. [online] (cited 18 February 2009). Available from <>.

Strategy Triangle

1. A business strategy is a well-articulated vision of where a business seeks to go and how it expects to get there. It is the form by which a business communicates its goals. Management constructs this plan in response to market forces, customer demands, and the organizational capabilities. Market forces create the competitive situation for the business. Some markets, such as those faced by airlines, makers of personal computers, and issuers of credit cards, are characterized by many competitors and a high level of competition such that product differentiation becomes increasingly difficult. Other markets, such as those for package delivery, automobiles, and petroleum products, are similarly characterized by high competition, but product differentiation is better established. Customer demands comprise the wants and needs of the individuals and companies who purchase the products and services available in the marketplace. Organizational capabilities include the skills and experience that give the corporation a currency that can add value in the marketplace.
Successful firms have an overriding business strategy that drives both organizational strategy and IS strategy. The decisions made regarding the structure, hiring practices, and other components of the organization strategy, as well as decisions regarding applications, hardware, and other IS components, are all driven by the firm’s business objectives, strategies, and tactics. Successful firms carefully balance these three strategies – they purposely design their organization and there IS strategies to complement their business strategy.
Business strategy drives organizational strategy and IS strategy. The organization and it’s IS should clearly support defined business goals and objectives. Organizational strategy must complement business strategy. The way a business is organized either supports the implementation of its business strategy or it gets in the way. IS strategy must complement business strategy. When IS support business goals, the business appears to be working well. IS strategy can itself affect and is affected by changes in a firm’s business and organizational strategies. Moreover information systems strategy always has consequences – intended or not – on business and organizational strategies.
If the business strategy was not the driver, the triangle will become unbalance.

2. Marketing Strategy and E-Commerce Introduction With the rapidly advancing technologies that are occurring in modern business, organisations are required to be ready, and able to adapt within their ever-changing environment. It is true across all diverse industries that in order to stay competitive, organisations must be able to utilise the various tools that technology has to offer. Technological factors have been of growing importance, particularly in recent years. A major factor involved in these technology issues is the use of the Internet as a major issue to modern organisations. The Internet has been rapidly growing since it's inception and is now commonly used in all sectors of societies, in all corners of the globe. The Internet has quickly become one of the most valuable assets in modern technology, and as such, is developing as an integral part of modern commerce. As with past technologies, the Internet will have future technological advances develop from its own growth.. so the organization and IS strategy should according to the current social environment and the technology development to change the traditional way.

3. The chief information officer (CIO) is a job title for the board level head of information technology within an organization. The CIO typically reports to the chief financial officer and in IT-centered organizations to the chief executive officer. In military organizations, they report to the commanding officer or commanding general of the organization. While the military CIO is the steward for IT issues, CIO can accord the current technology, economic and social environment to adjust the strategy which the company using now. So CIO can provide organisational and strategic flexibility in order to make the company following the social, technology and economic change.



Reference:
[1] Home > Free Essays & Book Reports > Marketing > Marketin Strategy In E-Commerce, http://www.freeessays.cc/db/29/mul54.shtml Access on 17 Feb

The Information Systems Strategy Triangle

1.The information system strategy triangle is a simple framework for understanding the impact of IS on organizations.. A busniess strategy is a well-articulated vision of where the business seeeks to go and how it expects to go there, it is the form by which a business communicates its goals. Successful firm's business strategy drives both their organizational and IS strategies, all decisions are driven by the firm's business objectives, they must seek to balance business, organizational and IS strategies.

Business strategy involves the goals, objecttives, strategies and tactics of an organization, which is the fundamental strategy that makes the organization to operate, all the decision are made followed by the business strategy. There are two business strategy framework, Porter's Generic Strategies Framework and Hyper-competition and New 7-S's framework.Porter's competive advantage strategies: Cost leadership;Differentiation;Focus cost leadshiper and Focus differentiation. Remember that a companies overall business strategy will drive all other strategies. Porter defined these competitive advantages to represent various business strategies found in the marketplace. The 7 Ss are useful for determining different aspects of a business strategy and aligning them to make the organization competitive in the hypercompetitive arena. General Managers cannot afford to rely solely on IS personnel to make IS decisions.Business strategy drives IS decision making.Changes in IS potential should trigger business reassessments (i.e. the Internet)[1].

The organizational strategy(structure, hiring, operation,process) and information strategy(hardware, software, dabatase,network,tec) are all based on how the business strategy decide. The business strategy drive the overall operation of the organization, any changes in organizational and IS strategy should look back on the business strategy, and the changes should not avoid the process of business startegy. The strategy triangle helps to balance business, organizational, and information strategy.

If the business strategy doesnt drive the other strategies, the balance among the three would be broken, and it may go the wrong way of strategy and lead to the failure of an organization. If business strategy lose the driver role, the organizational and IS would out of the control, and the decision made may not based on the business strategy. In that situation, the organization is in a lose environment which easily fail the business. So the tight and correct relationship among the three strategies is an important role in successful business.

2.When the company wants to shift its business from traditional to online, the objectives of the organization should be changed. Doing business using internet need the technology that allow the business operate. And the strategies also should be changed, some old ones that related to traditional sales should shift to how to slaes through the internet, in this process, some online business tactics would be useful in processing and online sales. In this stiuation, e-commerce should be a reasonable strategy for the organization, make use of the internet and change some fundamental business strategies to operate online. And it will bring lots sompetitive advantages by operating business through the internet.

As the business shift to the internet, the structure of the organization should have changes, some of the staff should help to maintain the online process. In this case, the organization may should hire some technique people who are good at this aspect. The business model has changed, so the operation of the organization also would be changed. The process of the new business would be faster than before.

The information strategy also would has a big change. Online implementation need the hardware to support and proper software to make the online process work. It also need a wide network so others can view the information abt this organization. The database would be some different than before, because it is through internet, the record was automatically done by the proper procedure.

When a company wants to change its business model from traditional to online, the overall strategy should be changed. But the most important is that the triangle must be balabce, make the business strategy drives the organizational and information strategy.

3.The chief information officer (CIO) is a job title for the board level head of information technology within an organization. The prominence of the CIO position has risen greatly as information technology has become a more important part of business.More recently CIOs' leadership capabilities, business acumen and strategic perspectives have taken precedence over technical skills. It is now quite common for CIOs to be appointed from the business side of the organization, especially if they have project management skills.

As information technology and systems have become more important, the CIO has come to be viewed in many organizations as a key contributor in formulating strategic goals. Usually, a CIO proposes the information technology an enterprise will need to achieve its goals and then works within a budget to implement the plan. Typically, a CIO is involved with analyzing and reworking existing business processes, with identifying and developing the capability to use new tools, with reshaping the enterprise's physical infrastructure and network access, and with identifying and exploiting the enterprise's knowledge resources.

Referece

[1] Keri Pearlson & Carol Saunders, Managing and Using Information Systems: A Strategic Approach, The Information Systems Strategy Triangle

The relationship between Three Strategies

Successful firms' business strategy drives both their organizational and IS strategies. From the Strategy Triangle, we know that business strategy means the goals, objectives, strategies, and tactics of the company; organizational strategy means the stucture, hiring,operations, and process during the implementation of that company's business strategy; IS strategy consists of hardware, software, application, database, procedure, people, and network of the company. That is, organizational strategy and IS strategy can make the business strategy develop well. As soon as a company establishs its targets in businesses, it will take various measurements to achieve the purposes. At that time, the company will develop its business stucture and implement some operations. During these processes, information system also play an important role. Whether hardware or software, both of them can help the businesses.

Furthermore, the business strategy drives organizational and IS strategy means that the contents of these three strtateies are not conflicting, they are should be consistent. In other words, as long as organizational and IS strategy are drived by business strategy, the status of organizational and IS strategy in businesses will be incarnated. Obviously,when the company achieves its business strategy, it also gets its organizational and IS strategy. So, if the company want to be successful in its business, its business strategy should drive its organizational and IS stratgy. Business Strategy drives all other strategies. Organizational and Information Strategy are then dependent upon the Business Strategy.These three strategies make the company develop businesses more integrate.

If the company's business strategy was not the driver for its organizational and IS strategy, then the businesses will not be successful. When the business strategy was not the driver, these three strategies will have no relationships and be independent, which is not good for company. For example, if the organizational and IS strategy are not drived by business strategy, even if the company achieve its business strategy, it does not mean it also achieve its organizational and IS strategy. Sometimes, the company will change the original business strategy to drive its organizational and IS strategy, and the original business strategy maybe wasted time and money. At that time, the company cannot get the real successful in its businesses. In a word, if the business strategy was not the driver, the company is hard to be successful in businesses.

When a traditional manufacturing company wants to take advantage of the Internet and the Web, its business model changed from traditional business to e-commerce business. In order to lower costs and improve efficiency, taking advantage of the Internet and Web is a good choice for traditional manufacturing company.

Inevitably, the business strategy also should be change from traditional business. After the company use Internet and Web to manage its businesses, the business strategy not only mention the company's traditional goals, but also should include the Information transformation of the company[1]. For example, one of the objectives in business strategy should be related to manage data, and change the traditional method for managing data. About Information transformation, it also can be the main strategy and goal for that company.

Certainly, with the changed business strategy, organizational and IS strategy also need to change. After the company use Internet, all activities and businesses will implemented online. At that time, the target of organization strategy is online transaction. On the other hand, the IS strategy should be change to more advanced, or develop new technology. For that traditional manufacturing company, taking advantage of Internet and web is a competitive advantage. So its organitional and IS strategy must be consistent with the advanced technology.

The CIO is Chief Information Officer, whose position is providing strategic direction, planning, oversight, delivery and accountability for information technology (IT) activities. This position requires an individual to roll up their sleeves and contribute while leading the IT function within the organization. Key areas of responsibility include planning, organizing, staffing, directing and controlling company information technology functions [2].

As we know that IS becomes more and more important in business activities, that is, CIO is the manager of IS. "The job of the CIO is to provide organisational and strategic flexibility" means that CIO can provide organizational and strategic flexibility, because CIO manage IS. Information System can impact the business strategy and organizational strategy in some way. According to the changing information, CIO can suggest the business strategy and organizational strategy, and also can make the strategy more flexibly.

Reference:

[1] "E-commerce". Retrieved February 15, 2009, from World Wide Web: http://zhidao.baidu.com/question/70444345.html

[2] "Chief Information Officer". Retrieved February 15, 2009, from World Wide Web: http://careerlink.com/9/9/4/8/po/000981f.htm