Tech Explorers » Communication

Business & Technology ***** – Does Business Drives Technology or Technology Drives Business?

admin — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 07:53:46 +0000

Pervaiz Pyar Ali asked:

Information Technology and the move to a computerized infrastructure model are bringing great changes to many industries. Often it is the CIO of the company who escort this fundamental shift in the business revenue stream. Leading others through modernization, revolutionize and transformation means you must be able to make changes yourself.

Forget about asking whether technology drives business or business drives technology. Stop perturbing about whether or not technology is strategic. Silence all the confusions about how advance this technology is to that technology. In technology, there are numerous questions that if you have to ask, you probably already know and don’t like the answer. A more satisfying line of inquiry is how much of your technological horsepower is actually being used to turn the wheels of innovation.

Some people says that Technology drives business modernization, novelty, success & Innovations that opens up new doors of opportunities, improves the company’s performance on the whole, sharpens the company’s market intelligence, and makes new things possible for the clients. Another school of thought is that the Business Drives Technology, as such integration is about assisting business to facilitate their profitability by utilizing technology and other resources available to the enterprise. But realistically speaking, the driving force comes from the CEO and CIO of the company, who both endeavor to leverage technology to its fullest potential.

In a society that has become entirely dependent on computers and immediate communications, technology is becoming the heartbeat in the process of office design as decisions on layout and services. Some aspects of technology, like the computer animation & communication, are highly visible demonstration devices. But more of it is in the largely unseen infrastructure, with the emphasis on sophisticated wiring and smart communication devices to provide for an ever greater flow, and on communications and power facilities to keep operations running through almost any anticipated calamity.

In the modernization of the today’s businesses, Common business drivers include; Mergers and Acquisitions, Internal Reorganizations, Application and System Consolidation, Inconsistent/Duplicated/Fragmented Data, New Business Strategies, Compliance with Government Regulations, Streamlining Business Processes. To achieve the success in the accommodation of these business drivers, the sturdy and smart input would be required from both the parties i.e. the business as well as the technology.

In a company, you could cover every surface in your office with how to manage change. But one aspect of change management that often dodges IT Managers is how to better influence corporate colleagues. If information technology drives business decisions, the IT executives must communicate and be persuasive with other department heads on key project management issues.

Strategic planning for Information Technology is one component of an overall company vision for success. This psychoanalysis facilitates IT professionals to successfully define short and long-term goals and ascertain the resources necessary to apprehend such goals. To ensure success, the strategic plan should be developed in a thorough but rapid manner, consist of a brief, succinct compilation of analyzed data, and provide opportunities by which additional planning and analysis can occur.

Several important benefits occur as the result of a successful strategic IT plan. First, employees are provided with an understanding of how their role fits in with the overall company structure. Also, this planning allows managers to realize additional opportunities for growth and success. Finally, important relationships between technology investment and positive outcomes, such as increased market share, are revealed.

It’s now become the industry dilemma that IT people need to know more about business. They need to understand the disciplines and the lingo of business process management, business performance management, customer relationship management, supply chain management, financial management, human resources management, operations management, etc. Lacking that knowledge, communication with business people and understanding of business requirements will forever be troubled.

On the other hand the Business people should also drive their efforts to know more about information technology. As with all communication and relationship issues, this is not a prejudiced problem. Just as IT people need to become more business-oriented, business people need to be more IT-oriented. They need to understand the roles and relationships among the many different kinds of technology upon which their information systems depend, and they need to understand the dependencies among those technologies. Business people need to have a working knowledge of the technology stack as it affects their capability to get information, perform business analysis, and make informed business decisions.

Beyond the relatively straight-forward needs of business becoming IT-oriented and technologists becoming business-oriented, there lies a new challenge. We must develop common understanding and shared perspective of value, an issue that is both a business concern and a technology consideration. When business and IT have different meaning and outlook for value, conflicts are certain to arise.

Business and IT organizations often have two evidently different perspectives of value. IT expert generally take a data-to-value approach. Where Data produces information, information enhances knowledge, knowledge drives action, action produces outcomes, and favorable outcomes deliver value. Business management typically uses a goals-to-value system. Business drivers and goals determine strategies, strategies drive tactics, which in turn produce results, and positive results produce value.

Effective business/IT relationships are ultimately a question of alignment. New IT skills, new business skills, and new perspectives that sets the stage for business/IT alignment. But it doesn’t assure alignment. To achieve genuine association there are several things that must be done; some by IT, some by the business, and some collectively.

Conflicts between business and IT organizations have existed from the very beginning of automated Information Systems. We have accelerated in so many ways both in business and in technology. However, the problem still pestilences most of the businesses. The Business/IT ***** must go away. The cost is high; the value is null; and the barriers that it crafts grow bigger each moment. The problem can be fixed, and the time to fix it is now!

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A Glimpse into Computer Technology Training

admin — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 08:10:50 +0000

BeginCollegeNow asked:

by: David R. Wetzel

Computer technology schools offer a range of degrees and programs. Schools that teach computer technology include technical schools, colleges and universities. Degrees in computer technology are offered at three levels for beginning students; bachelor’s degree, associate’s degree and specialized computer certifications.

Technical schools offer computer technology degree programs year round, while colleges and universities offer summer courses for earning a degree quicker or part-time programs for busy students.

Typical programs offered by computer technology schools such as ITT Technical Institute include information security systems, data communication systems management, computer science, software engineering, web development, networking and software applications. Degrees from other schools of computer technology include computer gaming design, interactive media develop, web development, and systems administrator.

Computer technology schools offer courses focused on the architectures of operating systems, network systems, user interface construction, C + + language, data bases types and formats, programming standards, etc. These courses are designed for those who wish to earn degrees in computer software and computer information systems. Courses focused on web design and development includes Internet hierarchy, authoring tools, scripting designs and more.

Bachelor’s degree computer technology upper-division courses focus on data storage advanced warehousing techniques, management of technology projects, multiple computer programming languages, graphical interface design, software development methods and more. The advantage of a bachelor’s degree in computer technology is a wider selection of employment opportunities.

Computer degrees lead to earning certifications in computer technology. Many courses in computer programs prepare students to pass tests for computer technology certifications. According to About.com’s article Computer Certification’s Top 10 Certifications for 2009, the top two certifications are Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert and Certified Information Systems Auditor. Their pass rates are low; however, average annual salaries are high.

Someone considering a computer technology education needs to first determine the type of degree they want to pursue. This decision helps narrow the search for a computer technology school. Computer technology bachelor’s degree can be completed in four years, associate’s degree programs can be completed in two years and certification programs range from few months to a year.

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Earning a Technology Degree Online Will Accelerate Your Career

admin — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 04:27:42 +0000

Divya Aggarwal asked:

Technology degrees online are the need of the day, study for them while you work. You will not only gain a valuable degree but enhance your career prospects too.

With technology gaining importance in all processes right from acquiring raw materials, manufacturing to selling etc… you need to equip yourself with a technology degree and move ahead in your career. You may be working too and the idea of joining a full time course is not appealing so.. you should check out the technology degrees online offered by many accredited online colleges.

You can opt for technology degrees online depending upon your field and interest. The popular ones being in information technology, communication technology and system engineering. At the same time you could opt for an associate degree, bachelor’s, masters or even doctorates in technology too.

When being taught for technology degrees online, you will be on par with the latest in technology platforms, with constant interactions with distinguished faculties and have to be involved in degree program. As they have flexible schedules and are quite accommodating to your working hours too.

While thinking on those lines, it would be an ideal option if you arm yourself with an Technology MBA program which covers and educates you in important programs such as enterprise strategy, team building, project management which is what is needed at these times for gaining a good job. The technology degrees will be of great value in your resume, accelerate your career and at the same time prove to be very useful in delivering the best out of you.

The University of Phoenix offers a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Program, Master of Business Administration/Technology Management, Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership/Educational Technology, Bachelor of Science in Information Technology/Software Engineering which could be suitable to opt for in case you are from a business background, education background or an Information Technology background respectively.

Similarly the Westwood college Online, offers a host of technology degrees online especially related to Information Technology such as a Bachelor’s in game art and design, bachelor’s in web design and multimedia, a bachelor’s in computer network management.

So, study your options carefully and opt for a technology degree online as soon as possible from an accredited college to move swiftly ahead in your career and earn good money as well.

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Benefits of Video Conferencing and Technology Videos

admin — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 22:32:17 +0000

Jacob Brown asked:

Video conferencing is a technology that helps many a Multinational Company to thrive in spite of operating from different functional bases at different poles of the world. For these companies, the technology of video conferencing ensures better reach across globe and benefit from multi-point client interactions possible. Add to it the advent of Internet. In addition video conferencing, another cost-efficient and effective means of updating men around the globe about a new development is one that comes by the shape of technology videos. Forget about how a distant and inconvenient place a company is operating from, technology videos and technology news and video conferencing means that right information is passed on the stakeholders at the right time.

Video Conferencing nowadays are also been used as a strong means of partnering when used in cooperation with right hardware and information sharing platform. All the employees of a multinational company taking part in video interaction have the dual benefit of seeing their counterparts as well as the technology news all at one place. And yes they can participate in real time communication as well.

All types of official information relating to various fields of induction, training, research, which otherwise would have been too much dependent on paper, can be presented using these upgraded medium of technology videos.

Technology videos – be it via video conferencing or Internet, can be helpful in a variety of domains. Educational training, business meetings, instructional training and collaborative communication with health officials are some of the areas where benefits of technology videos can be felt.

Video conferencing helps people staying in remote locations to communicate with outer world without much traveling or expenses. People today are getting to access and use technology videos more easily. Evidently, because web and its far-flung reach, information about latest in technology is getting disseminated at a faster pace, the same is also welcoming people to collaborate more freely and willingly. Students can take advantage of video conferencing and technology news to attend classes at distant locations that in normal conditions would have been impossible Students can also attend distant classes via video conferencing and continue an alternate career alongside.

Video conferencing, technology video and technology news can stimulate enhanced knowledge sharing, brainstorming and information gathering. Businesses can use video conferencing to provide official presentations to the clients and members of an organization or to solicit new clients in a professional manner, regardless of their location.

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