USeP IS -Insource or Outsource?

As a student, you were invited by the Dean of the Institute of Computing to attend a seminar-workshop on information systems planning with some of the faculty members. In one of the sessions, a discussion of outsourcing came up. You have been asked to present your evaluation about outsourcing the information systems functions of the school.
Required:
You are to take a position- outsource or in-source and justify your position.

Overview about insourcing and outsourcing:

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

Outsourcing is subcontracting a service such as product design or manufacturing, to a third-party company. The decision to outsource is often made in the interest of lowering cost or making better use of time and energy costs, redirecting or conserving energy directed at the competencies of a particular business, or to make more efficient use of land, labor, capital, (information) technology and resources. Outsourcing became part of the business lexicon during the 1980s. It is essentially a division of labour. Outsourcing in the information technology field has two meanings. One is to commission the development of an application to another organization, usually a company that specializes in the development of this type of application. The other is to hire the services of another company to manage all or parts of the services that otherwise would be rendered by an IT unit of the organization. Outsourcing involves the transfer of the management and/or day-to-day execution of an entire business function to an external service provider. The client organization and the supplier enter into a contractual agreement that defines the transferred services. Under the agreement the supplier acquires the means of production in the form of a transfer of people, assets and other resources from the client. The client agrees to procure the services from the supplier for the term of the contract. Business segments typically outsourced include information technology, human resources, facilities, real estate management, and accounting. Many companies also outsource customer support and call center functions like telemarketing, CAD drafting, customer service, market research, manufacturing, designing, web development, print-to-mail, content writing, ghostwriting and engineering. Offshoring is the type of outsourcing in which the buyer organization belongs to another country. Outsourcing and offshoring are used interchangeably in public discourse despite important technical differences. Outsourcing involves contracting with a supplier, which may or may not involve some degree of offshoring. Offshoring is the transfer of an organizational function to another country, regardless of whether the work is outsourced or stays within the same corporation/company.- http://en.wikipedia.org

My Stand:
Outsourcing
As mentioned in the overview outsourcing is often made in the interest of lowering cost or making better use of time and energy costs, redirecting or conserving energy directed at the competencies of a particular business. Since our university can't seem to have enough budget to insource, I opt to outsource. Besides, contracting an expert who is already employed in the university might be complicated, as what I have noticed and observed. We are aware that one of our instructors is one of the experts contracted by the university to create systems. It was more than once that his class has been transferred to other classes for him to (I think) concentrate on making the system. Additionally, this will serve as an opportunity to broaden our horizon by learning from the work of people outsede the school's control. So what I'm saying is, since this is a school, as a learning institution they should put attention into what it does best, educating students. Additionally, outsourcing creates a competitive environment where different institions would have to compete for the project. Since more and more are competing, the cost would become cheaper. This is also an opportunity to broaden our horizon by learning from the work of people outside the school's control.

I have also browsed through the internet top 7 advantages of outsourcing:

1. Focus On Core Activities
In rapid growth periods, the back-office operations of a company will expand also. This expansion may start to consume resources (human and financial) at the expense of the core activities that have made your company successful. Outsourcing those activities will allow refocusing on those business activities that are important without sacrificing quality or service in the back-office.

2. Cost And Efficiency Savings
Back-office functions that are complicated in nature, but the size of your company is preventing you from performing it at a consistent and reasonable cost, is another advantage of outsourcing.

3. Reduced Overhead
Overhead costs of performing a particular back-office function are extremely high. Consider outsourcing those functions which can be moved easily.

4. Operational Control
Operations whose costs are running out of control must be considered for outsourcing. Departments that may have evolved over time into uncontrolled and poorly managed areas are prime motivators for outsourcing. In addition, an outsourcing company can bring better management skills to your company than what would otherwise be available.

5. Staffing Flexibility
Outsourcing will allow operations that have seasonal or cyclical demands to bring in additional resources when you need them and release them when you’re done.

6. Continuity & Risk Management
Periods of high employee turnover will add uncertainty and inconsistency to the operations. Outsourcing will provided a level of continuity to the company while reducing the risk that a substandard level of operation would bring to the company.

7. Develop Internal Staff
A large project needs to be undertaken that requires skills that your staff does not possess. On-site outsourcing of the project will bring people with the skills you need into your company. Your people can work alongside of them to acquire the new skill set.


Enough to make me say, that it would be better for our university to outsource.

References:
http://www.wikipedia.org
http://operationstech.about.com/od/officestaffingandmanagem/a/OutSrcAdvantg.htm
http://rsg0927.forumsmotion.com/management-information-systems-1-f1/assignment-9-due-before-september-192008-1300hrs-t167.htm

Barriers in IT/IS implementation

Based on your adopted organization(s), identify and discuss barriers in their IS/IT implementation. (2000words)

Organizations that will be able to realign their operational policies and practices with the new IS will have an easier time with the implementation, create more positive organizational goodwill, successfully optimize the software, and achieve a greater return on their investment.

Our adopted organization is ANFLOCOR. Their MIS (internal affairs) are for its clients, they create a system that is required by their clients. On the word of the Senior Manager- IT and Management Services of ANFLOCOR their end-users who are also their customers are their main concern. They do not consider the end-users as a barrier (the term ‘barrier’) in their IS/IT implementation but their approval is a necessity before the implementation. Since the IS that ANFLOCOR brings into being are from the request of their customers, implementation will really vary upon the customer that is why it is necessary for them to have the nod of their end-users/customers before implementing it.

However, on the end-users/customers part, in view of the fact that they took ANFLOCOR’s service there is the assumption that the company (end-user/customer) had already discussed the cost and their current system before taking the service of ANFLOCOR.
In my point of view, our adopted organization for study – ANFLOCOR, since whom we interviewed is under MIS for internal affairs whose main focus are their clients also and only have their clients as barriers on IS implementation. Although realistically speaking, they are not the one responsible for the implementation but their customer. Then again, they have to satisfy the customer and the customer will only be satisfied if they can see that the IS to be implemented conforms to their:

• Organizational Policies and Procedures (Workflow and Timing, Transaction Flows, Organizational Rules and System Rigidity);

• Computer Related Procedures and Policies (Data Entry Policies and Procedures, Timing Considerations, Data Updates, User Access and Security Administration);

• Input and Processing Capability (Speed, Information Retrieval, Data Integrity, Printing and Report Design, and Distribution Needs); and

• Organizational Technology Capability (IT Staff, Users and Management).

Let me explain further those aforementioned issues, because they are what the clients of our adopted organization for study – ANFLOCOR – consider.

Organizational Policies and Procedures

•Workflow and Timing: Manual processes and/or current systems must blend into the new IS.

•Transaction Flows: Address, revise and reach agreement on input forms, authorization signatures, and report routing.

•Organizational Rules: The system must include specification of any organization specific rules in existence.

•System Rigidity: Once again emphasize that the flexibility of manual processes may evaporate with a new system.

Computer Related Procedures and Policies

•Data Entry Policies and Procedures: Who's responsible for entering the data? Does this still make sense if the business processes change with the new system?

•Timing Considerations: When will reports be generated? What are the cut-off dates for data entry?

•Data Updates: Can anyone update data at any time or will there be cut-off times and/or dates?

•User Access: Which users shall have access to which portions of the database and on what basis?

•Security Administration: What levels of security do they currently have? What do they want? Is there a plan for the prevention of data damage or loss, the backup of data and program files, unauthorized distribution of information, computer viruses, network crashes, and interruptions in power?

Input and Processing Capability

•Speed: Just because a system can hold a large volume of records does not mean that it can process changes to all those records rapidly. Acceptable time parameters should be established early in the project.

•Information Retrieval: Users must be able to retrieve grouped data, such as a list of certain types of loans.

•Data Integrity: A good system includes several types of procedures that maximize the accuracy of the data it contains. Most data errors occur in the data entry process through miscoding or operator carelessness. Edit and validation processes limit the types of data accepted in a particular field.

•Printing and Report Design: A good system is capable of producing reports for management, employees and other government organizations.

•Distribution Needs: The form in which information needs to be disseminated has to be addressed. Options may include electronic mail, batch data, use of external databases, distributed or off-line printing at multiple locations, and other telecommunications options.

Organizational Technology Capability

•IT Staff — A centralized database will require the use of a network, in some form, to enable user’s access to the data. Also the larger the database required, typically the more sophisticated it will be. Both of these elements together will require a high skilled network systems administrator. Consider the availability and cost of acquiring such a person for the institution.

•Users — Depending on the daily staff’s previous experience with using computers, it may be necessary to provide a much greater amount of up front training in basic computer skills, in addition to training on the new software package. For novice users a windows based product can be much less intimidating.

•Management — Managers often receive the same training as staff users, but in fact their primary contact with the MIS is not putting data into the system, but getting information out of the system. It is important to provide training to management that is customized to their information needs as managers. In some cases, exporting the data or reports into MS Excel or a similar tool will be necessary to do more in depth data modelling and trend analysis. An MIS is only as good as the information its users can extract from it.

Reference:
http://www.cgap.org

ICT on SONA '09

SONA '09 - Areas related to ICT and how can it improve our quality of life.

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

-> Through the BPO industries the percentage of unemployment will lessen, contributing to the development of our economy status.
-> Technology, as we all know, has the ability to create shortcuts in working and can make tasks easier as well. Building a Department of ICT is a good idea because we will be (somehow) updated with the current technology. Admit it, we are a bit behind when it comes to technology, but by having a Department of ICT, we will not only be updated with the technology but it will also help other government offices by creating systems that a specific department needs. Additionally, we -- techie students -- will have the opportunity to showcase our talents to our country. The possibility for technology innovations might open wider than it is right now.


“In technical education and skills training, we have invested three times that of three previous administrations combined. Narito si Jennifer Silbor, isa sa sampung milyong trainee. Natuto siya ng medical transcription. Now, as an independent contractor and lecturer for transcriptions in Davao, kumikita siya ng P18,000 bawat buwan.”

-> This statement should have encouraged out-of-school youth and/or people whose not financially capable enrolling in a university, to continue their search for knowledge through enrolling into the technical education that our government offers in an affordable fee. Not only that it will lessen the count of undergraduates but of unemployment as well.


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

-> Good! This is very helpful in a way that people will not be misinformed about the weather or other natural calamities that might occur. Making people ready and alert.

References:

http://coolbusteratyourservice.blogspot.com/2009/06/pgma-sona-2009-full-text.html

http://www.oppapers.com/essays/Advantages-Technology/49372

We browsed through the internet for STEEP and SWOT analysis examples. After an in-depth study about what and how to come up with STEEP and SWOT. We immediately formulated questions for our adopted company. *sleepy*

Start Documentation

August 17-19, 2009

We started making the possible contents of our ISNA. After making the draft of our table of contents, we decided the task among the members. The introduction was assigned to Edsa, background information about the company to Edsa and Emilio and the purpose, scope and objective of the study and the approaches to systems building was assigned to Karen.

Improve Internet Connection in USeP

If you were hired by the university president as an IT consultant, what would you suggest (technology, infrastructure, innovations, steps, processes, etc) in order for the internet connectivity be improved? (3000words)

Internet is a rich source of bundled information for students. Students can get research papers on different topics to enhance their knowledge. Communication with friends and family is easier due to instant messaging websites...creating a social network is also good because it helps people improve on their conversational skills. The Internet provides an immediacy and global awareness to students. Students and teachers are able to have interactions not only in other parts of the country, but also around the world. From this they can learn about the life and issues that impact on other people. Many teachers can get access to relevant discussions hosted by the Internet. Educators can use these discussions and the ability to share experiences with other educators for professional development and to combat the sense of professional isolation. The internet has many advantages indeed, it helps us to find information on almost any topic.it saves us a lot of valuable time.

Having an internet connection in school is really a big thing. Students have actually paid for it right? And students expects a good internet performance. But since students are not that satisfied with the internet connection of the university the result is some are forced to spend money into the internet cafe's outside. Although some students still has the patience to wait the loading of the internet and to fall in line because they seem to have no choice.

The internet connection should really be improved, let me state the current situation of our schools internet connection and equipments as well:
-Limited number of computer units
-Computers load not that fast, sometimes it freezes.
-Some of the important websites are blocked
-Computers have viruses
-Secured wireless connection, only faculties know the security key
-Students are not allowed to plug in their devices

Those abovementioned are just some of my observations on the university's status. Below are my opinions and suggestions on how to improve the university's internet connection:

Increase Bandwidth?
After reading the question my immediate answer was 'to increase the bandwidth' (bandwidth- typically means the net bit rate, channel capacity or the maximum throughput of a logical or physical communication path in a digital communication system). But as i have read and browsed over the internet I realized that increasing the bandwidth isn't really the ultimate solution. Sooner or later after the bandwidth has been spent and the internet connection is still slow, should the bandwidth be increased again? That would be very costly and impractical to suggest. I have read in an article that the network infrastructure should be determined first to ensure that the work infrastructure is viable or sustainable. If the network infrastructure is not sustainable, problems are not going to be resolved by adding more bandwidth; instead you have to think about a network redesign and reengineer process.

Survey students regarding the websites they want to access for educational purposes that cant be accessed in the virtual library.

Unsecured Access Points (Free Wi-fi Access)
In our university there is an undeniably increasing number of students who has/brings their laptops in school, regardless of their courses. It would be very helpful and students will be very happy if our university will have a budget for vacating a space in the school wherein there is an unsecured network where anybody can connect to the internet. Internet plays a big role on the lifestyle of the students not only for fun but mainly for academic purposes. Currently, there is only one Unsecured Network broadcast inside the computer laboratory 1. Wouldn't it be practical to just spend a space, let's say a students lounge where we could access the internet wirelessly? Aside from the fact that students with laptops will surely be happy with that idea, students who doesn't have or own a computer can benefit as well. Since the number of students falling in line to use the computers in our laboratory is expected to decrease, thus, it will be hassle-free for them to log-in into their accounts.

Inform the users/students about the proper use of computers or regarding the schools regulation in using the internet
Some of the students isn't really aware on the proper use of the computer or maybe they are they just have to be reminded about. So it would be good if we will be informed or reminded on the proper usage and the schools regulations on internet browsing, but how? Well, when we log-in to our computer laboratories to surf through the internet the homepage of the browsers are set to www.usep.edu.ph, why not make a webpage that contains the schools regulations and the proper use of computers and set that webpage to be the homepage of all the browsers? The webpage should look very interesting so that students will take time to read it. But how about the students using wi-fi? Hmm, i think the network administrator has a way to set the homepage of every computer/network who wants to connect to his network so even the wi-fi users will be informed or reminded about the schools regulation and the proper usage of internet and computers. Implementing this suggestion will surely be of help not only for the students but for the faculties as well. Additionally, we could promote green campus computing and other valuable things in that webpage. Example of the things that should be showed by the webpage are the facts below on why computer or internet runs slow:

• There are numerous programs that can be obtained over the Internet that are harmful to your computer (aside form viruses). These are not viruses or worms. Instead, they are known as "Spyware." Spyware is not easy to define, because there are so many variations of it. In the most typical case, Spyware usually arrives on your computer because you agreed to permit it. Perhaps you signed up for a free tool bar, or downloaded free software, or you are using some web-based server such as a file-sharing site. Some Spyware merely records information about what web sites you have visited, and transmits that information back to Spy. This slows down your computer because it takes time to send back this information. Some Spyware will actually hijack your computer. Many of the sophisticated Spammers (people who send junk mail) will hijack your computer and send off a few hundred junk emails without you ever knowing about it.

• Another factor that slows down surfing, and is downright annoying anyway, is pop-up advertising. Pop-ups cost you bandwidth, which results in a loss of speed. There should be a pop-up killer installed in the computers.

• There are problems that occur because others are attempting to gain information and/or control of your computer. They may do this by "pinging" your computer. A "Ping" is a request made by another computer for the identification number of your computer. Again, this information can be used to hijack your machine. Installing software known as a “Firewall” can prevent this.

• Viruses of course. SO install an up to date anti virus.

Setting the internet options of our browser would also be of help. Managing caches and defining blank homepages are some of the stuffs we can do to it. If images are not that important in your browsing you may also set our browser not to load the images for fast browsing.

References:
http://www.epinions.com/content_3428491396
http://www.google.com.ph/search?hl=en&q=importance+of+internet+in+education&btnG=Search&meta=

Again, we consulted Sir Gamboa for our gantt chart. At long last! He approved it and it's ok for posting. :)

We started to researched and study for our major paper. We browsed the internet looking for articles that are related to our study. We did a research about the STEEP and SWOT analysis and examples of it. We also did research about the background information of ANFLOCOR and what is a holding company. Moreover, we researched about the agile method and waterfall method and we also looked for examples of Information System Needs Assessments. After we have gathered such information we discussed and studied it.

By this time, we consulted Sir Gamboa for our ghant chart. Unfortunately, we had some mistakes that we hadn’t noticed so we had to revise our ghant chart.

This day is our schedule for our second interview. We arrived at the ANFLOCOR approximately 8:00 am. The interview started 8:15 am. We asked the IT-senior manager about their strategic transitions in there IS, how their organization does used Information System for competitive advantage and the factors to consider when planning a new system. We also asked him whether their system is in-source or out-source, what are the hardware and software used and how does they manage it e.g. maintenance and back-up. Also we asked him regarding the company’s approached to system building, the SWOT of the company, the problems and issues they had encountered and the flow of their major business and IS operations. However, he refused to give us the information about the flow of their major business and IS operation.

Lastly, we had a picture taking with him and ended our interview past 9:00 am.

Our group decided to discuss or review the slides presentation of the reports so that we can formulate guide questions for our interview. So we met up at the boarding house of one of our group mate after our classes. But before that we did a research on the library and internet for other references.

Asking for a follow-up Interview

In this day, I submitted a letter in the email for our second interview at ANFLOCOR. The next morning, August 04, 2009, Mr. Pimentel replied to schedule us on Friday, August 06.