CHAPTER 19 : DEVELOPING A 21ST CENTURY ORGANIZATION

Learning Outcomes

After learning this topic, you will be able to :

19.1 List and describe the four 21^st century trends that business are focusing on and  rank them in order of business importance.

19.2 Explain how the integration of business and technology is shaping 21^st century organizations.

Content

Content	Page
19.1 Developing Organizations	4
19.2 21st Century Organizations Trend	6
19.2.1 Increased focus on IT infrastructures	7
19.2.2 Increased focus on security	9
19.2.3 Increased focus on e-Business	10
19.2.4 Increased focus on integration	13

19.1 Developing Organizations

Nowadays, organizations facing a great challenge since the revolution of modern industrial technology happened in the early 1990s. To survive in this new era, organizations must recognizes the power of technology and accept the changes in the technology. Organizations also must know how to handle their organizations in a new way to avoid them from being out-of-date and in the same time can thrive in this 21^st century. This is a few examples on how technology changed the business area:

According to Warren Bennis, organization development is a response to change, a complex educational strategy intended to change the beliefs, attitudes, values, and structure of an organization so that it can adapt to new technologies, markets, challenges, and the dizzying rate of change itself.

19.2 21^st Century Organization Trends

According to Baltzan, Phillips and Haag, 21^st century organization trends are :

·         Uncertain about environment of future business and economic outlooks.

·         Stress on importance of strategic analysis for reducing the cost and increasing the productivity.

·         Put their target on improving business resiliency via the applications of advanced security.

As an addition, according to Forbes magazine, there are five big trends in business innovation in 2012, which is :

·         Strategy and entrepreneurship will have ever-greater interdependence.

·         Access to assets will be replacing ownership of assets.

·         The trade-off between reach and richness will continually diminish.

·         Mass markets will be micro-fragmenting.

·         Oblique competition will become ubiquitous.

Other than that, the organizations also focusing on four technology areas, which is :

·         IT infrastructures

·         Security

·         E-business

·         Integration

19.2.1 Increased focus on IT infrastructures

What is IT infrastructures?                                                                                        

-       IT infrastructures consists of the equipment, systems, software and services used in common across an organization, regardless of mission/program/project. IT infrastructures also serve as the foundation upon which mission/program/project-specific system and capabilities are build. But, associated people, processes and documentation are not part of IT infrastructure.

-      

Figure 19.2

-       The organization before this has underestimate the importance of IT infrastructure in their organization. IT infrastructures played important roles in many functional areas of organization.

-       In the early days, Internet’s basic infrastructure in terms of protocol and standards was in a low level and it is still in low level now, but the software companies have found a way to overcome this problem. They have managed to improve the Internet level by offer compelling applications for functional business areas.

-       Nowadays, to help achieve the organization goals, organizations are looking for Internet-based cross-functional systems such as :

§  Customer relationship management (CRM)

·         An information industry term for methodologies, software and usually Internet capabilities that help an organization manage its relationship with customers in an organized way.

§  Supply chain management ( SCM)

·         According to Harland, SCM is the management of a network of interconnected businesses involved in the ultimate provision of product and service packages required by end customers.

§  Enterprise resource planning (ERP)

·         A business management software that allows an organization to use the system of integrated applications to manage the business.

-       From this, we can see that is why must we increased focus on IT infrastructure because IT infrastructure has a big impact on the strategic capabilities of an organization.

19.2.2 Increased focus on security

-       In business, security is one of the topics that gain the highest concerns from the organizations. When the level of security is high, the business can gain benefit from it. The benefits also including disruptions to organizational systems, increased productivity of employees and more.

-       Security is not only involves inconvenience business users, customers and partners but also cost millions dollars in lost revenues and lost market capitalization. So, it is now important for the organization to have update security systems to ensure the organizations will not having any problems in the future business situations.

Figure 19.3

-       Figure 19. 3 have shown the survey concerning both the level of physical security integration and the current security practices used by most organizations.

-       Every organization must have appropriate levels of authentication, access control and encryption in  place which can help to ensure :

·         That only authorized individuals can get access to the network

·         That they only can access to the applications which they are allowed

·         That they cannot understand or alter information while in transit

-       So, it is now important for the organization to have well-rehearsed and frequently updated processes and procedures to insure against a variety of adverse situations.

19.2.3 Increased focus on E-business

- New E-business upcoming trends include :

·         Mobile commerce (m-commerce)

v  The ability to purchase goods and services through a wireless Internet-enabled device such as smart phones, Personal Digital Assistant and mobile phone.

v  With this new technology, it is available at anywhere you are, give you the easier way to search for a nearby restaurant and also pay for items in store.

·         Telematics

v  Blending computers and wireless telecommunications technologies with the goal of efficiently conveying information over vast networks to improve business operations.

v  This technology refer to the automobile systems that combine GPS tracking and other wireless communication for automatic roadside assistance and remote diagnostics.

·         Electronic tagging

v  A technique for identifying and tracking assets and individuals.

v  It consists electronic device attached to a person or vehicle, especially certain criminals, allowing the other party to monitored them.

·         Radio frequency identification (RFID)

v  Chips or smart labels that can store unique identifiers and relay this information to electronic readers. It is use active or passive tags in the form of chips or smart labels.

v  It contains electronically stored information which can be read from up to several metres.

What is e-Business?

-       Electronic business, commonly referred to as "eBusiness" or "e-business", or an internet business, may be defined as the application of information and communication technologies (ICT) in support of all the activities of business.

-        This type of technology will be able to help the organization to extend its edges in areas. It also can give benefit to the organizations in the term of improved information accuracy, reduced costs, increased productivity and others.

19.2.4 Increased focus on integration

The integration of business and technology

Figure 19.4

-       The integration of business and technology has allowed organizations to increase their share of the global economy, transform the way to conduct business, and become more efficient and effective.

-       The core business relationships and models are dramatically changing and cause shifts from :

·         Product-centricity to customer-centricity

·         Mass production to mass customization

·         The value in material things to the value of knowledge and intelligence

-       From this, a new series of business success factors and challenges has emerged that is helping to determine marketplace winners and losers :

·         Organization agility, often supported by a “plug and play” IT infrastructure

·         A focus on core competencies and processes

·         A redefinition of the value chain

·         Instantaneous business response

·         The ability to scale resources and infrastructure across geographic boundaries

                      

-       These new development has made the environment become more  complicated than before. Because of this, organizations increased straining new business models.

-       In this new environment, organizations must focus externally on their  business processes and integration architecture. This also cause a sharp increase in the number of business partners and the closeness of integration between them.

-       As long as business strategies continue to survive in this new global world, the distinction between “the business” and IT will virtually disappear.

References

Baltzan, P., Philips, A., & Haag, S. Business driven technology. (3 ed., pp. 258-262).

Crm (customer relationship management) . (n.d.). Retrieved from http://searchcrm.techtarget.com/definition/CRM

Electronic tagging. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_tagging

Erp - enterprise resource planning. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/E/ERP.html

Five big trends in business innovation in 2012. (2011, December 19). Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesleadershipforum/2011/12/19/five-big-trends-in-business-innovation-in-2012/

Organization development. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organization_development.

Supply chain management. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supply_chain_management

What is it infrastructure: A definition and a taxonomy. (2008, September 11). Retrieved from http://www.galorath.com/wp/what-is-it-infrastructure-a-definition-and-a-taxonomy.php

Curtin University : CUTSE 2011 International Conference focusing on innovative green technology

Miri – 13 June 2011 – The 3rd Curtin University Technology, Science and Engineering (CUTSE) International Conference will be held at Curtin University, Sarawak Malaysia (Curtin Sarawak) from 8 – 9 November 2011 with the theme Innovative Green Technology for Sustainable Development.
The annual CUTSE conference has been organised by Curtin Sarawak’s School of Engineering and Science in collaboration with the Institution of Engineers Malaysia (Miri Branch) since 2006, and went international in 2008.
It provides an excellent platform for researchers, engineers, scientists, academicians, industry professionals as well as students of higher learning institutions to share and deliberate on the latest and relevant innovations, theories, practices and R&D findings related to green technology. They will also engage in constructive dialogue on that could lead to collaborative research initiatives in their respective fields.
Parallel sessions in mechanical, electrical, computer, civil and chemical engineering as well as several fields in the sciences will also be hosted over the 2-day conference.
The call for papers is now open. Abstract submissions are to reach the organisers by 30 June 2011, and following notification of acceptance, full paper submission by 1 August 2011. Final manuscripts are to be submitted no later than 1 September 2011.
Topics may include, but are not necessarily limited to, engineering science fundamentals; systems and control; mechatronics and ICT; structures, materials and manufacturing; and energy, environment and resources.
The best papers will be awarded and selected papers will be published in journals. The refereed conference proceedings, meanwhile, will be published on CD-ROM and distributed to all participants at the conference.
At last year’s conference, a total of 62 technical papers were presented on multi-disciplinary subjects covering electrical, computer, chemical, civil and construction, and mechanical engineering, and applied geology.
Those interested to participate are encouraged to take advantage of the early bird registration fees for local and international participants, including special rates for students.
The conference secretary can be contacted at +60 85 443 934, or by fax to +60 85 443 837, or by e-mail to CUTSE2011Secretary@curtin.edu.my. For full details on the conference, log on to www.curtin.edu.my/cutse2011.

Source : Curtin University

 

 

Taylor University : Media Communication Students Win MarCom Awards for Public Relations & Video Production

 

Students in Taylor University’s Media Communication department won Gold, Platinum and Honorable Mentions from the MarCom Awards for their work in public relations and video production. MarCom is a competition for marketing communications with categories for print, visual, audio and web materials.

A recruitment video for Remedy Live won Platinum, the competition’s highest honor. The Ft. Wayne-based organization wanted volunteers to join their online ministry team, and the video accomplishes that goal by telling compelling stories of the ministry’s impact. The project’s producer was senior Chase Moore. "This award is incredibly encouraging,” Moore said. “We put a massive amount of work into making it the best we could and to see it receive Platinum reaffirms that all of our effort was well worth it!"

The King’s Academy public relations campaign and the Grant County: Quality of Life business development video both won Gold Awards. The campaign focused on helping King’s Academy cultivate a vision for its future. The Grant County video was one of three designed to attract new business to the area and is now featured on the website of the Grant County Economic Growth Council.

The Main St. Fairmount public relations campaign and Creative Dining Services: More than Food Service video received honorable mentions. While working with Main St. Fairmount, the public relations team concentrated on improving the organization’s volunteer base. The Creative Dining Services video was designed to introduce new employees to the organization. Taylor MacKillop (’11), the project’s director, has won multiple awards for this project and said, “It's humbling to have won another award! The project was a great opportunity to gain experience in production and prepare myself for working in a collaborative environment.”

Junior Corrie Dyke, participant in the King’s Academy public relations campaign said, “I really enjoyed the practicality of the campaign and working on a difficult, yet rewarding project. Receiving an award for the work was exciting and made the project that much more meaningful.”

Source : Taylor University

MMU : Staying ahead with IT

A view of the MMU campus in Malacca.

Prof Zaharin says that universities should focus on research and development projects

Already a premier institution in IT studies, MMU now aims to take on more initiatives that will give its graduates the extra edge.

THE country needs to revamp the information and communication technology (ICT) industry if it wants to stay relevant and become an information technology (IT) hub.

Multimedia University (MMU) president Prof Dr Zaharin Yusoff says the best way forward is for Malaysia to move away from being an IT-consumer nation and become an IT-producing nation.

It will then put Malaysia on par with other developed nations such as the United States (US), Japan and France as the country will be exporting its own software and applications.

“By then, we will stand the chance of having our own equivalent of Microsoft and Oracle, ” he says.

However, the MMU president admits that it may take some time for Malaysia to become a leading IT-producing nation until investments are available to develop IT products. Insufficient human capital in ICT, he shares, is also another factor which hampers the development of the industry.

Prof Zaharin adds that the launch of the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) in the 1990s created a hype and interest among students who suddenly were keen on pursuing higher education in ICT.

However, he laments that more IT graduates are working in other sectors compared to those who are servicing the ICT industry.

“The cause of this problem could be traced to the supply-demand mismatch in the human capital needs of the ICT industry and the skills of the crop of IT graduates rolled out by the universities and colleges.

“There was a misconception among the tertiary institutions then regarding the type of graduates actually needed by the industry,” he adds.

On hindsight, Prof Zaharin says more courses on computing or computer science should be offered instead of IT programmes which are product specific.

“This is to prevent the graduates from becoming ‘helpless’ when the products and tools used in the said programmes become obsolete,” he says.

He reveals that MMU, together with a few public universities, have decided to put an end to this problem by re-tuning the curriculum of their IT programmes.

R&D roadmap

Nevertheless, Prof Zaharin stresses that the effort of restructuring the curriculum of the IT courses is still not sufficient to propel the country into becoming an IT-producing nation.

“Universities should focus on research and development (R&D) and develop a R&D technology roadmap to give the ICT industry a boost,” he says.

Being the premier institution in IT studies, MMU is spearheading the initiative to work out a R&D technology roadmap with the support from government agencies and industry players.

“The roadmap will identify the direction that the ICT industry is moving into, besides laying the groundwork for R&D on ICT products and applications which will be produced by the industry, ” says Prof Zaharin.

He explains that the strength of a university lies in its R&D effort and his vision is to inculcate the R&D culture at the varsity.

For a start, he says MMU’s academic staff have a reduced teaching load so that they have more time to carry out research.

“Lectures will be made more real and interesting when the academic staff bring students’ attention to elements of their R&D work.

He adds that the students are not left behind as they are also actively involved in the R&D projects, gaining hands-on experience that will prepare them to serve in the ICT industry.

To complete the spectrum of R&D exposure to students, Prof Zaharin says the university is gearing towards commercialising its R&D projects.

“Through commercialism of such projects in IT, students can observe how technopreneurs and the ICT industry work,” he says.

Riding on the strength of the R&D culture, the university has centres of excellence which will be offering niche programmes such as knowledge management technology, a course which encompasses artificial intelligence and high-performance computing.

“Currently, there are special interest groups in every faculty and MMU is well-known for its specialisation in robotics,” says Prof Zaharin.

Other niche programmes in the pipeline include health informatics focusing on wellness, and laws which touch on the legal aspects that arise when technology crosses borders.

“The university is also planning to offer Sports Science with special focus on badminton,” says the MMU president.

Upcoming programme

With 4,500 international students coming from 79 countries, MMU is a melting pot of cultures that is very much alive and vibrant.

“The students bring an international flavour to the university and they love to perform,” says Prof Zaharin.

The university, he adds is planning to venture out its technology and business domain by offering a course in Experiential Performance Arts..

Prof Zaharin explains that it is a programme which marries creativity with IT.

“The course is something like Sports Science analysis in which technology is utilised to enhance the performance of the athletes or artistes,” he shares adding that this course will be handled by both the Faculty of IT and Faculty of Creative Multimedia.

On other future plans by MMU, Prof Zaharin says the university hopes to expand its global footprint by exporting its programmes overseas.

“It is not just internationalisation within the campus but also beyond,” he adds.

Currently, MMU exports its programmes to countries such as Iran, Kenya and Sudan.

MMU was ranked as a tier five university which is equivalent to “excellent status” in the Setara rating released by the Higher Education Ministry recently.

“We believe that it is our strength in R&D which had given us the extra edge in being ranked as one of the top institutions of higher learning in the country,” says Prof Zaharin.

Multimedia University is a contributor to the Star Education Fund.

Source : The Star