DID YOU KNOW

DID YOU KNOW was perfect class to wrap up the semester especially as it summarized and emphasized the use of technology in creating innovative solutions. All the concepts discussed - autonomic computing, GRID computing, Virtualization and Cloud Computing were interesting. However, I found Grid computing the most efficient and economical use of technologies amongst those discussed keeping in mind the flexibility it offers in providing solutions for team projects. The fact that major world community projects are being carried out using GRID computing emphasizes the importance of this user friendly technology.

The discussion on threats on internet made me aware of potential risks we face today as there is a free flow of information- i was amazed to learn that there are more than 60 billion spam messages sent everyday. The message to be drawn is that no matter how easy internet has made our life, it has also exposed us to more threats though not directly. Social Networking Sites are a great way to connect with people, however it could also pose dangerous with hackers and others getting access to personal information. The only way to mitigate this risk is to be vigilant enough to share information.

Web 2 has really impacted our lives and even though we debate it has become an indispensable part of our lives and the positives it has created for corporations and individuals we also need to emphasize on the negative consequences it has. Advantages to corporations are in the form of co creation and product feedback before a product is launched, mobilizing funds for Non Profits and disbursing them to those who need it. However, there has been an increase in the number of online frauds, cases where money has been siphoned off by creating bogus sites and instances of defrauding individuals in the name of donations. Also, blogging and more essentially other Web 2 services have created a lot of unnecessary information and the costs associated with them include storage costs, costs of filtering data, refining data and accessing data. As competition increases for such services increase, cost reduction would be emphasized upon where an important aspect would be to decrease costs related to excess information

The presentation by Peter Stilson really reinforced the idea that INNOVATION takes place by the intersection of Business and Technology. Some of the areas in which Peter Stilson worked/ developed are the most basic. However, he demonstrated how effectively he could use Technology to meet an unmet Business Opportunity thus leading to Innovation

The highlight of the class was on the discussion of knowledge management as a Business Process vs Technology. I felt both the views were appropriate. The steps of becoming an information based enterprise mentioned sounded interesting, however, the time and the resources they require to be effective and functional need to be stressed upon. Another factor which needs emphasis and is of utmost importance is the attitude of people to migrate to an Information Based Enterprise- as in most cases the biggest challenge is INERTIA.

I really liked the idea of componentization and the benefits it offers organizations. It is true that the sum of parts is greater than the whole. However, I feel it could really add value to an organization only if the benefits of componentization are much more than its costs. Componentization has direct and indirect costs- more resources, the ability to allocate resources to a component, ensuring that there is no lap between componenets and substitubality of components both within and outside the organization should be considered. Also synchronizing each components activities with those across Business Competencies could be challenging as a component may posses functionalities that meet the needs of other business competencies apart from the one it serves.

Technology has had its impact on business and has changed industry dynamics eg. Apple is considered a major competitor in the music industry apart from the computer hardware industry. Also, a digital device such as an iPhone is a substitute for multiple devices such as a camera, a navigation system, a music player, a word processor, etc. This has been possible by using seamless technology and working in a paperless world. I really liked the discussion on the impact technology has had on Porters 5 forces model.


However, working in a paperless world has its disadvantages also. There is a loss of audit trail. This all makes managing DATA and securing data much more important.

The guest lecture by Cole Orndorff was probably the highlight of the class till date. It was enriching and invaluable to hear someone as experienced as him to speak about the way IT is facilitating businesses and providing applications to provide effective and efficient solutions -be it in designing infrastructure projects, developing wind farms, etc.

Fortune Tellers At Work

By describing future enterprises based on the impact technology will have for them, teams shared their perspectives on key areas such as using technology for integrating modular divisions in businesses, achieving specialization, increasing efficiencies in educating workforce, etc. However, I felt that the Cost Benefit analysis was left out by all the teams (not in a sense of giving actual numbers for costs to be incurred or in cost savings by implementing these technologies) but how prepared are businesses to execute these plans. Every organization plans to be a leader by innovating new business processes and technologies to gain in efficiencies, however few execute them successfully. The Global CEO Study was a great resource to know what business leaders think and are looking forward to in years to come. It also showed what made certain companies "Outperformers" as compared to their peers.

The Class on "Global vs Local" was on the most interesting as people shared their views on how best it is to operate in the current global set-up. Of all the discussions, the one on OUTSOURCING was the most debated upon and everyone had good reasons to discuss their views and substantiate them. Outsourcing is viewed today as jobs going from developed economies to developing economies (from say the US to India, Brazil, Ireland, etc.) and hence there is a resistance to Outsourcing from people and more importantly from certain policy makers, especially in tough economic times. However, it is my opinion that economics determines all business decisions and it could well be possible of reverse outsourcing in some aspects in times to come (eg. in the fields of innovative technologies) which might bring back jobs to developed countries. It will be interesting to see how policy makers in developed economies react to those developments.

The Class "Are You Valuable" was certainly was one which made me identify and to a certain extent revisit the ways in which value could be added across a spectrum of functions such as business development, marketing and meeting customer expectations.

The statistics displayed at the begining of the presentation namely the increase in use of the internet and other products related directly or indirectly over the past 2 decades emphasize the relevance of Information Technology in the world today and the way Information Technology is going to shape the future. However, we have not been able to reduce wastage of resources be it energy, space, wastage on account of faulty advice, etc which burns a deep hole in our economy as we need to spend double the resources to generate desired results.

Imagine the resources we could save if we eliminate waste by doing things correct the first time. I feel Information Technology has a big role to play in reducing waste and would like to see tangible results wherein Information Technology has been used to reduce if not eleminate waste.

Inaugral Technology Class

I really enjoyed hearing about interesting activities people in the MBA class pursued and feats they achieved. This was one of the best inaugral classes I have ever attended and am looking forward to hearing many more interesting stories............