Strategic Information Management and Customer Relations Management

Table of Contents Introduction Involving all stakeholders in IT decision making Management of IT risks Create Proper Awareness Effective system monitoring and evaluation Conclusion References Introduction Information Technology (IT) has gained enormous popularity in organizations and as such, management should develop appropriate strategies to reap its â€Å"fruits.† Integration of IT into organization’s operations poses significant security challenges both internally and externally.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Information Management and Customer Relations Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More IT is very dynamic; developments and changes occur so rapidly, making its management a very complicated task. IT plays a pivotal role in any organization’s development and communication and by the nature of its functions exposes the organization to great risks both from the insid e and outside. Poor management of Information system makes the organization vulnerable. Profane Individuals have managed, â€Å"to stage mega scandals based on weaknesses of information system operations† (Swanson, 2004). Strategic information management therefore seeks to develop policies and regulations to ensure successful and efficient business processes management (BPM). BPM is therefore no a fad but a literally meaningful change strategy. Involving all stakeholders in IT decision making IT forms an integral part of the organization’s management; consequently, failing to involve the entire management participants in decision-making would inevitably lead to system failure and largely the business entity. Every stakeholder has an important role to play in the successful implementation and management of the information systems in the organization. When all players participate in formulating policies and guidelines, they would see the need to observe rules and guideli nes to the letter. In addition, the emergence of IT has significantly changed the business landscape, hence the players need to develop appropriate strategies to address these challenges and tap the opportunities as well. Most organizations make significant expenditures in IT and therefore the need for good IT management policies cannot be overstated. Ensuing are but a few reasons as to why it is appropriate to involve all players in IT and policy formulations. As stated earlier, IT investment expenditures are significant and thus the need to give shareholders the value for their money. By involving the general management, it becomes easy to integrate IT strategies into the overall organizational policies and strategies. Moreover, the management becomes more conscious of the technological environment to ensure that IT investment decisions made remain relevant into the future. Involving the general management would lead to gaining competitive advantage, management effectiveness and e fficiency. IT enables competitive advantage through differentiation of the organization products and services from those of the competitors.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Differentiation by IT is realizable through enhanced product quality, shorter product development periods, creation of IT based products and services, and improved customer service delivery. To enhance effectiveness, IT provides decision support at all management levels as well it removing barriers for pursuit of opportunities (Lacity, 2005). Efficiency by IT would be achieved through decreased internal costs because of automation, shared services, downsizing, communication, and task support. Lastly, BPM would greatly prevent business failure. Management ignorance of IT can lead to devastating effects in the management. Researches have show that, IT system developments fail to yield on target not because they do not meet the required specifications, but because of poor management. Management of IT risks The risks of running business incorporated with IT are significant and require proper check mechanisms. Risk management involves the systematic analysis of the information system and its environment to determine the actual risks faced and then formulating appropriate policies to bring the risk levels down to desirable levels. To manage IT risks, the following principles are crucial. First, establish a central management unit to address IT system risks (National Institute of Standards and Technology, 1998). Members of this management group should possess technical expertise to analyze risk information properly on a continued basis. They should thereby inform and provide expertise and technical support to the general management on security issues. To enhance proper implementation of IT security policies, all persons involved should be equipped with technical IT skills through training. Training of the members would reduce resistance and increase their cooperation instead. Create Proper Awareness The users of IT system should be equipped with the appropriate skill. Since technology is dynamic, management must ensure the users get timely updates on the IT field developments. This should be done by application of user-friendly strategies viz. notices, alerts, seminars, and presentations among others. The continued awareness on information systems by the members enhances their confidence and thereby enabling them to avoid making errors and mistakes. Effective system monitoring and evaluation Monitoring encourages compliance by the users, holds the management of information system accountable for their responsibilities, and takes corrective measures. System evaluation would involve carrying out test controls and analyzing risk factors and indicators. In addition, it is imperative to enroll the use of independent system auditors whose reports, findings, and recommendat ions should be acted upon promptly. Keep record of security incidences and the damages caused this would help in determination of the system weaknesses. The system monitoring and evaluation team should be keen to developments in technology so that the tools and technologies used in the monitoring and evaluations activities are relevant.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Strategic Information Management and Customer Relations Management specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Conclusion The aforementioned facts form a strong conviction that BPM is a meaningful business strategy and not a management fad. PMP’s key functionality information system is effecting communication, both within the organization and without. Effective information system therefore, should relay relevant information to its users. Customers are important for the survival of business entities. Consequently, companies should endeavor to attract an d maintain a client base as large as they can. Technology has significantly changed the way business entities interact with their customers. With the emergence of online shopping (virtual markets), companies should position themselves strategically to benefit fully. This can effectively be done through BPM, which is not a fad but an imperative management change strategy. References Lacity, M.C. (2005). Why General Managers Need to Understand Information Technology. Working Paper. Retrieved from https://www.umsl.edu/divisions/business/mis/Why%20I.S./whymis.html National Institute of Standards and Technology. (1998). Management of Risks in  Information Systems: Practices of Successful Organizations. Web. Swanson, M. (2004). Contingency Planning Guide for Information Technology Systems. NIST. Web. This essay on Strategic Information Management and Customer Relations Management was written and submitted by user Kinsley V. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.

Beer industry essays

Beer industry essays Australia is the sixth-largest credit card market globally. Credit cards represent an attractive method of payment for Australians as most domestic cards are linked to frequent-flier schemes. The Visa card is probably the most widely known credit card in the world with around 21,000 member financial institutions globally. A study made by Interbrand, an international research firm, revealed that Visa ranked 14th internationally in terms of brand recognition behind corporations such as Coca-Cola and IBM. Visa is more than just a credit card. Visa provides customers with the most secure and flexible forms of payments that presents an opportunity to make a money transfer at anytime, around the world. Visa itself does not issue cards, but there are more than 600 channels of distribution, that are Visa member financial institutions(www.visa.com.au). In Australia and Asia, there are a broad selection of Visa payment products including credit and debits cards, corporate, purchasing and busin ess cards, Travelers Cheques and Visa Travel Money. All these products provide customers with a high level of security, reliability and convenience. One of the main environmental influences that is currently impacting Visa organization is information technology. Visa has introduced many innovative technologies to further enhance their service contribution to the market. For example, network is critically important to the membership of thousands of financial institutions that jointly establish rules, standards, and interchange fees(De La Llana, 1998). Several of the business practices in using the credit card network include no-surcharge and non-discrimination rules, collective determination of interchange fees, honor-all-card provisions(www.visa.com.au). Another improvement in information technologies is that 4,000 are the maximum transactions Visa can handle per second. Last year the Visa system handled approximately 37 billion transactions, with a tota...

Graduation Speech of Pupils Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Graduation Speech of Pupils - Essay Example Indeed the education is expensive but it is even more expensive to play ignorant. Our parents have done everything not just pay our school fees but also provide us with the basic needs and see us to through our studies in a smooth manner. Teachers on their part have on a daily basis held our hands as we walk past the many milestones that define our eleven year journey of education. You taught us in class, you taught us out of class, offered moral support and encouraged us never to give up on our dreams. Surely, you teachers and parents have denied yourselves a lot and given to us more than enough. We have no better words thank you. I want to say that as we graduate, we need not be awarded with medals so as to prove that there is something very special within us. We are all blessed, talented and are worth a part on the back. This day is all about celebrating the talents and knowledge that walk away with as we graduate. I guess all for a long time have been imagining what the graduation day would look like. I admit that personally, I have vivid memories of every imagined scene about this day. To my fellow classmates, I must emphasize that this has been long journey marked with hard work so as to come out of here as changed persons. We did not imagine surviving the roller coaster ride of schooling and being here to celebrate eventually. Indeed this has been a long journey. As I come to the end, I must say what we are now through with is just but a milestone and it that time for us to move on to even bigger fights for our lives. All we learned in class and out of class while here will give us the base to stand on as get through the next stages of education. We learned not only formulas, poems, and other things in class but also life skills outside class. We learned how to work independently, in teams and more importantly to appreciate our friends in their uniqueness. Everything we

Human Resources Manager Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Human Resources Manager - Coursework Example One of the most important requirements in recruiting the right individual for the job is educational certifications. It is important to ensure that the education background of the applicants is relevant and that all the required courses and classes for the offered position are completed. For instance, an applicant for the position of the Quality Control Engineer should have undertaken courses in Quality Control Engineering and acquired relevant certifications in relation to the courses. Another important requirement in the recruitment process is the work experience of the applicants (Francis, 2012). Given the organizations task ahead, it is important to invest in employees that have a good background in what they do to allow for maximum performance and timely achievement of the organizations goals and objectives. Work experience involves both the positions held by an individual in previous work environments and the history of their work ethics. This would be important in determining the gained skills and abilities in handling various issues within their range of roles and responsibilities. The applicants’ previous work ethics would determine their interaction with other employees in the organizational setting and the performance of activities in an ethical manner. The soft skills of the applicants are also an important requirement in determining their abilities to handle different situations within the work environment (OMeara, 2013). Some of the skills such as communication and collaboration are important in measuring the applicants’ ability to work with other members of the organization in teams. Academic competence enhances organizational performance as individuals put their acquired skills into practice; hence improving the performance of the organization (Armstrong, 2012). On the other hand, work experience promotes new approaches in the organization as different individuals apply varying

Alternative Minimum Tax Essay Example for Free

Alternative Minimum Tax Essay Good to hear from you Alex. Estate and gift tax can be a burden so let me help you clear the air and give you a fresh take on what to do. First I’m going to want to explain to you the estate tax formula. Then I will discuss the interplay between gift and estate taxes. I have a few strategies for you to minimize estate taxes that I can let you in on and will help you on the long run. I would also like to explain the generation-skipping transfer tax and its relationship to gift and estate tax, because this might relate to you. From all this I will give you my advice on whether to invest in your son and his business idea. I would like to explain the estate tax formula and how it is computed. The first step is to gather or compile the gross estate and that consists of all the property in which you have an interest in. This would be the total dollar value of all the property and assets you have at the time of your death. The gross estate figure will be before liabilities like debt and taxes are deducted. The next step will be to subtract all the debt, funeral, and administration expenses. This will give you the adjusted gross estate. We would then normally subtract the property passing to the surviving spouse. In your case, your spouse no longer plays a factor but that may come to play if you decide to remarry and include your possible future spouse in your will. After we have taken out these items we would come up with your taxable estate. We will have to add the adjusted taxable gifts. This would be the excess of $13,000 annual gift exclusion amount. Under some special circumstances, if the gift was included in the gross estate it would not have to be reported again. Once this is done we will have you estate tax base. We then can find your tentative estate tax from the tax table. Our next step would be to subtract gift taxes payable on gifts includible in the estate tax base. We also have to subtract the applicable credit amount. The applicable credit is also known as the unified credit. This credit applies to both the gift and estate taxes. In 2012 the maximum unified credit is at $1,772,800 and the applicable exclusion amount is at $5,120,000. If after all this is done and a tax is still payable we will subtract other possible credits. These credits would include state tax credits, the credit for prior transfers and the foreign tax credit. The final result would be the tax payable that is due with the estate tax return. Gift and estate taxes work together and there is a specific purpose to that. While you are alive, and gift transfers may be subject to the federal gift tax. After your death, the estate transfers (property and assets) may be subject to federal estate tax. The reason these two taxes work together is so at the time of your death you cannot avoid the estate tax by giving away your property. The one good thing is that they both have exclusions that we can take advantage to avoid taxes. A gift and estate lifetime exclusion can work together to allow you to transfer up to $5,120,000 of lifetime gifts. They both will not be imposed with gift or estate tax. Anything after this exclusion will be subject to the 35% tax rate and that goes for both gift and estate tax. Another way they are intertwined is that if you have to make large gift tax payments during your lifetime this would result in lower estate taxes. In some circumstances the combine total of the early gift taxes and the later estate tax would give you an even lower estate tax that you would have gotten with the estate tax alone. This would then allow you to pass on even higher values to your beneficiaries. There are a few estate tax strategies that I want you in on and that will eventually lower you estate tax. First is marital transfer, which neither lifetime gifts nor bequests at death to one’s spouse are subject to estate taxes. This type of transfer might be an incentive for you to remarry but don’t recommend that be your only reason for remarriage. Another strategy is lifetime gifts to children and grandchildren. An example of this is to give annual gifts of $12,000 to any number of persons. By giving this gift a husband and wife can give a collective amount of $24,000 per year per recipient without having to incur a gift tax. This can add up to a substantial amount over a number of years. Uniform transfer to minors is another option. You can accomplish this by gifting to the children that are still minors which is usually given to a custodian for the benefit of the child. This would be distributed to the child when the child reaches 18 and like other gifts would be subject to an annual exclusion for lifetime gifts. Irrevocable life insurance trusts are available for you to use. To do this you would be transferring small amounts of your estate that are equal to the amount of a life insurance premium to an irrevocable life insurance trust. When this is done, you will be reducing your taxable estate and creating a much larger asset outside of the estate. The life insurance proceeds are generally not taxable. A private annuity can be made to make a sale of an asset to a younger generation in exchange for an unsecured promise. This promise is to pay annual amounts to the seller for the seller’s lifetime. Furthermore, charitable transfers can reduce the size of the estate and thereby reduce the estate taxes. Lifetime gifts provide an additional benefit of an income tax deduction. This last one I think is one of your best bets for transferring your estate to your child or children. A family limited partnership can provide a valuable estate planning tool to assist your family in transferring ownership of family owned businesses. This would also help protect your family assets from creditors as an added bonus. Considering that you will be making larger amounts of money, this option permits taxation of partnership income at your child’s lower tax rates. This plan offers plenty of intriguing options but also the added features of the family limited partnership flexibility and revocability. With your son’s possible criminal record, this gives you control in case things don’t pan out like you wish. What is generation skipping transfer? A generation skipping transfer is shift of property by gift to a person who is two or more generations below that of you. For years wealthy individuals gave away their fortune or property to grandchildren without paying federal estate taxes. This tax was made to prevent people avoiding this tax by skipping generations. This tax is only due when a skip person receives amount in excess of GST estate tax credit. One good thing is that most people will never encounter the GST tax because the tax credit levels are pretty high. Currently taxpayers are entitled to a $5 million GST tax exemption. Leaving a dynasty trust offers two advantages to the GST exemption. One is that the trust will escape all transfer taxes when the child dies. I would then pass tax-free to the grandchildren. The trust can be protected from the claims of creditors and to some extent, money seeking ex-spouses. Overall I hope I have given you some ideas on what to do and how to avoid estate taxes. Estate taxes can be avoided and you don’t have to take it sitting down. There are plenty of tax loopholes that you can still take advantage of. Now for the matter of your son it is in my personal recommendation for you not to just give your child, Jackson, the gift of three million. As there will be a gift tax that will apply to it for this current year that can be avoided. Instead I hope you decide to make a family limited partnership as to give you control of that money and still give your son the opportunity to pursue his dream to make custom cabinets. Eventually you can leave the company to Jackson after you know that the felony charges will not affect him and he has shown promise in maintaining the company. This once again is my recommendation but you have the option to do as you see fit. You are not limited to this and we can always work together to find something that will fit your c hildren or family needs.

Notes on John Locke :: Second Treatise on Civil Government

Notes on John Locke (1632-1704), selections from The Second Treatise of Government (1690) As we will examine it, a defining theme of the American experience from Thomas Jefferson through Elizabeth Cady Stanton to Martin Luther King, Jr. is democratic revolution: these and other major figures seek to change the existing social structure, in order to expand the circle of democracy - to encompass ever larger groups of people within a democratic framework which recognizes the basic equality and rights of each member. Using Jefferson as the starting point, the circle of democratic rights initially includes white males over the age of 41 who meet certain property requirements. Elizabeth Cady Stanton seeks to enlarge this circle to include women - as Martin Luther King, Jr., seeks to enlarge the circle to include people of color. How do you argue for revolutionary change? The American experience is striking not only for its theme of revolutionary change: more fundamentally, these diverse calls for revolution all rest on a shared, central argument. This argument begins from certain premises, and uses those premises to support a specific conclusion - the conclusion that democratic revolution, radical social change in the direction of increasing equality with regard to rights and standing before the law, is justified. The shared argument looks like this: [P1] Governments (Jefferson, Cady Stanton) and laws (Martin Luther King, Jr.) are legitimate only if they rest on the consent of the governed and protect basic rights. [P2] If governments and laws lack this consent, and/or fail to protect these rights, then [C1] such governments are no longer legitimate, and/or such laws are unjust. [P3] Illegitimate governments and/or unjust laws require no allegiance. Therefore, [C2] Illegitimate governments and/or unjust laws must be dissolved and replaced with legitimate governments and/or just laws i.e., governments and/or laws which rest on the consent of the governed and protect basic rights (i.e., which meet the conditions of [P1]). While Jefferson first articulates this argument as the central justification for the American Revolution, we will see this argument used to support the struggle for women's suffrage (Cady Stanton) and the struggle for civil rights for American blacks (Martin Luther King, Jr.). But Jefferson did not invent this argument or its underlying assumptions. Among other sources, Jefferson was deeply influenced by Locke's views on human nature and the political arrangements befitting that nature - especially as Locke articulated his political philosophy in Two Treatistes of Government (1690).

WMDA

WMDA instance surveyThe architectural house, West Midlands Designers and Architects Ltd. ( WMDA ) , was a profit-making and successful concern three old ages age. A closely knit group built a friendly and harmoniousness atmosphere under the direction of Russell Quinn. There are 10 staff working for this design and architecture house. However, the market collapsed and economic system is on crisp downswing. WMDA has less work to manage. Under this circumstance, the foreman decides to happen an acceptable and just method to lay-off four staff in order that the house can go on to last in this competitory market. There are four possible methods to hold decide-making, but, which manner can be a just determination and how to make up one's mind who would be excess will be analyzed and explained below. Russell Quinn has considered four possible methods: Last in – first out ( LIFO ) ; Voluntary redundancy ; Selection on virtue ; Peer choice included. Every coin has two sides, these four methods besides have their ain strength and failing. First of all, LIFO is the easiest, simplest, traditional method. Additionally, a steady and long history company should necessitate some gifted and full of new thoughts immature employee, non all old and experience employee to pull off the house. On contrast, the freshman came to the house in a short period, therefore, the house has input less money and preparation on them. For illustration, Paul is a no experience fresher in the company and have non created some value or major part for the company. Even though the house may blow recruit and advertisement money spent earlier, it is the best manner to salvage money than lay-off an experience labour remaining in the house for several old ages. However, the house besides need to see if makes the youngest designers redundant, they may see the house has age favoritism. Another method is Voluntary redundancy. Employees own the sentiment that they have the right to take, non oblige to go forth, furthermore, they think the house esteem them in this pick. Hence, this method can let go of concern and fright of the other employee. However, this may non be a good method. First, it is non just wholly. The company normally has a predetermined program who will be laid off so that the top direction will use some method to coerce some staff, such as conversation, deduction and exert force per unit area, etc. Additionally, to a certain extent, it may be a venture for the company. Sometimes the house will lose some superb staff or some you want to go forth buttocks. In comparing, Selection on virtue is much more just. Every house wants to hold superb public presentation and value staff who has the capableness to convey benefit to the corporation. However, merely to detect one staff ‘s result can non judge it is superior or non. Working procedure may be important, for illustration, new employees have less chance and clip to make value and outstanding design, we can merely judge them harmonizing to working procedure. Last, Peer choice is non really utile. Even though the communicating and apprehension among employees are much better than director to employee, therefore, to some grades, equal assessment has valuable mention. However, under this circumstance, staff may all desire the house to utilize another method ( slash wage, take a vacation, work rotary motion, etc ) than make staff redundant. Furthermore, fondness may be when they submit names. As what has been analyzed above, merely to do usage of one method is non just and unreasonable. Integrated attack should be an appropriate manner. Virtually, the house should hold known its nonsubjective, long-run development mark good and travel over every item ( hypertext transfer protocol: //uk.askmen.com/money/career_200/248_how-to-lay-off-employees.html, accessed on Dec 20 2009 ) , public presentation assessment is a important and most utile method to mensurate staff, equal assessment besides can be valuable mention to judge staff ‘ contribution.. Some people may non be leave behind if their end are non equal to the involvement of the house. For illustration, Henry wants the company to diversify into new countries, the house is at low tide that there is non adequate money to put in another concern, which ne'er has invested before. Additionally, Hiroshi wishes Nipponese companies to put up in Britain, yet the fiscal state of affairs is non allow. In decision, the company is loath to lay-off employee. Hence, ne'er make a determination before punctilious deliberation. Harmonizing to the house ‘s monetary status and corporate involvement to do a long-run aim, so remain staff who can assist company to win the conflict. I recommend that the house should do out a theoretical account for development in future and communicate with all employee in the company often. It can assist protect against staff anxiousness and avoid staff job-hopping. Reward superior designers besides be a good manner to promote and back up the remainder of them as a consequence of morale and coherence betterment. On the other side, the house should esteem and back up the staff redundant. Recommendation missive and friendly salutation besides can be a good manner to comfort. ( hypertext transfer protocol: //www.chinahrd.net/ZHI_SK/jt_page.asp? articleid=178823, accessed on Dec 2 2009 )Reference & A ; # 65292 ;1, ZhiZhong Chen, Face Layoff Employee Correctly ( 2009 ) , hypertext transfer protocol: //www.chinahrd.net/ZHI_SK/jt_page.asp? articleid=178823 & A ; # 65292 ; accessed on Dec 2 2009 2, Dimitri A.C. Ly, hypertext transfer protocol: //uk.askmen.com/money/career_200/248_how-to-lay-off-employees.html, accessed on Dec 20 2009