Monday, February 20, 2012

Week 3: DQ 2, Reflection & Reflection Essay

Discussion Question
Week 3 DQ 2
Due Day 5
Should information systems managers delay investment in new technologies until there are substantial demonstrated benefits and the price of the new technologies drops? What are the advantages and disadvantages of being pioneers of new technology within an industry?

My response:


Risk Factor
In a technology organization, there are certain risk factors that should occur; otherwise the current technology might become obsolete.  Research and need is always important towards implementing anything new.  The way I would prefer to go about and implement a new technology would be to implement it incrementally if there is not enough data.  If the technology is very expensive, I might wait for more technical details; research the need for the equipment, or for the price to drop to a reasonable amount.  This might require a budget that is set aside for research and development.  One thing to consider is that from a business standpoint, the corporate officers might not accept the expense if the current technology meets the needs of the organization and there is no proof that the new technology is beneficial.  As the old saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.

Pro/Con
There are several advantages towards using new technology.  Being the first organization to use the technology can be beneficial and enhance a company.  Using the most up-to-date equipment can also look good in comparison to other companies to show that they are innovative and willing to move with the times.  There are risks associated with each of these benefits and not every company is willing to or can afford to take these risks.  One risk is that the organization can spend a lot of money on the new technology and not derive any benefit from it.  Other organizations also might not appreciate the incentives that the new technology can bring and cause clients or affiliates to withdraw from the organization.


Reflection Question:

Implications and Conclusions
Each week, please post comments regarding implications and conclusions that you have drawn from your readings and class dialogues. Just select this note, and click Reply.

My response:


I’ve learned that technology can be used for many different things inside and outside of and organization and that technology can be learned in different ways as well.  Through school, discussion forums, the internet, television, books, and other's experiences, I have learned several different aspects of how to derive information from these resources and help others with their own research.

I have also learned that everyone has different interests in their concentration of information systems.  In my team, each member had something different to concentrate on.  I preferred to concentrate on MMORPGs while others chose traffic control systems and an EHR system.

In terms of reflection analysis, I find it interesting that we are reflecting on what we are learning.  I believe that this gives us more time to think about our choices, and explore each other’s subjects and topics to discover more ways on how to use an information system and technology.


Brainstorming Reflection:


Learning Team Instructions
Consider the discussion of dissertations during your residency. What fields of information systems most interest you? What areas will you need to research in greater depth as you focus on a dissertation choice?

Each team member should choose a particular field of information systems he or she would like to research in greater depth throughout this class. You will research and write about this field for the Information Systems Paper, and Annotated Bibliography, due Week Six  The Information Systems Paper and Literature Review are due Week Eight. Each member of a Learning Team should select a different field. Suggested fields include the following:

·         Customer relationship management (CRM) systems
·         Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems
·         Logistical support systems
·         Human resources information systems (HRIS)
·         Information systems security
·         Learning management systems and learning content management systems (LMS/LCMS)
·         Medical systems
·         Accounting and billing systems
·         Massively multiplayer online role-playing games
·         Decision support systems
·         Flexible automation systems
·         Traffic control systems

Research how knowledge is used as a valued asset in your chosen field. What opportunities are made available within this field by sufficient information? How does this field protect the quality and integrity of data?

Review your chosen field with your Learning Team. Summarize how knowledge is used as a resource in this field. Discuss emerging trends within the field and useful sources of information about the field.

Consider the summaries of how knowledge is used as a resource in the fields chosen by other Learning Team members. Discuss emerging trends within the fields other members have chosen, and recommend useful sources of information about the field.
Learning Team
Brainstorming Reflection
Reflect on this week’s brainstorming activity with your Learning Team.
Write a summary of no more than 1,050 words that addresses the following questions:

·         What field of information systems have you chosen?
·         Why did you choose this field? What is its value for you?
·         How is knowledge used as a valued asset in your chosen field?
·         How did your Learning Team members help sharpen your focus on this field?
·         What insights about your field did you find while looking at other Learning Team members’ fields?
·         What insights did other Learning Team members provide to you?
·         How did you add value for your Learning Team members in this week’s brainstorming?
·         How can you improve your scholarly collaboration in future weeks and in future courses?

Submit your reflection.