Impact of Globalization on Managing an IS Infrastructure - Research Paper Example

Managerial Issues Paper Table of Contents Table of Contents 1 Overview 2 Configuration Management And Preventive Maintenance 2 Industry Standards in Configuration Management and Control 4 Training Approaches Required For Adaptive Maintenance and Confidence 4 Impact of Globalization On Managing an IS Infrastructure 5 References 7 Overview In this era of globalization and industrialization, it is very essential to accept and to adopt varied inovative technologies and concepts in order to resolve or perform specific functions. Most of the modern technological equipments are prepared with the help of silicon sensors or actuators which are utilized in order to ease human work and problems. The technology of Information System (IS) mainly specializes in common sensor techniques, ground surveillance radars, electro optics, aerial vehicles and wireless mesh networks among other sensors. IS is primarily utilized in order to offer high reliability along with soaring performance at a cheaper cost, which is quite noteworthy. IS includes variety of transducers or circuits which are connected with one another in a single chip, in order to offer creative services to the users. Besides, it should be used very carefully as these electronic devices are extremely receptive. Hence, it is rather extremely complicated to manage the infrastructure of IS of an organization in this age of modernization. Configuration Management And Preventive Maintenance Due to rapid alterations in international trends and patterns, varied innovative devices including the concept of IS is established in order to cope up with the varying demands of the customers. Moreover, it is also developed to offer better services. Thus, it can be affirmed that IS equipments are very beneficial but its configuration and maintenance is rather difficult for an organization. Configuration mainly deals with appropriate management of the equipments in order to establish and to maintain consistency of a system. It is essential as it would help in proper functioning of the devices thereby retaining stability among the operations of an organization (Tichy, n.d.). Thus, configuration management mainly attempts to preserve the varied physical attributes of a particular software arrangement in an explicit way, in order to reduce the risk of system failure. It might also hamper the entire business cycle thereby disturbing the entire product life cycle operations of an organization (Ian Sommerville, 2004). This might enhance business threats thereby declining the strengths and the corporate image of an organization. Along with configuration, proper maintenance is also the other essential component of a proficient IS system. Preventive maintenance includes repair and renovation of varied parts of a particular management system in order to offer appropriate operations. Every complex system namely industrial machinery and electronic device or software should be maintained in such a way that it operates in an efficient mode. Thus, the prime objective of maintenance is to evade or to mitigate the consequences of equipment failure. Therefore, in order to fulfill this objective, a technically competent individual is required in every organization so that the business operations might flow in a proper way (Krouskop, Noble, Garber, & Spencer, 1983). Hence, it can be apparently avowed that both configuration and preventive maintenance is essential to manage an organization’s pertinent IS infrastructure. Industry Standards in Configuration Management and Control Although configuration management is very essential to maintain the operations of a particular business, it at times fails to do so due to improper industry standards. Industry standard is known as an optimum norm of a business which facilitates it to perform its operations in an appropriate method. The industry standards help in prediction of varied lawful and logical practices in the economy leading to its betterment. Standardization also helps in improving the quality of the products in order to satisfy customer demands. Besides, the International Standards Organization (ISO) does not offer a official paradigm for configuration management in order to enhance the quality of the products. It would also help in accomplishment of the future perspectives. Although ISO standard 10007 provides certain specific set of suggestions for change management and quality enhancement in order to maintain control over the change requirements, but these standards are at times not followed in an appropriate way (International Organization For Standardization, 2011). Hence, improper maintenance of ISO standards might prove harmful for an organization as well as it operations. Training Approaches Required For Adaptive Maintenance and Confidence In order to maintain apropriate software functioning within an organization, it is essential to follow proper maintenance as specified by ISO/IEC 14764 standard. Software maintenance is subdivided into four categories namely corrective, preventive, adaptive and perfective (Tansey, 2008). Adaptive maintenance refers to enhancement of the software system by including varied features and equipments in order to operate in an efficient way in an external environment. It might include operating system, complier, hardware platform, and database structure in order to maintain its effectiveness in a different environment as well. Adaptive maintenance is very crucial in order to retain proper functioning in future times (Tansey, 2008). Hence, according to Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) special training program should be provided to the software individuals in order to analyse and to evaluate the problems associated with the software systems. Along with this, training also enhances the level of confidence of the individuals while detecting various maintenance related problems. Thus, IEEE helps to augment the process of reverse engineering thereby facilitating the individuals in detecting the problems thereby maintaining the operations of the business in a successful way. Moreover, ISO standards also offers high emphasis on the training programs in order to offer apposite adaptive maintenance and control over the software infrastructure of an organization (Canfora & Cimitile, 2000). Impact of Globalization On Managing an IS Infrastructure Globalization enhanced the necessity for the information technology (IT) thereby augmenting the implementation of varied new techniques namely offshoring in software industry. Thus, IT offered a major shift in the global software systems thereby enhancing the productivity and profitability of a business. The term ‘offshoring’ is referred as the process of moving of varied business practices of an organization from one state to the other. It is mainly utilized in order to expand the operations of an organization thereby enhancing its growth and prospects. Offshoring is a type of outsourcing which is also utilized in order to reduce extra cost of business thereby amplifying total revenue along with brand identity (Kumar & Salzer, 2010). Thus, offshoring is one of the noteworthy technique which enhanced the operations of the business. Besides, it can be possible only with the help of internet connections. The process of offshoring includes varied advantages and limitations as well. It mainly helps in prevention of extra expenditure of money thereby reducing the costs of employees. Along with this, it also facilitates in averting the space requirements and diverse equipments, which is also the other noteworthy factor. Moreover, offshoring also provides onsite training which enhances the motivation level of the employees (Kumar & Salzer, 2010). As a result, dedication and commitment of the employees increases thereby augmenting productivity of the organization. It also improves the abilities and the skills of the employees, which is helpful for future growth. Besides, these benefits, certain drawbacks are also present in this process of offshoring. Among them, barriers due to culture and language of different countries lead to misunderstandings and misinterpretations among the employees, which hinder business growth. Along with this, time difference is also another noteworthy issue of offshoring technique (Kumar & Salzer, 2010). Although offshoring includes varied limitations, it is implemented by many business enterprises in order to maintain the infrastructure of IS in an proficient way. Proper maintenance of IS infrastructure provides an organization with added advantage in relation to gaining competitive advantage and also providing consumers with on-time services. These aspects are crucial for an organization in this era of globalization to meet with the varying challenges. References Canfora, G., & Cimitile, A. (2000). Software maintenance. Retrieved from Ftp://Cs.Pitt.Edu/Chang/Handbook/02.Pdf International Organization for Standardization. (2011). ISO 10007:2003. Retrieved from http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/catalogue_tc/catalogue_detail.htm?csnumber=36644 Ian Sommerville. (2004). Configuration management. Retrieved from http://www.comp.lancs.ac.uk/computing/resources/IanS/SE7/Presentations/PDF/ch29.pdf Krouskop, T. A., Noble, P. C., Garber, S. L., & Spencer, W. A. (1983). The effectiveness of preventive management in reducing the occurrence of pressure sores. Journal of rehabilitation R&D 20 (1). Kumar, P., & Salzer, O. (2010). Advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing and offshoring. Retrieved from http://www.salzer3dengineering.eu/PDF/AdvantagesDisadvantagesOfOutsourcingToIndia.pdf Tichy, W. (n.d.). Software configuration management overview. Retrieved from http://www.ida.liu.se/~petfr/princprog/cm.pdf Tansey, W. S. (2008). Automated adaptive software maintenance: a methodology and its applications. Retrieved from http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-05272008-161318/unrestricted/thesis.pdf Read More