Global Technology Human Resources - Essay Example

Global Technology Workforce Management Global technology human resources i. The approaches to optimizing the technical workforce in developing technology solutions across nations and cultural boundaries include: On-Line Absence Management Employee Self Service Enterprise Compensation Management (ECM) On-Line Employment Application Management Vertical private networks The main technology decision in building international systems is finding a set of workable standards in hardware, software, and networking for the firm's international information systems infrastructure. The Internet and intranets will increasingly be used to provide global connectivity and to serve as a foundation for global systems, but many companies will still need proprietary systems for certain functions, and therefore international standards (Kucza, Komi-Sirvio, 2001). ii. The reasons for strong communication across enterprise division and country borders in successful development of technology solutions. Strong communication affects the nature of social interactions (the size and nature of work groups, the extent of mobility and of contacts with other people); Information technology bears heavily on the decision-making processes of the organisation and increasingly forms an essential part of management information and corporate strategy; It will allow individuals to work more on their own without additional consultations; It will allow to develop a universal solution for an enterprise operating world wide; It helps to understand the needs of a particular group of individuals (supply chain) (Kucza, Komi-Sirvio, 2001). iii. The role and importance of knowledge management in an international setting. Technology for Knowledge management helps: to connect people in global organization who operate in a distance, and has no opportunity to use printed matters or other sources. to acquire, exchange and disseminate knowledge as it is about information technology. to create, acquire and capture knowledge, wherever it resides, to enhance learning and performance in organizations. to impose time dimensions on workers and may require set times for attending to operations and a set pace of work for international operations. advances in technical knowledge tend to develop at a faster rate than, and in isolation from, consideration of related human and social consequences. to provide data flow to take decisions of the bases of narrow characteristics available form international databases iv. List of methods for gaining and sustaining global technology leadership. Transnational IS development Staff training Update of resources Systems originally (intended to be sustain global technology leadership); Technologies deployed as individual solutions or as a part of an enterprise-wide HR information system (HRIS). (Johnson, 2005). Global technology supply chain as it relates to Technology Globalization i. Identify the advantages and disadvantages of a technology enabled global supply chain. Advantages: It integrates the supplier, distributor, and customer logistics requirements into one cohesive process. It links processes such as procurement or logistics, to supply goods or services from source through consumption. It makes more efficient the company's internal operations; It reduces inventory costs by asking suppliers to put off delivery of goods; It integrates demand planning, forecasting, materials requisition, order processing, inventory allocation, order fulfillment, transportation services, receiving, invoicing, and payment. It allow a company to deliver goods more rapidly to the customer Disadvantages: high cost of software solutions are very different from buy-side and sell-side perspectives. Security of data cannot be guaranteed by both sides ii. Address security concerns in deploying global technology solutions Data security ensure that valuable business data files on either disk or tape are not subject to: virus protection data protection unauthorized access unauthorized change Destruction (McNurlin, Sprague, 1997). Global technology brings new opportunities for crime, which ranges from computer theft, desk-top forgery, voice and electronic mail terrorism, to graffiti sent by facsimile transmission and electronic data interchange fraud, including 'hacking' and destruction of data by introducing computer viruses Methods of protecting a technology's intellectual property in a global market place. Patent Trademark Copyright Control of web-site hosting, data privacy, Internet Service Provider activities Software Licensing Registration (Intellectual Property, 2005). It is important that: Systems that allow on-line inquiry and reporting must have data files secured. One set of users consists of all employees who perform clerical functions such as inputting employee data into the system. All individuals with this type of profile can update the system but can neither read nor update sensitive fields such as salary, medical history, or earnings data. Another profile applies to divisional managers, who cannot update their systems but who can read all employee data fields for their division, including medical history and salary. These profiles would be established and maintained by a data security system. A multilayered data security system is essential for ensuring that this information can be accessed only by authorized persons. Web pages can be constructed from bits of text, graphics, sound, or video that may come from many different sources. Each item may belong to a different entity, creating complicated is of ownership and compensation. From technological standpoint: When data can be input on-line through a terminal, entry of unauthorized input must be prevented. Terminals can be physically restricted so that they are available only to authorized individuals. System software can include the use of passwords assigned only to authorized individuals. data security software can limit access to specific files, such as the files for the accounts receivable system (McNurlin, Sprague, 1997). Summary: Global Technology involves changes to the workflow system. With the traditional 'functional layout', lines of similar machines or operations are arranged together so that components are passed back and forth until all activities are completed. To optimize this process such approaches can be used: On-Line Absence Management, Employee Self Service, Enterprise Compensation Management, On-Line Employment Application Management, Vertical private networks. However, with global technology, the work flow system is based on a grouping of workers and a range of machines. The reasons for strong communication are important parts of this process because global computer-based information and decision support systems provide an additional dimension of global structural design. Advances in technical knowledge tend to develop at a faster rate than, and in isolation from, consideration of related human and social consequences. Firms with successful technology solutions have broken down organizational barriers that block the sharing of data across functions. It allows design, sales, and manufacturing departments to work together much more closely. Successful technology solutions is recasting the process of management, providing powerful new capabilities to help managers strategize and plan, organize, lead, and control. For instance, it is now possible for managers to obtain information on organizational performance down to the level of specific transactions from just about anywhere in the organization at any time. Managers must deal with new people issues because the changes brought about by information technology definitely require a new kind of employee. Knowledge management can also influence the way organisations interact with customers, suppliers and competitors. Sometimes, because of the investment required and the mutual benefit competitors collaborate over technology. Successful technology development alters the skills requirements for individuals, it changes jobs and the way they are done. It can also alter relationships between individuals and organization. To optimize the technical workforce a manager should be well aware of innovations and solution available for a particular organization or group in order to react accordingly to changing environment. A manager should take into account national differences applying new solutions. To develop technology solutions it is necessary to take into account internal and external factors that influence the company. Strong communication is the most important tool in person-to-person interaction and organizational requirements. The way businesses conduct their affairs affects and often changes the particular culture in which they operate. For this reason, only strong communication can help to find an appropriate solution for all enterprise divisions, and, as the most important, to support organizational goals and strategies. KM software helps in the development of performance management processes which focus and the development and sharing of knowledge of a particular type for a particular group of employees around the world. It also sustains the redevelopment processes of organizational and individual learning which generate and assist in disseminating knowledge. In conjunction with IT, develop systems for capturing and, as far as possible, codifying explicit and tacit knowledge (Kucza, Komi-Sirvio, 2001). b. There are many advantages to information systems when they are properly safeguarded. But when large amounts of data are stored in electronic form, they are vulnerable to many more kinds of threats than when they exist in manual form. Most common threats to technology transfer can stem from technical, organizational, and environmental factors compounded by poor management decisions. The development of global technology transfer requires specialized technical expertise. Protecting customer and organization interests systems should not be open to abuse by highly technical staff members who are not well integrated into the organization. It is known fact that on-line information systems are even more difficult to control because data files can be accessed immediately and directly through computer terminals. Nevertheless, it is important to control input and output of information to protect customers from fraud, etc. Protection measures should include virus protection programs installed in every computer, data protection measures such as systems software, additional passwords and security restrictions, unauthorized access and unauthorized change should be protected by passwords and control software. All databases should be stored in copies to avoid destructions (Schweyer, 2004). Additionally, more complex and diverse hardware, software, organizational, and personnel arrangements are required for telecommunications networks, creating new areas and opportunities for security and control. An examination of existing systems and methods should be periodically reported. This report can include detailed costs of equipment, accommodation, staff required, operating and running, ease of operation and flexibility of equipment, and potential savings. The strict control of operations is vital, especially where satellite devices are connected to a central processor, allowing easy access to files. Where password systems are adopted, a log of procedure should be built into the software. The latest security procedures incorporate Intruder Detection using Expert Systems which have profiles of how employees of a company typically use a system. The computer can then inform the security division of a company if it identifies any significant deviation. It also monitors the system for failed log-in attempts and the amount of processing time being used and compares this with the historical averages (Kucza, Komi-Sirvio, 2001). In addition, Intellectual property, copyright and industrial property, should be followed to avoid fraud and unauthorized access. Existing laws provide inadequate protection: that, for example, for patent protection, copyright, trade marks owners. Nevertheless, not all the issues are sufficiently protected against cyber squatters. To accomplish this point affectively, corporation should follow strict code of ethics and corporate social responsibility, and maintain strict control for technological transfer (as it was mentioned above). It is possible to conclude that global organization relies to a considerable extent on achieving success through the development of new technologies should pay a specific attantion to security and protection measures. Global technology helps to ensure that the knowledge generated by such developments is spread around the business as widely as possible to those who might put it to good use. But a mangier should be ensured that knowledge is recorded and made acceptable only to those users it is intended for. References 1. Intellectual Property and Information technology. (2005). Available at: http://www.thompsoncoburn.com/Firm_Information/Practice_Areas/Intellectual_Property/index.aspx 2. Johnson, B. (2005). Technology for optimizing HR solutions. Available at: http://www.sheshunoff.com/email/archive/0205/oper_new1.html 3. Kucza, T. Komi-Sirvio, S. (2001).Utilising Knowledge Management in Software Process Improvement - The Creation of a Knowledge Management Process Model. ICE. 4. McNurlin B.C. and Sprague R.H. Jnr. (1997). Information Systems Management in Practice 4th edn. Hemel Hempstead: Prentice Hall 5. Schweyer, A. (2004). Talent Management Systems. John Wiley & Sons. Read More