IT Aspects of the Knowledge Worker - Essay Example

Discussion Questions Introduction Whereas there is no universal definition of who a knowledge worker is, itis generally agreed that knowledge workers have the duty of generating ideas as opposed to just implementing decisions that have been made by managers in the organization (G & G, 2011). They include professors, doctors, public speakers, town planners and software engineers. Their role in the job market continues to be more and more distinct. This paper’s aim is to discuss questions that touch on the various information technology aspects of the knowledge worker and how these aspects can be applied to the wider organization. Dq6.1: What is decision support? A decision support system (DSS) is a computer-based information system designed to help a manager choose one of the several possible solutions to a problem (Tripathi, 2011). Today, it is possible for an organization to automate certain decision-making processes in a huge, computer-based DSS that is sophisticated enough to analyse a huge amount of information quickly. As a system, some of the elements that constitute a DSS are models for collecting data, personnel, databases, processes, software and equipment. It helps an organization to increase its market share, cut costs, increase profits and improve the quality of services and goods. For instance, a national revenue authority may use a DSS to bring more citizens into the tax bracket, thereby increasing its tax revenue collections. Similarly, a manufacturer of detergent can use the DSS to determine the market segment that his competitor pursues. Once armed with this information, he can then choose to concentrate on the segment that least appeals to his opponent. How it relates to the knowledge worker’s role The knowledge worker brings many benefits to his organization. Under this section, I’m going to discuss some of his/her roles and illustrate how a DSS relates to them. First, the knowledge worker analyzes data in order to establish links or relationships between/among phenomena (GSA Enterprise Transformation, 2011). For example, in processing applications for scholarships, a school administrator may want to check a student’s academic performance against his/her family background. Should the school have a DSS in place, this task should be relatively easy. The only the administrator will be required to do is to look at the student database, which is a key component of the DSS. Another role of the knowledge worker is to brainstorm, that is to think broadly. For instance, a town planner who is faced with the task of preparing a redevelopment plan for a declining area of inner city has to evaluate and choose from several alternative plans. In this exercise, a computer-based cost-benefit analysis framework could come in handy. Does it add value after implied costs? An implied cost, also known as imputed or notional cost, is the income that one forfeits by committing an asset to a particular use as opposed to other alternative uses. For example, an enterprise that opts to use its building for its office space as opposed to renting it out forfeits rental income. A decision support system does add value by enhancing the capacity of managers to make sound business decisions, faster. This benefit (among others) outweighs the cost of acquiring and maintaining the DSS. On the flip side, a firm that avoids the DSS on pretext that it is costly risks going out of business. Today’s business environment is very competitive. The phenomenon of globalization has reduced the world into a global village and opened up local markets to multinational corporations. Many of these multinational corporations are established and have robust relationships with commercial banks and other financiers which means they have easier access to funds to finance their expansion. Besides, these companies employ some of the best brains in business so they have a big pool of expertise. In this environment, the local firm that ultimately survives is the one that can make sound decisions promptly (Tripathi, 2011). The DSS helps in this process of decision making. Dq6.2: What is a business intelligence system? Business intelligence is a tool designed to support the process of reaching organizational decisions (Lloyd, 2011). The contribution of business intelligence in a firm is to extract data that is deemed crucial to the continued success of the enterprise, and to manipulate and present the data as information that is helpful for decision-making by managers. Also, business intelligence is used to comprehend the capabilities that exist in a firm, the state of affairs and future trends in the markets, the regulatory framework within which the business exists and operates, and the actions of rivals and the impact of these actions. A business intelligence system is a combination of tools, software and technology that are used to collect and analyze data. The analyzed data becomes complex yet competitive information that managers can use to make better, timely business decisions (Lloyd, 2011). Business intelligence systems avail the right information at the right time. Describe three to four attributes and any major obstacle. The four most common components or attributes of a business intelligence system are data warehouses, ETL tools, OLAP techniques and data mining (Lloyd, 2011). We now look at each in some detail: Data warehouses: this is a store of relevant business data that is arranged and validated such that it can be easily analyzed to aid the process of decision making. Sometimes, the data is external to the company that is using it. ETL tools: ETL tools and procedures are used to extract data from one or several source systems. They can convert data from several formats into one common format before loading it into a data warehouse. They manipulate data that convert it into useful information for decision making. OLAP techniques: On-Line Analytical Processing stems from the difficulties met when one tries to analyse data on a database that is constantly changing by the transaction. OLAP tries to complex data as it becomes available on a database that that is being updated continuously. Data mining: techniques of data mining are tailored to establish relationships within a data warehouse, then produce a report of those relationships. The information from data mining may be used to forecast the effect of a decision in addition to describing reality. Given the complexity of a business intelligence system, there are several obstacles that stand in its way of success. One of the most cited obstacles, hence causes of failure of many BI system programmes, is vague, unclear goals (Olszak & Ziemba, 2012). Businesses need to state clearly the goal(s) they wish to achieve by a BI system prior to establishing one. An example of a BI system goal would be “to establish the actions of our main competitor and the effects of those actions on us”. Dq6.3: Many firms use a customer relationship management system as part of their portfolio of information system tools. What knowledge worker information system tools might be useful for a customer relationship management system? An information system is a set of tools, techniques, software, equipment and personnel which the knowledge worker may use to enhance his productivity at work (Al-Mamary & Nor Aziati, 2013). Under this section, I’m going to explain four of information system tools that may be useful for a customer relationship management system, namely the Internet, social media and databases. The Internet: This is a worldwide network of computers that makes it possible for any one computer on the network to communicate with several others wherever they may be. The Internet has revolutionized the way knowledge workers work. A key feature that has made this possible is electronic mail (e-mail). A customer relationship management system that adopts email as a way of commuting with customers benefits from low costs and fast exchange of information. For instance, it costs just as much to send an email to ten people as it does to send it to one person. On the other hand, the cost of sending ten letters to ten customers by post or courier is significant. Social media: Today, it is common for large organizations to employ a person or a team of people to administer their social media sites like Facebook. These organizations have realized the huge markets they can tap into through social media. A customer relationship management system that employs social media could easily attain increased sales revenue for the company. Databases: A database is a huge data bank maintained by an organization. For example, a university may maintain a database of its students. As already explained, a database is a key component of the DSS, a system that employs many knowledge workers (such as software engineers) to deploy and run. Similarly, a customer relationship management system could maintain a database of a firm’s organization. The database would contain useful information about customers, such as their location and their buying habits. This sort of knowledge is useful for the firm’s marketing efforts. Live chats: In recent years, many big business organizations have taken to incorporating lice chats in their websites. The live chat is a technology that enables a customer to converse with a representative of a company (an example of a knowledge worker) through text in real time via the company’s website. Both ends of the channel of communication need reliable Internet connection to be able to chat live. Live chats provide instantaneous feedback unlike other means of communication like email. Some companies will take several days to respond to an email. In the worst case scenario, the email may never be replied. In these circumstances, the live chat, if designed and deployed properly comes in handy. Otherwise, the live chat that is designed poorly does no good to the customer nor to the company. Conclusion One can argue that the advent of information technology has redefined the role of the knowledge worker. Many leading organizations are spending lavishly to harness and keep some of the best brains in the knowledge industry, especially in the area of information technology. Driven by a desire to remain profitable in the face of fierce global competition, many business organizations are investing heavily in state of the art BI systems. These systems, they believe, give them the upper hand over their competitors. Behind these systems are knowledge workers, notably software engineers. Thus, it would be reasonable for one to argue that the role of the knowledge worker will remain relevant for decades to come. References Al-Mamary, Y. H., & Nor Aziati, A. S. (2013). The Impact of Management Information Systems Adoption in Managerial Decision Making: A Review. Management Information Systems, 8 (4), 10-17. G, A., & G, G. (2011). Knowledge Workers, Competencies, Virtuality and Management. Polish Journal Of Management Studies, 4, 67-77. GSA Enterprise Transformation. (2011). The Knowledge Worker Productivity: Challenges, Issues and Solutions. New York: GSA Enterprise Transformation. Lloyd, J. (2011). Identifying Key Components of Business Intelligence Systems and Their Role in Managerial Decision-making. Oregon: University of Oregon. Olszak, C., & Ziemba, E. (2012). Critical Success Factors for Implementing Business Intelligence Systems in Small and Medium Enterprises on the Example of Upper Silesia, Poland. Interdisciplinary Journal of Information, Knowledge and Management, 7, 130-150. Tripathi, K. P. (2011). Decision Support system is a Tool for Making Better Decisions in the Organization. Indian Journal of Computer Science and Engineering (IJCSE), 2(1) 112-117. Read More