My MIS Journey (MIS002)
REFLECTIVE BLOG: Week 2
mymisjourney.blogspot.com
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Recently during our 2nd MIS class, we discussed the easy connection between Information Systems (IS) and other computer courses. The ACM framework stands out as a major takeaway because it distinguishes Information Systems (IS) from Information Technology (IT) and Computer Science (CS). The Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) is very vital for the development of educational programs in computing and for determining how students learn about computers.
ACM framework is a multidimensional tool that guides the Application Deployment Configuration and Theory Principles Innovation focus in every course. It helps me to identify which job is what. On the other hand, it was useful in proving how IS (Information Systems) is located at the ceiling or the top of the computing hierarchy; covering larger organizational concerns or issues. This positioning highlights two sides to Information Systems: theory and practice; making it possible to create solutions that meet organizational needs. In this regard, my course has been seen as interdisciplinary through practice and theory adopting different paradigms or models to solve real-world problems within organizations.
In addition, our facilitator gave us a clear yet strong equation to differentiate Information Technology (IT) from Information Systems (IS). I was quite surprised about this because I never thought that there was some formula for each computing course. The formula for an Information System consists of three critical components: Hardware (HW), Software (SW), and Peopleware (PW) – HW + SW + PW. Therefore, it can be said that IS combines all the organizational issues associated with these three elements. Moreover, this broader perspective on IS (Information Systems) as a field that seamlessly blends technical aspects with human components helped me realize its role as a link between technology and organizational goals.
In addition to these technical issues, we also considered our perspective as educators which produced a vibrant discussion regarding what distinguishes management within a classroom from leadership. In my opinion, they teach and help students identify their strengths to educate them about what they should aim for in life. Thus besides delivering knowledge, teaching entails supervising student behavior and determining if such students are progressing as required by defined standards for learning outcomes.
Our subject facilitator talk was about the differences between management and leadership. On one hand, the managers are involved in organizing and controlling the resources and tasks; on the other, leaders inspire and influence their students to develop themselves.
During this Week 2 course session I have gained many good ideas that can be taught in my class. It made me realize that education is more than imparting knowledge; it is about directing, leading, and motivating students toward a better tomorrow using specific criteria.
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REFLECTIVE BLOG: Week 3
Our facilitator taught us the CSC Leadership Roles (Technical Aspects of Leadership) and he discussed the roles one by one. The Chief Operating Strategist catches my attention because its role is to look forward to identifying and forecasting what will happen in the future, somehow that role can formulate the company's digital business strategy. And that role also is the voice of the organization by informing the stakeholders within the IS department. My IS teachers when I was in college told me that IS is the one who talks to the stakeholders about what is going on with the development of the project so it reminds me of my college days.
In Minstzberg's Managerial Roles about Social Aspects of Leadership, I gained insight into my course which doesn't talk only on the technical side of it. They should have skills also in terms of Social Aspects like Interpersonal, Informational, and Decisional. In my own understanding from the lesson by our very handsome facilitator, understanding managerial roles is crucial for several reasons, ranging from personal development to organizational effectiveness. By understanding the various managerial roles, managers can enhance their effectiveness. Each role requires specific skills and behaviors, and being aware of these can help managers perform their duties more efficiently. I also learned that as a negotiator, when a problem arises you would be able to do ADRP (absolute decision resolution process) that acts as a liaison between the establishment to another organization.
He also shared his recent study for UIC Information Systems about the information technology Roles among State Universities and Colleges in Region XI. It shows that the Female gender is the most trusted in the Median age of IS Leaders and most of the IS leaders are inexperienced and in terms of social aspect and technical are also inexperienced.
And for the last lesson for that day is TCO or Total Cost of Ownership. The total cost of ownership is an asset's purchase price plus operation costs. Assessing the total cost of ownership means taking a bigger picture look at what the product is and its value over time. So in short, the cost of owning the material thing because we always haven't realized the value of the object/thing. The last lesson helped me to understand that the things that make your purchase have value and cost of owning the thing. Because some factors make you use resources or money in maintaining it for example a car or a house, you need maintenance because it will not last if you will not take care of it.
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REFLECTIVE BLOG: Week 4
Why do plans fail? The first lesson from the facilitator raised the question ‘Why do plans fail?’ and he elaborated on the role of planning in our Capstone project. Then he inquired about the planning process in undertaking the project. Because of this, it is evident that inadequate planning may lead to extending our stay in UIC meaning that going without plans is dangerous.
But it is also interesting to consider why plans fail. That is, the common things include lack of proper definition of objectives, poor interaction, and lack of resources. Knowing this weakness helps us in the development of more robust and able plans. Not that the theory is wrong; if aims are set, lines are drawn, provisions are made, there is room for flexibility and there is the will to go through with it, then it is almost impossible for things not to go well.
Our facilitator was careful to say that, in most situations, not planning is the same as planning to fail. Without a well-defined Capstone project strategy, we are inviting trouble. This highlights the need for making plans and having the ability to look ahead in order to be successful.
The Role of Strategic Planning
Strategic Management is the process of planning the vision and goals of an organization and deciding on the resources needed to achieve, goals. It is a combination of long-term goals, the actions aimed at reaching these goals, and the resources needed for the implementation of the goals. Furthermore, strategic management also makes people think about the future as it has a distinct future direction. Knowing that a change is bound to take place, it is necessary to have a review and adjustment of plans every few years to achieve the desired goals.
An effective strategic plan will attend to the major performance issues, manage the means and the ends, including a time frame long enough to address performance disparities and be sufficiently flexible to inform decisions at all levels. In addition, such a strategy will be based on specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) targets without being unrealistic.
Prerequisites to Effective Planning
It is important to have clarity in leadership and roles whether planning is done alone or with a group. For any plan to be effective, there should be an explanation of each task, who is to perform it, and what the best time frame for doing so is. Our facilitator also introduced the concept of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), which are quantifiable measures of performance used to track progress toward specific objectives. The use of KPIs is to assist the team in targeting, measuring, and making decisions based on milestones.
This course has helped me understand the right steps to take when pursuing my Master’s degree and has also made the process of planning easier for me. As I consider the degree of difficulty, time, and money I will have to invest in the Capstone project, I still do not have a perfect picture of it. I also appreciate the lessons of my instructor because they are simple and at the same time applicable.
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REFLECTIVE BLOG: Week 5 part 1
With the advancement of technology, especially in the digital context, several issues have risen to the top, one of which is the safety of data. The rapid increase in the scope and speed of data capture and processing has enhanced many aspects of life, but it has also raised alarming issues on the management of individuals’ private data.
Our facilitator asked us if we know what is Data Privacy in the context of RA 10173 act of 2012. For me, Data Privacy is the regulation or a rule about protecting your Data because, in this day and age, Data is very abundant and is being used by big companies which they can earn from it and some groups use that to harm others. However, the digital transformation has amplified the need for robust data privacy measures. Our facilitator always shows the Disclaimer about the Data Privacy Act in our sessions.
Data privacy isn’t a new concept. Its importance has been recognized for decades. So by definition, Data Security is the sharing of data in the right way, and Data Privacy is the sharing of data with the person in the right way. Whatever sharing we had, whether it was a Data or Information. It is always expected that the receiver should always protect and secure the Data. In these days of the digital economy, data privacy, and data security are both crucial in safeguarding information. They complement each other in guarding data against any existing threats while controlling access to the information with respect to people’s rights and the law.
(source: What is Data Privacy? | SNIA)
Our facilitator discussed how companies got money from Data. The companies use their platform to gather or collect data from users to gain money from it. Monetizing data involves leveraging the information a company collects to generate revenue. It is like they are farming data from us to gain money and to also know the general sensitive information about us without knowing. For me, it is really expected since they are asking us to fill out the forms in order to sign in or use their platforms.
Our facilitator also asked us "What's the most expensive possession right now? Which is more valuable, Data or the other materials things? So the answer is Data is considered the most valuable asset today because it drives economic value, fuels innovation, enhances personalization, improves operational efficiency, supports strategic decision-making, and ensures regulatory compliance.
In the foreseeable future, the significance attached to the protection of personal data and its privacy will be even more pivotal. This is because the likes of artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things are technologies that will certainly create more social and economic data including the use of privacy and hence the need to challenge and develop beyond current privacy regulations. Hence where there is a digital economy where individuals’ rights are respected and more importantly there is trust, there will be a need to also ensure that protecting privacy goes beyond the rhetoric.
To sum up, it is worth noting that data privacy and protection in general is a continuous process that encompasses more than what has already been achieved. This is important as we can build on what has already been done and think beyond the current situation where we have data without being spared from the loss of individual privacy.
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REFLECTIVE BLOG: Week 5 part 2
Being an Information Systems student made me understand the significance of data privacy particularly when analyzed through the window provided by the Data Privacy Act of 2012 of the Philippines. This Act has greatly contributed to my knowledge of the required procedures for collecting and securing the personal data that individuals share with relevant organizations. Therefore, this is my personal reflection concerning the data subject's rights which I, recently in the course of my studies, took a deeper look into.
Our facilitator taught us about the importance of Data. In today's environment, where competitors can copy your products, pirate your employees, and mirror your algorithms, DATA is the only sustainable competitive advantage. Data utilization is a source of the competitive edge that a business seeks in areas such as customer understanding, market trend spotting, operational efficiency, personalized offerings, forecasting, competition, product innovation, and flexible pricing.
Otherwise, some problems arise when someone steals your Data. Processing Personal Information can Create Problems for Individuals. This can lead to some repercussions that could destroy the image of your company or yourself. Data is very important because it could give other people an idea about you.
Our facilitator also discussed the Data Privacy Act of 2012. Implemented in the year 2012 in the Philippines, the Data Privacy Act seeks to protect an individual’s personal information, creates the National Privacy Commission, caters to all types of personal information, provides data subjects with rights, and criminalizes data processing and distribution without proper authority.
The various roles or what our facilitator calls ACTORS enshrined in the Data Privacy Act of 2012 in the Philippines include several essential functions needed to bug the personal information of citizens. Data Subjects are those individuals who have their personal data processed, and who also have rights to, among others, access, correction, and objections. Personal Information Controller (PIC) refers to a natural or legal person who, alone or jointly with other persons, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data. Public officers are individuals, partnerships, corporations, or other juridical entities that perform public functions. The Data Processor PIP processes data on behalf of the PIC and performs the operation based on the instructions provided by the PIC. A Data Protection Officer DPO appointed for these purposes ensures compliance with data protection regulations and acts as a point of contact with the National Privacy Commission NPC. The National Privacy Commission is the government agency tasked to implement, enforce, and monitor compliance with the Data Privacy Act of 2012 and other laws relating to data privacy. These roles all support the responsible management of personal information and the respect of every person’s right to privacy.
As we progress, the focus on protecting sensitive information will continue to rise. Change in the landscape due to developments in artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things will produce more data, which makes it even more important that we adapt our privacy models. It will be imperative to make sure that data protection is safeguarded in order to foster confidence in the digital economy and safeguard the rights of the people.
In closing, people continue to pay attention to data privacy as an ever-changing issue that must remain constant even in the future. Realizing the importance of the former while focusing on what the latter may present, it is possible to strive for a digital space where data abundance will not be at the expense of privacy.
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