Thursday, September 25, 2008

...infORmatiOn enviROnmEnt...

At first, I thought that we are supposed to identify a information environment team for this assignment. But after asking Sir about the assignment, it made me realize that it was just all about the information systems of a given institution. But actually, reminding about that topic makes takes me long enough to understand.

So remembering the lessons we had in MIS, specifically about IS. Information Systems sometimes refers to a systems of person, data records and activities that process the data and information in an organization, and it includes the organization's manual and automated processes. About MIS, it's merely managing a systems of people. But more likely, it is not natural to manage people, but it is more nice to hear about leadership. The difference between the two is managing, means controlling, handling and directing. If people are being manage, it means that the manager is only controlling them and it's up to the people below level to do the task. Unlike, leadership. It only means that he or she is just the leader for the task being thrown to the group. For this topic, it is better to lead than to manage because we are talking about an information environment which deals to the surrounding.

Information environment might be a company or organization. Now a days, big companies such as DLPC or the Davao Light and Power Corporation involves with information systems. Thus it is a big help for their daily routine which brings the company in great ease. In that case, DLPC or the Davao Light and Power Corporation is one of the member of the information environment. Information as a concept has a diversity of meanings, from everyday usage to technical settings. Generally speaking, the concept of information is closely related to notions of constraint, communication, control data, form, instruction, knowledge, meaning, mental stimulus, pattern, perception, and representation. Information is also an any type of pattern that influences the formation or transformation of other patterns. Environment means about a surroundings. It may either be a group of people surrounding you, or a surroundings of a thing. Or in other words, information environment is a surrounding of communication, control data, form, instruction, knowledge, meaning, patterns around a specified company which influences the transformation of the said company. And an information environment simply means that it is an environment for which the people inside the environment can interact with the environment outside their environment.

If I were to choose an Information Environment, I'd rather choose my adopted company in this subject Management Information Systems or MIS. And as I mentioned above, it is the Davao Light and Power Company. Davao Light and Power Company is the third largest privately-owned electric utility in the Philippines. It holds the franchise for distributing electric power to Davao City, the largest city in the world in terms of land area, as well as Panabo City and the municipalities of Carmen, Dujali, and Sto. Tomas in Davao del Norte. Davao Light & Power Company, Inc. (DLPC) was incorporated in 1929 by P.H. Frank, Relatives and Associates. Negotiations for the purchase of DLPC by the Aboitiz Group was seriously undertaken in late 1941 but was subsequently aborted due to the outbreak of World War II. Early in the 1950s, much of Davao City’s economy relied on agriculture and the only major use of electricity was for lighting up houses at night. Hence, DLPC pursued an aggressive marketing and production strategy by opening a Davao agency for Aboitiz & Company whose sole purpose was to sell various electrical equipment in order to introduce electrical usage to the populace. Results were an increase in peak capacity from 1,500 kW in 1952 to 26,500 kW in 1970. Execution of improved methods of production such as the acquisition of bigger engines and heavy fuel translated into savings for its 10,000 plus consumers. In 1963, it was the first utility in the Philippines to use Bunker Fuel on Diesel Engines. The technical expertise of DLPC’s key personnel brought the company to the forefront of the development of mini hydroelectric generating plants. From diesel-fed generating sets in the beginning, the utility switched to more economical heavy fuels. It operated mini hydros but later on hooked up with the Mindanao Grid of the National Power Corporation (NPC) in 1979 making it an exclusive distributor of electricity as it is today. So as said by their profile and history, now, this company serves as the big institution that distributes electric power in our own houses. So as big company as the DLPC, it is more profound that it is an Information environment company.

Davao Light and Power Company Incorporated has its own Information Systems Department on which it is divided into 4 departments. The BSD or the Business Solutions Department, the NID or the Network and Infrastructure Department, the DMD or the Database Management Department, and the EID or the Engineering Information Department. They also included the 911 systems on which the Davao Light and Power Company Incorporated handles, the GIS or the Geographical Information Systems. So if I were given a chance to be a part of this information environment, I would rather be on the Business Solution Department or the BSD. For that in case I will perform much appropriate jobs and works for the company. Business Solutions Department or the BSD provides solutions to the problems that are being given by the clients. They provide the sufficient solution to that said problem in order for the client to be satisfied. So able to provide help for the department or the company, my role for this environment is to become a researcher and a programmer as well. Business Solutions Department or the BSD members are mostly programmers and researchers as well. But they are only limited on searching to the problems stated, meaning if I were be able to become the researcher of the department, I'd rather be an outfield researcher. Outfield researcher takes the place of like an survey people. They interacts with the surrounding and get some information on behalf of the problems they have encountered. More likely, it is easier for the department to solve the problems. Relatively, BSD does not only provides solutions for their client but also for the company as well. But for me, members of the said department can handle the problem within the company. Since they are really interacting the problems inside. Me, I want to handle the problems of the client in order for the said company to be more reliable.

The principle of Information Organization and its representation includes the communities, user orientation, and standardization and networking devices. In the communities, there are also principles that must be cater. First is the knowledge needs to be organized for communities. It simply means that
the one who is involved in the organization must first cater the needs of the community. So in my role, the first principle deals with what I want to contribute to the company. That it the people or the client of the organization must be taken of first. Next principle about the community is in designing tools to support the organization of knowledge, guiding principle must be that of user orientation and predominant usage. So meaning that the organization must first create a user friendly environment for their clients. They must create tools or design appropriate things in order for the organization's knowledge may be supported accordingly. And last standard is that the standardization and networking provide infrastructures, which facilitate effective and efficient access to information and documents that can be a help for the client as well. So the next principle in information organization is the user- orientation. In user-orientation, it is somewhat training for the user, either a part of the organization or the client of the organization. Meaning, being a researcher as my role for the organization, I'm required to be oriented properly so that if it is my turn to interact with people, I can orient them in the way that I was being oriented or more likely I can orient them more in the way I was oriented. For that the people I'm interacting with can understand the what will I'm about to do. And the last principle of the information organization is the standardization and networking. It simply means that the organization must be standardize in order for the organization to work properly. In terms of networking, it must be done regularly to solve the issues that being thrown by the clients. In more prominent words, these principles is a great help for me as a researcher as my role to the company. I must first think about what would it the client's reaction and formulate a solution for the clients problem. Then, the user must be properly accommodated so that there are no unlike words for your performance. And lastly, the organization must be working hand-in-hand for the solution. In other words, being part of the organization, its my obligation to work handily with the people around me so that I can perform a better performance for the organization and to satisfy the client's needs.

To perform my role in this information environment, it is not impossible for me to encounter problems and trials. I may face some challenges for it. Challenge is an invitation to engage in a fight or a duel. More likely, I may be into a fight for this role I'm in. In facing problems or challenges does makes the person stronger and makes the person aims to win the fight. Being an outside researcher, one challenge that I will face is how to interact with the people I'm in. It's kinda scary for me to ask questions or even to mingle with those people who throws situations for the organization. It is also a challenge for me to let them listen to what will be the probable answers to the problem. One thing also, as a researcher, it is also a challenge for me to answers the problems. More likely, its a mind game for that case. Joke. So its a mind trick challenge also on how to solve and address the problems. For the first challenge I will face, one thing to solve the problem is to let the public know my purpose for asking some questions with them. One attitude that I must possessed is patience. It is proper for a person who asks questions to be patient because not everyone you are talking is as approachable as the one you talked first. The person who is doing the job is prefer not to answer back the person he or she is about to asked. So for the another challenge or extra challenge, I may able to talk to their leader or higher positioned official for me to be listened. In that case, it is not a problem for me anymore because for sure the crowd will listen to their official or officials. So in that case, I will be able to explain to them and orient them for my purpose of coming to their barrio or barangay. One appropriate words for them to give is that I wont give promises that I know I'm not sure of becoming true. So it is just possible for me to just say the facts for them to know. So for the final challenge, it is possible for me to just focus on the topic I'm in. That I will use not only one reference and talk not only to those involve but also to those who are satisfied with some good actions to that problems.

Within this information environment I'm in, its more likely appropriate to not only think for the organization's progress. Cause the organization is in progress if the consumer or the clients are satisfied by the work. And the information systems environment as well is not being surrounded by the information systems only, but also it is being surrounded by people to do the works with the help of the information systems.

...abOut HRM...

Me and my group interviewed our adopted HR manager in our adopted company. He discussed about the nature of human resource management. He said that the human resource management is concerned with all the all the decisions, strategies, factors, principles, operations, practices, functions, activities and methods related to the management of people as employees in any type of organization, all the dimensions related to people in their employment relationships, and all the dynamics that flow from it , all aimed at adding value to the delivery of goods and services, as well as to the quality of work life for employees, and hence helping to ensure continuous organizational success in transformative environments. He also discussed about the scope and role of human resource management. He said that the scope of human resource management include the transformation and development issues, tentative generic skills required in performing HRM roles, as well as the roe of human resource management practitioner. He also tackled about the transformation and development issues. The issues behind it are the ff:

-Knowledge management which entails accumulating & capturing
-Knowledge in large organisations for future application & use (organisation memory)
-Reconciliation management
-Work creation as opposed to job creation
-Manage the transfer of HRM functions and skills to line management
-Marketing of HRM to line management
-Development of contextual approaches to HRM
-Multi-skilling and /or multi-tasking
-Increased societal responsibility
-Managing people in virtual work environments
-Focus on deliverables rather than doables
-Develop additional means of assessing HRM
-Appreciation and assessment of intellectual capital
-Take HRM from a business partner to a business itself / Managing HRM as a business unit
-Adviser / consultant to line management

He also discussed about the roles of human resource management are group into four with their subtopics. First is PLANNING AND ORGANISING FOR WORK, PEOPLE AND HRM with sub-work of Strategic perspective, Organisation design, Change management, Corporate Wellness management. Next is the PEOPLE ACQUISITION AND DEVELOPMENT. This includes Staffing the organization, Training & development, Career Management, Performance Management, and Industrial relations. Followed by ADMINISTRATION OF POLICIES , PROGRAMMES & PRACTICES which includes Compensation management, Information management, Administrative management, and Financial management

As what I observed in what he is doing, I can say that everything he said is true and I agree with it. During our visit before, we encountered observing him doing some interviews and making questionnaire for the examination for the applicants. Being an HR manager, he/she must be affective for managing human resource. He/she is obliged to do his work properly for human resource or the people inside his company. And according to him also, he haven't gone any problems with the management of the organization since they were able to build the same principles about HRM.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

...InsOurce or OutsOurcE??...

To make life more easier, universities all over uses systems for the high quality performance, effectiveness, less effort and time affordable for doing their jobs. Relatively, they do have their freedom to choose between insourcing or outsourcing. So whats the difference between the two. From the word "in", insourcing means the systems or application they're using all throughout the university is done inside the campus, or the person involved in it is part of the university he/she is working. Outsourcing on the other hand is contradict to the mentioned above. Outsourcing means that the systems is made outside by the different person. Or the resources is outside.

If I will be given the chance to advice or to take some comments on which of the two I prefer for the university to use, I will pick insourcing. There are lots of advantage if the system is made by the people inside the university he/she is working. But more likely, there are still advantages when outsourcing takes place. So the reasons why I rather choose insourcing than outsourcing? First, for me its more less costly than outsource. Looking for other resources for doing the systems inside the university can expense more than giving the idea to the programmers inside. Next, its less hustle. When the university wants to have outsourcing, they will look for the person/people to do the systems. It's a time consuming and more expensive routine. Rather than searching for an unknown well-being programmers, why not talked to the best programmers inside the university. Next, the system can be easily developed. Since the programmers is located inside, it is easily for that programmer to look for a new resource for the systems he/she made. He/she can observed what the university's needs. And other factors, he/she can suggest new things for the best of the systems he/she made. Important advantage is the security. The university's pride and other confidential issues are at risk if the university chooses outsource. If the university deals insource, the loyalty is a basis. Big universities and well-known universities must not take that risk. Maybe, just maybe, freak programmers might hacked the university's systems and drown all the data. But it was just a wide imagination. Finally, the university is giving chances to the programmers inside their institution and at the same time they're giving the programmers the chance to improved themselves.

Like what Karren said, outsourcing takes place to those big companies for the improvement of their institution. But in our case, we do have the best programmers in town. And why take the risks, why look for other of we already have the best.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

...whAt a CompAny visit...

Just this afternoon, an unexpected event happened to us(me, Kate, Hannah, Regina, Melgar, and Jalil). Our purpose at Land Co. is to visit the adopted companies of Jalil & Company for their MIS(LDS Company) and HRM(CallBox). While waiting for about 30 minutes or more for the elevator, CALLBOX HR Manager just came out suddenly inviting us to apply at their company. We did our best to say "no", but she keeps on pushing us to enter the room. And for the subject HRM, we had no choice but to agree. We just fill up some of the questions in the questionnaire. All about our background, profile, and about some technical supports. After that, what's next? Maybe an interview portion. Hahahaha. Everybody on that company really speaks English very, very well. Compare to us(nosebleed!), especially ma'am Glotchie and ma'am Andy. We really though that it was the end of our career.(melon).

That experience was really fun. Actually, I tried seeking for a job, gone an interview, and got hired. But this scenario was really a big different. During those interview, I never tried to speak English that much, but this time, I really had a nosebleed. And their accent was really awesome, unlike ours. Again, we really thought that it was the end, just still lucky, they didn't forced us to continue. We left the office smiling with cotton inside our nose.(Exaggerate!)

That was only the beginning of facing the real world. Until next episode!(melon!!)

Sunday, September 7, 2008

...PainfUL tRUth...

Do i really have to post this in my blog?

Just a while ago, I saw an old friend telling me something that I never wanted to hear. Actually, I did expect that something like this would happened. I told myself to prepare and at the same time realizing that theres no pain that I will feel. But something weird feeling I felt. I was hurt. God knows how much pain I felt. But a simple question just appeared to my mind, "Bakit ako nasaktan?". Naging emo na ako for this guy before, why did he returned in unexpected time. I still don't know how to let him go. I still don't know how to forget everything in him. I still do love him.

Knowing that he loves someone else breaks my heart and tore it apart(melon). But really, I want to cry but I think that theres no still reason for me to cry. He's just a guy. A guy who leaves me without me knowing why.

How can I stop the pain from flowing? How can I let go of this feeling?

...ICEAN Fest...

I really dont know if I can call it as a festival or an org. day. Actually, I really expect that something like what happend 2days ago and yesterday would really happen. It's some sort of boring and some sort of unprepared org day, awts,. festival pala.(Sorry sa mga organizers ng show, thats what I really observed)


Last friday, the 2008 ICEAN Festival started with a blast(joke). As expected, para lang kaming nag-P.E..What I really loved that day is when I won the HEP2x-HORRAY game. That was the first special game that day. And ako pa talaga ang nanalo..


Hindi ko talaga alam kung what happened that 2days of agony. Joke. May mga events naman din na enjoy. Such as the jingle making contest. We won first place that time. Next, ang mga sports. I love the volleyball game between the Blue Oracle and the Black Firebird. Nice siya kasi super exciting ng game. And I was the coach, ofcourse. Lagi ko na lang pinapagalitan si Jaymar. I was just trying to help, and volleyball is my game.


And what I really cant forget is the darts game of my fellow BRATZ friends. They won the gold medal on Darts Double Women Division. Namely, Kate and Hannah. Me and Lady are just there Cheerleaders. Enjoy naman siya. Si Mark na walang malay naman talaga is absolutely fun those days. Hahai.


Hindi ko na maremember lahat ng nangyari. What I remembered is after the opening ceremony it rained and on the last night it also rained. Just simply means na wet ang aming show. Special thanks to Mike nad Jaylo for being the MCEE on the last night.


I hope that next year, andito pa naman talaga kami sa USEP, sana maiba naman ang festival. Hope so.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

...please understand...

Have you tried opening the blog of my fellow classmate which I mentioned in the poem about the Killerers?? Have you observed that the entries in their blog(apil nako) do have the same topics?? That simply means, mga selosa kaayo akong mga friends.. apil nako didto actually..Jejejeje..

Those same topics and entries in blog started because of the poem. After that, every article must be connected with one another. Example, about the poem, each blog site have there own poems. And if ala kang poem, loser ka.. Dapat ganun..

Now, observed again about the entries. Pareho lang ang mga topic diba??