The Viable Systems Model (VSM) is exactly what it says it is. A model that underlying the principles which are necessary and sufficient to make any system viable.
The Viable System Model (VSM) is not a new idea. Created by Stafford Beer over twenty years ago, it has been used extensively as a conceptual tool for understanding organizations, redesigning them and supporting the management of change.
The Viable Systems Model is based on 5 systems which are seen as fundamental to viability.
SYSTEM 1
‘The Purpose of a System is What it Does’ These ‘purposive’ activities are called ‘Primary Activities‘.
SYSTEM 2
This is the function that keeps the whole system running smoothly.
SYSTEM 3
This is the actual systematics of how the operation works. The mechanism allows that various Primary Activities work together in a single system.
SYSTEM 4
This performs the necessary task of monitoring what is happening outside the system-in-focus with a view to identifying potential threats or opportunities that are coming on the horizon. This is essential for the system to be able to navigate its way around in the Environment, whatever circumstances it encounters.
SYSTEM 5
This system establishes the boundary of the system-in-focus mentioned before. Thus it defines the identity of the system itself.
An organized approach to the study of the information needs of an organization's management at every level in making operational, tactical, and strategic decisions. Its objective is to design and implement procedures, processes, and routines that provide suitably detailed reports in an accurate, consistent, and timely manner.
In a management information system, modern, computerized systems continuously gather relevant data, both from inside and outside an organization. This data is then processed, integrated, and stored in a centralized database (or data warehouse) where it is constantly updated and made available to all who have the authority to access it, in a form that suits their purpose.
Management Information Systems (MIS) not only include software systems, but the entire set of business processes and resources that are used to pull together information from functional or tactical systems. Data is then presented in a user-friendly and timely manner so that mid and upper-level managers can use it to take the right actions. The entire system is designed so that the company will meet its strategic and tactical goals
Types
MIS is not necessarily a specific combination of functional systems, but instead is created based upon the business need. CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems combine data that relates directly to the customer experience. ERP (Enterprise Resource Systems) combine data used in the entire sales process. Decision Support Systems or Data Warehouse often combine summary data from multiple systems in order to show executives a snapshot view of the entire organization.
Considerations
Prior to starting an MIS project, organizations need to carefully review the transactional systems, the business processes and the needs of management within an organization. As an MIS project grows, so does the cost of implementing a solution, managing the information processes and monitoring daily activities. The result of an MIS project must provide value back to the organization in order to be worth the cost.
If you listen or read RFID, what do you think what does it mean?
Maybe it can be an acronym that the people use to texting?The reality is other, RFID means Radio Frequency Identification which is a type of technology used in many industries.
I though it was a modern and a new technology, but after made some research I realised that this kind of technology has been used since of the Second World War, but it started using in commercial industries maybe 2 decades ago.
The pioneer to use RFID was Wal-Mart in the earlier nineties and now RFID is using in many industries like: Health care, logistic, manufacturing, pharma, retail, aerospace and others.
If we are talking the RFID in the retail industry it can contain lot information about the product like manufacturing detail, supplier, features so on, this technology use a chip and this does not need to be scan (bar code mode) because it is reader with a sensor.
RFDI has revolutionized the supply chain because it is really efficient and allow to keep updates the stocks, but to go in details about it can be quite complicate and with lot of technical specifications which for now is not necessary go deep.
To make a clear example of RFID working directly with the costumers or general people we can talk about the transport of London and their oyster system which works with this technology, so you can notice how it works and how is an use-friendly,
For now this is what can I said about RFID but if we are interesting in this topic I would recommend the next web site www.rfidjournal.com to know more about it and find some examples about how RFID has been implemented in the business market.
In the last decades setting up new SME (Small and Micro Entrepreneur) around the world has been an option to overcome economical difficulties. Micro entrepreneurs are characterised for those companies with less of 10 employees while small entrepreneurs have less than 50 employees.
Many companies started as Micro and have been climbing up because had get good results and now they can be small or maybe medium entrepreneurs. This situation has created the necessity to implement a system which will help to support business.
The ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is software which allows integrating application to manage a business. There are some applications such as MRP (Manufacturing resource planning), SCM (Supply change Management), HRM (Human Research management), CRM (customer relationship management).
The ERP offers many options for enterprises because is possible to get every module or application for separate and after depends of the requirements of the organization acquire the other ones.
When a company decided change the way that they are driving their business to an option where they can apply Information technology and systems, is important to identify key factors in the company to choose the best option. These key factors should be technological infrastructure, budget, possibility to migrate data, and so on.
Some of the advantages for an enterprise when they implemented a Information system are: Improve profitability through better allocation of resources, reduce risk because allows tracking of process, adequate use of the customer information and others.
There are many opportunities in business that technology have brought. However technology and information systems as well have bring some delicate concerns about security and privacy. This two topics are important in all the industries and the role of managers has to assume to guaranty protection of the information is vital.
The next new was shown in BBC news on 3rd of January and highlighted the importance of data which are in the web. 3 January 2013 Last updated at 17:11 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21169162)
Google Transparency Report shows rise in data requests
The data requests data included figures for the firm's YouTube video clip service.
Data from Google shows the number of requests for user information from law enforcement agencies are at an all time high.
That is 17% up on the same period the previous year, and 71% more than 2009's corresponding months.
The figures include requests related to its YouTube video service.
Google said it handed over at least some data in 66% of the most recent cases.
The number of requests has risen over every half-year cycle since Google started publishing details three years ago.
Privacy concerns
The US made more requests than any other country with 8,438 submissions. Google complied fully or partially with 88% of these.
That was a higher percentage than for any other country, but still the lowest ever reported handover rate for the US.
By contrast all of Turkey's 149 requests and Hungary's 95 applications were rejected outright.
The UK made 1,458 requests - a very slight rise on the same period in 2011. 70% of them resulted in some information being provided.
One UK-based privacy advocacy group praised Google for releasing the data, but said it also served as a warning to individuals to be careful about the information they passed on to any online business.
"The information we hand over to companies like Google paints a detailed picture of who we are - from our political and religious views to our friendships, associations and locations," said Privacy International's head of international advocacy, Carly Nyst.
"This information therefore merits the highest degree of privacy and security, and should only be accessed by third parties under exceptional circumstances.
"Governments must stop treating the user data held by corporations as a treasure trove of information they can mine whenever they please, with little or no judicial authorisation."
Google said it would publish details of removal requests at a later time.
Finally is a case of a Global company as ADIDAS which in 2011 suffered a situation of cyber attack.
Knowledge Management is “any process or practice of creating, acquiring, capturing, sharing and using knowledge, wherever it resides, to enhance learning and performance in organizations (Scarborough et al, 1999).
Knowledge can be presented in two basic ways tacit and explicit. Organization had been working in capturing the knowledge through formal procedures, brochures, portfolios, databases it is called explicit Knowledge, but the tacit knowledge is save in the minds of people, for that reason it is difficult to get and the idea of knowledge Management is take the tacit knowledge and write it down, so more people can be access it.
Transmit knowledge is something which has been doing for years and years, if we think how our ancestries pass down their knowledge about how build up houses, grow and so on, to a recent generations; it was tacit knowledge.
Now the organizations handle thousands of information that sometimes is only in the head of few people. The challenge for companies is convert tacit knowledge in explicit one.
Currently organizations use many different systems to try captured knowledge. Armstrong. (2010) show knowledge management concept as follow:
E-Business is the term used to describe the information systems and applications that support and drive business processes, most often using web technologies. E-Business allows companies to link their internal and external processes more efficiently and effectively, and work more closely with suppliers and partners to better satisfy the needs and expectations of their customers, leading to improvements in overall business performance.
E-commerce The buying and selling of products and services by businesses and consumer through an electronic medium. E-commerce is widely considered the buying and selling of products over internet, but any transaction that is completed solely throug electronic measures can be considetres E-commerce.
