Introduction to Information Technology
What Is The Information Technology And Continuance?
Information technology can be defined as the utilization of any computer or system for the purpose of storing, retrieving, transmitting or even manipulating information or data within the context of any enterprise or business (Eason, 2014). Information technology is the subset of ICT or information and communications technology. The devices that are used for any type operation regarding information are known as information technology devices. These devices are thus utilized in every organization for the proper execution of their business processes or data operations. This information technology is required to be managed properly so that there exists no problem for the organization that has acquired it (Schwalbe, 2015). IT management is the specific discipline through which each and every resource of information technology in any organization that is being managed or controlled as per the requirements or priorities.
The following report will be outlining on the case study of World University. The senior management of this university has taken four decisions for their business. These decisions are completely related to information technology. This report has properly explained the case study, two business processes with the role of social media for their model.
World University is one of the most popular universities in the world providing online education. A particular group of various private education institutions in the world has come in forming the World University. There are several lecturers, who are teaching online from all of their campuses to other in the world (Bilbao-Osorio, Dutta & Lanvin, 2013). There are various courses that are being offered by the university. The students could only sign on any time for studying. All the interactions with the employees are online. The students can select their preferred country from where they are graduating. Any student, who has completed his studies from Australia, might select to graduate from the World University, USA. The university is extremely popular as well as cost effective for all the students worldwide and any specific student can easily study from this university.
The management of this organization has taken four decisions for the welfare of their business. The first decision that they took is a specific customer loyalty scheme, known as Study Together (Dahlstrom, Walker & Dziuban, 2013). This would be rewarding the students, who would introduce another student with a fixed fee credit that is depending on the type of course that is being picked. This particular university has also utilized various agents in selling the offerings to all the employers. The applications that are being approved in less than five minutes are utilized by the students of the university. The payment for all the non refundable fees is provided either by PayPal or credit card. Thus, the students are extremely happy as well as benefitted with this university. Moreover, this is also bringing success in the business of World University (Kellermann & Jones, 2013). As students are referring to other students, the university is getting more students and hence their business is enhanced. Furthermore, since the applications are being approved in less than five minutes, the entire process is extremely fast and does not consume much time in comparison to other universities.
Overview of World University
The second decision undertaken by this particular organization of World University, USA is providing laptops to the students. The most important and significant requirements of education in today’s world are laptops and E-books. However, these are extremely expensive and every student does not have the capability to afford them (Holtshouse, 2013). Thus, World University has come up with an answer to this specific problem. They are taking the expenses of these E-books and laptops with the course fees, so that the students do not have to purchase all these separately. These students do not have an option to opt out from the purchase of laptops. A completely pre configured laptop will be provided to the student. Moreover, this laptop will be having all the necessary and important software that would be required by the student for their studies. Hence, it will be cost effective as the student does not have to purchase the laptop or E-book separately (Laudon & Laudon, 2015). The entire process of education will be quite easy for each and every student of the university.
The third decision that the management has taken is the incorporation of two significant business processes or solutions for enhancing the model and thus providing competitive advantages to the business (Jones et al., 2014). These business processes will be helping the organization of World University to attain all the organizational goals and objectives. The two specific business processes for the enhancement of the business model of the World University are given below:
- i) Compliance: The first and the foremost business process that should be implemented within the business of World University is compliance. This particular business process refers to the safety audit or legal checking (Lloyd, 2017). Compliance can be defined as the specific certification or any type of confirmation that the individual of an activity or the management of an organization utilizes for fulfilling all of their requirements of the accepted practices, rules, regulations, legislations and specified standards. These laws or standards are extremely mandatory and should be followed by everyone of the organization. The laws are promulgated by any governing body or legislature is implemented by the procedure to properly make it (Bloom et al., 2014). The importance of compliance or legislation is extremely high for any organization. The main advantages of bringing compliance to the World University are given below:
- a) Building Positive Reputation: Since, World University is a new university, it should focus on their reputation. The rules or compliance helps to retain as well as build positive reputation within the business. The success of any business solely depends on the public image. When any organization starts to face various court cases, general public loses their trust and the organization loses their customers (Galegher, Kraut & Egido, 2014). Compliance eventually ensures the fact the organization upholds a positive image for building trust of their company. The students would feel secured with the incorporation of compliance within the business of World University. They should fulfil the regulatory business compliance by means of successful corporate compliance management.
- b) Higher Productivity: The productivity is enhanced with the successful incorporation of compliance within any business. Safety, benefits of students and compensations are the significant parts of internal compliance (Luftman et al., 2013). This type of compliance ensures the fact that the students are satisfied with the university. Moreover, all complains and problems are properly monitored as well as addressed.
- ii) Risk Management Process: The second business process for enhancing the model of World University is incorporation of risk management process. Risk management can be defined as the procedure of identification, evaluation and finally prioritization of various risks followed by proper application of resources for minimizing and controlling the unfortunate events and thus maximizing the opportunities of a situation (Han & Mithas, 2013). The most significant objective of this risk management process is assuring uncertainty not deflecting endeavour from various business goals and objectives. Since, World University is a new university; the process of risk management should be present. The most significant advantages of risk management process in the business of World University are given below:
- a) Reducing Risk Probability: There is always a high probability of risk in the financial sector of a business. The moment the list of risks is being completed, some of the risk managers solely advise that all the risks could be assessed as per the occurrence probability. Four risk occurrences are present (Wagner, Beimborn & Weitzel, 2014). They are very likely to occur, some chances of occurrence, small chances of occurrences and very little chance of occurrences. Due to the presence of risk management, the probability of such risks is explicitly reduced.
- b) Reducing Financial Problems: All the financial problems or issues are easily resolved with the help of risk management process. Since, this process forecasts the risks related finance sector, the World University can easily reduce their financial problems with the help of this type of process.
- c) Lack of Error: Another significant advantage of the risk management process in any business is the lack of errors (Bardhan & Thouin, 2013). When the business process will be error free, the productivity of the business will be enhanced and the organization will be enjoying significant profit in their business.
The above mentioned two business processes will be extremely important and vital for the successful enhancement of the business model of World University. This university should incorporate these business processes for achieving their business objectives and goals.
Social media can be defined as the computer mediated technology, which facilitate proper creation as well as sharing of information or data, career interests, ideas, various forms of expressions through virtual networks and virtual communications (Mishra, Akman & Mishra, 2014). There are various built in services of social media that provides mode of communication to all of its users.
World University is the group of few private institutions throughout the world. It is a complete online university and classes are taken from end of the world to other. All the interactions are done through online platforms. As the World University is a new university, the marketing of this organization should be done properly (Schnoll, 2015). Social media plays the most significant role in any type of marketing of products or organizations. World University can easily utilize social media for promoting their model to the students worldwide. The main roles of social media in promoting the business model of this university are as follows:
- i) Interaction with Target Market: The first and the foremost advantage of social media in promotion of such model is the interactions with the target audience or target market. The students can easily comment or post updates on the social media pages of the university and thus the reviews and feedbacks can be taken (Sun & Jeyaraj, 2013). This would be extremely useful for them as they can easily formulate all the marketing strategies for addressing their needs.
- ii) Improving Responsiveness: Social media is responsible for making the procedure to provide as well as receiving feedbacks much easier than the rest. If the students are having any type of problem or concern regarding the services of the university, they can share of social media periodically (Han & Mithas, 2013). This type of platform will be providing the students with convenient or accessible method in expressing their feelings and thus giving the university a proper chance to respond. Moreover, World University will have the ability in viewing the complaint and thus assuring their students that the issues would be resolved.
Decisions Undertaken by World University Management
iii) Competition: The third role of social media in the enhancement of business model is competition. Social media helps to demonstrate the position of the organization in market and how well the competitors are performing. World University, being a new player in the market, will be having various significant competitors in the market and thus should have proper idea regarding their business.
- iv) Effective Marketing: Social media is even responsible for generating interests amongst the followers, who have been more responsive to the organization and not a blatant approach of marketing. The creativity of social media helps in advertising the services and thus notifying all the customers worldwide (Galegher, Kraut & Egido, 2014). These advertisements are extremely important for World University for gaining various students as the students will be able to know about this university with relevant details. Furthermore, social media even spreads awareness regarding the business and thus giving a chance to the university in constantly reminding about the services they would be offering to the students.
- v) Finding Students: Due to the effective marketing, social media can easily find various students for the World University and this would be turn out be extremely important for the business. This particular platform can easily locate the students irrespective of their location.
- vi) Affordability: Social media is extremely cost effective and thus could be easily afforded by every organization (Laudon & Laudon, 2015). World University does not have to incur huge costs or expenses on this type of marketing campaigns. Thus, social media is affordable by all.
vii) Databases: The next important role is the maintenance of databases. This platform will be providing database services and hence storing of information is extremely easier in respect to others (Holtshouse, 2013). Emphasis is provided on the support as well as management of various databases from the remote location for fulfilling the requirements of students.
viii) Social Environment: It will be creating a social environment for the university and its students and it is extremely informative.
Conclusion
Therefore, from the above discussion, it can be concluded that information technology is the exclusive use of various computers, systems, networking devices, physical devices, procedures, infrastructure in creating, and processing, storing, securing as well as exchanging data in every form. This information technology is utilized within the context of several enterprise operations and not only for entertainment or personal purposes. The commercial utilization of the information technology eventually encompasses both telephony as well as technology. This information technology comprises of various layers of physical equipments or hardware, operating systems, applications, software, automation tools and virtualization techniques. The business applications mainly involve database like SQL Server, email server like Exchange, transactional system like real time order entry, web server like Apache, systems for enterprise resource planning and systems for customer relationship management. All of these business applications execute various programmed instructions for manipulating, dispersing, consolidating and finally affecting data in the business purpose. This type of technology is managed in every organization properly. The above report has properly outlined the case study of World University with relevant details. Two business processes are provided here with the role of social media on the business of this university.
References
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