Friday, October 29, 2010
Baka-Yoke:
A Japanese term for a manufacturing technique for preventing mistakes by designing the manufacturing process, equipment and tools so an operation literally cannot be performed incorrectly. In addition to preventing incorrect operation, the technique usually provides a warning signal of some sort for incorrect performance.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
10 Tips to be a better Manager:
Listed below are ten things you can do to become a better manager.
1. Select the best people
As a manager, you are only as good as the people on your team. Give yourself a better chance to succeed by picking the best people from the start.
2. Be a motivator
Human beings do things because we want to. Sometimes we want to because the consequences of not wanting to do something are unpleasant. However, most of the time we want to do things because of what we get out of it.
It's no different at work, people do good work for the pay, or the prestige, or the recognition. They do bad work because they want to take it easy and still get paid. They work really hard because they want to impress someone. To motivate your people better, figure out what they want and how you can give that to them for doing what you want them to do.
3. Build Your Team
It is not enough that people are motivated to succeed at work. They have to work together as a team to accomplish the group's objective.
4. Be a Leader, Not Only a Manager
You have built the best team from the best employee available. You motivated them to peak performance. What is missing? Motivating a team is worthless unless you provide direction; unless you turn that motivation toward a goal and lead the team to it. It is the ability to lead others that truly sets a manager apart from their peers. Remember that leaders are found at all levels of the organization, so be one.
5. Improve as a Communicator
Communication may be the single most important skill of a manager. After all, all the others depend on it. You can't be a leader if you can't communicate your vision. You can't motivate people if they can't understand what you want. Communication skills can be improved through practice.
6. Get Better At Managing Money
To stay in business, a company has to make money. That means bringing money in the door and it means spending less than you bring in. Depending on your function in the organization, you may have more influence on one area or the other, but you need to understand both. You can help your company, your employees, and yourself be getting better at managing the company's money.
7. Get Better at Managing Time
The one thing you will probably have less of at work than money is time. The better you get at managing time, yours and others, the more effective you will be as a manager.
8. Improve Yourself
Don't focus so hard on your people that you forget about yourself. Identify the areas in which you are weak and improve them.
9. Practice Ethical Management
Enron-like scandals have really driven home the point about how important ethics is in business.
10. Take a Break
You are less effective as a manager if you are over-stressed. You are less tolerant. You snap at people more. No one wants to be anywhere near you. Take a break. Give yourself a chance to relax and recharge your batteries. Your increased productivity when you return will more than make up for the time you take off. Have a good laugh or go lie on a beach somewhere.
Bottom Line
Management is a skill that can be learned. You can improve as a manager by working every day to get better.
1. Select the best people
As a manager, you are only as good as the people on your team. Give yourself a better chance to succeed by picking the best people from the start.
2. Be a motivator
Human beings do things because we want to. Sometimes we want to because the consequences of not wanting to do something are unpleasant. However, most of the time we want to do things because of what we get out of it.
It's no different at work, people do good work for the pay, or the prestige, or the recognition. They do bad work because they want to take it easy and still get paid. They work really hard because they want to impress someone. To motivate your people better, figure out what they want and how you can give that to them for doing what you want them to do.
3. Build Your Team
It is not enough that people are motivated to succeed at work. They have to work together as a team to accomplish the group's objective.
4. Be a Leader, Not Only a Manager
You have built the best team from the best employee available. You motivated them to peak performance. What is missing? Motivating a team is worthless unless you provide direction; unless you turn that motivation toward a goal and lead the team to it. It is the ability to lead others that truly sets a manager apart from their peers. Remember that leaders are found at all levels of the organization, so be one.
5. Improve as a Communicator
Communication may be the single most important skill of a manager. After all, all the others depend on it. You can't be a leader if you can't communicate your vision. You can't motivate people if they can't understand what you want. Communication skills can be improved through practice.
6. Get Better At Managing Money
To stay in business, a company has to make money. That means bringing money in the door and it means spending less than you bring in. Depending on your function in the organization, you may have more influence on one area or the other, but you need to understand both. You can help your company, your employees, and yourself be getting better at managing the company's money.
7. Get Better at Managing Time
The one thing you will probably have less of at work than money is time. The better you get at managing time, yours and others, the more effective you will be as a manager.
8. Improve Yourself
Don't focus so hard on your people that you forget about yourself. Identify the areas in which you are weak and improve them.
9. Practice Ethical Management
Enron-like scandals have really driven home the point about how important ethics is in business.
10. Take a Break
You are less effective as a manager if you are over-stressed. You are less tolerant. You snap at people more. No one wants to be anywhere near you. Take a break. Give yourself a chance to relax and recharge your batteries. Your increased productivity when you return will more than make up for the time you take off. Have a good laugh or go lie on a beach somewhere.
Bottom Line
Management is a skill that can be learned. You can improve as a manager by working every day to get better.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Summarize Calendar:
One of the things that is good about the Notes calendar is the number of ways that it can display information. You can view entries in several different day formats, week formats, or months formats. You can also choose to display any of these views not as a "grid" but instead as a "list". To do this click the "Formatting" drop down on the top right of your calendar (or right click on any blank area of your calendar, that in itself is a tip many people don't know about!) and choose "Summarize".
Monday, October 25, 2010
Neutralizing Charge:
Neutralizing Charge is a fixed weekly fee, charged to retailers who are stockholders in a wholesale operation that covers an increased cost of service that was not billed on an original invoice for merchandise.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Create Pivot Table Report:
1. Select any cell in the source data, and press Ctrl+Shift+* (in Excel 2003, press this or Ctrl+A).
2. Press Ctrl+F3, and then type the defined Name for the source data.
3. From the Data menu, select PivotTable and PivotChart Report.
4. In Step 1 of 3, select Microsoft Excel list or database, and then click Next.
In Step 2 of 3, in the Range box, press F3 to open the Paste Name dialog box, and paste the Name of the source data as defined in step 2.
5. Click Next.
6. In Step 3 of 3, click Layout (in Excel 97, go to step 8).
7. In Excel 2002 and Excel 2003, you can skip this step. Instead, click Finish in Step 2 of 3 and then create the PivotTable report by dragging the fields from the Pivot Table Field List dialog box to the PivotTable report.
8. In the Layout dialog box, drag the Data Fields to the white Data area, and drag all other fields to the white Page area (except fields that are not going to be used in the PivotTable report), and then click OK.
9. In Step 3 of 3, click Finish. The PivotTable report is created.
10. Drag Data (in cell A5 in the screenshot) to the right of the PivotTable report to change the layout from horizontal to vertical.
11. The PivotTable report is now ready to be used. For more details on how to use the PivotTable report properly, see the other tips in this category.
2. Press Ctrl+F3, and then type the defined Name for the source data.
3. From the Data menu, select PivotTable and PivotChart Report.
4. In Step 1 of 3, select Microsoft Excel list or database, and then click Next.
In Step 2 of 3, in the Range box, press F3 to open the Paste Name dialog box, and paste the Name of the source data as defined in step 2.
5. Click Next.
6. In Step 3 of 3, click Layout (in Excel 97, go to step 8).
7. In Excel 2002 and Excel 2003, you can skip this step. Instead, click Finish in Step 2 of 3 and then create the PivotTable report by dragging the fields from the Pivot Table Field List dialog box to the PivotTable report.
8. In the Layout dialog box, drag the Data Fields to the white Data area, and drag all other fields to the white Page area (except fields that are not going to be used in the PivotTable report), and then click OK.
9. In Step 3 of 3, click Finish. The PivotTable report is created.
10. Drag Data (in cell A5 in the screenshot) to the right of the PivotTable report to change the layout from horizontal to vertical.
11. The PivotTable report is now ready to be used. For more details on how to use the PivotTable report properly, see the other tips in this category.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
PC Lock (using mouse):
Generally we have problems in pressing Alt+Ctrl+Del or Windows+L to Lock our PCs, hence it would be better if we could do that by the click of a mouse. Here's how to do it:
1. Right click an empty spot on the desktop, point to New and click Shortcut.
2. In the Create Shortcut dialog box, copy the following into the 'Type the location' of the item text box:
"rundll32 user32.dll,LockWorkStation" remove quotes while typing.
3. Click Next.
4. In "Type a name for this shortcut", type LOCK and Click Finish
5. Now just double click on the icon, your desktop will be locked.
1. Right click an empty spot on the desktop, point to New and click Shortcut.
2. In the Create Shortcut dialog box, copy the following into the 'Type the location' of the item text box:
"rundll32 user32.dll,LockWorkStation" remove quotes while typing.
3. Click Next.
4. In "Type a name for this shortcut", type LOCK and Click Finish
5. Now just double click on the icon, your desktop will be locked.
Stop Procrastination:
Why We Procrastinate
Why do we fall into the procrastination trap time after time? Because procrastination becomes a way, no matter how maladaptive of coping with the emotions and physical symptoms that accompany depression. It may bring some temporary relief, but we eventually wake up the following day and find that no brownies have dropped in overnight and done our work for us.
Which style of procrastination fits you?
• Organizing thoughts and actions and keeping on track with plans is difficult.
• Tasks seem overwhelming so it's futile to even try.
• Hostile feelings towards someone cause you to want to punish them by putting things off.
• Routine and schedule causes you to feel rebellious.
• You fear disapproval.
These procrastination styles can overlap in one of four themes:
Self-Doubt - These people feel there are rigid standards about how thing ought to be done and they fear they will fail. They second-guess themselves and delay taking action.
Discomfort Dodging - This person avoids activities that will cause them distress, discomfort or anxiety. Rather ironically, the act of dodging the activity doesn't make it go away so tensions mount because of this avoidance.
Guilt-Driven - The person feels guilt over tasks undone, but rather than correct the original lack of action continues to procrastinate in order to not face up to the guilt feelings.
Habitual - The person has procrastinated so many times, it becomes an ingrained response. The person no longer thinks about why they do it, they feel it's just a part of themselves. It becomes an automatic response to say, "This is too hard", "I'm too tired", or to laugh it off as a character flaw.
Once you recognize your style of procrastination, you can take steps to stop it.
Time Management Tips to Beat Procrastination
One of the most important things you can do for yourself is to get organized. Make lists, take a class in organization, or purchase an organizer. Do whatever works for you. One word of advice: follow the KISS principle (Keep it Simple, Stupid). If your organization system is too complicated, it will become just another task to avoid. Make a list of what needs to get done. This can be listed in no particular order and will give you a handle on just what you need to accomplish. Prioritize these. Get yourself a calendar with room to write notes in. Take what's at the top of your priority list and determine how long it will take to accomplish it. If it's a quick task, put that down to be done the current day. If it will take a longer time, divide it into smaller tasks to be spread out over several days. Write this in your calendar with specific dates for accomplishing each. Include your deadline for completion of this task on your calendar as well. Keep filling your calendar until you have a time set aside to do each item while still meeting your deadlines. Be careful to not overbook yourself and allow plenty of time for delays. This will allow you to feel confident that you can accomplish all you need to in the time you have. Now you can relax and work on one item at a time without feeling you have to do it all at once.
Bite Off Only What You Can Chew
Ever notice how broken up large shopping malls are? Lots of twists and turns, levels, and side corridors? There's a very good reason for this. If malls were laid out straight we could see just how far we are really walking. If we actually knew how far apart stores are, we would probably leave the mall, get in our cars and drive from store to store. By having our view broken up into small chunks, we feel as if it's a smaller distance. This same psychological trick can be used to help us overcome procrastination. Break large projects up into smaller tasks.
Just Do It!
Next time you catch yourself saying, "I can do this later", think like. Just do it! Push on through the feelings and do it now. The feeling you get when you finish will be so much better than any relief you get from putting it off.
Schedule Reward Time
As you go work through your tasks, you may find your mind drifting off to all the activities you'd rather be doing. You will find it much easier to concentrate on your work if you know that you have scheduled time for these activities. Tell yourself, I will work hard today accomplishing my goals because tomorrow is Saturday and I have scheduled time to go for a movie. Knowing that you have finished your tasks will also make it easier to relax and enjoy your leisure time.
Anxiety Busters
Does the thought of performing a certain task fill you will anxiety? First, try this:
• Inhale deeply while counting five heartbeats (you may check this easily by feeling your pulse).
• Exhale as you count five heartbeats.
You should notice after each breath that your heart rate is actually slowing and you are feeling less tense. Now, do something, not matter how small. Just make a start. The very act of accomplishing something will ease your anxiety.
Mental Tricks to Give You Momentum
If you have several small items to do which are directly related to the project at hand, do these first. Even though you have some larger tasks left, psychologically it feels as if you have less to do when the list isn't so long. It gives you a feeling that you have accomplished something. Just remember, it must be a task that is relevant to accomplishing your goal. When you have accomplished a task, mark it out on your list with a pen. It gives you visual confirmation that you are getting somewhere. Again, this gives you a psychological boost.
The Best Laid Plans...
Remember, if something can go wrong, it will. Allow yourself more than adequate time to finish each task. If you do not need all the time you've allowed, you will be able to progress ahead of schedule. This will be a psychological boost to you. At the very least, you won't be left rushed to finish.
Why do we fall into the procrastination trap time after time? Because procrastination becomes a way, no matter how maladaptive of coping with the emotions and physical symptoms that accompany depression. It may bring some temporary relief, but we eventually wake up the following day and find that no brownies have dropped in overnight and done our work for us.
Which style of procrastination fits you?
• Organizing thoughts and actions and keeping on track with plans is difficult.
• Tasks seem overwhelming so it's futile to even try.
• Hostile feelings towards someone cause you to want to punish them by putting things off.
• Routine and schedule causes you to feel rebellious.
• You fear disapproval.
These procrastination styles can overlap in one of four themes:
Self-Doubt - These people feel there are rigid standards about how thing ought to be done and they fear they will fail. They second-guess themselves and delay taking action.
Discomfort Dodging - This person avoids activities that will cause them distress, discomfort or anxiety. Rather ironically, the act of dodging the activity doesn't make it go away so tensions mount because of this avoidance.
Guilt-Driven - The person feels guilt over tasks undone, but rather than correct the original lack of action continues to procrastinate in order to not face up to the guilt feelings.
Habitual - The person has procrastinated so many times, it becomes an ingrained response. The person no longer thinks about why they do it, they feel it's just a part of themselves. It becomes an automatic response to say, "This is too hard", "I'm too tired", or to laugh it off as a character flaw.
Once you recognize your style of procrastination, you can take steps to stop it.
Time Management Tips to Beat Procrastination
One of the most important things you can do for yourself is to get organized. Make lists, take a class in organization, or purchase an organizer. Do whatever works for you. One word of advice: follow the KISS principle (Keep it Simple, Stupid). If your organization system is too complicated, it will become just another task to avoid. Make a list of what needs to get done. This can be listed in no particular order and will give you a handle on just what you need to accomplish. Prioritize these. Get yourself a calendar with room to write notes in. Take what's at the top of your priority list and determine how long it will take to accomplish it. If it's a quick task, put that down to be done the current day. If it will take a longer time, divide it into smaller tasks to be spread out over several days. Write this in your calendar with specific dates for accomplishing each. Include your deadline for completion of this task on your calendar as well. Keep filling your calendar until you have a time set aside to do each item while still meeting your deadlines. Be careful to not overbook yourself and allow plenty of time for delays. This will allow you to feel confident that you can accomplish all you need to in the time you have. Now you can relax and work on one item at a time without feeling you have to do it all at once.
Bite Off Only What You Can Chew
Ever notice how broken up large shopping malls are? Lots of twists and turns, levels, and side corridors? There's a very good reason for this. If malls were laid out straight we could see just how far we are really walking. If we actually knew how far apart stores are, we would probably leave the mall, get in our cars and drive from store to store. By having our view broken up into small chunks, we feel as if it's a smaller distance. This same psychological trick can be used to help us overcome procrastination. Break large projects up into smaller tasks.
Just Do It!
Next time you catch yourself saying, "I can do this later", think like. Just do it! Push on through the feelings and do it now. The feeling you get when you finish will be so much better than any relief you get from putting it off.
Schedule Reward Time
As you go work through your tasks, you may find your mind drifting off to all the activities you'd rather be doing. You will find it much easier to concentrate on your work if you know that you have scheduled time for these activities. Tell yourself, I will work hard today accomplishing my goals because tomorrow is Saturday and I have scheduled time to go for a movie. Knowing that you have finished your tasks will also make it easier to relax and enjoy your leisure time.
Anxiety Busters
Does the thought of performing a certain task fill you will anxiety? First, try this:
• Inhale deeply while counting five heartbeats (you may check this easily by feeling your pulse).
• Exhale as you count five heartbeats.
You should notice after each breath that your heart rate is actually slowing and you are feeling less tense. Now, do something, not matter how small. Just make a start. The very act of accomplishing something will ease your anxiety.
Mental Tricks to Give You Momentum
If you have several small items to do which are directly related to the project at hand, do these first. Even though you have some larger tasks left, psychologically it feels as if you have less to do when the list isn't so long. It gives you a feeling that you have accomplished something. Just remember, it must be a task that is relevant to accomplishing your goal. When you have accomplished a task, mark it out on your list with a pen. It gives you visual confirmation that you are getting somewhere. Again, this gives you a psychological boost.
The Best Laid Plans...
Remember, if something can go wrong, it will. Allow yourself more than adequate time to finish each task. If you do not need all the time you've allowed, you will be able to progress ahead of schedule. This will be a psychological boost to you. At the very least, you won't be left rushed to finish.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Affinity Diagram:
Affinity Diagram is a tool used to organize and present large amounts of data (ideas, issues, solutions, problems) into logical categories based on user perceived relationships and conceptual frame working.
Often used in form of "sticky notes" send up to front of room in brainstorming exercises, then grouped by facilitator and workers. Final diagram shows relationship between the issue and the category. Then categories are ranked, and duplicate issues are combined to make a simpler overview.
Often used in form of "sticky notes" send up to front of room in brainstorming exercises, then grouped by facilitator and workers. Final diagram shows relationship between the issue and the category. Then categories are ranked, and duplicate issues are combined to make a simpler overview.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Polling/Voting in Notes:
This tip explains how to create a button in an email message which when pressed, prompts the reader to enter their vote, and automatically sends the response back to the address you define.
1. Create a new email message, and enter the text/graphics you want, explaining to the reader what the poll is about.
2. From the Lotus Notes menus at the top of the screen choose "Create - Hotspot - Button".
This will insert a small grey button into the email (#1 in the image below), open the Properties Box (#2 in the image below), and at the bottom of your screen you will see a new section open up where you will enter the information about the vote (#3 in the button below).
3. On the first tab of the Properties Box enter the text you want displayed on the button (called Label) and customize the button's size, background colour, edge style, etc. As you can see in the image below, I've choosen to have the button's width exactly fit the text I enter for the Label, have a light blue background, and have rounded corners. If you wish, on the second tab of the Properties Box you can change the font size, colour, typeface, etc used for the Label.
So what started as a little grey button now looks like this:
4. Next you will enter the formula that the button executes when it is pushed.
First, copy the text below to your clipboard:
choicelist:="Yes":"No";
email:="your full lotus notes email address";
title:="Voting";
message:="Please select your choice:";
choice := @Prompt([OkCancelList]:[NoSort];title; message ; "" ; choicelist);
@MailSend(email;"";"";@Name([Abbreviate] ; @UserName + " has chosen " + choice ));
@Prompt([Ok] ;"Finished" ; "Thank you for voting, your choice has been emailed.")
Second, paste it into the button's formula box as shown below:
Note that most users don't have the 'Formula' box (as you need the designer for this). But they can use 'Simple Action', 'Add Action' and then '@Function Formula'. This will allow them to paste in your code too.
Third, customize the first four lines to meet the specific needs for your poll.
For example, you could do something like this:
choicelist:="Red":"Yellow":"Blue":"Green";
email:="email_id@abc.com";
title:="What is your favourite colour?";
message:="Please select your favourite colour from the list below:";
When the email recepient presses the button, they will see the following. When they make their choice and press OK, an email will be sent to the address you defined.
If you want users to be able to select more than one value, replace the line
choice := @Prompt([OkCancelList]:[NoSort];title; message ; "" ; choicelist);
with
choice := @Prompt([OkCancelListMult]:[NoSort];title; message ; "" ; choicelist);
That is all there is to it! What are you waiting for, go show off your new Lotus Notes polling skills!
1. Create a new email message, and enter the text/graphics you want, explaining to the reader what the poll is about.
2. From the Lotus Notes menus at the top of the screen choose "Create - Hotspot - Button".
This will insert a small grey button into the email (#1 in the image below), open the Properties Box (#2 in the image below), and at the bottom of your screen you will see a new section open up where you will enter the information about the vote (#3 in the button below).
3. On the first tab of the Properties Box enter the text you want displayed on the button (called Label) and customize the button's size, background colour, edge style, etc. As you can see in the image below, I've choosen to have the button's width exactly fit the text I enter for the Label, have a light blue background, and have rounded corners. If you wish, on the second tab of the Properties Box you can change the font size, colour, typeface, etc used for the Label.
So what started as a little grey button now looks like this:
4. Next you will enter the formula that the button executes when it is pushed.
First, copy the text below to your clipboard:
choicelist:="Yes":"No";
email:="your full lotus notes email address";
title:="Voting";
message:="Please select your choice:";
choice := @Prompt([OkCancelList]:[NoSort];title; message ; "" ; choicelist);
@MailSend(email;"";"";@Name([Abbreviate] ; @UserName + " has chosen " + choice ));
@Prompt([Ok] ;"Finished" ; "Thank you for voting, your choice has been emailed.")
Second, paste it into the button's formula box as shown below:
Note that most users don't have the 'Formula' box (as you need the designer for this). But they can use 'Simple Action', 'Add Action' and then '@Function Formula'. This will allow them to paste in your code too.
Third, customize the first four lines to meet the specific needs for your poll.
For example, you could do something like this:
choicelist:="Red":"Yellow":"Blue":"Green";
email:="email_id@abc.com";
title:="What is your favourite colour?";
message:="Please select your favourite colour from the list below:";
When the email recepient presses the button, they will see the following. When they make their choice and press OK, an email will be sent to the address you defined.
If you want users to be able to select more than one value, replace the line
choice := @Prompt([OkCancelList]:[NoSort];title; message ; "" ; choicelist);
with
choice := @Prompt([OkCancelListMult]:[NoSort];title; message ; "" ; choicelist);
That is all there is to it! What are you waiting for, go show off your new Lotus Notes polling skills!
Friday, October 15, 2010
mCommerce:
Mobile Commerce, also known as M-Commerce or mCommerce, is the ability to conduct commerce using a mobile device, such as a mobile phone, a Personal digital assistantPDA, a smartphone, or other emerging mobile equipment such as dashtop mobile devices. Mobile Commerce has been defined as follows:
"Mobile Commerce is any transaction, involving the transfer of ownership or rights to use goods and services, which is initiated and/or completed by using mobile access to computer-mediated networks with the help of an electronic device.”
Products and Services Available:
Mobile ticketing
Tickets can be sent to mobile phones using a variety of technologies. Users are then able to use their tickets immediately, by presenting their phones at the venue.
Tickets can be booked and cancelled on the mobile device with the help of simple application downloads, or by accessing the WAP portals of various travel agents or direct service providers.
Mobile vouchers, coupons and loyalty cards
Mobile ticketing technology can also be used for the distribution of vouchers, coupons, and loyalty cards. These items are represented by a virtual token that is sent to the mobile phone. A customer presenting a mobile phone with one of these tokens at the point of sale receives the same benefits as if they had the traditional token. Stores may send coupons to customers using location based services to determine when the customer is nearby.
Content purchase and delivery
Currently, mobile content purchase and delivery mainly consists of the sale of ring-tones, wallpapers, and games for mobile phones. The convergence of mobile phones, portable audio players, and video players into a single device is increasing the purchase and delivery of full-length music tracks and video. The download speeds available with 4G networks make it possible to buy a movie on a mobile device in a couple of seconds.
Location-based services
The location of the mobile phone user is an important piece of information used during mobile commerce transactions. Knowing the location of the user allows for location based services such
• Local discount offers
• Local weather
• Tracking and monitoring of people
Information services
A wide variety of information services can be delivered to mobile phone users in much the same way as it is delivered to PCs. These services include:
• News
• Stock quotes
• Sports scores
• Financial records
• Traffic reporting
Customized traffic information, based on a user's actual travel patterns, can be sent to a mobile device. This customized data is more useful than a generic traffic-report broadcast, but was impractical before the invention of modern mobile devices due to the bandwidth requirements.
Mobile banking
Banks and other financial institutions use mobile commerce to allow their customers to access account information and make transactions, such as purchasing stocks, remitting money. This service is often referred to as Mobile Banking, or M-Banking.
Mobile brokerage
Stock market services offered via mobile devices have also become more popular and are known as Mobile Brokerage. They allow the subscriber to react to market developments in a timely fashion and irrespective of their physical location.
Auctions
Over the past three years mobile reverse auction solutions have grown in popularity. Unlike traditional auctions, the reverse auction (or low-bid auction) bills the consumer's phone each time they place a bid. Many mobile SMS commerce solutions rely on a one-time purchase or one-time subscription; however, reverse auctions offer a high return for the mobile vendor as they require the consumer to make multiple transactions over a long period of time.
Mobile Browsing
Using a mobile browser—a World Wide Web browser on a mobile device—customers can shop online without having to be at their personal computer.
Mobile Purchase
Catalog merchants can accept orders from customers electronically, via the customer's mobile device. In some cases, the merchant may even deliver the catalog electronically, rather than mailing a paper catalog to the customer. Some merchants provide mobile websites that are customized for the smaller screen and limited user interface of a mobile device.
Mobile marketing and advertising
In the context of mobile commerce, mobile marketing refers to marketing sent to mobile devices. Companies have reported that they see better response from mobile marketing campaigns than from traditional campaigns
"Mobile Commerce is any transaction, involving the transfer of ownership or rights to use goods and services, which is initiated and/or completed by using mobile access to computer-mediated networks with the help of an electronic device.”
Products and Services Available:
Mobile ticketing
Tickets can be sent to mobile phones using a variety of technologies. Users are then able to use their tickets immediately, by presenting their phones at the venue.
Tickets can be booked and cancelled on the mobile device with the help of simple application downloads, or by accessing the WAP portals of various travel agents or direct service providers.
Mobile vouchers, coupons and loyalty cards
Mobile ticketing technology can also be used for the distribution of vouchers, coupons, and loyalty cards. These items are represented by a virtual token that is sent to the mobile phone. A customer presenting a mobile phone with one of these tokens at the point of sale receives the same benefits as if they had the traditional token. Stores may send coupons to customers using location based services to determine when the customer is nearby.
Content purchase and delivery
Currently, mobile content purchase and delivery mainly consists of the sale of ring-tones, wallpapers, and games for mobile phones. The convergence of mobile phones, portable audio players, and video players into a single device is increasing the purchase and delivery of full-length music tracks and video. The download speeds available with 4G networks make it possible to buy a movie on a mobile device in a couple of seconds.
Location-based services
The location of the mobile phone user is an important piece of information used during mobile commerce transactions. Knowing the location of the user allows for location based services such
• Local discount offers
• Local weather
• Tracking and monitoring of people
Information services
A wide variety of information services can be delivered to mobile phone users in much the same way as it is delivered to PCs. These services include:
• News
• Stock quotes
• Sports scores
• Financial records
• Traffic reporting
Customized traffic information, based on a user's actual travel patterns, can be sent to a mobile device. This customized data is more useful than a generic traffic-report broadcast, but was impractical before the invention of modern mobile devices due to the bandwidth requirements.
Mobile banking
Banks and other financial institutions use mobile commerce to allow their customers to access account information and make transactions, such as purchasing stocks, remitting money. This service is often referred to as Mobile Banking, or M-Banking.
Mobile brokerage
Stock market services offered via mobile devices have also become more popular and are known as Mobile Brokerage. They allow the subscriber to react to market developments in a timely fashion and irrespective of their physical location.
Auctions
Over the past three years mobile reverse auction solutions have grown in popularity. Unlike traditional auctions, the reverse auction (or low-bid auction) bills the consumer's phone each time they place a bid. Many mobile SMS commerce solutions rely on a one-time purchase or one-time subscription; however, reverse auctions offer a high return for the mobile vendor as they require the consumer to make multiple transactions over a long period of time.
Mobile Browsing
Using a mobile browser—a World Wide Web browser on a mobile device—customers can shop online without having to be at their personal computer.
Mobile Purchase
Catalog merchants can accept orders from customers electronically, via the customer's mobile device. In some cases, the merchant may even deliver the catalog electronically, rather than mailing a paper catalog to the customer. Some merchants provide mobile websites that are customized for the smaller screen and limited user interface of a mobile device.
Mobile marketing and advertising
In the context of mobile commerce, mobile marketing refers to marketing sent to mobile devices. Companies have reported that they see better response from mobile marketing campaigns than from traditional campaigns
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Acceptable Quality Level (AQL):
Acceptable Quality Level. Also referred to as Assured Quality Level. The largest quantity of defectives in a certain sample size that can make the lot definitely acceptable; Customer will definitely prefer the zero defect products or services and will ultimately establish the acceptable level of quality. Competition however, will 'educate' the customer and establish the customer's values. There is only one ideal acceptable quality level - zero defects - all others are compromises based upon acceptable business, financial and safety levels.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Off-Invoice:
Off-Invoice is a method of payment for a manufacturer's trade deal or promotion where the amount of the allowance for merchandise is deducted from the manufacturer's invoice.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Talent Management:
The phrase "talent management" is fairly new and usually refers to the activities to attract, develop and retain employees. Some people and organizations use the phrase to refer especially to talented and/or high-potential employees. The phrase often is used interchangeably with the field of Human Resource Management.
Determine the key leverage skill sets required by the organization in order to move into the future. The organization’s strategic plan should give an indication of these, as well as what constitutes the core competence that will ensure a future for the organization. This will all, in turn, direct you to what talent you should be sourcing.
Source the required people from the appropriate avenues.
Be sure to have very detailed job descriptions that include specific competencies required.
Apply behavior-based interviewing to select the best candidates.
The ability to retain talent starts from the quality of the first point of contact.
Carefully consider how you orientate a new employee into the culture of the organization, the work area, and the specific job.
Assist a new employee to transition into the organization and to be able to produce a quality deliverable within the first three months of tenure. This will go a long way to ensuring that the placement will be successful.
Retaining your talent will not solely depend on what you pay them. We have found from exit interviews that many high performing individuals will leave an organization for the same or, in some cases, even less remuneration if other needs of theirs are not being met.
The culture, the way things are done around here, plays a huge role in creating a work environment that will draw individuals in or repel them. The culture is created through the systems, processes, technology, structure, leadership, and behaviors of people and teams in the organization.
Congruity in values between the organization and the employee will also exert influence on an individual’s decision to commit to an organization.
The most important relationship for any individual in an organization is the relationship with one’s immediate manager. Ensure that your managers have the skills to constructively lead their direct reports and their teams.
Involve individuals in decision-making in their areas of responsibility. Involve high performers in cross-functional projects. Allow people to feel that they are making a difference.
Make sure that each new employee is the right fit for the organization’s culture, and then ensure fit with the work area, and then the actual job. Revisit this person-environment fit, as people and circumstances change and some adjusting or repositioning may be required for best results.
Development is about growing people to meet both their own and the organization’s needs. Development plays a large part in talent management. No organization can afford to promise a person a particular job through development. At best, you can offer the promise of making a person more eligible to be part of a pool of talent who would be looked at when positions open up, and then only if the existing skills match the position requirements.
Competencies need to be broken down into their four components:
Knowledge (what you know)
Skills (what you know how to do)
Behaviour (what you do)
Attitude (what you are willing to do)
Assess every employee’s competency profile. This would include establishing if there are any competency deficiencies that are responsible for the gaps that exist between the actual and desired current performance, as well as gaps between current competencies and possible future performance needs.
Avoid getting trapped into only developing weaknesses; focus on keeping strengths at the cutting edge.
Create opportunities for development through different methods; such as, training, job shadowing, job rotation, involvement in projects, cross-functional exposure, and teamwork.
Make sure that the training provided is linked to the strategic needs of the organization.
Mentoring can play an important role in developing others, as well as strengthening relationships. This goes a long way to influencing feelings of belonging to an organization.
Build in stretch deliverables for high potential individuals to produce, as being challenged by what they do often meets individual’s personal needs.
Link talent development into the performance management system.
Identifying potential is one component of talent management, but actual performance reflects on usable talent. Sound performance management practices are crucial.
Clarify roles throughout the organization, ensuring alignment with the strategy, as well as across functions.
Involve individuals in setting their own performance agreements. These agreements need to be firm on objectives to be met, deliverables to be produced and at what quality standards, actions to be taken, and the deadlines.
People need to be held accountable for what they deliver, but against performance agreements that function as working documents so that adjustments are made to them as circumstances dictate.
Feedback is essential - ongoing, objective and constructive.
Positive reinforcement, when done with genuineness, goes a long way to making people feel recognized.
Tap into what would make talented individuals within your organization feel rewarded; it is not necessarily always about money or upward mobility.
Identify high performance individuals who display characteristics favored by the organization. Use this pool of talent to help transition new employees into the organization. This will speed up acculturization, and ensure the entrenching of desired ways of operating. It has also been found that the better the first experiences of a new employee, the more likely the individual is to be retained by the organization and the quicker performance results can be achieved.
Talented individuals can also serve as mentors throughout the organization and it can be seen as recognition or as a reward to do so. Innovations by talented individuals can be introduced into systems, processes, and approaches in the organization in the pursuit of continuous improvement. They should also be recognized for this.
Ultimately, talent management that is based on respect and transparency will go a long way to ensure that you access, select, empower, and retain top talent for your organization.
Determine the key leverage skill sets required by the organization in order to move into the future. The organization’s strategic plan should give an indication of these, as well as what constitutes the core competence that will ensure a future for the organization. This will all, in turn, direct you to what talent you should be sourcing.
Source the required people from the appropriate avenues.
Be sure to have very detailed job descriptions that include specific competencies required.
Apply behavior-based interviewing to select the best candidates.
The ability to retain talent starts from the quality of the first point of contact.
Carefully consider how you orientate a new employee into the culture of the organization, the work area, and the specific job.
Assist a new employee to transition into the organization and to be able to produce a quality deliverable within the first three months of tenure. This will go a long way to ensuring that the placement will be successful.
Retaining your talent will not solely depend on what you pay them. We have found from exit interviews that many high performing individuals will leave an organization for the same or, in some cases, even less remuneration if other needs of theirs are not being met.
The culture, the way things are done around here, plays a huge role in creating a work environment that will draw individuals in or repel them. The culture is created through the systems, processes, technology, structure, leadership, and behaviors of people and teams in the organization.
Congruity in values between the organization and the employee will also exert influence on an individual’s decision to commit to an organization.
The most important relationship for any individual in an organization is the relationship with one’s immediate manager. Ensure that your managers have the skills to constructively lead their direct reports and their teams.
Involve individuals in decision-making in their areas of responsibility. Involve high performers in cross-functional projects. Allow people to feel that they are making a difference.
Make sure that each new employee is the right fit for the organization’s culture, and then ensure fit with the work area, and then the actual job. Revisit this person-environment fit, as people and circumstances change and some adjusting or repositioning may be required for best results.
Development is about growing people to meet both their own and the organization’s needs. Development plays a large part in talent management. No organization can afford to promise a person a particular job through development. At best, you can offer the promise of making a person more eligible to be part of a pool of talent who would be looked at when positions open up, and then only if the existing skills match the position requirements.
Competencies need to be broken down into their four components:
Knowledge (what you know)
Skills (what you know how to do)
Behaviour (what you do)
Attitude (what you are willing to do)
Assess every employee’s competency profile. This would include establishing if there are any competency deficiencies that are responsible for the gaps that exist between the actual and desired current performance, as well as gaps between current competencies and possible future performance needs.
Avoid getting trapped into only developing weaknesses; focus on keeping strengths at the cutting edge.
Create opportunities for development through different methods; such as, training, job shadowing, job rotation, involvement in projects, cross-functional exposure, and teamwork.
Make sure that the training provided is linked to the strategic needs of the organization.
Mentoring can play an important role in developing others, as well as strengthening relationships. This goes a long way to influencing feelings of belonging to an organization.
Build in stretch deliverables for high potential individuals to produce, as being challenged by what they do often meets individual’s personal needs.
Link talent development into the performance management system.
Identifying potential is one component of talent management, but actual performance reflects on usable talent. Sound performance management practices are crucial.
Clarify roles throughout the organization, ensuring alignment with the strategy, as well as across functions.
Involve individuals in setting their own performance agreements. These agreements need to be firm on objectives to be met, deliverables to be produced and at what quality standards, actions to be taken, and the deadlines.
People need to be held accountable for what they deliver, but against performance agreements that function as working documents so that adjustments are made to them as circumstances dictate.
Feedback is essential - ongoing, objective and constructive.
Positive reinforcement, when done with genuineness, goes a long way to making people feel recognized.
Tap into what would make talented individuals within your organization feel rewarded; it is not necessarily always about money or upward mobility.
Identify high performance individuals who display characteristics favored by the organization. Use this pool of talent to help transition new employees into the organization. This will speed up acculturization, and ensure the entrenching of desired ways of operating. It has also been found that the better the first experiences of a new employee, the more likely the individual is to be retained by the organization and the quicker performance results can be achieved.
Talented individuals can also serve as mentors throughout the organization and it can be seen as recognition or as a reward to do so. Innovations by talented individuals can be introduced into systems, processes, and approaches in the organization in the pursuit of continuous improvement. They should also be recognized for this.
Ultimately, talent management that is based on respect and transparency will go a long way to ensure that you access, select, empower, and retain top talent for your organization.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Show Formulas in Excel:
To quickly show all formulas in your Excel spreadsheet hold down the CONTROL key on the keyboard and press the grave accent key ( ` ).
This key is located next to the #1 key on the top left corner of the keyboard and looks like a backwards apostrophe.
Show formulas does not change the spreadsheet, only the way it is displayed.
Show formulas has several uses:
• Makes it easy to find cells containing formulas
• It allows you to quickly read through all formulas to check for errors
• When you click on a formula, Excel outlines in color the cells referenced in the formula. This helps you to trace the data being used in a formula.
• Print spreadsheets with show formulas turned on. Doing so, will allow you to search a spreadsheet for hard to find errors.
This key is located next to the #1 key on the top left corner of the keyboard and looks like a backwards apostrophe.
Show formulas does not change the spreadsheet, only the way it is displayed.
Show formulas has several uses:
• Makes it easy to find cells containing formulas
• It allows you to quickly read through all formulas to check for errors
• When you click on a formula, Excel outlines in color the cells referenced in the formula. This helps you to trace the data being used in a formula.
• Print spreadsheets with show formulas turned on. Doing so, will allow you to search a spreadsheet for hard to find errors.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
6 soft skills that you need for success:
A reputed software company in India is all geared up for a client visit.
The clients have indicated that, after inspecting the progress of the project they have outsourced, they would like to meet the team members working on it.
Why? To select one team member for a stint onsite -- something almost every software engineer aspires for.
Ravi has been one of the most active members in the project and has done a wonderful job. He is technically brilliant, but has some concerns:
• Will he able to communicate his performance to the client in an impressive manner so that he is chosen?
• Why do his team mates not prefer to come to him for solutions and go to less capable people instead?
• His project manager doesn't seem to be very warm towards him either, although he does drop in those occasional mails appreciating his work.
Here is a typical scenario in an IT company; or for that matter, any organization where interpersonal communication is involved. Or, like in Ravi's case, where an employee suffers from a lack of interpersonal skills.
Are technical/ job-related skills enough?
Technical and job-related skills are a must, but they are NOT sufficient when it comes to progressing up the ladder.
With the traditional paternalistic style of leadership becoming passé, professional managers expect their teams to be proactive and communicate openly.
Soft skills are very important in business. It is essential to be technically sound, but one should also have the ability to convey the idea to the masses in the simplest possible manner. With the boom in outsourcing taking root across industries, many professionals and subject matter experts directly deal with their clients on a regular basis.
Their approachability and people skills are what ultimately sustain the contract their employers have bagged.
6 soft skills for every hard-nosed professional
Behavioural training experts say there are several soft skills are required in these circumstances. Some of them include:
i. Interpersonal skills
ii. Team spirit
iii. Social grace
iv. Business etiquette
v. Negotiation skills
vi. Behavioral traits such as attitude, motivation and time management
Do you have these? If your answer is yes, good for you.
But if your answer is no, then you know it is time to approach either a training organization or a training consultant.
Will formal training enhance your soft skills?
There is a lot of argument in the industry as to whether it is possible to enhance soft skills in a few hours of training, especially when one considers the fact that a person has lived with those traits all his life. To this, the answer is harsh but real -- a professional who wants to do well in his/ her career does not really have a choice.
In the initial years of your career, your technical abilities are important to get good assignments. However, when it comes to growing in an organization, it is your personality that matters, more so in large organizations where several people with similar technical expertise will compete for a promotion.
Training on soft skills becomes all the more relevant in a country like India where the education system does not delve into personality development.
"Soft skills training are essential because we do not have it in our academic curricula. Therefore, corporate houses have to take up the task of grooming employees who are the link between the company and the external world, so that they are able to present themselves better.
Be your own trainer!
While organizations are definitely investing in augmenting their staff's people skills, here are some inputs for professionals and students who would like to initiate the process themselves:
i. Be a part of team activities
It could be either as a part of your church choir, or an NGO, or your local youth circle.
Observe your own behavior in the group and how you relate to others.
ii. Ask family members or close friends to write down your best and worst traits.
Ideally, have at least four to five people do this for you.
Evaluate the common traits all of them have mentioned. Thus, you can be aware of your strengths and work improving your weaknesses.
iii. How well do you manage your time?
Think.
Can you do more in life? Or is your day too crammed with activities? Effective time management is very essential in the corporate world.
iv. Introspect on how you react to feedback.
In organizations, people skills mostly come into the picture when there is feedback given -- be it for an idea, an executed project or a presentation.
You are judged by the way you respond to feedback.
Do you get defensive?
Do you insist you were right?
Do you meekly accept criticism?
Remember, people tend to be judged and stereotyped according to their responses. You will, too.
v. How good are you at critiquing?
While responding to feedback is one side of the coin, giving feedback is the other side.
Are you aggressive? Pessimistic? Do you believe in constructive criticism? Or prefer to be the yes-man?
vi. Live consciously
Any organization is manned by people; therefore soft skills are all about how you deal with people and present yourself.
Though it may be easier said than done, soft skills can be enhanced simply by being aware of oneself and living consciously.
The clients have indicated that, after inspecting the progress of the project they have outsourced, they would like to meet the team members working on it.
Why? To select one team member for a stint onsite -- something almost every software engineer aspires for.
Ravi has been one of the most active members in the project and has done a wonderful job. He is technically brilliant, but has some concerns:
• Will he able to communicate his performance to the client in an impressive manner so that he is chosen?
• Why do his team mates not prefer to come to him for solutions and go to less capable people instead?
• His project manager doesn't seem to be very warm towards him either, although he does drop in those occasional mails appreciating his work.
Here is a typical scenario in an IT company; or for that matter, any organization where interpersonal communication is involved. Or, like in Ravi's case, where an employee suffers from a lack of interpersonal skills.
Are technical/ job-related skills enough?
Technical and job-related skills are a must, but they are NOT sufficient when it comes to progressing up the ladder.
With the traditional paternalistic style of leadership becoming passé, professional managers expect their teams to be proactive and communicate openly.
Soft skills are very important in business. It is essential to be technically sound, but one should also have the ability to convey the idea to the masses in the simplest possible manner. With the boom in outsourcing taking root across industries, many professionals and subject matter experts directly deal with their clients on a regular basis.
Their approachability and people skills are what ultimately sustain the contract their employers have bagged.
6 soft skills for every hard-nosed professional
Behavioural training experts say there are several soft skills are required in these circumstances. Some of them include:
i. Interpersonal skills
ii. Team spirit
iii. Social grace
iv. Business etiquette
v. Negotiation skills
vi. Behavioral traits such as attitude, motivation and time management
Do you have these? If your answer is yes, good for you.
But if your answer is no, then you know it is time to approach either a training organization or a training consultant.
Will formal training enhance your soft skills?
There is a lot of argument in the industry as to whether it is possible to enhance soft skills in a few hours of training, especially when one considers the fact that a person has lived with those traits all his life. To this, the answer is harsh but real -- a professional who wants to do well in his/ her career does not really have a choice.
In the initial years of your career, your technical abilities are important to get good assignments. However, when it comes to growing in an organization, it is your personality that matters, more so in large organizations where several people with similar technical expertise will compete for a promotion.
Training on soft skills becomes all the more relevant in a country like India where the education system does not delve into personality development.
"Soft skills training are essential because we do not have it in our academic curricula. Therefore, corporate houses have to take up the task of grooming employees who are the link between the company and the external world, so that they are able to present themselves better.
Be your own trainer!
While organizations are definitely investing in augmenting their staff's people skills, here are some inputs for professionals and students who would like to initiate the process themselves:
i. Be a part of team activities
It could be either as a part of your church choir, or an NGO, or your local youth circle.
Observe your own behavior in the group and how you relate to others.
ii. Ask family members or close friends to write down your best and worst traits.
Ideally, have at least four to five people do this for you.
Evaluate the common traits all of them have mentioned. Thus, you can be aware of your strengths and work improving your weaknesses.
iii. How well do you manage your time?
Think.
Can you do more in life? Or is your day too crammed with activities? Effective time management is very essential in the corporate world.
iv. Introspect on how you react to feedback.
In organizations, people skills mostly come into the picture when there is feedback given -- be it for an idea, an executed project or a presentation.
You are judged by the way you respond to feedback.
Do you get defensive?
Do you insist you were right?
Do you meekly accept criticism?
Remember, people tend to be judged and stereotyped according to their responses. You will, too.
v. How good are you at critiquing?
While responding to feedback is one side of the coin, giving feedback is the other side.
Are you aggressive? Pessimistic? Do you believe in constructive criticism? Or prefer to be the yes-man?
vi. Live consciously
Any organization is manned by people; therefore soft skills are all about how you deal with people and present yourself.
Though it may be easier said than done, soft skills can be enhanced simply by being aware of oneself and living consciously.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Set Margins:
All the basic options are in the toolbar: font, text size, bold, italic, underline, text color, indent, bullets, numbering, alignment, links, and more. If you don't know what a toolbar button does, hover over it for more information.
Use the ruler to set margins To change the margins in an e-mail (or other document), click View > Ruler, and then use the ruler at the top to set margins and indenting.
Use the ruler to set margins To change the margins in an e-mail (or other document), click View > Ruler, and then use the ruler at the top to set margins and indenting.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Loose-loaded:
Loose Loaded is a shipping practice of loading and unloading products by hand on a trailer. Also known as a dead-pile loaded; floor-loaded; loose-case-loaded.
Counting a particular word:
There are times that we need to know how often we've used a particular word in a document, or even in a part of a document. The Word Count tool doesn't allow you to limit a count to a specific word, but there is a neat little workaround you can do.
1. If you want to count only in a particular area of your document, select the text you want included in the count. (You can select multiple, non-contiguous areas of text by holding down the Ctrl key as you make your selections with the mouse.)
2. Press Ctrl+H, or choose Replace from the Edit menu. Word displays the Replace tab of the Find and Replace dialog box.
3. In the Find What box, enter the word you want to count.
4. In the Replace With box, enter the same word.
5. Click Replace All.
Word replaces all occurrences of the word with itself, so there really are no changes done to your document. However, a dialog box appears that indicates how many changes were performed; this is your word count.
1. If you want to count only in a particular area of your document, select the text you want included in the count. (You can select multiple, non-contiguous areas of text by holding down the Ctrl key as you make your selections with the mouse.)
2. Press Ctrl+H, or choose Replace from the Edit menu. Word displays the Replace tab of the Find and Replace dialog box.
3. In the Find What box, enter the word you want to count.
4. In the Replace With box, enter the same word.
5. Click Replace All.
Word replaces all occurrences of the word with itself, so there really are no changes done to your document. However, a dialog box appears that indicates how many changes were performed; this is your word count.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Risk Threats to our IT Projects:
A risk is the loss potential that exists as the result of threat and vulnerability pairs. Below is a list of a number of potential threat areas that need to be fully assessed at the beginning of any IT undertaking. A threat is “any force or phenomenon that could degrade the availability, integrity or confidentiality of an Information Systems resource, system or network. One definition is “any circumstance or event with the potential to cause harm to a system in the form of destruction, disclosure, modification of data, and/or denial of use.”
Assets At Risk
Facilities
Environmental risks cover things such as floods, lightening, earthquakes, tornadoes, There should be a local meteorological office that could provide information on this, but quite likely a large insurance company should be able to supply more information than you need as part of their policy pricing information. Additionally, consider flooding from such things fire main leaks, fire extinguisher sprays, fires, contamination, traffic coming through the front of the building or hitting power poles and even bombs – real or even threatened.
Equipment
Power surges can come over the power lines and damage the equipment, fire extinguishers and plumbing leaks which are very bad for electronics, some equipment may be dependent upon air conditioning and some may even “develop legs and walk away”! Additionally, care should be taken that equipment is not used for unauthorized purposes.
Software
Programming can be accidentally (or intentionally) modified or destroyed by programmers or even users. Interrupting the power to an operating system is one method by which the programs which are running may be corrupted. The backup process often has the ability to destroy programs as well as data if improperly used, such as if the “restore” capability is triggered improperly. There is also the risk when installing or upgrading programs that the new code is itself corrupted.
Records and files
How safe is the storage of the media? Could they become lost or damaged? Are they stored in a location where they may be considered “surplus” or “for general use”? If the media is lost or stolen, consider the impact of not only the missing media but the information on it.
Data and Information
This is where the risk of “crackers and hackers” may manifest themselves.
Information is something that can be copied or examined without the owner being any the wiser Information on disk may be copied, read or even erased from remote locations through network connections. The media – external copies, pages of printout, even the computer itself – may be subject to the possibility of damage, loss or theft.
Negotiable and other material
This area includes problems derived from unauthorized transactions being performed on the computer such as:
a. A retail location may find it has “sold” a thousand items and mailed them and have an invalid credit card number
b. Something that was sold in confidence becoming public knowledge
c. Something for which the customer is depending on gets “lost” in a fraudulent manner.
Another risk is if there are online control systems which may be corrupted. Power, lights, air conditioning and more are likely to be under computer control. Many sites have their internal control records maintained online. The transfer of items from one location inside the organization to another is recorded – or even ordered – through computer. This includes things like service orders. There is a possibility of these orders being corrupted, deleted or even falsified.
Mission
The threats to your organization are limited only by the risks the organization exposes itself to. The more an information system is used, the more vulnerable it becomes. There may be forged email, the legal record may become published in the local newspaper, competitors may find out proprietary information – the list goes on and on and can only be determined by the ones in the know: YOU.
Personnel
A brief talk with a local insurance company will reveal a multitude of risks: vital individuals may get hit by cars, an epidemic may run rampant across the secretarial pool or even the competitor may decide to pay more.
Assets At Risk
Facilities
Environmental risks cover things such as floods, lightening, earthquakes, tornadoes, There should be a local meteorological office that could provide information on this, but quite likely a large insurance company should be able to supply more information than you need as part of their policy pricing information. Additionally, consider flooding from such things fire main leaks, fire extinguisher sprays, fires, contamination, traffic coming through the front of the building or hitting power poles and even bombs – real or even threatened.
Equipment
Power surges can come over the power lines and damage the equipment, fire extinguishers and plumbing leaks which are very bad for electronics, some equipment may be dependent upon air conditioning and some may even “develop legs and walk away”! Additionally, care should be taken that equipment is not used for unauthorized purposes.
Software
Programming can be accidentally (or intentionally) modified or destroyed by programmers or even users. Interrupting the power to an operating system is one method by which the programs which are running may be corrupted. The backup process often has the ability to destroy programs as well as data if improperly used, such as if the “restore” capability is triggered improperly. There is also the risk when installing or upgrading programs that the new code is itself corrupted.
Records and files
How safe is the storage of the media? Could they become lost or damaged? Are they stored in a location where they may be considered “surplus” or “for general use”? If the media is lost or stolen, consider the impact of not only the missing media but the information on it.
Data and Information
This is where the risk of “crackers and hackers” may manifest themselves.
Information is something that can be copied or examined without the owner being any the wiser Information on disk may be copied, read or even erased from remote locations through network connections. The media – external copies, pages of printout, even the computer itself – may be subject to the possibility of damage, loss or theft.
Negotiable and other material
This area includes problems derived from unauthorized transactions being performed on the computer such as:
a. A retail location may find it has “sold” a thousand items and mailed them and have an invalid credit card number
b. Something that was sold in confidence becoming public knowledge
c. Something for which the customer is depending on gets “lost” in a fraudulent manner.
Another risk is if there are online control systems which may be corrupted. Power, lights, air conditioning and more are likely to be under computer control. Many sites have their internal control records maintained online. The transfer of items from one location inside the organization to another is recorded – or even ordered – through computer. This includes things like service orders. There is a possibility of these orders being corrupted, deleted or even falsified.
Mission
The threats to your organization are limited only by the risks the organization exposes itself to. The more an information system is used, the more vulnerable it becomes. There may be forged email, the legal record may become published in the local newspaper, competitors may find out proprietary information – the list goes on and on and can only be determined by the ones in the know: YOU.
Personnel
A brief talk with a local insurance company will reveal a multitude of risks: vital individuals may get hit by cars, an epidemic may run rampant across the secretarial pool or even the competitor may decide to pay more.
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