IT and information systems has changed how we do business.  With so much information now on the cloud and everyone carrying mobile phones, Business Technology Management (BTM) is needed to ensure that an enterprise’s business strategy is being correctly accommodated by the updated technology it deploys.  According to an article at Hopkins Medicine, monitoring internet search traffic about influenza to prepare hospital emergency rooms for any upcoming surge in sick patients may be better than to wait for outdated government flu case reports.  Using Google’s Flu Trends tool, the researchers have found a strong correlation between a rise in internet searches for flu symptoms and the rise in sick patients coming into the hospital.  This example is very similar to the example given in Class 17 where we learned about how Target figured out a teen was pregnant before her father did.  I believe that Google will greatly utilize the valuable information to their benefits from people using their Gmail, Youtube, Google Maps, and search engine.  As shown above, IT and information systems is a very valuable tool in the business world nowadays that can ensure businesses better execution, risk control and profitability.

Sources:  http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/_hopkins_researchers_find_google_flu_trends_a_powerful_early_warning_system_for_emergency_departments

As seen in the video in class 14, Zappos is able to maintain a high level of customer service through their unique organizational culture, such as how each employee can decorate their cubicle to their likings.  Rituals which develop over time in an organization are repetitive sequences of activities that express and reinforce the key values of the organization.  One well known corporate ritual is Walmart’s company chant.  The chant was started by the company’s founder, Sam Walton, to motivate and unite his workforce.  “Gimme a W, gimme an A, gimme an L, give me an M, A, R, T!” has become the company’s ritual that bonds its workers and reinforces Sam’s belief in the importance of his employees to the success of the company.  This chant preservers a small-family spirit and work environment within the world’s largest retailer.

The Walmart chant has developed over time resulting in many variants; however, the main aspect of motivation still remains intact:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJwrlF8AzmA

Sources: http://www.citeman.com/4003-how-employees-learn-culture-2.html

In less than 10 years, Skype has become one of the most popular VOIP (voice over IP) program in the world, boasting over 700 million users and bought by Microsoft for $8.5 billion in 2010.  To me, Skype has become a substitute for a service provider like Telus.  When I first moved to Canada, my mother came along to take care of me while my dad stays in my home country Thailand to work.  In the first several years, our phone bill was enormous because of long distance calling, but this was a necessary cost to maintain the tight bond in our family.  However, when Skype came out, we no longer had to spend any money on the phone bill when calling long distance.  I am sure Skype has impacted the revenue of phone companies with so many people turning to its free communication tool.  Skype continues to update with new features, such as calling landlines using wifi.  This Summer while I was in Thailand, I actually use Skype to call people’s mobile numbers like a normal phone to save cost.  Skype is a great communication tool helping everyone in the world connects to each other.  The program is also beneficial in the business world such as when setting up a conference call with each member in different parts of the world.

Sources: http://mashable.com/2011/05/16/skype-infographic/

During class 20, guest speaker James Tansey had the class do a survey to gauge their own carbon footprint.  I was surprised by the huge amount of carbon footprints some of my classmates had.  This survey made it clear how the trivial activities we do such as commuting and eating meat greatly contributes to the problem of greenhouse gas emissions.  This survey raises a question, “If I alone can cause this much greenhouse gas to the environment, then are big companies doing anything to reduce their non-undoubtedly massive carbon footprint?”  In Cathy’s blog about Walmart’s initiatives on going green, she mentions that Walmart’s “real motives…deciding to go green is questionable.”  We cannot be sure if Walmart’s approach to become an environmental leader in the business was to increase profitability by reducing costs, or to purely help the environment.  However, I consider each company to be a profit maximizing firm and at the moment, “Green sells,” and it is probably in Walmart’s best intention to reduce its costs while still marketing their company to be “green” to the public.  Nonetheless, Walmart must still be praised for aiming to become more sustainable and setting an example for other companies to follow.

BC Hydro smart meter has received much controversy over the issue.  There have been many concerns by the public over the smart meter, but perhaps the biggest one would be privacy concerns.  Consumer’s behaviors are valuable information that is desired by many companies; therefore, the smart meter measuring residents’ power consumption by the hour is a huge privacy concern to the public.

-BC Hydro is replacing 1.8 million digital and analog power consumption meters with wireless-enabled “smart meters” by the end of 2012. (CBC)

According to this article, “BC Hydro has failed to notify customers who received new smart meters about how their personal information was being collected and used.”  In order for BC Hydro to regain some of their lost reputation, the company has to be more transparent and communicate with the public so that its customers do not think they are being ignored.  BC Hydro quickly needs to address in their marketing plan letting consumers know that privacy is a great concern of the company, and also educating the public that the smart meters do not provide any security risks.  A man in Vancouver has mentioned that he does not want a smart meter installed in his home because the devices can tell other people as to whether or not anyone is home.  I believe that as soon as BC Hydro can fix these two main issues of privacy and security, the smart meter can then be trusted by the public.

Sources: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2011/12/19/bc-hydro-smart-meters-privacy.html,

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2011/10/21/bc-smart-meter-privacy.html

The actions and image of top management can greatly impact the organization’s culture.  The executives establish norms that are filtered down through the organization through their behavior and what they say.  These norms establish what is appropriate and desirable within the company.  The CEO of Japan Airlines, world top 10 international airlines, is Haruka Nishimatsu.  He slashes his only salary to only about $90000 per year, which is actually lower than the salary of a regular pilot of his own company.  The CEO uses the bus everyday to go to work and lines up at the cafeteria during lunch along with all his employees.

Haruka prefers a modest personal lifestyle, and also prefer the same for his company.  He mentions that “businesses which pursue money first fail” and that “the business world has lost sight of this business ethics.”  The CEO hopes that his behavior would send a message to all his employees.

Sources: http://www.kal01.com/2012/04/haruka-nishimatsu-a-real-life-hero/