Counseling Psychology

This short paper will determine how an IT Architect and Systems Manager can manage the life cycle of a systems implementation in a virtual environment. My research concluded that the position requires the use of collaboration tools and learning management systems so that the Systems Manager can operate effectively. In addition, the position requires the use of knowledge work applications such as computer-aided design (CAD) systems. Furthermore, to improve quality and service  and reduce the cost of systems development the Systems Manager will exploit neural networks. Using Cascio's article “Managing a Virtual Workplace” as a basis for my research, the results led to the conclusion that within a virtual environment, the Systems Manager will perform optimally only when the correct tools are applied and the manager is able to supervise the team effectively.

Publicly held companies are not successful by chance. They have to utilize systems that will determine their future and identify potential financial risks, be they environmental or by fellow competitors. The company will focus on five areas of concern that will lead the public to a better understanding of its goals and areas that need improvement. It will make public by means of an organizational statement an outline detailing its purpose as well as general guidelines for accomplishing it. The company will then reveal (with concrete evidence through specific examples) its most formidable skills, talents, and experiences, otherwise known as their distinctive competencies. Next, it will analyze trends or conditions that have enabled the company to reach a particular market, known as market opportunities. The trends will originate from the external marketplace and may come in forms such as economic conditions, consumer spending, or political environments. Then it will state its accomplishments and organizational objectives that will be the guiding principles by which the company will achieve its future goals. And finally, the company will assess its brand. The author considers these factors essential to understand the strategy of the organization and illustrates ways to increase customer retention.

The Health Resources and Service Administration describes telehealth as electronic information and telecommunications technologies that support long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, and public health administration (HRSA, 2012). It is not a single device or product, but a system. In creating a marketing plan for such a corporation offering such service, Universal Telehealth Systems in particular, the marketer must answer a series of research questions that will reveal the status of the firm's current systems and how they interrelate with the services already provided to the target market. Questions such as who are their customers and how the company will determine their needs; what position UTS will hold in the industry; who are the company's competitors; and finally, what can UTS, as a new telehealth organization, bring to the industry. To provide a better understanding, a complete SWOT analysis was conducted to determine internal and external strengths and weaknesses. Financial analyses (e.g. net present value, net cash flow, sensitivity, and break-even) showed that on year five the company will average sales of $96.3 million, receive an ROI of 6.4%, reaching 17% market share with annual revenues of $30 million. The marketer concluded that with proper implementation of the IMC and keeping to the budget the company will be a formidable contender in the teleheath ecosystem. Future research will entail an annual scan of the internal environment of the company. Policies must be exploited that will monitor its adherence to the marketing strategy in five years. 
Keywords: Marketing, telehealth, development, healthcare

Offshore software outsourcing involves outsourcing systems development work or maintenance of existing systems to external vendors in another country. The benefit of doing this is cost savings related to the actual development and to other related costs, such as employee accommodations and benefits. The question remained, then, as to what the the major drawbacks both from organizational and societal perspective would be? Analyzing the goals and requirements of companies and those of society at large, I was able to conclude after referring to James Bucki's article“Top 6 Outsourcing Disadvantages”, that the outsourcing of information systems, while boasting some advantages, mostly budget savings, has five major disadvantages viz.: loss of managerial control, hidden costs, threats to security and confidentiality, issues of quality, ties to the financial solvency of the company, and low morale in the remaining work force.

"This paper explores the relevance of Richard O. Mason's article, “Four Ethical Issues of the Information Age”, as applied to the MIS community today compared to when the article was written in 1986. My research concluded that Mason's concept that ethical issues involving the protection against threats to out human dignity, are applicable today in 2012. Comparing and contrasting the ramifications of the concepts of our rights to privacy, accuracy, property, and accessibility, from 1986 to today, I was able to discover several facets, especially with the technological advancements (e.g. profiling and NORA) occurring during the Information Age.
Keywords: R.O. Mason, ethical issues, PAPA, human dignity, threats, information age"