Chapter 7
http://www.cyborlink.com/
I found this website which contains cultural information on various countries. It contains information on appearance, behavior, and communication in each country. This is something that is very important for any global company. It is very easy to accidentally insult someone in a foreign country by using a gesture that is common in the United States. Since offshoring is now very popular among companies, this information is needed when dealing with people from foreign countries. I clicked on the link for India and found some very interesting information on that culture. For example, when dressing casual, short-sleeved shirts and long pants are preferred for men; shorts are acceptable only when exercising. Women must keep their upper arms, chest, back, and legs covered at all times. Also, the use of leather products including belts or handbags may be considered offensive, especially in temples. Hindus revere cows and do not use leather products. I found this fascinating because some of these things are worn by americans on a daily basis. A women could easily be controversial in this country if she wore a sleeveless top or carried a purse made of leather, both of which are commonplace in the US. I would hope that anyone who planned on doing business internationally or with employees from a foreign country would research this type of information to avoid any misunderstandings.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Agile Processes
http://www.objectmentor.com/resources/articles/agileProcess.pdf
As we all know, the world around us is constantly changing. Organizations need to be able to keep up with this change in order to stay competitive and meet changing customer demands. I found an article that discussed in more detail the importance of agile processes and what it takes to make them work. The article states "It is the ability to respond to change that often determines the success or failure of a software project." There is an emphasis on the ability of a plan to be flexible and adapt to change throughout the process. This whole chapter (5) is about dealing with changing business processes and agile processes, if done properly, are a great way to work through these changes. It is impossible to predict what will happen with a software project far into the future. A detailed plan should be made for the first few weeks only, then the plan should remain rough and flexible for any variables that may come up in the next few months or in a year. I think this article provides great guidelines for successful agile processes. "The principles and values of agile software development were formed as a way to help teams break the cycle of process inflation, and to focus on simple techniques for reaching their goals." As long as the principles and values discussed are followed, an organization should be able to apply the agile process successfully and adapt to change properly.
As we all know, the world around us is constantly changing. Organizations need to be able to keep up with this change in order to stay competitive and meet changing customer demands. I found an article that discussed in more detail the importance of agile processes and what it takes to make them work. The article states "It is the ability to respond to change that often determines the success or failure of a software project." There is an emphasis on the ability of a plan to be flexible and adapt to change throughout the process. This whole chapter (5) is about dealing with changing business processes and agile processes, if done properly, are a great way to work through these changes. It is impossible to predict what will happen with a software project far into the future. A detailed plan should be made for the first few weeks only, then the plan should remain rough and flexible for any variables that may come up in the next few months or in a year. I think this article provides great guidelines for successful agile processes. "The principles and values of agile software development were formed as a way to help teams break the cycle of process inflation, and to focus on simple techniques for reaching their goals." As long as the principles and values discussed are followed, an organization should be able to apply the agile process successfully and adapt to change properly.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Virtual Organizations
Chapter 4
Chapter 4 discusses virtual organizations and how they have changed work environments. Although this comic is a bit extreme, it does portray the convenience virtual organizations provide employees. The flexible hours and lack of commute makes this a benefit to both the employee and the company. For example, I know someone who was able to experience these benefits while working for HP. This person worked for HP in a New Hampshire office for years. Then, he was able to start working from home most days rather than make the drive to NH everyday. Eventually, he moved to the area he grew up in in West Virginia. He only visited his office a few times a year when he was in the area to visit family. Although he was a few states away from his office, he was still one of the most productive people in his department. Being able to work in other locations other than the office has numerous advantages: not having to schedule around or live in a certain area just because work is there; companies save money on real estate by not needing offices for all employees all the time; saving gas and according to this comic, less laundry :) Many companies are using virtual organizations to their benefit and IT has made that possible.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
