Radio Technology

Archive for the ‘information technology’ Category

Today’s Scenario

Agriculture is the sector which continues to sit on the driver’s seat and will remain so forever as long as we don’t get rid of stomachs; So it becomes fairly important for any reform or revolution to address this sector and in this race information technology has been the front runner.

Information technology has led from the front in the information sharing process among the Agro scientists, Engineers, Farmers and Students. Because of the core dependency of information technology on Internet might have restricted the reach of the information but situation will not remain so for long.

Now scientists from all over the world collaborate over the internet, for sharing the information about the research on land fertility, seed hybridization, reducing the man efforts and making the farming environment less challenging and cost effective.

Future Guidelines

In an edition of “The economist”, I encountered something which could trigger anxiety in anyone when it states “1974 Henry Kissinger, then America’s secretary of state, told the first world food conference in Rome that no child would go to bed hungry within ten years. Just over 35 years later, in the week of another United Nations food summit in Rome, 1 billion people will go to bed hungry. This failure, already dreadful, may soon get worse. None of the underlying agricultural problems which produced a spike in food prices in 2007-08 and increased the number of hungry people has gone away. Between now and 2050 the world’s population will rise by a third, but demand for agricultural goods will rise by 70%.” Usual business is not going to better the estimates, as the panacea lies in the maximum involvement of information technology in agricultural research and knowledge transfer.

Agriculture sector has stood against the time and achieved green, white, yellow, blue and cyber revolutions over the time.

Availability of information and effectively using this information is crucial for successful economic development. Information about expert suggestions, material inputs, financial support, technological innovations and changing market conditions have huge impact on agriculture equally as the case with any other sector.

How well the Agriculture involves information technology in itself, will play a major role in determining the future well being of those who have direct dependency on agriculture for livelihood, especially in developing countries like India.

In this context, it is most prudent to extend the benefits of IT to agriculture and not to underestimate the tremendous growth potential to be unleashed in this sector.

Sovereigns of all the countries must take moves in order to mobilize farmers, scientists, institutions and organizations for promoting involvement of Information Technology in Agriculture.

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND IT’ S STRATEGIC USES

The success or failure of an organization in today’s highly competitive and technological business world depends on how they manage to streamline the flow of information between their departments and outside world. This is where IT comes into action. It deals with the application of technology to automate the flow of information in an organization’s information system. The strategic opportunities framework enables executives to identify opportunities for strategic use of IT.

The main areas to be considered to study the effects of IT are:

1. DEVELOPING AN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY STRATEGY

Issues like Critical Success Factors, IT planning and manpower are considered. Manpower is very important as it can decide on the Strategy being successful or not.

2. STRATEGIC USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

This is a broad area where a lot of core issues come up. Questions like
a. Is IT necessary?
b. What impact has IT on the business world?
c. What opportunities have IT brought into the business areas of the Company?
d. Is IT of any worth to business are studied here?

The spotless blend of IT Strategy with Corporate Strategy has to be achieved through the principles of SUIT

3. QUALITY MANAGEMENT

Methods of Quality Control, Audits, different strategies used in TQM are dealt with in this area. As Quality cannot easily be defined, the study of Quality Control and its upkeep deserve our keen involvement and interest.

IT can be used to develop new products or processes or to improve existing products and processes so as to achieve a competitive edge in the market or to effect significant improvements in internal operations. The natural potential importance of IT for an organization depends upon the information intensity of processes and the information content of the products. The strategic use of IT in an organization is necessary for the bending of the IT strategy into the corporate strategy.

Traditionally, hotels were largely dependent on cards and paperwork at the front desk to keep in touch with old and current customers. They were largely at the mercy of the desires of vacationers to arrive, and on their own efforts and staff to be ready for potential surges or long droughts of occupancy. Luckily, such inconvenience and old-fashioned methods are long since past, thanks to advances in information technology.

The first area in which information technology became important was in regards to billing. Old-fashioned paper-based book-keeping was time consuming and inefficient, and was not able to quickly tell a hotel owner what the situation of their hotel was. Luckily, advances in modern record keeping allow for a hotel owner to keep track of what they have on hand, how much of it they have, and how much it costs. Accounting is complicated, but advanced accounting software, especially that tailored to the unique needs of the hospitality industry, helps to enable hotel owners to make smart decisions. Services and products that are no longer used can be quickly cut off to save money, while those who show demand can be increased in quantity or modified so as to reduce the heavy usage.

Most hotels are familiar with booking rooms and reservations over the phone, but information technology has expanded well beyond that. Hotels can now work with various online travel companies and booking services to have their rooms booked online, with no need to employ expensive staff. This also allows a hotel to advertise their open rooms and special deals directly to persons who would be most likely to purchase them, instead of wasting lots of money advertising in an unfocused manner. High quality information technology thus allows for better arrangement and management of bookings in order to allow a hotel to better maximize occupancy, and to know in advance when large groups or lean times are approaching. This allows a hotel manager to make plans regarding temporary staff, good times to renovate or expand, or other concerns, because he/she can determine the state of their hotel currently and for the next few months with only a few clicks on the computer.

The advances in information technology extend well beyond booking, however. The internet is essential for vacationers who wish to contact those back home, and for those traveling on business to get in touch with the office. Therefore, wireless internet has become a very common and very useful service for hotels to provide. Many business minded persons even require that a hotel offer internet services so that they can keep working while on the road. Luckily, such services are easy to provide, as all that is required is a wireless router and various devices to ensure the entire hotel is filled with the network. Modern advances in wireless internet also allow for the wireless internet provided for hotel visitors to be used to network the hotel itself. Security cameras, door locks, and other devices essential to hotel security and safety can be wired into the network, so that staff are alerted whenever a door is propped open, a fire alarm goes off or suspicious activity occurs. Though the hotel guests are wholly unaware of it, this sort of added safety and security keeps them safe, and in the event of a problem they will most certainly appreciate the benefits of such a system.

As advanced as it is, information technology in the hospitality industry is still going forward. Intelligent booking systems enable rapid and efficient guest feedback, along with the ability to predict who is likely to use the hotel again and inform them via e-mail or text messages when good deals arrive. Hotels with room service or other guest services can offer their menus online, allowing for quick updates, high-quality photos, and other ways to allow guests to see and order services before they even arrive. There are also advances in terms of payroll and inventory which make information technology a valuable asset for saving money and maximizing profits. The unique nature of the hospitality industry makes it a great place for new and emerging information technology, and forward-thinking hotel owners and managers are always looking for smart equipment and software to invest in.