Should the United States increase the number of H-1B visas and green cards so international skilled workers can become permanent residents?
The basic point underlying the issues is that U.S. has an immense shortage of highly skilled labor ever year and the current percentage of fresh...
What measures need to be taken to make sure that offshore outsourcing does not adversely affect American jobs?
Offshore outsourcing is a highly debated topic. It would be nice if we reflect on the reasons that has lead to offshore outsourcing – 1....
Where should cyberlaw enforcement be centered?
I appreciate the study conducted by UCSD that it provides some striking insights into operation of scam engines and their origin stations. Based on this...
How Pervasive is Phishing?
Antiphishing.org links us to various useful means to counter phishing. skimming through the website, here are two things that interested me – 1. The phishing...
Should the US recognize criminal law sanctions from other countries when those countries accuse US citizens of violating the other country’s laws?
Cyber-Crime and its big brother – “Cyber-warfare”, have so conquered the ever expanding and versatile cyberspace that we need to establish new international polices and...
USA Patriot Act and Data mining
I think its the USA PATRIOT Act that gives the right to do this kind of data mining. This actually amended a handful of other...
What limitations should be imposed on datamining of email traffic patterns?
E-mail traffic is one of the main target of intelligence surveillance to detect terrorist and other malicious activities. Its rather easy and result oriented when...
Should wiretapping of US citizen internet usage require a warrant?
First of all, I don’t think a search warrant is surely required in such a case as it is against Fourth Amendment. Now after 9/11,...
Will intelligence add-ons to the internet make it easier for hackers to penetrate the internet for criminal purposes?
Here’s a special report that analyzes how the Internet can facilitate terrorist operations – http://www.usip.org/pubs/specialreports/sr116.html . It reveals the ways in which terrorists exploit Internet...
Using Technology to combat terrorrism?
Here’s a special report that analyzes how the Internet can facilitate terrorist operations – http://www.usip.org/pubs/specialreports/sr116.html . It reveals the ways in which terrorists exploit Internet...
Can federal legislation prohibit certain types of computer usage in schools without violating students’ free speech rights?
Children’s legitimate free speech as applicable to them should not be barred in any case. I have little support for the free speech advocates out...
Can filtering protect children from harmful material in chatrooms, blogs, and social networks?
I don’t think there is any explicit filtering technology available that can completely avoid harmful material from chartroom, social networking and blogs. There should be...
Should legislation focus just on spyware, on undesireable practices (with spyware being just one example), or should legislation focus on protecting privacy and security of personal information?
Spyware is an explicit program that is written with the intention of collecting and using personal info, illegally. Of course its one other way to...
Should spyware be allowed for digital rights management, as exemplified by Sony and Microsoft practices?
Not at all. Firstly there is no relation between the terminology (Spyware) and what the DRM is intended to do. Something which is Spyware is...
Should parents, employers, and government be allowed to use spyware to monitor for bad behavior?
Interesting topic isn’t it! Usage of Spyware by itself should be made illegal in any case, as it invades privacy. Should a software is used for...
What non-regulatory practices can users follow to reduce the incidence of spyware on their computers?
Some tips will be – 1. Make a point that one would not visit web sites such as mass advertising web sites as they are...
A revolutionary supposition – Advice for improved Education system
The educational system should revise the curriculum according to the current technology demands in the society and to build creativity of students. I think the...
Is there a more effective strategy for helping developing countries increase the computer and information literacy of their children?
Intel’s Maloney’s words – “It’s about the Web more than anything. I have young kids …….. doesn’t have access to the Web is overwhelming” –...
What can be learned from educational experiences where all students in certain school districts have been given computers?
The lesson learned should be lack of effective direction and control in implementing the plan. I remember from IST 601 that we should control technology,...
What implementation plans should countries make before entering into contracts to purchase low-cost computers?
Here is a nice article on what determines the usage of XO type laptops in developing countries – http://www.olpcnews.com/countries/india/ . The article can be used...
Is it likely that placing laptops in the hands of students will help developing countries overcome the digital divide?
I think OLPC program is making a sincere effort with a clear vision from Negroponte. The idea is that it is not the only means...
Should funding be available for social impacts research when it is not likely to lead to new innovations?
I think we should encourage funding on social impact research as it would lead us to explore and find answers to long disputed or rather...
Is there a need for languages (like Java/ActiveX) where a corporation controls the standard but can only modify it in public ?
Java (SunMicroSystems) and ActiveX (Microsoft) are two major technology platforms that has evolved itself a long way from years of R & D and support...
What protections should the public have regarding access to broadband networks for reception and/or transmission?
700 Mhz band is being developed and utilized with the intention of allowing entrepreneurs with less capital to establish broadband services, since it offers cheap...
Should carriers have the freedom through contracts and licenses to shape how their networks will be used?
Again this is an instance of protecting consumer rights and freedom in utilizing the digital medium. The carriers have a very important role in maintaining...
Should distributors be allowed to charge differently for different types of traffic?
This reminds me of the most common issue – when should government leave the publishing of information to the private?. Intended quality and convenience of...
Should broadband distributors be regulated as common carriers by the FCC?
From the literature and court cases, FCC is less obliged to regulate broadband distributors as common carriers, as “Computer network Information” services are not subject...
Modifying World Trade Organization’s TRIPS agreement?
Here is another analysis article on a widely asked question – “Should treaties like the World Trade Organization’s TRIPS agreement be modified so developing countries...
Should the US patent process be revised as suggested in S 1145 and HR 1908?
Here is an interesting analysis article (short and sweet as we say) on “Should the US patent process be revised as suggested in S 1145 and HR...
Should the Linux and Open Source communities be protected from software patent challenges?
Here is an short and to-the-point article on a most debated topic that I would want everyone to focus on now – “Should the Linux...
Impact of Software Patents on Innovation in the Software Industry
This article is a good resource for those who want to know more about the most raised question – What is the impact of software patents...
Need for Legal and Technological Protection Mechanisms
This article is a good resource for those who want to know more about the most raised question – Is there a need for legal and...
Is there a need to legitimate digital rights management mechanisms for protecting intellectual property?
This article is a good resource for those who want to know more about the most raised question – Is there a need to legitimate digital...
How can the intellectual property community protect their intellectual property without the DMCA safeguards?
This article is a good resource for those who want to know more about the most raised question – How can the intellectual property community...
Should the prohibition in the Digital Millennium Copyright Act against breaking intellectual property safeguards be modified?
This article is a good resource for those who want to know more about the most raised question – Should the prohibition in the Digital...
Can data quality regulations be used to keep agencies unbiased in their postings?
This is an interesting article that I would recommend which tries to find some conclusion as how agencies may be controlled on posting biased or...
Does making documents accessible over the web eliminate the need for printing documents?
The core idea of this article is to comtemplate on a most commonly discussed topic – Does making documents accessible over the web eliminate the...
Making Government documents transparent
There are so many articles about e-governance, but all these articles stress on what e-governance can do, with little thought on how and when e-governance...
Implementing E-Government Act
Article...
CIO’s need to know organizational assumptions about IT
Though Information Technology (IT) is seen as a core enabler of business continuity and competence, it is not always viewed so. I was impressed by...
Shaping global business strategy based on cultural determinants
This article is based on a research paper that I reviewed recently as included in the reference section. The focus of this article is to...
Overcoming Competing Commitment
“Competing commitment and how to overcome it” – A review of work done by Kegan R. and Lahey L. L. Overcoming employee resistance has been...
Theory of Business (TOB), Business strategy and more – A case study
Bertelsmann AG is the largest media and entertainment group in Europe and the second largest in the world to U.S. based Time Warner, Inc. Bertelsmann...
Applying NPV, ROI – An example to guide IT strategist to evaluate IT investments
Case Study: Opportunity A: Your bank is looking at an optical character recognition (OCR) system to further automate the check processing function. Check processing is...
Preparing Marketing Plans – Sample one for Amazon.com – A handy tool for strategic IT managers
Overview Amazon.com offers Earth’s largest selection of online products. Being the #1 online retailer, it offers the most advanced and innovative ways of e-commerce that...
Theory Of Constraints (TOC) – A Case study (AOL, FCC, Verizon) based analysis
All organizations strive for excellence. The Theory of Business (TOB) of any company is considered the deciding factor, which determines the degree of excellence and...
M-Commerce? How could your company take liverage out of it?
Its my pleasure to introduce you to the emerging world of m-commerce and how your company can take a competitive edge by harnessing this technology...
Force Field Analysis – How could IT managers use it?
Force field analysis is a tool used for analyzing the supporting and opposing forces behind a change process. Managers use it to identify the stakeholders...
Technology Cycles and Innovation
Technology cycles and innovation are two useful phenomena that can be used to explain how competitive advantage of companies can be maintained over time. Technology...
Costs and Benefits of Planning
Planning has advantages as well as disadvantages. This means that even though planning aids in improving organizational and individual performance, it might not work very...
“Cognitive Dissonance” and how to ease it
Cognitive dissonance is an insecure feeling, or lingering doubts, consumers sometimes have after making large purchases. One way to reduce Cognitive dissonance (CD) is to...
Influencing Problem recognition of customers
The consumer can be influenced by exposing him to some stimuli that makes him realize about his potential need or desire for something. A good...
Market segmentation
Market segmentation is the process of separating the varied market into segments, each of which has similar characteristics. For example, a cosmetic company may segment...
Simple NPV & ROI calculation (Example 001)
Case: A company invests $15000 and receives a $11000 cash benefit at the end of the first year and a $12100 cash benefit at the...
Accounting Vs Financial Management
Accounting can be considered as an information system that provides various tools to summarize financial performance or economic activities of an individual, family, organization or...
Balance sheet and Income Statement? – Another baisc stuff that IT manager need to know
Balance Sheet gives the snapshot of the business’s financial position at a particular instance. It basically measures the wealth of a business firm at that...
Assets and Liabilities for an organization – Yes basic stuff for anything including IT strategic planning
Assets and liabilities are the two major entities that find an entry in a business’s balance sheet for measuring its wealth. Assets are items owned...
Process Control and Process Improvement
Process Management has its relevance when managers begin to conceptualize business activities as interdependent processes instead of functions and tasks. The basic requirement towards effective...
Adopting "Systems View" while Process Improvement
Systems view refers to analyzing a problem situation as a system of interdependent processes that exchange input and output. This view helps to identify the...
Equity Theory – How could we motivate effectvely in an organization
Equity theory states that a person is motivated when he perceives that he is treated fairly. He usually picks a colleague who works with him,...