The Benefits of Strategic Information Systems Coursework

The Benefits of Strategic Information Systems - Coursework Example Many business organizations exist which have acquired information systems but are unable to deploy these systems in a strategic manner in order to achieve a competitive advantage in their areas of operation, these failures often result from a misalignment of the strategic objectives of the company’s information systems with the strategic objectives of the business as a whole (Fortune & Peters, 2005) (Heeks, 2002). There are a number of possible reasons for such a misalignment some of the commonly cited reasons for such a misalignment include differing personalities and outlooks of the IT people and the business managers, separate budgets for IT departments which are unrelated to the budgets for the other departments and lack of oversight and effective management of the IT departments and an absence of accountability for business results (Heeks, 2002). These problems are often caused by a misplaced belief in the power of technology to help an organization in achieving its strategic aims, in reality; the mere presence of high tech equipment is of no use until it is utilized in a proper manner. According to a recent study on the link between information technology and productivity, advancements in information technology were not the primary cause of the improvements in technology which have occurred since the mid 1990’s rather it was the changes in business processes brought on by the use of information technology that enabled these gains in productivity (Ward & Peppard, 2002).In order to have an effective information system, managers need to make clear that the computational technology is not important in itself, it is rather a tool for realizing the strategic business aims of the company (Ward & Peppard, 2002).

How To Help A Friend By Selwyn Hughes Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

How To Help A Friend By Selwyn Hughes - Essay Example In â€Å"How To Help A Friend† Selwyn focuses on how to go about the counseling ministry. Whereas the author also adopts the psychological principles in counseling, it is important to note that the foundation of counseling in â€Å"How To Help A Friend,† is purely a Christian approach. The model that Hughes proposes is anchored on the teachings of the Bible on values and how to live a righteous life before the Lord God. It is a firm foundation of Christian living and Christian view of the contemporary world. Hughes offers a rich and varies way of helping friends, family and the church through a difficult situation through Christian approach to counseling. One may observe that by basing his model on Biblical principles and insights, Hughes simplifies the process of counseling. He focuses on the importance of communication during the counseling process as a vital technique. Hughes also offers guidance particularly for young people in the church who face identity crisis su ch as the question of â€Å"who am I?† For Hughes, human behavior may be seen as a result of chance. On the effectiveness of the suggested counseling techniques in the context of a local church and the suggested skills application in the Christian counseling process, Hughes model would apply as follows. In consideration of the uniqueness of Christian counseling, the context of a local church is better approached from the segment. There is the youth ministry, the church as a whole and the church leadership. Hughes model would apply in totality for all the segments.  ... In specific context, using Hughes perspectives, a Christian counselor should facilitate an effective counseling through attending, loving, listening, polite digging for information, responding and terminating the sessions. To begin with, once Christian counselor has identified a situation and intervened, the counselor is advised to give the counselee an undivided attention. This is achieved in the form of giving the counselee a good eye contact. Their posture and body language should communicate that the counselor is at ease with the counselee. This is the foundation of the counseling and it sets grounds for the rest of the sessions (Collins, 2007, p. 89). A Christian counselor must also approach the counseling with unconditional love irrespective of the situation. Hughes approach to counseling with love is based on Jesus teaching on the need not to judge others (John 8:1-11) and expression of genuine love for others (as demonstrated in Luke 7: 36-50). This way, a Christian counselor should approach all the counselees with the love of God that Jesus emphasized in his teachings. Hughes technique of approaching counseling with love may also be seen to be drawn to be anchored on Jesus teaching that we love one another just as he has loved us. He said, â€Å"This is my commandment that you love one another (John 15:12-17).† The effectiveness of this approach is that it allows a Christian counselor to identify the feelings that a member of the local church may be experiencing. The subject could be experiencing anger, setbacks or frustrations. When the counselor reflects back such feelings to the subject, this is likely to create a feeling of being understood and cared for within their unique situations with love. It helps one to open up. When dealing for