Artificial Intelligence Technology in Employment

Artificial intelligence ( AI ) “is technology and a branch of computer science that studies and develops intelligent machines and software”. Major AI researchers and textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agent”. [1] There are many different uses for Artificial intelligence and the one that I have chosen to research and discuss is the use of Artificial intelligence and the workplace. With all of the advances being made year after year you have to wonder could artificial Intelligence at some point replace employees? How could this happen? Pretty easily actually, if you step back and look at your day to day job, it is very robotic, most of us perform the same tasks day in and day out and it is part of our routine. Who is to say that one day a robot couldn’t be put in that same role and do the same job more efficiently and effectively. Technology has, of course, often disrupted and even destroyed whole industries and employment sectors. In the U.S., the mechanization of agriculture vaporized millions of jobs and led workers to eventually move from farms to factories. Later, manufacturing automation and globalization caused the transition to a service economy. Workers repeatedly adapted by acquiring new skills and migrating to jobs in new industries—but these changes have not altered the fact that most jobs continue to be essentially routine.[2] We see many different opinions on this topic, some would argue that AI technologies have already started to be the norm, automated systems have taken over for the average worker. This technology can have both good and bad effects for employees. Yes we could potentially see less of a need for humans in certain business aspects. We already see wages being driven down because it has become more affordable to automate a job that was once done by someone in a factory or an office. So now not only are we seeing wages of those without college degrees diminish, we now have to worry about potentially being replaced by an automated system. Then on the other hand there have been industries that have been affected positively by Artificial Intelligence technologies. There are several industries that have pursued automation aggressively without reducing overall employment. In U.S. banking, for example, because the increased productivity resulting from automation has been accompanied by a relatively even higher demand for bank services, employment grew by 50 per cent between 1970 and 1980 (Ernest, 1982). [3]. Not all jobs have the capability of being automated roles like teacher and childcare provider that require a human to successfully do the job. The power of man and machine working in unison was at the heart of a speech about intelligence augmentation by Ari Gesher, engineering ambassador with Palantir Technologies, at the recent Economist Technology Frontiers 2013 conference in London. "The idea is to have a very well defined division of labor between the computing machines and the humans," he said, spelling out the complementary skills of men and computers. [4] In closing while AI technology could clearly be the way of the future and we will continue to see employment rates job as we have seen year over year as these systems become more sophisticated. While this transition may be a long while a way it is still something we need to be thinking about and preparing for. 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_intelligence 2. http://cacm.acm.org/magazines/2013/7/165475-could-artificial-intelligence-create-an-unemployment-crisis/fulltext 3. http://ai.stanford.edu/~nilsson/OnlinePubs-Nils/General%20Essays/AIMag05-02-002.pdf 4. http://www.zdnet.com/artificial-intelligence-job-killer-or-your-next-boss-7000012404/

Knowledge Management Systems in Business

As we have read in Chapter 7 Knowledge Management Systems play an instrumental part in helping businesses increase their profits and or reduce their costs. Now more than ever businesses have access to so much data, probably more than they have ever had before. That being said are these companies analyzing their data properly and getting the most out of it to make them successful. These Knowledge Management Systems allow companies to complete more complicated tasks that before may have taken a lot of time. Three key reasons why actively managing knowledge is important to a company’s success are: 1.) Facilitates decision-making capabilities, 2.) Builds learning organizations by making learning routine, and, 3.) Stimulates cultural change and innovation. [1] While implementing a KMS is not without its challenges it is imperative for the success of the business to have a KMS in place in order to stay competitive. There are some big fortune 500 companies that have started using a KMS and overcame the challenges, a few examples of those companies are: World Bank/ Dow Jones and Shuffle Master. American companies will spend $73 billion on knowledge management software this year and spending on content, search, portal, and collaboration technologies is expected to increase 16% in 2008, according to a recently-released report from AMR Research. [2] Then there is a company like Siemens (Europe’s Knowledge Management Leader), who knew the value of a KMS from the very beginning. The advantages offered by knowledge management are obvious. Companies avoid performing the same tasks twice by making more effective use of the knowledge available to them in databases, archives and documents. That helps them cut costs and save time. One example of this tool is the cooperation of virtual teams such as those operating at Siemens Business Services (SBS). [3] One of the issues that came up amongst Siemens employees after implementing the KMS was, does this now replace the need for employees when on the contrary it actually has the opposite effect, having a KMS in place will actually help develop additional jobs. Who wouldn’t want to see additional job opportunity in an economy like this? There are many different types of knowledge to be considered when putting a system into place. When considering effective knowledge management, a variety of factors and needs must be assessed to find the most beneficial form for the knowledge. Knowledge management can exist in many forms. (see list on link below).[4] In closing having a Knowledge Management System in place gives your business a competitive edge against the competition, it presents opportunities for companies that may have never been there before. Knowledge management is about using the brain power of an organization in a systematic and organized manner in order to achieve efficiencies, ensure competitive advantage, and spur innovation.[5] While there may be some bumps in the road while trying to implement the rewards will outweigh any of the challenges that are faced. 1. http://www.forbes.com/sites/lisaquast/2012/08/20/why-knowledge-management-is-important-to-the-success-of-your-company/ 2. http://www.baselinemag.com/c/a/IT-Management/Knowledge-Management-5-Big-Companies-That-Got-It-Right/ 3. http://www.siemens.com/innovation/en/publikationen/publications_pof/pof_spring_2004/knowledge_articles knowledge_management.htm 4. http://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples/knowledge-management-examples.html 5. http://www.uky.edu/~gmswan3/575/Serban_and_Luan_2002.pdf

DSS in business - better decision making

In today’s business world we are constantly making decisions, who to hire, who to fire, what to spend and how to spend it. Managers are spending their time analyzing reports and trying to figure out ways to increase sales, assign quotas to their sales reps and put a strategy in place to hit those sales numbers. It is imperative that the correct decisions are made and in some cases they need to be made quickly, that is not always easy to do. Often times we are not fortunate enough to have the gift of time to put a strategy and plan together in order to get things done. Using a decision support system to analyze your business can help make this process a smoother one. Decision Support Systems - DSS - are a specific class of computer-based information systems that support your decision-making activities. A decision support system analyzes business data and provide interactive information support to managers and business professionals during the decision-making process, from problem recognition to implementing your decision. Decision Support Systems use (1) Analytical models, (2) specialized databases, (3) a decision maker’s own insights and judgments, and (4) an interactive, computer-based modeling process to support semi-structured business decisions [1] As an option for these companies there are decision support software systems available for businesses. The software available for decision support systems allow businesses and managers to work smarter and more efficiently. One example of this software is called Vanguard. The Vanguard System™ is a comprehensive business solution for improving the quality, reliability, and speed of management decisions. It does this by helping you collaborate with colleagues on important plans, analyze alternatives using state-of-the-art modeling and simulation techniques, automate routine decisions using expert system technology, and Improve overall management effectiveness by adding structure to a normally chaotic process. [2] Using a DSS software will improve your company’s overall business by now being able to take data that is already available but potentially not being utilized the way it could be. This software basically takes all of that data and turns it into valuable information that can now be used to make smarter decisions. The widespread use of computer technology has changed the way companies do business. Information technology has altered relationships between companies and their suppliers, customers and rivals. Porter and Millar (1985) discuss two specific ways that information technology can affect competition: by altering industry structures and by supporting cost and/or differentiation strategies. [3] In closing using decision support systems in business will improve decision making on all levels. Using this system is changing the way companies are doing business by having the ability to use old data and analyze it, It will give you a competitive advantage over other corporations all while saving the company money. 1. http://www.targit.com/en/landingpages/decisionsupportsystem/dss 2. http://www.vanguardsw.com/solutions/application/decision-support/ 3. http://www.b-eye-network.com/view/6501

E Commerce in Retail

As we have all seen in the past 10 or more years the popularity of ecommerce has been growing more and more and faster than ever. As businesses are opening up and setting up the ground work to be successful they are not just thinking about the best location to open or their target customer. They now need to think about making sure they have a website set up and have the ability to shop online. Retailers have seen their businesses sales increase over the years by adding this as an option. While the mom and pop retailers and big box retailers (WalMart/ Best Buy/ Target) all see their biggest selling day on Black Friday. Online retailers get their big hit on cyber Monday. According to Forrester's recent State of Online Retailing report, web retailers experienced 28 percent year-over-year growth in 2012. Combined with the fact that digital consumers spent $1.46 billion on Cyber Monday (a new single-day record), last year's steep growth curve is a bellwether of another good year for online apparel retailers.[1] With consumers now being busier than ever we know longer have the time to get out to the malls or big box stores and utilize coupons and discounts available. Retailers are now giving online coupons and discount codes to be used specifically online. I can tell you from personal experience with 2 children, working full time and now going to school I am so grateful for the option to online shop. As I mentioned above even if the consumer is shopping online they still want to be offered a deal. One of the things that I found while shopping on line is "Ebates". When you sign up for ebates (free service) you select the stores you enjoy shopping in the most. So for example if you wanted to shop at the Gap you would log onto the ebates site and select The Gap. Ebates would then tell give you a % that you would receive back when you shop directly through them. This provides you with a means to save some additional money when you can't get to the store to take advantage of their sales. Ebates has made deals with more than 1,500 stores. Let’s take Target, for example. If Ebates refers a shopper to Target’s website, Target gives Ebates a percentage of what that shopper spent on Target’s website – essentially, a sales commission. Ebates then gives part of that commission to the shopper.[2] In closing I would say that ECommerce for retail (shopping online) has been and will continue to be a huge growth engine and money maker for retailers. With rents and lease prices going up it only make sense that this is direction retailers are moving and with new ways to advertise through social media and search engines, and options for great deals, it seems this is the way things will continue to move and be the way of the future. In a report subtitled “Understanding the changing consumer”, Accenture observes, “Consumers are increasingly ‘connected’ - often online, interacting with companies and other consumers to research and purchase products, share advice, and praise or criticize a business. Nearly three-quarters of the consumers surveyed said they use the internet to research or purchase products or services more than they did three years ago. Consumers are also increasingly using social media as a tool in the purchasing process.” [3] 1. http://apparel.edgl.com/case-studies/E-commerce--Trends-That-Will-Shape-201385390 2. http://www.moneytalksnews.com/2012/03/20/how-to-get-paid-to-shop/ 3. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/news/9821702/The-future-of-shopping-from-high-street-to-iStreet.html

Communication and collarboration

Everyone communicates differently dependingon their personal preference and what is convenient. The internet has madecommunication as simple as the click of a button. Most people choose theirmeans of communication based on what it is they want to share. One popularmethod is email which allows the user to send a message over the internet,attach files, pictures and even videos. Email can be accessed on your computervia outlook and also pushed to your mobile device. One of the benefits of emailis the ability to keep it stored on a hard drive or on a work server. If youare not using your work email you can access personal email through multipleavenues as well such as yahoo, AOL, Google and Hotmail. Another method of communication andcollaboration is instant messaging. This is a great option for interofficecommunication. My office has something called "Communicator" not onlydoes this allow you to instantly message with a coworker regardless of wherethey are in the country, it also gives you option to video chat, screen shareand do conference calls all at the touch of a button and on your desktop. The beauty of this is that all you need is aninternet connection to initiate the message without ever needing to pick up thephone. Microblogging,status updates and news feeds is another method of how we communicate with oneanother. With social media [1](Social media refers to themeans of interactions among people in which they create, share, and exchangeinformation and ideas in virtual communities and networks) sites like Facebook, Linked In,Twitter and Instagram with one simple message you can communicate to all ofyour friends in your network to let them know what you are up to for the day,if you changed jobs or just a simple message you are looking to communicate.All of these sites allow for the ability to your friends to repost, retweet or “share”something that you communicated out. Businesses have even taken to the Twitterfad. Companies share the latest news,promotions and updates to anyone and everyone. The CEO of my company (T-Mobile) has recently taken to twitter and isconstantly tweeting about the company and our competitors. [2] A new report by theUniversity of Massachusetts Dartmouth takes a look at how often companies onFortune Magazine's Fortune500 list are using social-media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Google+,Instagram, YouTube, Foursquare, and Pinterest. And the answer is: a lot. Of thoseFortune 500 companies, 77 percent keep active Twitter accounts, 70 percent havea Facebook page, and 69 percent have YouTube accounts. All these stats are upover last year -- with 4 percent more companies keeping Twitter accounts, 4percent more having a Facebook page, and 7 percent more on YouTube. Companiesare using social networking sites to advertise their products and postjobs. People are using their linked incontacts to search for jobs and network with people as well. Gone are the daysof sending your resume via USPS and searching the newspaper classified ads forjobs. 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media 2. http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57595401-93/fortune-500-companies-give-social-media-a-thumbs-up/

Cloud Computing I have to be honest I am one of those people who is a bit clueless when it comes to the cloud. When the option pops up on my kindle or on my phone to save it to the Cloud I always wonder if I should or shouldn’t. However it is clear that Cloud computing has been taking corporations around the world by storm. In an era that involves more and more telecommuting than ever before we are seeing companies moving over to cloud computing. This makes financial sense for many companies. [1]The nature of the cloud means IT departments can shift their focus, taking IT from being an unavoidable cost centre to being an epicentre for value creation. [2] Cloud computing comes into focus only when you think about what IT always needs: a way to increase capacity or add capabilities on the fly without investing in new infrastructure, training new personnel, or licensing new software. There are many uses for Cloud computing a few of which I will speak to briefly. The first of many is Web services. Some of the web services offered in the Cloud for example are Saleforce, Google Maps, Bloomberg, ADP, Strike Iron, and even credit card processing services are all services that can be utilized through the cloud without the need for a full blown application. AT&T offers some great cloud solutions for enterprise companies. However there are quite a few companies that offer Cloud Computing services each with their own specific targeted niche. Google for example focuses primarily on small businesses, enterprise companies and colleges. One of the things that Google is doing is allowing developers to build an infrastructure and Google hosts it with their applications. Another company offering Cloud computing services is GoGrid with their niche market being primarily startup and Web 2.0 companies. [3] Cloud offering: The GoGrid platform offers Web-based storage and the ability to quickly deploy Windows- and Linux-based virtual servers onto the cloud, with preinstalled software including Apache, PHP, Microsoft SQL and MySQL. Other companies like Microsoft, Amazon and Netsuite are just a few of the other companies in the market offering these cloud services. Like anything else there are going to be drawbacks to using Cloud computing that need to be considered, one being the internet. In order to use the cloud there must be internet available. This is a risk for corporations to take because as we all know the internet often goes down at any given time. Data could be lost or you could be in the middle of a presentation. So while it makes telecommuting easier and is a cost saver there are always going to be downsides. 1. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media-network/media-network-blog/2013/jul/24/cloud-computing-transforming-workplace 2. http://www.infoworld.com/d/cloud-computing/what-cloud-computing-really-means-031 3. http://www.networkworld.com/supp/2009/ndc3/051809-cloud-companies-to-watch.html?page=3

hardware and software

Working for a telecommunications company I know firsthand the type of mobile hardware and software that is required in the Enterprise business space. Everyone needs to be connected all the time, that being said everyone is carrying a handheld device/ Smartphone to constantly keep them connected to both their accounts and their office. BES Servers are used and required to keep you connected by allowing you secure access to email and company documents from your mobile device. We also utilize an application called Good. What this does is while it allows us as employees to be connected to the office while on the road but for security purposes it gives the company the opportunity to wipe your device if needed as well as limit the number of applications and web browsing that can be done. Not only does this help keep costs down for the employer it helps keep the employee from using the device as personal if the company is paying for it. Most of these smart phones are also equipped with something called dropbox which allows for easier access to spreadsheets to be sent, received and read all through your mobile device. All of these devices are also equipped with the software for Microsoft Office this houses their email, calendar, contacts, notes and Tasks all in their hand, making your employee that much more productive. Our Reps also have cloud based software loaded onto their smart phones, whether it is a blackberry, iPhone, or Android device all have the ability to log into salesforce. This is imperative when a rep is out in the field and wants to pull up contact information or after a meeting has ended and they want to log their events for the day. Once this information is logged, this is all available to their manager to review their daily events.

The Brain as a System

The word systems is used to refer specifically to self-regulating systems, i.e. that are self-correcting through feedback.Self-regulating systems are found in nature, including the physiological systems of our body, in local and global ecosystems, and in climate—and inhuman learning processes (1). The Brain is a great example of a very complex system within your body and the centerpiece of the nervous system. The brain which is controlled by your nervous system controls every aspect of our body, from our emotions, hunger, andinstinct to our ability to feel pain. When you are feeling angry, sad, happy,or confused all of these emotions you feel are because your brain is telling you to feel them. The brain sends signals to our bodies constantly telling us to breath, to eat, to pull our hands away from something that is going to cause us pain. In other words your brain is truly the computer system of your body. The brain may simply be the bossiest part of the body: It tells virtually every other part of your body what to do, all the time, whether you're aware of it or not. It not only controls what you think and feel, how you learn and remember, and the way you move your body, but also things you might be less aware of — such as the beating of your heart and whether you feel sleepy or awake. (2) As much as a powerhouse as the brain is, unfortunately it can be overtaken by disease which will cause this well oiled machine to breakdown and no longer be able to function as a system. Diseases likes Alzheimers, ALS and BiPolar disorders are all conditions that directly affect the operating system of the brain. From no longer being able to remember who you or your family members are to something as severe as the brain no longer being able to signal your body to breathe, all of the above diseases will cause a breakdown of the system we call the brain. The human brain and nervous system are extremely complex systems. When something goes wrong in the brain or nervous system it is typically difficult (if not impossible) to cure. Most families will at some point encounter the devastating effects of such neuropathologies as glioblastoma multiforme, low-grade glioma,Parkinson’s, bipolar disorder, or Alzheimer’s. Cancers of the brain are particularly malignant and hard to treat. Even with recent medical advances,the progression of brain tumors is nearly always fatal. 1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Systems_theory 2. http://kidshealth.org/teen/your_body/body_basics/brain_nervous_system.html 3. http://www.systemsbiology.org/systems-biology-brain

Social Media Monitoring

I work in the Business to Business space for T-Mobile and social media has recently become a huge outlet and opportunity for us. This is specifically being utilized in what we call out Advantage Program. Our Advantage program offers large corporations the opportunity to offer their employees a discount on their personal handsets for themselves and their family members as well as some other additional perks. Recently T-Mobile has partnered with some of these corporations and have begun utilizing Facebook and Linked In as a means of additional advertising. This works in a few different ways, one being the obvious, "Like Us" on Facebook, this will give you the ability to see our latest and greatest offers and promotions. The other and where we are really seeing the biggest impact is; on your FB page you would normally specify where you work. For example let's say you work at GE, GE currently recevies a 15% discount on T-Mobile service, so everytime you log into your FB account, on the right hand side of your page there is an advertisment for T-Mobile with your employee discount listed. When the ad is clicked on it automatically drives you to T-Mobiles online portal specifically designed for GE. This option of advertising through social media has really helped drive T-Mobile's business, with so many people now doing the majority of their shopping online this has given T-Mobile another revenue avenue

Spreadsheet HTML

T-Mobile uses something called Salesforce, this information system while it functions like software it is an all cloud driven database.  Used on a daily basis to track activity of employees, generate reporting, sales leads as well as help win new business.  Now entire companies have the ability to work together and engage with each other and customers.   This type of technology is essential in a sales environment; it will help you develop your long term strategic plans with a customer, while keeping all of the information at your fingertips. To be considered valuable you need to have reliability, security, and be simple to understand.  Salesforce is all of these things and more, it also functions as a lead generator.  These leads are plugged into the system and filtered down to the appropriate region, market and then down to the sales rep level.

The information put into this system by the employees helps managers verify the activity that is happening as well as track progress of contracts being signed, review company spends, employee size and opportunities within accounts.  Salesforce has multiple functions and is easy to use and understand, the data that is compiled can also generate many different required sales reports.  An additional benefit of this Information system is that of course, there is an app for that.  You can download Salesforce onto your smart phone and track your activity and see your leads while on the go no matter where you are.  This has T-Mobile by helping their employees become more productive daily, which in turn of course makes more financial sense for a company.  You want your employees to work smart and be as efficient as they can be, this allows that.