Careers in Information Technology

In a field that is expected to grow by 32% by 2018 it is very important to know what benefits and responsibilities come with a career within Information Technology.  Climbing to the top as an Information Technology program manager can pay off very well with an average salary of $94,800 and can lead to an even higher salary when working for top name developers like Java and Microsoft.  Being able to work creatively and develop new concepts and ideas can be extremely important when wanting to progress and work towards a position of high importance.

Having a solid education in Information Technology can have substantial rewards and very promising careers.  One of the best careers a student could hope to go straight into is to be an Applications Architect.  Applications Architects use IT to develop different apps for certain companies.  Especially with the rate of innovation applications for social media use and smartphones, Application Architects are one of the top highest paid positions available for new graduates starting around a median of $87,000.

Information Technology is also used in the development of websites and depending on which companies and organizations you work for depends on the salary and benefits.  Web site development has become a more effective and efficient way for companies and businesses to branch out and reach all types of consumers.

Would you be interested in a career using Information Technology?
Do you know of anyone that has a similar career to the ones stated above?



Sources:
http://s2b.experience.com/alumnus/article?channel_id=technology&source_page=home&article_id=article_1203699431751

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704358904575478133397664058.html

How IT is used in the Gambling Industry

In many of the major hotels and resorts in Las Vegas, gambling is not just a special feature, it is a major, and I mean major source of revenue for the hotel.  The Gambling Commission reports that the top six hotels on the strip made at least 2.58 million dollars a day during July 2007 to the 30^th of June 2008.  You might be asking yourself, what has this got to do with anything with information technology?  Without a doubt, information technology has a lot to do with the many different ways hotels keep track of their most prosperous customers. 

            Over the last ten to fifteen years, computer systems have changed the way card games are being played.  With the introduction of Player Cards, MGM Grand is able “see who the serious gamblers are”.  There are five types of Player Cards; NOIR, which is only offered by invitation, and then the remaining types are all arranged according to the amount of “Tier Credits” you attain. The other four are Sapphire, Pearl, Gold, and Platinum.  The Tier level is determined by the overall amount of credits you accumulate. 

            The process of swiping your player’s card works just like swiping a credit card.  The dealer will scan your Players Card into the computer system before you begin to play any of the table games.  With the swipe of the card, the system automatically brings up basic information about the player, such as name, city, and state.  The system is able to track how much money you are betting, how long you spend gambling at each of the different table games, and it will show an average bet per hour (most of the pit bosses are interested in this).  All of the major gambling hotels have this type of computer system, and not just the ones in Las Vegas, but in the entire world. 

            Special promotions and discounts have all been handled out because these computer systems can keep track of certain customers, and market there special promotions to those players who meet the hotels requirements.  Certain hotels will give out airfare discounts, great ticket packages to shows, and will even try to negotiate with the player to meet his or her requests.  All of these gambling casinos have one thing in common, the huge computer systems that manage all of the information, and provide management all of the necessary information to make the casino stay very prosperous. 

 

Do you think this will bring out even more competition between the major hotels in Las Vegas?  Will there be more IT development in the future of gambling?

Sources:

http://www.mgmgrand.com/casino/mlife.aspx

leefoster.photoshelter.com

 

Worldwide IT Spending

Around the world, the Information Technology revolution is taking the world by storm.  Companies are spending massive and obscene amounts of money to modernize and connect their businesses to be able to compete with the rest of the world.  Whether this money is being spent on devices display, enter and make changes to data, data center systems to hold the information, enterprise software to analyze and develop the information, IT services to implement and install the information, and telecom services to share and connect.

The rapid growth is crazy, and to see these numbers is amazing.  Just since 2010, the jump in each sector is huge.  Refer to Table 1 to see the spending amounts since 2010 and forecasted up to 2016.

The increased spending should improve efficiency within businesses and organizations, and it should also help continue the trend of globalization around the world.  Businesses are becoming more and more connected, while also becoming more streamlined.  How do you think this will impact our economy or do you think that consumers will even notice?

Table from:
http://www.gartner.com/DisplayDocument?id=2291618

Advantages of IT

        Some advantages of IT are Communication, Storing and Protecting Information, and More Time. "With the help of information technology, communication has also become cheaper, quicker, and more efficient."  Business can communicate faster and made decision quicker due to IT, unlike how it was in the old days where you have to wait for a couple of days just to get the information you needed to make the decision.  Also for society it is easier for a you to communicate with your friend, family, and teacher by simply email or text.

        Secondly, "IT provides a low-cost business options to store and maintain information that may be important from a business or service point of view. Virtual vaults and other such security systems not only store vital data but also allow control over the access to such information. IT security systems will also protect virtual data from being hacked or wiped out in case of any technical failure."  IT has also made storing very useful because it doesn't take up space like if you was to store paper information, it also save time and is very easy to pull up informaiton.

        Finally, More Time mean " IT has made it possible for businesses to be open 24 x7 all over the globe. This means that a business can be open anytime anywhere, making purchases from different countries easier and more convenient. It also means that you can have your goods delivered right to your doorstep with having to move a single muscle."  IT save a lot of times due to quicker access when paying bills and shopping online.  IT has been very useful not just to business but also to the society.

What are other advantages of IT?  How have IT made your life easier?

Sources:  http://www.smallbusinessbible.org/advan_disadvan_informationtechnology.html

               http://www.buzzle.com/articles/advantages-of-information-technology.html

               http://www.google.com/imgres?hl=en&biw=1366&bih=533&tbm=isch&tbnid=8q_rsFKLKC9iuM:&imgrefurl=http://tx.english-ch.com/teacher/trina/level-c/basic-tips-cross-cultural-communication/&docid=5bIMKgT1gI9s4M&imgurl=http://tx.english-ch.com/teacher/trina/IT_Communication.jpg&w=266&h=265&ei=_wxJUc7sDoPB4AP9m4HIDA&zoom=1&sa=X&ved=0CKQBEK0DMBg&iact=rc&dur=312&page=2&tbnh=151&tbnw=151&start=20&ndsp=26&tx=42&ty=44

MIS: what is happening at UNCC?

     UNC Charlotte wants to play a role in efforts to bring Charlotte's technology sector to the forefront.
     As part of that strategy, the university is seeking $5 millions in state funding over 2 years for a public-private venture called the Data Science and Business Analytics initiative.
     The effort seek to improve North Carolina's ability to stimulate innovation by using data and analytics across a rage of industries, while also developing a pipeline of tech workers, UNC Chancellor Phil Dubois says.
     "Charlotte is a deep community in terms of companies that can benefit from using big data," he says. "The companies that want to be successful are moving in this direction."
     The initiative will support job creation and encourage business to invest in the Charlotte region and across the state, he adds. Demand for professional with data experience will outstrip the supply of workers by as much as 60% by 2018, according to research by global management consulting firm McKinsey & Co. That will result in a shortage of as many as 190,000 specialists nationwide. An additional 1.5 million managers and analysts will be needed, the firm predicts.
     UNCC's data initiative will use inter-disciplinary academic programs to train data scientists, business analysts, and managers. A professional science master's degree in data science and business analytics  is planned.

Source: "UNC Charlotte looks for bigger role" by Jennifer Thomas, Charlotte Business Journal Volume 27, February 8, 2013.

How has Information Technology increased productivity in the Business?

Go back about 20 years ago, and picture yourself in a normal business setting.  You are a head lawyer of a top law firm, one that is respected well across the entire city of Charlotte, NC.  How would you go about communicating information with your employee’s?  Chances are you would spend a lot of man powered time communicating information between your clients, secretaries, etc. in the firm.  Sure there were computers, equipped with keyboards for typing, and regular office phones, and if you were really lucky, some of your employee’s had cell phones to do basic communication with. 

Look at all of the different types of IT’s available in today’s business setting.  Today’s business workers have access to I-phones, email, chat services, and even now of days, the I-Pad.  Without a doubt, all of these new and modern technologies help spread the ease of communication to the Employer or owner of a business.  Information now flows sooner, more efficiently, all saving the company’s time and resources.  Businesses can create a Facebook page, and can market with you through multiple ways, like Television, online catalogs, or emailing you with the latest products available. 

Productivity is not just felt within the business; it’s also felt by the most important people to a business, the customers.  Often, businesses have their own Internet home page to let customer’s browse for certain products, or just look for store locations.  One of the most important pages for the customer could be the contact/customer service page.  Instead of having to physically drive to the business to get help with a store representative, customers can email, speak to a consulate or service provider to answer questions.  Apple’s contact page is a prime example.  

Do you think in the next 15 to 25 years, business productivity will increase substantilaly, or remain about the same as today?  How do you see the business world changing in the future? 

Sources

cis.stclaircounty.org

studentbooster.info

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/business-benefits-information-technology-4021.html