WEEK 3

In week 3, I learned about the title of using information system for gaining competitive advantages. Through the lecture in class, I know that there are five most popular strategies that can be use to make an organization competitive. The five strategies are cost leadership, differentiation strategy, innovation strategy, growth strategy and alliance strategy. Besides these five strategies, there are other strategies that can be use.

Dr. Nur Naha explains a lot for us by using many examples for our understanding. Besides that, Dr. also wants us to think the company that using competitive strategies. This activity is very good for us to think deeply and apply our general knowledge in the topic.

The master tutor also explains about this topic for those who do not understand much. He used a lot of example such as using Air Asia as example for explaining the topic.

In generally, I understand about most of the company or organizations are using certain competitive strategies to enhance their competition with other organization. The organizations have to use some of the strategies to continuous competition so they will not lose their customer and gain profit. Nowadays, there are a lot of competitive force such as rivalry of competitor, new entrants, substitute products, bargaining power of customer and suppliers.

            One of the most effective strategies to compete with other organization is using IT. IT helps a lot in improving efficiency of business practices. For the example, Air Asia have their own webpage that can allow them manage their promotion and service through online easily.

CHAPTER 1

The topic I had learned in this week 1 and week 2 is about the introduction to HRIS. Lecturer had given us 2 set of notes which are Chapter 1 notes and PowerPoint of chapter 1.

Chapter 1 is about the evolution of human resource management and human resource information system. Basically, I had learned few topics from chapter 1 which are The Historical Evolution of HRM and HRIS, HR Activities, Interface between HR and Technology, A primer on HRIS, e-HRM and HRIS, Why do We Need HRIS?, Different types of HRIS, System Development Process for an HRIS, A Model of Organizational Functioning.

In the PowerPoint, it has a little different from the Chapter 1 notes. From the PowerPoint, I had learned how the new technology transforming HR, The function of Information System, the components of IS, IS activities, IS business Environment, and why HRIS is needed.

            HRIS is a new topic for my understanding. That is why is hard for me to understand in more detail after I had read the notes. Lecturer explains each slide for us to understand the concept of HRIS. Furthermore, Lecturer also provided suitable example. The master tutor helps us to understand in more detail by providing many examples. Besides that, he also discusses the questions that related to the topic for our further understanding.

            In the class, I had learned the theory and the meaning of some terms and some key words. In addition, I can understand the meaning of HRIS by linking the examples provided by lecturer and the master tutor.

            Lecturer also wants us to discuss types of information system in group work. I think this is a good way for us to gained more knowledge because we find the information by ourselves and we will more understand the concept and theory.