USEP Enrollment Activity Diagram

This is the USEP Enrollment Activity Diagram which describes the process through which a person is subjected to, to be an official USEP student.

Enrollment System
1. The enrollee is to pay the local fees to their respective college local council's treasurer.
2. Enrollee must go to their respective college advisers for the evaluation of grades and subjects.
3. If enrollee passes evaluation he is to proceed to the next step if not he is to consult the dean.
4. Students must go to the encoder to for encoding of subjects.
5. Non-scholars must proceed to the cashier to pay the tuition fee, while validated scholars are to proceed to the bookkeeper for verification.
6. Enrollee will now proceed to the registrar's office for registration.
7. Enrollee is requested to go to the library for validation of their library ID card
8. Enrollee is now fully and officially enrolled .

Is outsourcing in USEP advisable?

The question "In-source or Outsource?" has been heard of a lot lately. Such talks became noticeable to me just last semester when a professor asked our opinion about the said issue and I distinctly remember choosing "outsource". As I remembered, that on defense to my answer I have given reasons such as getting higher quality services at a lower cost. But then, I also said that choosing whether using in-source or outsource depends on certain details such as which is more suited for the environment it will be done in or what the system to be done is. It is a fact that sometimes in-house is better or well suited for "this" or "that" type of system than outsource and vice versa.

It feels quite funny that the given question "How can you determine if outsourcing is advantageous to your organization?" is like a question suggested from my past remark (which I restated above for those who haven't read my past post). In the past I have only read about outsource and in-source, thus having no actual personal experience (or proof to support my past answer) to this matter but a certain event happened in the university that I have suddenly realized the advantages of outsource.

Cutting the long story short, two of our professors where commissioned by the university to make/ improve a system in the school. This incident have created an avenue to observe what effects does in-house have and this issue have been subjected to discussion between my classmates, friends and I. In this given situation, I can say that outsourcing would be more advantageous and highly recommended.

Why?

In one of our discussions, we have discussed certain points in which could support this thought. In a university like ours where the professors and staff are just enough to handle all classes it is certainly incapacitating to lose even one professor/staff over a period of time. My classmates and I, though very proud and happy that two of our professors were chosen to develop a system for the school, it can’t be helped that we feel a bit downhill losing two of our great professors (who were supposedly teaching us two major subjects this semester). I think that some believed in source was cheaper and advantageous in this situation since the system is needed very quickly and getting one who knows how the university runs will certainly save time and money.


Well, those maybe true in that perspective but then how about the additional expenses the university have to pay the substitute teachers whom were commissioned to cover the classes left behind by our other professors. Seeing and experiencing how we, my classmates and I were affected by this transition like our classes were held a bit to a stop for a time and the confusion on who will be teaching us and the changing of teaching patterns to which we were subjected were not only inconvenient for our part but also for our college.

Some jobs were left undone, or idle which would not happen if outsource was applied. Some of use even thought that the overall expenses that the university dishes out in this in-house would be equal or maybe a bit greater compared to if they used outsource. Please note that I or we are not questioning the decision of the university for we are only referring to the events we have heard and experienced, it is just our opinion over this matter.

One ought to choose outsource when i such situations:

* The activity isn't central to generating profits or competitive success.
* The job is a routine one that wastes valuable time and energy.
* The task is a need that's only temporary or that recurs in cycles.
* It's less expensive to have someone else do it than to do it in-house.
* The activity can be done cheaper in-house, but drains resources that could be better used elsewhere.
* The skill required is so specialized that it's impractical to have a regular employee do it.
* The activity isn't one that people enjoy doing.

Paradigm Shift: Radical Structural Change

Being in a business, one of the most thought of question is "What can be done to make the business survive and grow?". In this ever changing world, business processes must also adapt to the changes in the environment to ensure success thus making the business develop.

But how can one adapt? There are a few, if not thousands of techniques, solutions and methods that claim to help business improve productivity, quality and customer satisfaction. And in response to this confusion, one of the choices to consider is to have the company undergo an organizational change.

Typically, the phrase “organizational change” is about any substantive modification to some part of the organization, such as reorganization or adding a major new product or service. In Systems Development, there are four kinds of structural change, specifically: Automation, Rationalization of procedures, Business process reengineering, and Paradigm Shift.

Lets us now be familiar with this four structural changes. Automation refers mechanizing procedures or industrial automation by using of machines or computers to control industrial machinery and processes, reducing the need for human intervention to speed up the performance of existing tasks. Rationalization of procedures means the streamlining of standard operating procedures.

Business process re-engineering is the analysis and redesign of business processes to reorganize work flows and reduce waste and repetitive tasks. It is as described by Hammer and Champy is 'the fundamental reconsideration and the radical redesign of organizational processes, in order to achieve drastic improvement of current performance in cost, services and speed'. One should try to see the firm in a new and fresh perspective that leads to elevating and improving the business processes. While Paradigm shift is the radical reconceptualization of the nature of the business and the nature of the organization.


Which is more radical?? Radical being defined as departing markedly from the usual or customary or extreme I think that amongst the four, Paradigm shift is the most radical. As seen from the image above, a conclusion can be drawn that truthfully enough the return/rewards is highest in the paradigm shift but it has also the biggest risks. When you think about it, automation and rationalization of procedures seems all to normal these days. And that leads us to choose between BPR and paradigm shifts which are both radical in their own ways but paradigm shift is more "revolutionary" than the other. In paradigm shift one really tends to move away from old habits, processes and traditions and seeks to create new and improved processes, tasks and functions.

New Moon Update: Dakota Fanning plays Jane, Who will play Alec??

After the success of Twilight, its second installation "New Moon" is the being the talk of the town even though its still on its casting stage (filming starts at March). Several controversies were raised during the past few weeks such as the unfortunate sacking of Director Catherine Hardwicke from the series and was replaced by Golden Compass Director Chris Weitz and (on the happier note) the rehiring of the now bulky Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black. Celebs all over Tinseltown have been found auditioning or have expressed intentions of joining the Twilight series bandwagon such as America Ferrera of Ugly Betty vying the role of Emily Young and Vanessa Hudgens for the role of Leah Clearwater (this news about Hudgens isn't confirmed yet haha).

There are still a lot of characters to be filled in the series but one of the most coveted character in New Moon, Jane, the sadistic and powerful vampire is officially given to and accepted by actress Dakota Fanning. I absolutely believe that Dakota being a talented and beautiful young actress as she is can play the beautiful but sadistic Jane. It was really like the role was fitted for her to play.


Now, since Jane role is taken, one of the main concerns left is who will play her twin (not only in physical aspects but also in being a sadist) brother Alec? Tom Felton, best known as Harry Potter's foe Draco Malfoy, High School Musical's Lucas Grabeel, French actor Gaspard Ulliel of Hannibal Rising and Freddie Highmore seen in Willy Wonka and Finding Neverland, are the four actors fighting over the role of Alec (in the net actually). As for me, I already voted for Tom Felton because being a evil warlock in Harry Potter, he can surely pull off an evil vampire (though I don't know if he can still have this in his sched since HP7 is coming out and HP& is already on the making).

Who will win? You can vote at this site: http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20254479,00.html to have your opinions heard.

Note: Just click on the links above to read the news about Dakota and Taylor from the source itself.

bubbLeGum PrinCess

"Bubble gum Princess"

How does this word strike to you? More importantly what does it mean to me (since I renamed my blog header as such hahaha..).?

For my loyal viewers, you would remember that my previous blog name was "Into the Twilight", which was brought by my addiction to the Twilight movie and to the Twilight saga novels (which I would rate/review in my future posts so keep reading my blog fellow Twilighters). But then why the sudden change??

When I first caught up with the noun "bubblegum princess", I imagined a girl with blond curls, twinkling blue eyes, perky expression locked on her face and with her chin raised up like a haughty and proud girl that she is. A girl who when she was still a child dreamt of being a princess or a beauty queen or (worse) a damsel in distress. Irritating, right??

Putting that aside, I would like to describe some of my traits to you first. When I was a kid, I didn't imagine myself to be a princess or fairy like some other girls do but I thought of being a number of things like a ninja, an assassin,a mermaid, an equestrian or a powerful Yuki-onna. Admittedly, I was a bit weird as a child but in my defense I have girlie qualities too like I love ponies (because as I said I want to be an equestrian), rainbows (which signals for hope: the calm after the tempest), and I certainly attracted to flowers of different colors and fragrances (they are after all the symbolism of a woman) and most of all I truly believe in happily never afters.

Imagine my horror when watching a show in which the term "Bubble gum Princess" was being defined and it was said that the term refers to girl with dreams of butterfly, ponies, rainbows, places of grandeur surrounded by colorful flowers and delusions of happy never afters. It was a bit comical because as the actress who described the said traits above wearing a horrified and disgusted expression and I can actually sympathize with her for the reason that one of the words that I dislike the most, sort of describes me too (referring to the definition given by the girl, and not mine. Is that clear? hahaha)

So as a result to this fascinating discovery I fancied the word "BubbleGum Princess" and made it as my new blog name.

Obama: History Amidst Adversities

At exactly 12:05 pm (1 am in the Philippines) in the United States of America, President Elect Barack Hussein Obama with the palm of his hand placed on the Bible once used by President Lincoln and by all other American presidents after him, has officially pledged to be America's 44th President on the steps of the US Capitol. Not only did he make history being the first African American president but also he renewed history to have a Democratic President again sitting in the White House after a generation reign of the Republicans. It is estimated that a record breaking 2 million people were present in spite of the cold at the National Mall to witness this momentous occasion. Blacks, Americans, Asians, Europeans, people among all culture and races were there and countries like the Philippines and Kenya celebrated with America as the 44th President of the United States finally took his oath.

Celebrities, old and new cabinet officials, even the former Presidents like Jimmy Carter, George Bush Sr, Bill Clinton and the outgoing President George Bush Jr with their wives graced the occasion. Well known singer Aretha Franklin sang a song for the new President while Dr. Rick Warren offered the invocation and well known artist Yo-yo Ma and company played a lovely music for President Obama.

I have stayed up very late last night to watch the live coverage of the inauguration of Barack Obama and be, even in my smallest ways, united with the world as to witness change not only for the most powerful country in Earth but also to the dawn of change for the whole world.

With his wife, Michelle Obama and his two kids and infront of America and the whole world, President Obama delivered his first speech as the President of United States.

CLiCK the ff. link to read President Obama's Inaugural Speech: http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/01/20/obama.politics/index.html

Use Case for USEP Enrollment System??

This is a brief use case diagram for the USEP enrollment system. This is only applicable for students in their second year and onwards.

As perceived in the figure above, a student has to pass several stages in order to reach the completion of the enrollment process. The first of which is the payment of local fees,of which from my observation is done manually or without the help of any machine or computer for recording the payments. The second step is the evaluation of grades and subjects by an adviser, whom in return will present a PRF to the student. The PRF will then be given to the encoder who will present an official PRF or COR to the student. The student then proceeds to the cashier who will receive the payment (if student is not a scholar) and record it in a financial system. Students who are scholars are referred to the bookkeeper for validation. Then, the student is ushered to the Registrar where the student is to present his/her clearance and necessary receipts so as to mark them as officially enrolled students and have it recorded in a registering system. Lastly, the student is to present the marked/validated COR to the Librarian with his/her library card for validation.

I am not really sure whether what I presented is what was really required. But then since everyone thinks on the same trail as mine this is the diagram that I will present.

Interviewing: My Fave in Data Gathering

Choosing between techniques such as interviewing, document review, observation, and use of questionnaires in gathering data simply depends on the type of data to be gathered. "How" data should be gathered simply equates to "what" type of data should be gathered. I am not really bragging (because I know my classmates are also the same) but I am comfortable in using any of these techniques. I can apply or use any technique needed. But due to some sometimes subtle and sometimes huge differences of the said technique I have opted on using what I should call as my favorite technique and that is "Interviewing".

On important occasions, such as data gathering I am a bit of a mouthful. True that talking to well of people, most of which is older, smarter and people who have a certain air of power like the ones we interviewed in our past company hunting, I easily get intimated and abashed but then I already proved that I can gather more accurate data in interviewing. Sure that this technique have some downsides like starting off an interview with these people which from my experience is the hardest part in this technique, and when sometimes the interviewee starts talking of things the interviewer isn't familiar with (which really sucks at times) or when the interviewee talks about things that aren't really related with the question but then it has the most advantages than the other techniques.

What are these advantages? For one, when we compare interviewing with observation, we can't really make sure that what we observed is correct because we are basing it from our inept and inexperienced eyes. With questionnaires, we can't be sure that we have exact answers, especially when numbers are involved. And if we use document review, we will just get stuck with their past data. All of these glitches can be prevented through the use of interviewing.

Being a opinionated (I think so) and mouthful person like myself, interviewing is the best match for me. I like to ask questions, and branch out new questions from my interviewees answers or replies, its justlike socializing for me. It also enables me to not only get exact data but also get additional information that can be useful for my study. From my past experiences, I didn't only learned a lot of things about what data I was supposed to gather but I also discovered a lot of new things, things useful not only for my studies but also on my outlook on life. Our mentor in our HRM adopted company taught us a lot more than HRM related studies but also on other things such as goal setting, how to get employed and other useful tips. This is the benefit one can get through interviewing.