Computer hacking is a major problem in these days of electronic file systems and Internet commerce, prompting many companies to hire information technology security experts to help protect their sensitive information assets. A budding partnership between the W. P. Carey Information Systems Department and the ISACA Phoenix Chapter addresses the need to develop deeper expertise in this area among IT professionals.
Project management uses a series of processes to execute projects efficiently and effectively. Its benefits have recently become widely understood and its use has spread to all industries, with construction and IT being two of the primary drivers. Now, the Project Management Institute and the department of information systems are joining forces to be sure that the next generation of IT professionals will know how to manage projects to obtain maximum results.
IT professionals bring specialized knowledge to companies, but it’s a mistake if they think of themselves as separate from the business, warns Avnet senior vice president and chief information officer Steve Phillips. Good IT leaders are grounded in the business, and approach technology as a tool. Phillips talked to computer information systems and supply chain management undergraduates about the professional — and personal — characteristics that lead to business success.
Raghu Santanam will be on sabbatical next year at the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona. The topic he is exploring could not be timelier. The health care reform legislation that requires hospitals, clinics and doctors to keep electronic medical records also mandates that patients be given what’s called “meaningful use” access. Santanam will be on the front line as Mayo rolls out a patient portal system for Arizona.
Call them a special breed: the scholars who work at the intersection of accounting and information systems. They target corporate risk by studying security, IT controls, IT processes, governance and compliance with Sarbanes-Oxley. Professor Paul Steinbart moderated a workshop involving some of the leaders of this field at the 2011 International Conference on Information Systems (ICIS). Their research is at the forefront of risk mitigation in the digital age.
QR codes — those intricate square graphics — are showing up on signs, posters, print ads, business cards. They’ve even been painted on sides of buildings. When scanned by your smart phone, QR codes are supposed to take you to something more – more information, music, video. But not every QR code yields a good experience. Expert Ruth McCartney was in town recently to speak at MSIM classes and meet with local professionals to share what she’s learned about using this technology well.
