Computer Sciences and Information Technology - Coursework Example

 Computer Sciences and Information Technology Outsourcing is contracting another company or a competent person to carry out a particular task, that is goods or services related. Almost every organization outsource goods or services. Some tasks in an organization are not related to the core business and hence a higher need for outsourcing. In production some goods can’t be found locally and hence the need for importation or outsourcing the goods. The following represent reasons for outsourcing goods and services: When a company is in its’ exponential growth there is usually a higher need to expand its’ customer base and hence outsourcing of experts to guide on the strategy to be utilized is of importance. Outsourcing aids in mitigation of risks, through trainings to employees by professionals outsourced on subjects as catastrophes, hazards and prevention methods, and hence there are minimal injuries. Due to competition amongst companies, research on new products and services is very crucial, this entails introduction of new processing lines, improvement in service delivery, analysis and testing of the new products among others, All these requires the input of a third party and it will involve outsourcing as the introduction of the new techniques requires professionals (Belohlavek, 2007). Insourcing is a business model in which a company awards a contract or give a certain task to its’ own employees and hence work that would have been done by a third party is done inhouse. Through the use of its’ employees in carrying out functions, there is creation of a team of skilled personnel who understands the system better, this ultimately improves the efficiency and tasks are done well and at the right time. Insourcing also aids in reduction of the cost of labour as insourcing requires the input of permanent personnel employed by the firm (Belohlavek, 2007). I.T portfolio management system entails use of scoring model systems in rating projects whereby a list of criteria is developed whereby projects are rated on each criterion to yield attractiveness scores for each project and hence projects can be rated in relation to the attractiveness scores. There are different kinds of scoring systems; Celanese scoring model, Dupont scoring model, Exfo model and computer based scoring model. Scoring models are very important and they are a source of data which is utilized in meetings whereby project attractiveness is compared to cut off criterion, thereby in portfolio review stage the outputs used in ranking the projects. Celanese scoring model mode focuses on long term projects and it comprises of nineteen questions in five categories which are; business strategy fit, strategic leverage, probability of technical success, probability of commercial success and reward to the company. Each of the five categories has a measure which is done by the management and thereafter there is an attractiveness score which is the sum of scores from the five categories. The project attractiveness score is a very important stage in ranking of projects as the project with the highest score is the highest successful project while the project with the lowest attractiveness score is termed as poor, and hence prioritization of projects is achieved (Cooper, Edgegett $ Kleinschmidi, 2001). Other considerations that would be of importance in ranking a project include, market attractiveness - this incorporate market margin and growth, customer need and satisfaction. Strategic alignment is also a very important value and answers the question of appropriate balance of projects, resources needed and resource availability, even after the ranking of projects. Without resources the project can’t be viable. Technological advancement is on the rise in information technology sector. Companies are requiring skilled and competent information security experts who have to be certified showing that they are competent and hence can be able to use information technology and apply it appropriately for the benefit of their employer and the society. Examples of I.T certifications are: Microsoft certified solutions expert which involves design solutions across multiple technologies, Microsoft certified solutions, whereby deepest product expertise is demonstrated. Professional witnesses are paid on hourly basis. Average hourly fee for incourt testimony for non medical expert - $248, medical expert - $555. Rate for file review and depositions for all experts is $385 per hour. incourt testimony- $353- depositions per hour. Professionals witnesses should be polite, respectful and communicate clearly, should have knowledge beyond normal experience, should be able to have all kinds of records, facts and data when forming an opinion. Computer crimes are crimes invoving use of computer or network. Examples of internet crimes are; child pornography, computer viruses, malware, cyberstalking and hacking. Certified I.T professional can add credibility to a case for example in testifying on how malice software infection could cause downloading of pornographic images to a persons’ computer without his or her knowledge, since the IT professional has knowledge and expertise pertaining to the subject moreover he/she can be able to back the case with hard data moreover reports generated by the software could be relevant to the case. Besides I.T professionals have the technical certifications and professional licenses and hence they are of value in computer crime cases (Moore, 2005). When testifying for dispositions and trials there are steps that require the understanding of the expert witness, crime cases can either be criminal or civil. Criminal cases are usually brought by the state whereas civil cases are brought by individuals or private corporations. It’s important to know the legal process in relation to computer and networking and also the chain of jurisdictions in order to be compliant with the court processes for instance, time to present the evidence. The quality aspect of the evidence is also very crucial, as an expert since he/she has knowledge in computer systems and information, evidence such as photographs and computer hard disk with data are some of the important facts to present as evidence of computer crime. Experts are supposed to be certified, qualified, experienced and they are supposed to use a simple and clear language when testifying especially on technical terms and hence the jury will be able to make informed decisions regarding the evidence presented. Lack of physical evidence when testifying jeopardise the computer crime cases, relying on second hand information or hearsay may bring forth doubts on the evidence presented. If an expert use difficult technical terms that are difficult to understand to the jury or attorney when testifying, understanding of the evidence presented may be difficult. Use of unqualified experts in testifying a computer crime case is a great challenge as the expert lacks the understanding of the subject matter and may end up presenting substandard evidence moreover he/she may be emotional if provocative questions are posed, moreover they have no knowledge on the legal process (Belohlavek, 2007). References Belohlavek, P. (2007). The natural organization of outsourcing and insourcing. Blue eagle group: Emerald. Cooper, R. Edgett, S. Keinschmidi, E. (2001). Portfolio management for new products. Product development institute: Perseus. Moore, R . (2005). Cyber crime. Cleverland Mississippi: Anderson. Read More