That was Then... This is Now

Found this picture while browsing during our semester break. This is what computers used to be like. Yes, your new iPhone 6 would blow it's doors off... Here's what Wikipedia had to say about it: "The IBM System/360 (S/360) was a mainframe computer system family announced by IBM on April 7, 1964, and delivered between 1965 and 1978. It was the first family of computers designed to cover the complete range of applications, from small to large, both commercial and scientific. The design made a clear distinction between architecture and implementation, allowing IBM to release a suite of compatible designs at different prices. All but the incompatible model 44 and the most expensive systems used microcode to implement the instruction set, which featured 8-bit byte addressing and binary, decimal and (hexadecimal) floating-point calculations. The slowest System/360 model announced in 1964, the Model 30, could perform up to 34,500 instructions per second, with memory from 8 t...

Nowhere is the motto of the Marian University Byrum School of Business "Where Business Happens" more evident than the end-of-semester student presentations, business plan competitions, and internships. This week we had two classes that I'm directly involved with present their work. The first photo shows the BUS 209 Quantitative Analysis of Business class making their final presentation. Each semester students in BUS 209 work with a real company or organization, study its operations, collect and analyze data, and make recommendations. Much like a consultant would for a client. The class is 9 credit hours and incorporates Management, Marketing, and Business Statistics. Integrating content from each of these disciplines, the class is team taught by three instructors. I am primarily responsible for the Statistics module which would be equivalent to a three hour class. We use Excel and SPSS for most of the data analysis. This semester, our client was the Crossroads of America ...

The technology we use every day was once portrayed on TV and in movies as science fiction long before it was ever available. In this slide show, eWEEK takes a look back at some classic movies and TV shows that can teach today's IT pros how to deal with today's technology and users. More than that, it got me thinking of all the things we take for granted that were once totally imaginary. How many examples of current technology from these (and other) movies and shows can you think of?

CIO Insight reminds us that there once was a time not so long ago when business discouraged or forbid employees entirely from posting comments on Facebook and other social media sites. Today, according to CIO, at least four out of five companies either actively use social media or are planning to do so. Social media's immediacy, accessibility, and flexibility takes collaboration to the next level, as workers initiate communication with vendors, customers and, each other. Social media allows a company to respond to consumer complaints, praises, and general observations in real-time, breaking down the barriers that once existed between an organization and its customers. HR in particular has embraced social media usage: three-quarters of organizations have successfully hired a candidate this way (up from only 58 percent in 2010). In a new book, "A World Gone Social: How Companies Must Adapt to Survive," authors Ted Coiné and Mark Babbitt discuss how social media is profo...

No, although we buy more things than ever on-line, "The Internet of Things" means something completely different. I have been getting a lot of questions about what this latest phrase means (remember "Web 2.0"?) and whether it is significant. This infographic from Goldman Sachs does an excellent job explaining the "IoT" and what is driving it.

We all know that technology has the power to transform the way we live and work. This article from CIO provides some real life examples of how technology can change a business. Charles Shaver, Chairman and CEO of Axalta Coating Systems shares what qualities a CIO should possess to deliver IT innovation. Not surprisingly, understanding the business is at the top of the list. He also discusses how to get people in your company to embrace change.

It's that time of year again. Last week the BUS 350 Operations Management class had it's annual Billionaire's Challenge and the winners are: Julie Bede $1,018,990,000 Ashley McQueen $3.2 "Septillion" Nice going!