UNITY UNIVERSITY

MASTERS OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION (MBA)

Regular program (R)

Assignment of Managing Information and Knowledge (1,2and 3 jointly)

Name: - Teshome lemma tachbele

Id no ……………..0205/12

Submitted to: - Mesfin Abebe (PhD)

January 24, 2020

 Assignment of Managing Information and Knowledge (1)

Mintzeberg’s 10 managerial role :( Assignment 1)

 Interpersonal roles
 Figurehead, leader, liaison
 Informational roles
 Nerve center, disseminator, spokesperson
 Decisional roles
 Entrepreneur ,Disturbance handler, Resource allocator, Negotiator

Henry Mintzberg is a management expert, author and academic. Mintzberg recommends

breaking down management roles and responsibilities and organizing the workplace to simplify
complex concepts. This helps to organize companies into a more efficient culture, and it allows
each member to develop their own skills.

A role is a set of behavioral expectations, or a set of activities that a person is expected to

perform. Managers' roles fall into three basic categories: informational roles, interpersonal roles,
and decisional roles.

Interpersonal Category

The managerial roles in this category involve providing information and ideas.
1. Figurehead – As a manager, you have social, ceremonial and legal responsibilities. You're
expected to be a source of inspiration. People look up to you as a person with authority, and
as a figurehead.
2. Leader – This is where you provide leadership for your team, your department or perhaps
your entire organization; and it's where you manage the performance and responsibilities of
everyone in the group.
3. Liaison – Managers must communicate with internal and external contacts. You need to be
able to network effectively on behalf of your organization.

Informational Category

The managerial roles in this category involve processing information.

4. Monitor – In this role, you regularly seek out information related to your organization and
industry, looking for relevant changes in the environment. You also monitor your team, in
terms of both their productivity, and their well-being.
5. Disseminator – This is where you communicate potentially useful information to your
colleagues and your team.

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6. Spokesperson – Managers represent and speak for their organization. In this role, you're
responsible for transmitting information about your organization and its goals to the people
outside it.

Decisional Category

The managerial roles in this category involve using information.

7. Entrepreneur – As a manager, you create and control change within the organization. This
means solving problems, generating new ideas, and implementing them.
8. Disturbance Handler – When an organization or team hits an unexpected roadblock, it's the
manager who must take charge. You also need to help mediate disputes within it.
9. Resource Allocator – You'll also need to determine where organizational resources are best
applied. This involves allocating funding, as well as assigning staff and other organizational
resources.
10. Negotiator – You may be needed to take part in, and direct, important negotiations within
your team, department, or organization.

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Assignment of Managing Information and Knowledge (2)

 Write a short description about the role and responsibility of the following system
development activity participants;
 System analyst, designer, developer, tester
 Customers or stakeholders
 Managers, supervisors and domain experts
 End-users

Successful development projects take careful planning, a talented team and

collaboration of a project’s team members, both internal and external (client
representatives). Software projects only move forward when the key team members are
in place.

Systems analyst job

This systems analyst job description sample can assist you in creating a job application that will
attract strong candidates who are qualified for the job. Feel free to revise this description to meet
your specific duties and requirements. You can also browse our systems analyst job listings for
more ideas on how to fill out your description.

Systems Analyst;- Beginning your systems analyst job description with an introductory
paragraph that tells the prospective applicant a little bit about your company and the working
environment is your chance to set your company apart from the rest. Use these first few
sentences to sell yourself to new hires and lure the best of the best.
Systems Analyst Job Responsibilities and their roles

 Implements computer system requirements by defining and analyzing system problems;

designing and testing standards and solutions.
 Defines application problem by conferring with clients; evaluating procedures and
processes.
 Develops solution by preparing and evaluating alternative workflow solutions.
 Controls solution by establishing specifications and coordinating production with
programmers.
 Validates results by testing programs.
 Ensures operation by training client personnel and providing support.
 Provides reference by writing documentation.
 Accomplishes information systems and organization mission by completing related
results as needed.

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  The three primary roles of the systems analyst are consultant, supporting expert, and
agent of change.

Designer: - A designer is a specialist that models, designs and creates the databases and tables
used by a software solution. This role combines Data Administrator (logical) and DBA (physical).

The designer is responsible for understanding the business requirements and designing a solution
that will meet the business needs. There are many potential solutions that will meet the client’s
needs. The designer determines the best approach. A designer typically needs to understand how
technology can be used to create this optimum solution for the client. The designer determines the
overall model and framework for the solution, down to the level of designing screens, reports,
programs and other components. They also determine the data needs. The work of the designer is
then handed off to the programmers and other people who will construct the solution based on the
design specifications.

Developer:-The Developer is responsible for the actual building of the solution.

 More, define, document, and communicate it

 make sure everyone is using it, and using it correctly

 make sure that it comes out in stages in a timely way so that the overall organization can
make progress before it’s complete

 make sure the software and system architectures are in synchronization

 act as the emissary of the architecture

 make sure management understands it (to the detail necessary)

 make sure the right modeling is being done, to know that qualities like performance are going
to be met

 give input as needed to issues like tool and environment selection

 identify and interact with stakeholders to make sure their needs are being met

 make sure that the architecture is not only the right one for operations, but also for
deployment and sustainment

 resolve disputes and make tradeoffs

 resolve technical problems

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 Maintain morale, both within the architecture group, and externally as well. The latter is done
by providing a sound design, when needed, and providing good presentations and materials to
let everyone know the organization is on the right track.

 understand and plan for evolutionary paths

 plan for new technology insertion

 manage risk identification and risk mitigation strategies associated with the architecture
Tester
The Tester ensures that the solution meets the business requirements and that it is free of errors
and defects. The Test Analyst role is responsible for initially identifying and subsequently
defining the required tests, monitoring the test coverage and evaluating the overall quality
experienced when testing the Target Test Items. This role also involves specifying the required
Test Data and evaluating the outcome of the testing conducted in each test cycle. Sometimes this
role is also referred to as the Test Designer, or considered part of the Tester role. This role is
responsible for:

 Identifying the Target Test Items to be evaluated by the test effort

 Defining the appropriate tests required and any associated Test Data

 Gathering and managing the Test Data

 Evaluating the outcome of each test cycle

Customers or Stakeholder

These are the specific people or groups who have a stake, or an interest, in the outcome of the
project. Normally stakeholders are from within the company, and could include internal clients,
management, employees, administrators, etc. A project may also have external stakeholders,
including suppliers, investors, community groups and government organizations.

Managers
Duties of managers:
 Develop a project plan
 Manage deliverables according to the plan

 Recruit project staff

 Lead and manage the project team

 Determine the methodology used on the project

 Establish a project schedule and determine each phase

 Assign tasks to project team members

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 Provide regular updates to upper management
Function of manager:
 Assign project
 Discuss how well person is doing that work and if person wants to continue doing it
(providing opportunities for growth)

 Gather information from other PMs to write the evaluation

 Work with employee to set and coach on career goals

Roles and responsibility of Manager
A manager is a senior role which involves overseeing the production of goods and/or provision of
services.
It’s an operations manager’s job to make sure an organization is running as well as it possibly can,
with a smooth efficient service that meets the expectations and needs of customers and clients.
Main Job Tasks and Responsibilities
 Coordination and Supervision — Coordinate, manage and monitor the workings of various
departments in the organization.

 Financial — Review financial statements and data. Utilize financial data to improve
profitability. Prepare and control operational budgets. Control inventory. Plan effective
strategies for the financial well-being of the company.

 Best Practices — Improve processes and policies in support of organizational goals.

Formulate and implement departmental and organizational policies and procedures to
maximize output. Monitor adherence to rules, regulations and procedures.

 Human Resources — Plan the use of human resources. Organize recruitment and placement
of required staff. Establish organizational structures. Delegate tasks and accountabilities.
Establish work schedules. Supervise staff. Monitor and evaluate performance.

 Production — Coordinate and monitor the work of various departments involved in

production, warehousing, pricing and distribution of goods. Monitor performance and
implement improvements. Ensure quality of products. Manage quality and quantity of
employee productivity. Manage maintenance of equipment and machinery. Provide technical
support where necessary.

 Communication — Monitor, manage and improve the efficiency of support services such as
IT, HR, Accounts and Finance. Facilitate coordination and communication between support
functions.

 Sales and Marketing and Customer Service — Manage customer support. Plan and
support sales and marketing activities.

 Strategic Input — Liaison with top management. Assist in the development of strategic
plans for operational activity. Implement and manage operational plans.
Supervisors

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This is the person who has ultimate authority over the project. The Executive Supervisors
provides project funding, resolves issues and scope changes, approves major deliverables and
provides high-level direction. They also champion the project within their organization.
Depending on the project and the organizational level of the Executive supervisors they may
delegate day-to-day tactical management to Project supervisors. If assigned, the Project
supervisors represent the Executive supervisors on a day-to-day basis and make most of the
decisions requiring supervisor’s approval. If the decision is large enough, the Project supervisors
will take it to the Executive supervisors for resolution.

Domain experts

The domain expert consists of the full-time and part-time resources assigned to work on the
deliverables of the project. This includes the analysts, designers, programmers, etc. They are
responsible for:

 Understanding the work to be completed

 Planning the assigned activities in more detail if needed

 Completing assigned work within the budget, timeline and quality expectations

 Informing the project manager of issues, scope changes, risk and quality concerns

 Proactively communicating status and managing expectations

The project team can consist of staff within one functional organization, or it can consist of
members from many different functional organizations. A cross-functional team has members
from multiple organizations. Having a cross-functional team is usually a sign that your
organization is utilizing matrix management.
End Users
These are the people who will actually use the deliverables of the project. These people may also
be involved heavily in the project in activities such as defining business requirements. In other
cases, they may not get involved until the testing process. Sometimes you want to specifically
identify the user organization or the specific users of the solution and assign a formal set of
responsibilities to them, like developing use cases or user scenarios based on the needs of the
business requirements.

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 Assignment of Managing Information and Knowledge (3)

 Why computer networking is important?

Computer networks help users on the network to share the resources, in communication, and
File sharing. Networking of computers helps the network users to share data files. Hardware
sharing: Users can share devices such as printers, scanners, CD-ROM drives, hard drives etc.

Computer networking lets you access the data from the other computers on the same network,
and modify it according to your needs. Computer networking enables employees to share ideas
more easily and work more efficiently. Computer networking simpler and easier to work and
communicate with friends and family. Computers have many important roles in society whether
it's at work or at school it helps the mind to know more and to explore. It also provides us with a
easier way to shop, play games etc. some importance of computer networking:-

 Computer networking can help your business grow.

 Cost-effective resource sharing.
 Improving storage efficiency and volume.
 Freedom to choose the best computer networking method.
 Access flexibility.
 Cut costs on software.
 Utilize a Centralized Database.
 Securing valuable information.
 What makes a connection a broadband connection?

In telecommunications, broadband is wide bandwidth data transmission which transports
multiple signals and traffic types. The medium can be coaxial cable, optical fiber, radio or pair.
In the context of Internet access, broadband is used to mean any high-speed Internet access that
is always on and faster than dial-up access over traditional analog or ISDN PSTN services.
The term broadband commonly refers to high-speed Internet access that is always on and faster
than the traditional dial-up access. Broadband includes several high-speed transmission
technologies such as: Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) Cable Modem

Internet performance really matters

Performance of your broadband connection can quickly become quite technical so some of the
terms that you might hear about when discussing your broadband performance include;

Capacity of the connection measured in Megabits per second (“Mb/s” or “Meg”) determines
how much data you can send and receive at quiet times

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Contention ratio – The contention ratio refers to the number of people sharing the same
connection. Using our motorway example again, you get to go quicker on a lightly-used toll
road, but you pay for the privilege.

It’s all in the small print of your broadband: if you pay more, you will generally get a lower
contention ratio. Ideally you are looking for a contention ratio of 20:1.

 What is an LAN?

A local-area network (LAN) is a computer network that spans a relatively small area. Most
often, a LAN is confined to a single room, building or group of buildings; however,
one LAN can be connected to other LANs over any distance via telephone lines and radio
waves.

Local Area Network (LAN)

LAN or Local Area Network connects network devices in such a way that personal computer and
workstations can share data, tools and programs. The group of computers and devices are
connected together by a switch, or stack of switches, using a private addressing scheme as
defined by the TCP/IP protocol. Private addresses are unique in relation to other computers on
the local network. Routers are found at the boundary of a LAN, connecting them to the larger
WAN.
Data transmits at a very fast rate as the number of computers linked is limited. By definition, the
connections must be high speed and relatively inexpensive hardware (Such as hubs, network
adapters and Ethernet cables). LANs cover smaller geographical area (Size is limited to a few
kilometers) and are privately owned. One can use it for an office building, home, hospital,
schools, etc. LAN is easy to design and maintain. A Communication medium used for LAN has
twisted pair cables and coaxial cables. It covers a short distance, and so the error and noise are
minimized.
Early LAN’s had data rates in the 4 to 16 Mbps range. Today, speeds are normally 100 or 1000
Mbps. Propagation delay is very short in a LAN. The smallest LAN may only use two
computers, while larger LANs can accommodate thousands of computers. A LAN typically
relies mostly on wired connections for increased speed and security, but wireless connections can
also be part of a LAN. The fault tolerance of a LAN is more and there is less congestion in this
network. For example: A bunch of students playing Counter Strike in the same room (without
internet).
There are many advantages of LAN over MAN and WAN, such as LAN’s provide excellent
reliability, high data transmission rate, they can easily be managed, and shares peripheral devices
too. Local Area Network cannot cover cities or towns and for that Metropolitan Area Network is
needed, which can connect city or a group of cities together. Further, for connecting Country or a
group of Countries one requires Wide Area Network.

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 What is an MAN?
Metropolitan Area Network (MAN)

MAN or Metropolitan area Network covers a larger area than that of a LAN and smaller area as
compared to WAN. It connects two or more computers that are apart but resides in the same or
different cities. It covers a large geographical area and may serve as an ISP (Internet Service
Provider). MAN is designed for customers who need a high-speed connectivity. Speeds of MAN
ranges in terms of Mbps. It’s hard to design and maintain a Metropolitan Area Network.

The fault tolerance of a MAN is less and also there is more congestion in the network. It is costly
and may or may not be owned by a single organization. The data transfer rate and the
propagation delay of MAN is moderate. Devices used for transmission of data through MAN are:
Modem and Wire/Cable. Examples of a MAN are the part of the telephone company network
that can provide a high-speed DSL line to the customer or the cable TV network in a city.
 What is a WAN?
Wide Area Network (WAN)

WAN or Wide Area Network is a computer network that extends over a large geographical area,
although it might be confined within the bounds of a state or country. A WAN could be a
connection of LAN connecting to other LAN’s via telephone lines and radio waves and may be
limited to an enterprise (a corporation or an organization) or accessible to the public. The
technology is high speed and relatively expensive.
There are two types of WAN: Switched WAN and Point-to-Point WAN. WAN is difficult to
design and maintain. Similar to a MAN, the fault tolerance of a WAN is less and there is more
congestion in the network. A Communication medium used for WAN is PSTN or Satellite Link.
Due to long distance transmission, the noise and error tend to be more in WAN.
WAN’s data rate is slow about a 10th LAN’s speed, since it involves increased distance and
increased number of servers and terminals etc. Speeds of WAN ranges from few kilobits per
second (Kbps) to megabits per second (Mbps). Propagation delay is one of the biggest problems
faced here. Devices used for transmission of data through WAN are: Optic wires, Microwaves
and Satellites. Example of a Switched WAN is the asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) network
and Point-to-Point WAN is dial-up line that connects a home computer to the Internet.
 What is the difference between an intranet and an extranet?
An intranet is a network where employees can create content, communicate, collaborate, get
stuff done, and develop the company culture. An extranet is like an intranet, but also provides
controlled access to authorized customers, vendors, partners, or others outside the company

Intranets and extranets support two different areas within a business, but have similar goals: to
improve how employees work with clients and each other. Sometimes they exist within the same
software, other times, separately.
Once integrated into a business model, these portals can make day to day activities more efficient,
more streamlined, better connected, and more productive.

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But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Before you plan on implementing extranet or intranet
software, you need to understand how these platforms work, what their features do, and how they
will benefit your business. The better you can grasp these concepts, the more likely you'll reap
their advantages.

What is an intranet?
The prefix intra means within or inside. Therefore, an intranet is the company's digital workspace
that centralizes and streamlines every person, document, tool, conversation, and project within
your company.

The major difference from an extranet, however, is that an intranet is used internally. While an
extranet allows businesses to communicate with clients and vendors, an intranet allows employees
and colleagues to work together in a virtual space — no outside parties are involved.
Businesses use intranets for a variety of reasons ... because like extranets, a company
intranet streamlines daily activity, organizes people and data, improves internal communications,
and increases employee engagement. They also solve many challenges for remote teams and large
organizations by connecting staff with colleagues, information, and projects – no matter where
are.
Strong intranet software is packed with features that improve three main areas within your
business: communication, collaboration, and connectivity. When you prioritize all three, your
staff will work better, smarter, and happier. Let's take a look at how these features work.
The benefits of implementing an intranet.

There are many reasons why it might be beneficial for your business to implement an intranet.

 Improved internal communication.

Fluid conversation spurs creativity and productivity. Instant messenger, notifications, and
spaces are specific intranet features that streamline communication across your entire company.
Let's say you're in a meeting and your CEO has a question that a team member who is not
present has the answer to... or maybe you need a document but don't have time to stop at your
colleague's desk before a conference call. With instant messenger, you can ask your
colleague(s) instantly and directly without an email going unnoticed. You can even drag-and-
drop files and create group threads.

Accessing and dispersing department information is also just as important. With Spaces,
departments and internal groups have their own livable homes within your intranet. Everything
imperative to that space – team members, documents, articles, news, etc. – exists within one
dedicated area in your intranet and are shared directly with its members. Users receive alerts
whenever a space moderator shares information – another method of communicating without
sending emails that could get lost, unread, or take up unnecessary space.

Efficient project management and workflow systems.

Have you ever managed a project but had a difficult time tracking your team's progress? It's no
secret... how your staff executes projects will affect your company's overall success. An intranet
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will assist your employees and managers with every stage of a project through organized and
easy-to-use features. If a director wants to assign a project, for example, he or she can alert team
members within seconds. Every aspect of the project will be recorded in a task management
tool and track able through an activity stream.
Team members can comment in discussion forums, digital workspaces, and files. So long are
the days of confusion for team players and leaders.

 Centralized information that connects members.

The intranet becomes the ultimate knowledge base where your entire staff receives company-
wide announcements, asks general questions in Q&A forums, or accesses internal documents.
By dispersing knowledge, you nurture success for every employee. You also align staff with
your company's goals and people.
The information you share must be useful, which means it must be relevant. Your intranet
ensures content is both. Authors can be alerted to update documents by specified dates and a
Required Reading tool notifies recipients when content is mandatory reading by prompting
them to hit a "confirm" button after completion. This way, you never have to worry if content is
outdated or unread by teams.

The intranet is your digital workplace where employees chat directly with colleagues, access
department information, and collaborate on projects as efficiently and successfully as possible.

When you provide your business – no matter the industry – with the tools to streamline these
efforts, you create an informed and connected staff, which in turn, optimizes your company's
success.

For more details on intranets, uses, benefits, and more, check out this article: What is an Intranet?

 What is an extranet?
If an intranet is the digital workplace for internal communications, an

"Extra" refers to any contact or activity outside of your business, such as clients, vendors, and
suppliers.

Therefore, an extranet is a private network where these individuals (clients, vendors, suppliers,
partners, etc.) can communicate with you and your employees in a closed digital workspace.
Extranets serve an extremely important role, as they allow for private communication,
collaboration, knowledge sharing, document sharing, and data transfer between organizations.

An extranet supports a variety of needs. Large volumes of data can be exchanged between parties
via extranets, for example, thus facilitating easy collaboration. These collaboration tools are
particularly useful for companies that need to brainstorm or communicate frequently with clients
and customers. It saves hours of time in comparison to email and telephone. Extranets also
monitor and fix potential bugs or issues that can occur with a company's products or services —
almost like built-in quality control.

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 The benefits of implementing an extranet.
There are many reasons why it might be beneficial for your business to implement an extranet.

 Streamlines repetitive business processes.

Let's say you order from a particular vendor on a regular basis using email or phone as a
conduit. With a well-designed extranet, all of your ordering can take place via your secured
private network in a virtual space. Interactions with vendors occur in real-time, and you can
store invoices, along with other pertinent information, in one place. This makes referring back
to prior purchases easier. Storing everything in one virtual space not only saves time, but
accelerates B2B interactions.

Increases customer satisfaction.

One of the key benefits of an extranet is the accessibility 24 hrs and 7 day for you and your
clients to work together.
Clients and customers can upload documents, ask questions, or approve designs/concepts
around the clock, thus breaking down the barriers often caused by rigid work schedules.

Highly secure when properly designed.

In some industries (medical, insurance, etc.), security is of the utmost importance and a breach
could be disastrous. In many ways, email and other tools often used to transfer documents lack
the security to avoid potential breaches. When an extranet is well-designed, these concerns are
no longer an issue.

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