The personal computer manager

Personal computer

Personal computer

Personal computer burst on the business scene in the early 1980s with little warning and less planning. The experience of the rayer international paper company is typical Manager, at first, were tolerant. There were no provisions for managing the purchase or use of personal computers, and there certainly was no rule against them. And it was soon apparent that these machines were more than toys. Pioneer users had no trouble justifying their purchases-their increased productivity spoke from them. In addition to mastering software for word processing, spreadsheets, and data base access, these users declared their independence from the Management Information System department.

Managers, however, were soon faced with several problems. The first was that no one person was in charge of the headlong plunge into personal computers. The second problem was incompatibility-the new computers came in an assortment of brands and models and did not necessarily work on another. Third, users were not as independent of the Management Information System department as they had thought-they needed assistance in a variety of ways. In particular, they needed data that was in the hands of the Management Information System department. In addition, companies were soon past the stage of the initial enthusiasts; they wanted all kinds of workers to have personal computers, and those workers needed training. Furthermore, in just a few years, most companies networked their computers, together, bringing a whole new set of responsibilities and problems. Finally many companies had so many personal computer that they did not know how many, or where they were, or what software was on them.

many organizations solved these management problems in these ways:

1. They corrected the management problem by creating a new position called the personal computer manager, which often evolved to the net work manager.
2. They solved the assistance problem by creating information centers and providing a variety of training opportunities.
3. They addressed the compatibility problem by establishing acquisition policies
4. They used software to locate, count, and inventory their personal computers.

Let us examine each of these solution.

The benefits of personal computers for the individual user have been clear almost from the beginning: increased productivity, worker enthusiasm, and easier access to information. But once personal computers move beyond entry status,  standard corporate accountability becomes a factor, large companies are spending millions of dollar of personal computers, and top-level managers want to know where all this money is going. Company auditors begin worrying about data security. The company legal department begins to worry about workers illegally copying software before long everyone is involved, and it is clear that someone must be placed in charge of personal computer use. hat person in the personal computer manager.

There are four key areas that need the attention of this manager:

1. Cost control, Many people who work with personal computer believe the initial cost are paid  back rapidly, and they think that should satisfy managers who hound them about expenses. But the real cost entail training, support, hardware, and software extras, and communications networks-much more than just the computer itself. The personal computer manager's role includes monitoring all related expenses.
2. Technology overload, The personal computer manager must maintain a clear vision of company goals so that users are not overwhelmed by the massive and conflicting, claims of aggressive vendors plying their wares. Users engulfed  by phrases like network topologies and file gateways or a jumble of acronyms can turn to the personal computer manager for guidance.
3. Computer junkies, and what about employees who are feverish with these user-abusers are sometimes called hackers; on the job they are often called junkies because their fascination with the computer seems like an addition. unable to resist the allure of the machine, they overuse it and neglect their other work. Personal computer mangers  usually respond to this problem by setting down guidelines for computer use.
4. Data security and integrity, Access to corporate data is a touchy issue. Many personal computer users find they want to download (or access) data from the corporate mainframe to their own machines, and this presents an array of problems. are they entitled to the data? Will they manipulate the data in new ways and then present it as the official version? Will they expect the Management Information System to take the data back after they have done who-know-what with it? The answers to these perplexing questions are not always clear-cut, but at leas the personal computer manager will be tuned in to the issues.

The person selected to be the personal computer manager is usually from the Management Information System area. Ideally, this person has a broad technical background, understands both the potential and limitations of personal computers, and is well known to a diverse group of users.

With the advent of networking, the personal computer manager is often he same person as the network manager or, if the network is a local area network, the LAN manger. The network manager must keep the network operational. The basic task are the ability to let network users share program and data fies and resources such as printers. The network manager is responsible for installing all software on the network and making sure that existing software runs smoothly. The network manager also must  make sure that backup copies are made of all files at regular intervals. In additions, the network must be kept free from viruses.

Company managers often underestimate the amount of work it takes to keep even a small network going. In a large company an individual or even an entire team of people may be dedicated to this task. In a small company the network may be by someone who already has a full-time job at the company.

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