MIS
Management Information System
Crowdsourcing at AOL Case Analysis
1. A brief analysis of the case study
AOL engaged in what is called “micro-tasking”, and is believed to revolutionize the virtual workforce. Micro-tasking is what Daniel Maloney, an AOL executive, applied when he was faced with inventorying a vast video library. He broke the large job into small pieces and utilized a crowdsourcing IT platform, Mechanical Turk, in order to describe each task that he required to be done. Each worker was asked to find web pages containing a video and identify the video’s source and location. The project started within a week and completed in a couple of months. The total labor cost was as low as it would‘ve been to hire two man-month
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He assembles and controls the entire project.
2-3. What factors should be considered when deciding whether or not to crowdsource a particular part of a business?
I think the following three points implies factors to decide. 1) Any tasks that require advanced knowledge in a certain area should not be crowd sourced. Because managers controls a large number of workers and review the quality of services, critical functions related to company’s brand should not be crowd sourced. 2)Even if each company has its strategic capability, crowdsourcing vital areas that sustain company’s capabilities might lead a company to lose its advantage. 3) Crowd sourcing is more suitable for non-creative, simple works to be break into micro tasks.
2-4. Describe the advantages and disadvantages of crowdsourcing.
I consider that the advantages of crowdsourcing not only reduce cost, but also provide working opportunities with a large number of general people. For example, 1) Total labor cost can be reduced. 2) It’s generally faster than hiring temp staff or traditional outsourcing firms 3)Mothers, who quit working even if they have working experiences, can utilize working opportunities in order to work as a part time job. 4) Crowdsourcing provide NEET (Not in Education, Employed and Trained) people with opportunities to join something social activities. On the other hand, disadvantage implies that 1) Dishonest companies maliciously utilize people without caring for
After analyzing all these risks and criteria Id like to present some points to demonstrate why we should go for outsourcing:
Because many businesses in the US have more often began outsourcing different business products instead of doing them in-house, it is important to understand why outsourcing may be the best option. Although many tie outsourcing to foreign markets, outsourcing can include both foreign and domestic markets. By entering into a contractual agreement, outsourcing allows organizations to pay for services they need. This gives the option for a business to get professionals to perform services for them that the business may not have the staff for. Outsourcing provides a cost saving-strategy that is usually more affordable. Ultimately,
The purpose of this report was to design a start-up strategy and IS infrastructure for Ruth & Luke (R&L) Crowdsource’s business. Research for this report identifies the focus (target market), opportunities and threats in entering the market and provides a detailed business model.
List and describe at least three factors that a firm should consider when making an outsourcing decision.
3. What criteria did you use to evaluate the potential solutions? How did these criteria tie into business strategy and project objectives? How does
Since Smith’s Information Services Company is in the business of processing and analyzing consumer data, the minimum number of vendors to solicit for outsourcing the data center would be three, with a maximum of ten. This would provide not only a fair solicitation process, but also would ensure the company receives the best value for the services provided by the selected vendor. While the goal of the outsourcing is to reduce the company’s soaring overhead costs, simply selecting any cloud computing company based on cost alone would be foolish. Ensuring there are multiple vendors solicited for this service would ensure the company’s costs are reduced while still maximizing profits. Given that personnel costs account for the majority of a company’s overhead costs, followed closely by utilities costs, any vendor solicited should cost less than Smith’s Information Services is currently spending on its employees and utilities. Limiting the number of vendors solicited to ten or less would also ensure a quick evaluation period without the chance of getting mired in minute details between the
companies in question may be able to help determine if their services would be a good fit and whether financially capable of fitting into the budget. Arrangements should be made to have the outsourcing company’s person to come out and meet with the group and receive in-depth information and a potential presentation of the company.
Though it may be cost-effective for the company to outsource a portion of their operation, there may be other costs involved. When initially setting up the operation there will be setup, building, and legal costs, as well as all the time and effort put toward setting up the entire operation. Though in the end there will be money savings, this initial setup will take a large sum of money to set up. Some organizations may not have the cash flow on hand to be able to set up such an
Social media has allowed crowdsourcing to expand campaigns like the Facebook Super Bowl Ad. Being able to vote on ads, pictures, and who wins contests is becoming a new fad in this day and age. BBC News lists several big name companies that use crowdsourcing such as; Linux, Android, and Wikipedia where people are able to write their own programs and submit their own definitions. (Castella 2010.) Castella also makes a great point when he states, “the employee suggestion box has been around for years.” (Castella 2010.) Jared Kleinert, a contributing writer to Forbes, states that the phrases crowdsourcing and “internet of things” is "Overused because they cover a variety of activities and companies. Crowdsourcing can mean raising money on a platform like Kickstarter or Indiegogo, and it can also mean getting people together for an impromptu flash mob. Internet of Things can refer to almost any pairing of hardware and software that makes our “stuff” smarter.” (Kleinert 2015.) Moving crowdsourcing online has given companies viable options to take these suggestions in a faster, easier way that includes
Bob Stetzel, Vice President of Information Technology (IT) at Vermont Teddy Bear (VTB), walked a tranquil path from his car to his Shelburne, Vermont office early one morning in mid-February 2010. The landscape outside his office, and the White Mountains beyond, were blanketed in a coating of fresh snow. Just a few days before, the scene was not tranquil at all; a small army of nearly 2000 temporary employees had descended on the company’s multi-building campus to help process and pack gifts ordered by tens of thousands of customers for delivery to their sweethearts for Valentine’s Day. Bob and his seven person IT organization had worked feverishly behind the scenes, ensuring that the company’s information systems could
The world as we know it has changed drastically in the past three decades, we are slowly but surely morphing into a worldwide community dependent upon computer technology. More specifically we rely on the Internet heavily for everything in our day to day lives. The benefits of expediency and the convenience afforded to those who utilize information systems their business dynamics is undeniable.
These are basic decisions regarding organizational design." Outsourcing based only upon a comparison of costs can lead companies to miss opportunities to gain knowledge that might lead to the development of new products or technologies. Business Week called companies that had outsourced too many of their core functions "hollow corporations," and claimed that they had relinquished their reason for existence.
1. What accounting approach has AOL used in the past that it is now changing (related to the $385 million)?
Outsourcing would allow the OSI to focus only on its core business and would be more cost effective for it to reduce capital infrastructure costs. Also improving employee satisfaction with higher value addition jobs and making the best use of competitive resources available worldwide. Using an outsourced company (TIS) would give it the same standard hardware and software platform. And should be high speed and have a lower cost of Telecommunications.
Because of the important relationship between insourcing/outsourcing and competitiveness, organizations must consider many variables when considering an insourcing/outsourcing decision. This may include a detailed examination of a firm’s competency and costs, along with quality, delivery, technology, responsiveness, and continuous improvement requirements. Because of