Problem:
Organizations are facing new challenges as they "go global." What are some organizational issues in technology, communications and staffing that organizations might face as they move operations abroad? How might different management styles be used to deal with these challenges? Use an article that relates to organization change in the international context to anchor your discussion. Use APA guideline to complete this assignment.
Article: Go Global: IT Certifications Need International Focus
January 2004 - Leslie Macartney
When an IT security manager based in Belgium is called on to advise the CFO working from the home office in Hong Kong, more than a common spoken language is needed to gain the trust and respect required to move the project forward. The same goes for the IT business consultant jetting from a manufacturing client in Australia to a banking client in Brazil.
Many factors contribute to a professional’s reputation, including education, previous employment, accomplishments and awards. A key tool in establishing expertise and value is holding a certification that is recognized worldwide. Certifications show that the professionals holding them have the knowledge, commitment and discipline to achieve specially defined standards and keep their expertise up-to-date. Some of the leading international IT designations include the Information Systems Audit and Control Association’s (ISACA) Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) certifications, SANS’ Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC), CompTIA’s Security+, the Microsoft Security Systems Engineer (MCSE), the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners’ Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) credential, the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium’s (ISC)2 Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), the Project Management Professional (PMP) from the Project Management Institute (PMI) and the Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP) from DRI International.
“The business market has become truly global. Management and control over IT transcend geography, and as a result certifications that are internationally recognized are critical to ensure a consistent approach, background and skill set,” said Marios Damianides, CISA, CISM, CPA, CA, partner, Ernst & Young LLP. “Many requests for proposals (RFPs) we receive ask how many of our people have certifications and what they are. Since our clients have offices around the world, certifications that are respected by our international client base have an added value, and we encourage our staff to attain them.”
Employers frequently list well-known certifications in their job descriptions, and as a result recruiters often advise prospective job candidates to emphasize their certifications as a way of reinforcing their expertise. Even the major career Web sites, such as Monster.com, are very likely to specify particular certifications as a base requirement for jobs. Since these recruiters and Web sites are drawing candidates from around the world, the internationally known designations add significant value to a candidate’s resume.
Growth Areas:
Open systems, global trading partners and increased legislation have all impacted how today’s executives perceive the IT structure. Organizations around the world are implementing increasingly complex IT systems and facing continually evolving security threats. As the integrity and reliability of information and IT systems have become critical to an enterprise’s success, senior-level IT managers have needed to be as attuned to business issues as they are to technical issues. Today’s senior IT manager must be a hybrid with both business and IT knowledge and skills. As a result, one of the most active sectors for certification growth around the world is technology management.
Organizations around the world are implementing increasingly complex IT systems and facing continually evolving security threats, so executives need to know that those in charge of the systems possess the expertise for effective management and consulting. It isn’t enough for IT managers to be technically proficient any more. They must add management skills that enable them to align IT with overall business objectives and applicable laws and regulations.
One certification introduced recently to meet the need for higher-level business-IT expertise crossover is the CISM, which was developed for professionals who manage, design, oversee and assess an enterprise’s information security. CISM is a business-oriented designation offered by ISACA, an international association with more than 29,000 members in more than 100 countries. Individuals who have attained CISM have the ability to manage an organization’s information security and possess the knowledge and experience to set up, implement and direct a security structure to manage risk effectively.
“The CISM certification addresses a lot of what employers are telling us they are looking for in senior security managers,” said David Foote, president and chief research officer, Foote Partners, an IT workforce research firm and management consultancy. “Sarbanes-Oxley, new state-level information security laws and similar regulation around the world will continue to focus more attention on infosec governance, enterprise program management and global security strategies. Enterprises need more individuals who have the expertise contained in the CISM job domains.”
The flow of IT jobs to countries outside an enterprise’s headquarters’ country is also creating an increased interest in global certifications. When companies evaluate IT resources based in another country, they qualify workers at potential outsource firms the same way as in their home country—degrees, certification, years of experience and specialties, according to Foote Partners research.
“Certifications have always existed as a way to compare and contrast people,” said Foote. “They help companies ensure that employees’ skills, experience, ethics and principles are at an appropriate level for their needs. Plus, they help ensure that consistent standards and specifications are applied across the globe.”
Foote Partners research shows that certification has become a way for qualified employees to differentiate themselves in popular offshore outsourcing talent pools located in India and the Philippines. Emerging areas where certification will likely become more aggressively pursued include China, Brazil, Mexico and Argentina. In addition, the Foote Partners research indicates that there is untapped talent and economic leverage in the near term and the long term in Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Hungary, Ukraine, Estonia, Poland and the Czech Republic.
“It is clear that India and China offer high-growth opportunities because certification supports the growing need in those areas for skilled information and communication technology workers,” said Kris Madura, MBA, certification program manager, CompTIA Security+. “Other countries, including Japan, Korea, Singapore and Malaysia, have similar needs. In fact, CompTIA is in the process of localizing Security+ for the Japan market. While North America and Europe are more mature markets, the demand for educated, trained, certified and experienced personnel will continue to remain high among all geographic areas.”
Continuing Education Is Key
One hallmark of a top-level global IT certification is a stringent continuing-education policy to make sure professionals remain up-to-date on international advances in technology and their fields. Continued effort and knowledge advancement on the part of the professional is required to ensure that practices and skills are standardized across different cultures, languages and industries.
“Everybody wins with the continuing education required to maintain global certifications. Employees earn higher respect from their employers, and the employers gain assurance that their staff has the latest practical knowledge to assess technology risk and control,” said T.R. Venkateswaran, CISA, CAIIB, senior manager of information security, information technology division, head office, Punjab National Bank, India. “In India, the Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) designation is recognized as one of the most respectable qualifications in the banking information technology field. It is also one of the most desirable qualifications used when organizations are recruiting for higher-level positions, such as information security officer and chief information technology officer.”
The continuing professional education (CPE) policy of most international designations requires professionals to earn and submit a minimum number of CPE hours during a certain fixed period of time. Failure to abide by the policy will usually result in revocation of the individual’s certification.
Attaining an internationally recognized certification is an excellent way for professionals to demonstrate that they are serious about their responsibilities. However it should not be considered an end, but a beginning. Holding a designation means that the professional possesses certain skills and expertise. The real challenge is in applying those concepts to benefit the enterprise, and this requires professionals to keep up-to-date in the ever-changing technological environment. Major changes and advancements in technology take place every month, and without continual training, a professional could be left behind very quickly.
“It is critical for professionals everywhere to remain current, especially considering the rapid changes in technology. Maintaining my professional education hours for continuing my CISA certification is a professional responsibility I take very seriously,” said Michael P. Cangemi, CISA, CPA, president and chief operating officer, Etienne Aigner Group.
Certification Value
Enterprises, employees and the business community in general all benefit from international certifications because they signify personal growth, achievement, career progress, initiative and professional knowledge.
“On average, no secondary or post-secondary credential offers the same kind of portability and value recognition as an international certification,” said CompTIA’s Madura. “Individuals with education, training, certification and experience have added credibility when seeking employment—they stand out from the pack.”
Organizations around the world seek individuals who are able to distinguish themselves through professional achievement, which can come in the form of being able to demonstrate the knowledge and application of state-of-the-art practices and to adhere to professional standards. Professionally run and internationally respected certification programs help raise the profile of information technology in the eyes of IT and non-IT management and staff.
IT is a complex field. As colleagues, trading partners, vendors and other stakeholders now regularly communicate across all geographic boundaries, certification provides a consistent, reliable tool to gauge a professional’s expertise and commitment to quality.
Leslie Macartney, CISM, CISA, has worked in the IT field since 1978, moving into information security 15 years ago. She is currently the chief information security officer for Reuters Ltd. She is chairman of the CISM Certification Board and a member of the British Standards Institute’s BDD/2 committee responsible for information security standards in the United Kingdom.
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Linux Certification in Developing Countries
By Emily Hollis
As the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva, Switzerland, approached, the United Nations met and discussed how the meeting could help address the growing digital divide between countries with high-tech infrastructure and those without. Shin Boo-Nam, representative from the Republic of Korea, said that the benefits of globalization had been unevenly distributed when it comes to information and communication technologies. Ching-Yu Yao, of the UN’s Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), said that her agency is committed to creating and implementing programs to speed up the transfer and mastery of technology, and to facilitate access.
There is no doubt that developing nations can benefit from access to IT resources, but it is key to ensure that the citizens of those nations are educated and able to perform the skills necessary to work with those resources. To help meet this need, the Linux Professional Institute (LPI) has been increasing its efforts to improve access to IT expertise in developing nations.
According to Evan Leibovitch, Linux technology is increasingly being supported in developing nations. “There are a lot of countries around the world, especially in the developing world, where this is simply a matter of pure economics—that is, how much money is flowing out of the country to pay for software licenses?” said Leibovitch. “In some cases, it’s literally a balance-of-trade issue. They know Linux is out there. They know that Linux is practical, it’s stable, it’s easy to use, and so it’s a very easy choice to make for some countries.”
The acceptance of Linux around the world is also driven partly by its history. Linux was developed by Linus Torvalds, a citizen of Finland, Leibovitch said. “It has developers around the world. It has enthusiasts around the world. The companies that produce, develop and ship Linux are spread around the world,” he explained. “There are companies that are producing Linux operating systems in China, in India, in Brazil, in Germany—and these are major players on the Linux scene.” For example, Leibovitch pointed out that arguably one of the largest Linux companies in the world is Red Flag, located in China.
To help support the growth of Linux worldwide, LPI works with affiliates in numerous countries to certify IT professionals to work with Linux. To drive certification in developing countries, LPI has offered “exam labs,” where candidates are able to take lower-cost, paper-based certification exams. The organization recently toured Chinese cities offering its certification exams, and it has plans to put together a network for offering exam labs throughout South America.
“Conventional exams done through computer-based delivery are very efficient and are available worldwide, but they also happen to be very expensive,” said Leibovitch. “There have been a number of exam labs that we have held in an increasing number of locations around the world where, for little or no cost, we do LPI exams, and they’re the same quality exams that we do anywhere else.”
Leibovitch added that the Vietnamese government has asked LPI to do exam labs in Vietnam, and he is also working to map a strategy for providing open-source certification and education throughout the African continent.
“In terms of accessibility, for instance to the developing world, I think we take a back seat to nobody,” said Leibovitch. “We are developing our certification labs and giving out the same kind of LPI certification exams that we give everywhere else for, in some cases, the equivalent of $20, or sometimes even less.”
LPI works globally by creating affiliations with Linux user groups and Linux associations in other countries, rather than managing everything from its headquarters near Toronto, Canada. The affiliates help LPI with exam delivery, exam promotion, translation and ensuring that the certification is relevant to local needs. LPI recently signed up affiliates in China and Brazil, and it plans to work with additional groups in Bulgaria and the Caribbean.
It’s all about community, Leibovitch said. “The fact that when we’re doing work in Africa, or we’re doing work in Vietnam, this is not just the central head office somewhere trying to coordinate things that are going on,” he explained. “There’s a lot of people around the world who are as committed to making Linux and Linux education and Linux certification—making all of this work. We could not do what we’re doing without the dedication of not just volunteers, but also vendors, professionals and the entire community in just about every country we work with.”
Leibovitch believes that the global community supported by LPI certification is also beneficial for U.S.-based IT professionals. “I think it’s important for anybody to know that they are part of a global community,” he said. “We like to think of LPI certification as being more than just a piece of paper that says I passed a couple of tests. This really is a continuation of the Linux theme of being part of a community. There is a community of Linux professionals out there worldwide, and we believe that there’s value in people knowing about this worldwide community and participating in it.”
As of the beginning of November, more than 50 heads of state and government had committed to participating in the first phase of the UN-sponsored WSIS in Geneva, and more than 6,000 delegates from government, intergovernmental organizations, civil society, the private sector and the media were planning to attend, including a contingent from LPI. Participation in the Summit, according to Leibovitch, allowed the opportunity for LPI to demonstrate its efforts to bridge the technology gap at the same time that it promotes high-quality education and ethics.