December 15, 2008

"PRIDE"-DBEM - CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATION (SPECIAL)

This is Part XX in our series on the "PRIDE" Methodologies for IRM. In this edition we provide a description of the concepts and philosophies used in the "PRIDE"-Data Base Engineering Methodology (DBEM).

The full text for this section can be obtained by clicking: HERE.

NEXT UP: Methodology Navigation to the "PRIDE"-Data Base Engineering Methodology (DBEM).

If you would like to discuss this with me in more depth, please do not hesitate to send me an e-mail.

Keep the faith!

OUR BRYCE'S LAW OF THE WEEK therefore is...

"A Data Base is all of the data needed to support the information requirements of an enterprise, regardless of where used or how stored. By this definition, all companies have a data base; some are managed, most are not."

"MORPHING INTO THE REAL WORLD"

Friends, be sure to check out our book entitled, "MORPHING INTO THE REAL WORLD - A Handbook for Entering the Work Force" which is a survival guide for young people as they transition into adult life.

Bonnie Wooding, the President of the Toronto Chapter of the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) said, "Many of our members are just starting their careers and I will be recommending that they read this book, especially Chapter 3, Professional Development - a primer for business skills and filled with basic common sense advice that is simple, easy to follow and extraordinarily practical; and Chapter 5, Do’s and Don’ts of the Workplace, an excellent resource for those questions you are too embarrassed to ask for fear of looking foolish."

The Miami Hurricane recently reviewed it (10/22/2007) and said,

"the abundance of information the book provides is a good start for anyone about to take the first step into the real world. Though the concept of adulthood may seem intimidating, it's comforting to know that someone has at least written a guidebook for it."

Reviewer Bill Petrey praised it by saying, "Every young person entering the workplace for the first time should be given a copy of this book."

The book includes chapters to describe how a young person should organize themselves, how to adapt to the corporate culture, develop their career, and improve themselves professionally and socially. Basically, its 208 pages of good sound advice to jump start the young person into the work force. Corporate Human Resource departments will also find this book useful for setting new hires on the right track in their career. It not only reinforces the many formal rules as contained in corporate policy manuals, but also includes the subtle unwritten rules we must all observe while working with others. The book lists for $25 and can be ordered online through MBA or your local book store. Complementing the book is a one day seminar of the same name which can be purchased separately for $4,000.00 (U.S.) plus instructor travel expenses. For more information on both the book and the seminar, visit our corporate web site at: http://www.phmainstreet.com/mba/morph.htm
ISBN: 978-0-9786182-5-4

MY "PET PEEVE OF THE WEEK" IS "BREAKING THE MEDIA'S INFLUENCE"

I guess it's no secret that the media is driven by money, particularly in an election year. Sure, their revenues from athletics and prime time shows are nice, but make no mistake, it is politics that fuels the fires of the media. Consider that in this year's presidential campaign, the Democrats and Republicans alone spent over $360 million on television advertising, and this does not include the Internet, radio, newspapers, handouts, billboards and signs. Although the final numbers haven't been tabulated yet, it has been estimated that the presidential race cost around $2.4 billion, twice the amount spent in 2004 and three times what was spent in 2000. Kowabunga!

Let us also not forget the other congressional candidates who ran this year. Keep in mind, they set a record just two years ago for midterm elections where over $1 billion was spent on advertising. I think it's safe to say the record will be easily beaten this year. The nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics estimated that over $5.3 billion will have been spent on federal contests, and this doesn't include state or local contests either.

Let's face it, campaigns for political office means big bucks and explains why the media is so obsessed with them; it is their bread and butter. As an aside, I chuckle when I hear the media complain about the overt influence of lobbyists who cough up the money to pay for the exorbitant fees the media charges. Talk about the pot calling the kettle "black." The media represents the biggest lobbyist around, bar none, but instead of paying money, they take it all in.

The billions spent on fueling the media is disheartening to those of us who think such money could solve other more important problems in this country, such as helping the needy, fixing our infrastructure, or performing research for our energy and health requirements.

The public likes to complain about the dominating influence of the media, yet for every dollar donated in support of a political candidate, you are just fueling the media. Next time, instead of mailing a check to your candidate, you might as well mail it directly to the media and save some postage.

We have tried to enact campaign reforms before, but this hasn't really gotten us anywhere. The politicians realize cutting campaign contributions would be like cutting their nose off to spite their face. Recognizing that our politicians are spineless in terms of campaign reform, I propose something entirely different, something that might actually work. Instead of imposing caps, I say eliminate limits altogether, bring in as much money as possible, BUT, for every dollar contributed to a political campaign, another dollar must be donated to a special account dedicated to such things as charity, research and other pertinent causes. In other words, half goes to the politicians and media, and the other half goes to fund a truly worthwhile cause. Just imagine what could be done with $2.65 billion (half of the $5.3 billion mentioned earlier).

This proposal will ultimately kill two birds with one stone; first, it will disempower the media by greatly reducing its source of income, and second; the diverted money will go into those programs we truly need. As I see it, it's a win-win-win situation; politicians can still spend campaign money but at a greatly reduced rate, the media's influence is greatly diminished, and instead of wasting money on the media, we invest it in ourselves. More importantly, it helps to break the influence of the media.

Such is my Pet Peeve of the Week.

Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.

"BRYCE'S PET PEEVE OF THE WEEK"

Folks, a couple of years ago I started to include my "Pet Peeve of the Week" in these "Management Visions" podcasts. They have become so popular that I now syndicate them through the Internet and they are available for republication in other media. To this end, I have created a separate web page for my writings which you can find at phmainstreet.com Look for the section, "The Bryce is Right!" Hope you enjoy them.

Also, if you happen to be in the Tampa Bay area of Florida, be sure to stop by and check out our new Palm Harbor Business OASIS, a new business venue offering local business people a place to meet, work, network, and relax. Why pay a lot for leasing office space when you can become a member of the OASIS for as little as $100/month? For more information, visit our web site at: http://www.phboasis.com/

AND FINALLY...

I received the following e-mail regarding my Pet Peeve on "Beautiful People":

An S.B. of Greenbelt, Maryland wrote...

"Funny you should pick this topic: the same occurred to me the other night watching the Tonight Show. The guy starring in the new movie, "Twilight" (which is a pretty loathsome story on its own), was on the show. He looked like he had just dragged out of bed: unshaven, shirt out, etc. My impression wasn't laziness, but arrogance. "I don't give a d--- about the public, those paying for my performance. Why should I put myself out?" I think Jay Leno had about the same reaction. But, this isn't going to change this as long as people keep buying the tickets."

A J.S. of Skidway Lake, Michigan wrote...

"I'm not sure why people are so fascinated by celebrities. My guess is that they don't have fulfilling lives of their own. One of the popular internet displays is the site with photos of the gigantic homes of celebrities. Nowhere does it mention who build the houses. I agree, Tim. Generally speaking, our society's values have dropped pretty low. We see progress in some areas, but celebrity worship isn't one of them."

I received the following e-mails from my "Pet Peeve" entitled, "Economics 101":

An M.H. of Las Vegas, Nevada wrote...

"You mean I should not buy a half million dollar house when I can JUST afford my apartment? Who would of thunk it? Good post."

A J.S. of Skidway Lake, Michigan wrote...

"You've given some excellent advice, which ought to be common sense, but common sense isn't common these days. I share your opinion about the timing of the announcement. Are our elected officials really so dense that they didn't notice the unemployment, forclosures and bankruptcies during their campaigns? I guess the announcement makes it official. It's no surprise to most of us."

Again, thanks for your comments. For these and other comments, please visit my "Bryce is Right!" web site.

Keep those cards and letters coming.

MBA is an international management consulting firm specializing in Information Resource Management. We offer training, consulting, and writing services in the areas of Enterprise Engineering, Systems Engineering, Data Base Engineering, Project Management, Methodologies and Repositories. For information, call us at 727/786-4567.

Our corporate web page is at:

http://phmainstreet.com/mba/

Management Visions is a presentation of M. Bryce & Associates, a division of M&JB Investment Company of Palm Harbor, Florida, USA. The program is produced on a weekly basis and updated on Sundays. It is available in versions for RealPlayer, Microsoft Media Player, and MP3 suitable for Podcasting. See our web site for details. You'll find our broadcast listed in several Podcast and Internet Search engines, as well as Apples' iTunes.

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Copyright © 2008 by M&JB Investment Company of Palm Harbor, Florida, USA. All rights reserved. "PRIDE" is the registered trademark of M&JB Investment Company.

This is Tim Bryce reporting.

Since 1971: "Software for the finest computer - the Mind."

END