The Telecom Value Fabric, what is it and how does it work?

By: Lotfi Al-Sarori

The telecommunications market is booming. According to Grand View Research, the global telecom service market was valued at 1,657.7 billion USD in 2020 and is expected to grow by a CAGR of 5.4% between 2021 and 2028 to reach 2,467.01 billion USD.

CSPs

Telecom operators are now part of a classification of service providers known as communications service providers (CSPs). According to Gartner, a CSP is a business that offers any type of service of connectivity, information, media, content, entertainment, or application over any type of telecommunication, computer, or data networks. These companies include telecom operators, content and application providers, media broadcasting providers, Cloud communications service providers, and Internet service providers (ISPs).

Business Systems: A walk down history lane

By: Omar Abdul-Hafiz

In a previous article, we briefly discussed the history of how Data Analytics became as we know it today. We talked about how it began with Statistics, and how it evolved eventually and combined with advanced information technology, led to the birth of Data Science.

Not too far from it, in this article, we will discuss a related field: Business Systems! Ever wondered how they came to be what they are today?

Well, you are about to find out!

A Cybersecurity Primer – Part II: Data Security

By: Lotfi Al-Sarori 

In our previous article, we discussed the topic of system security as the first area in our coverage of the various aspects of cybersecurity. In this article, we continue the same topic to go over another essential area of IT security, data security. So, without further ado, let’s get started.

Data Security

Data security encompasses securing it from being altered, whether purposefully or accidentally. Information security practices must protect data against theft, damage, or compromise. There are various angles to consider when discussing data security. Here, let us approach them from two perspectives: the CIA triad and data protection stages.

A Cybersecurity Primer – Fundamentals of System Security

By: Lotfi Al-Sarori

The significance of cybersecurity cannot be overemphasized. Information security has been a big concern ever since computers were invented. According to a recent Forbes article, Cybersecurity Ventures expects that there will be a new cybersecurity attack every two seconds. This amounts to more than 43 thousand attacks per day and almost 16 million attacks per year. Cybersecurity Ventures also estimate the cost of Ransomware to reach $265 Billion by 2031.

An effective cybersecurity approach ensures that authorized users have secure access to information. This is achieved by applying proven IT security principles and standards. Information security practices vary and come in numerous shapes and forms. They cover various areas from identity management and access control to data encryption, deploying network security devices such as firewalls, and more.

Key Business Concepts 101: Competitive Analysis Part II

By: Lotfi Al-Sarori

Continuing our discussion of competitive analysis, in this second part, we go into a more detailed analysis of competitors. In part I, we recommended selecting a diverse list of competitors to examine. After performing a SWOT analysis and gathering information about them such as their market share, customers, financials, and vendors, a more detailed analysis would provide further insight. It can help you in finding a better marketing positioning and creating your marketing plan.

 

Key Business Concepts 101: Competitive Analysis

By: Lotfi Al-Sarori

In the last article of Key Business Concepts 101, we started our discussion of performing competitive analysis, and focused on the very well-known Porter’s Five Forces. It is a key framework which can provide businesses with very valuable insight into their industry, market, and competition. In this article, we pick up the pace and go into more details regarding competitive analysis. 

Figure 1- Methods for Strategic Business Planning

Key Business Concepts 101: Porter’s Five Forces

By: Lotfi Al-Sarori

Continuing our topic on tools for strategic business planning from our previous article, today we further our discussion on the topic and discuss performing competitive analysis using Porter’s Five Forces framework.

To perform competitive analysis for your business, you would need to evaluate the market, and study the competition. A good start would be to explore market reports related to your industry. These are things like market size, key players, industry trends, etc., which can provide you with valuable insights. Understanding the different aspects of your industry and knowing your competitors is crucial to the success of your business. One particular model that is very useful in this area is by Michael E. Porter. It can provide you with a holistic view of where you stand relative to your competition and the industry in general.

Key Business Concepts 101: Strategic Planning Tools- PESTLE and SWOT

By: Lotfi Al-Sarori

In a previous article about Key Business Concepts 101, we covered the topics of business process and how to improve their quality. The article was an introduction into the world of business management and its concepts, and it was planned to be the first article in a series about business management and planning topics. Continuing our discussion on the topic, in this article, we take a look at strategic business management aspects and the common techniques used in strategic planning.

Establishing and running a business requires careful planning. Strategic planning is the first step in strategic business management. It requires thorough analysis and proper preparations to make sure that the work to be done is based on careful study and a justified approach.

How telecommunications have become inherently integral to our lives

By: Lana Bawaneh

The word telecommunications comes from the Greek prefix tele-, which means "distant," combined with the Latin word communicare, which means "to share."

From the beginning of time, people tried to figure out many ways to communicate remotely with each other. Starting with the primitive methods of communication to deliver some kind of messages, such as drums and smoke signals to mechanical communication devices such as the telegraph. Back then, the telegraph helped a lot in shortening the communications from days, weeks, and even months to only hours.

The technology also extended with new inventions such as the telephone, the radio, television, and later, video telephony, satellites, mobile phones, and the Internet. All of these technological advances changed how people live and communicate.

Key Business Benefits of Dashboard Software Systems

By: Lana Bawaneh & Omar Abdulhafiz

In the past, business people could spend a lot of effort collecting, monitoring, and analyzing data from different data sources in order to generate reports that help them in making decisions. This process requires a lot of time that could otherwise be better utilized in managing business and making business improvements.

The past is behind us now, however, or so it should be. Today, there’s a need for a digitalized tool that can get this job done automatically with minimal time and effort. In fact, businesses nowadays need more than a tool that processes and aggregates large sums of data quickly and efficiently. What they need, in addition to that, is a tool that produces elaborate visual representations of data related to business operations, performance, and other sophisticated industry-specific metrics.

But there’s no need to worry, as this has become possible now with the invention of the advanced business dashboard system!

7 Key Benefits of Document Management Systems

By: Ola Azzouqa 

Documents are an essential component of work in any company. Managing business information from various sources can be a demanding task that requires a lot of effort and takes too much time.

We have previously discussed the 8 Features Every Document Management System Must Have. And in this article, we will go over 7 key benefits of having such a system.

There are numerous challenges associated with dealing with documents. Employees usually spend a lot of time searching for documents as well as archiving them and managing their releases and versions.

The evolution of data analytics

By: Omar Abdulhafiz

Throughout the past several years, the world was inundated with different interrelated terms such as “data”, “data analysis”, “data analytics”, “business intelligence”, “predictive analytics, and many more. This has caused a lot of confusion over what each of them means and what it is for. This confusion is problematic among many professionals including HR staff, which often leads to misleading job positions.

In this article, we will try to tackle this dilemma by briefly tracing the history of data science and how it came to be the way we know it today. As we go, we will clarify the most critical terms the contributed to this mix-up. This shall enable you to differentiate between these terms more easily.

 

So, let us begin.

Top 4 Benefits and 5 Key Features of Implementing a Robust Workflow Software for Business Process Management

By: Lana Bawaneh

Workflows are considered a vital element in any successful business. The smoother and more organized they are, the more capable the business will be to achieve its strategic goals efficiently and effectively. But what exactly are workflows and what makes their role so essential?

To answer these questions, let us begin by defining what workflows are.

According to Investopedia, the term “Workflow” describes the steps in a business work process through which a piece of work passes from initiation to completion; and how these steps can be executed and automated according to a set of procedural rules.

6 Key Differences Between Cloud & On-Premise Systems : Which One Is Better for You?

By: Ola Azzouqa & Lotfi Al-Sarori

The world is continuously changing with new technology. Many companies are carefully taking their first steps into a new world that is constantly adapting to new circumstances. It has been common to use on-premise systems to manage business operations. Nevertheless, new technologies like the Cloud have emerged to transform how companies operate.

Deciding on the technology that’s best suited to manage your business, products, and data can be rather tricky. However, one good place to start would be a comparison between on-premise and Cloud systems. This may give you a clearer idea of what works better for your business based on your requirements and needs.

Key Business Concepts 101: Quality and Process Improvement

By: Lotfi Al-Sarori

“Better safe than sorry”, a saying by Samuel Lover that we hear, usually as a friendly advice, when we are about to pursue an endeavor that requires cautiousness to minimize risks. This entails, for example, being well-prepared when starting a new business, project, or just a family trip. Planning the details of every step you take and making sure everything is done properly is essential to avoid risks, time wastage, and unnecessary expenses, and to get the results you seek. Similarly, organizations create business and operational plans to implement and follow throughout the year to achieve the objectives they seek in an efficient and productive manner.

So, what are all these Cloud acronyms, IaaS, PaaS, SaaS, XaaS? and what is a private Cloud?

By: Lotfi Al-Sarori

Cloud-based systems are becoming increasingly common today. We see cloud hosting being used at the personal level, such as to back up our phone content or share documents with family and friends. They are also commonly popular in businesses to support collaborative work environments for example. However, what does cloud-based entail? Moreover, we keep hearing terms like private Cloud, public Cloud, SaaS (Software as a Service), but what do they really mean.

Let’s begin by defining how a system hosted online can be private.

How to empower your employees to become decision makers

By: Omar Abdul-Hafiz

In the business world today, a successful company adopts an agile and dynamic business model. Long gone are the days when business administration depended on a highly bureaucratic and restrictive scheme of work. As the world continues to move at a much faster speed, the need to adapt to changes becomes ever more critical.

And one of the major steps every company should consider taking to establish a dynamic business model is to promote a certain degree of decision-making among its staff members.

But how can you do this successfully? Here are some key aspects to think about.

8 Features Every Document Management System Must Have

By: Ola Azzouqa

Companies typically generate a lot of documents every day, and they depend on a variety of documents and records. If your organization relies heavily on creating and managing documents like most businesses do, you may find it hard to keep them organized.

That’s where a document management system, DMS, comes into play. A DMS that allows you to easily capture, store, and retrieve documents can offer several advantages for your organization.

The double-impact for zero-conflict course schedule management, part 2

By: Omar Abdulhafiz

In our previous article, we stated that there are two main systems for creating a conflict-free course schedule. Then, we discussed the role of the registration management system in creating it. In this article, we shall pick up where we left off and discuss the role of the other element we briefly mentioned: The timetable management system.

And to begin with, it is safe to say the conflict elimination is one of the most critical missions of a timetable management system. The more the system can generate a coherent, efficient and conflict-free course schedule, the more we are inclined to consider it a powerful and reliable system.

The double-impact for zero-conflict course schedule management

By: Omar Abdulhafiz

Across the entire education sector, there are two major challenges: Creating a class timetable that is conflict-free, and –particularly in the case of universities and colleges-- resolving any conflicts that may occur during the course registration process. These two challenges are a well-known concerns in both the K-12 as well as on the higher-education levels, although with varying circumstances and magnitude.

Even as students, nearly all of us have been through the struggle of having to register for two courses only to find out that they overlap, or even take place at the exact same time. It is thus no question that this problem causes a hindrance to the overall efficiency and smoothness of the educational process. But how do you solve it?