Author: webadmin

Configuring AWS Control Tower with AWS SSO and Azure AD
Limitations:

AWS SSO Limitations:
- a. AWS SSO can only be used with AWS Control Tower in the same AWS Region.
- b. AWS SSO can be associated with only one AWS Control Tower instance at a time.
- c. AWS SSO can only federate with one external identity provider (IdP) at a time.
Azure Active Directory (AAD) Limitations:
- a. Azure AD can only be used as an external identity provider (IdP) with AWS SSO, which then integrates with AWS Control Tower.
- b. Azure AD must be configured as a SAML-based IdP to integrate with AWS SSO.
- c. There might be certain limitations or restrictions specific to Azure AD features or configurations when used in conjunction with AWS SSO.
Control Tower Limitations:
- a. Control Tower supports only SAML-based federation for single sign-on (SSO) with AWS SSO.
- b. Control Tower doesn’t support other identity federation protocols like OpenID Connect (OIDC).
- c. Control Tower currently supports only one AWS account as the management account.
Miscellaneous Limitations:
- a. Ensure compatibility of SAML versions between AWS SSO and Azure AD. AWS SSO supports SAML 2.0, but Azure AD might support multiple versions. Verify compatibility and adjust SAML configurations accordingly.
Considerations:

When configuring AWS Control Tower with AWS SSO and Azure Active Directory (AAD), there are several considerations to keep in mind:
1. Identity Source and User Management:
  - a. Decide on the primary identity source for user management. In this case, it would be either AWS SSO or Azure AD. Consider factors such as user provisioning, synchronization, and group management capabilities each identity source provides.
  - b. Determine how AWS SSO and Azure AD will synchronize user accounts and groups. This can be done manually or by leveraging automation tools like AWS Directory Service or Azure AD Connect.
2. SAML Configuration:
  - a. Ensure that the SAML configurations between AWS SSO and Azure AD are compatible. Verify the SAML versions supported by each service and adjust the configuration accordingly.
  - b. Pay attention to the SAML attributes and claims mapping to ensure that user attributes like usernames, email addresses, and roles are correctly mapped and passed between the services.
3. Security and Access Control:
  - a. Define appropriate access controls and permissions for users and groups in both AWS SSO and AWS Control Tower. This includes assigning roles and policies within AWS Control Tower to ensure proper access to resources and guardrails.
  - b. Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) to enhance security for user access to AWS Control Tower and associated AWS accounts.
  - c. Regularly review and update user access permissions as needed, especially when user roles or responsibilities change.
4. Regional Considerations:
  - a. Keep in mind that AWS SSO and AWS Control Tower need to be set up in the same AWS Region. Consider the availability and performance requirements of your AWS resources and choose the appropriate AWS Region for deployment.
  - b. Consider any data residency or compliance requirements when selecting the AWS Region and configuring AWS Control Tower and associated services.
5. Monitoring and Auditing:
  - a. Implement logging and monitoring solutions to track user access, changes to permissions, and any suspicious activities within AWS Control Tower and associated AWS accounts.
  - b. Regularly review audit logs and generate reports to ensure compliance with security and regulatory requirements.
6. Documentation and Training:
  - a. Document the configuration steps, settings, and any customizations made during the integration process for future reference.
  - b. Provide training and guidance to users, administrators, and support teams on using and managing AWS Control Tower, AWS SSO, and Azure AD integration.
Configuration:

To configure AWS Control Tower with AWS Single Sign-On (SSO) and Azure Active Directory (AAD), you need to follow these steps:
1. Set up AWS Control Tower:
  - a. Log in to your AWS Management Console.
  - b. Navigate to the AWS Control Tower service.
  - c. Follow the provided documentation or wizard to set up AWS Control Tower in your AWS account. This includes setting up the Control Tower lifecycle, organizational units (OUs), and guardrails.
2. Set up AWS SSO:
  - a. Navigate to the AWS SSO service in the AWS Management Console.
  - b. Follow the documentation or wizard to set up AWS SSO in your AWS account.
  - c. Configure user attributes and identity sources as required.
3. Set up Azure Active Directory (AAD):
  - a. Log in to the Azure portal.
  - b. Navigate to Azure Active Directory.
  - c. Follow the documentation or wizard to set up Azure AD in your Azure subscription.
  - d. Configure user attributes and identity sources as required.
4. Set up federation between AWS SSO and AAD:
  - a. In the AWS SSO console, go to Settings.
  - b. Under Identity Source, choose “Add new identity source.”
  - c. Select “SAML” as the type and provide a name for the identity source.
  - d. Download the AWS SSO metadata file.
  - e. In the Azure portal, go to Azure Active Directory.
  - f. Navigate to the Enterprise applications section and select “New application.”
  - g. Choose “Non-gallery application” and provide a name for the application.
  - h. Under Single sign-on, select SAML.
  - i. Upload the AWS SSO metadata file.
  - j. Configure the SAML settings according to the AWS SSO documentation.
  - k. Save the SAML configuration.
5. Assign users and groups to AWS Control Tower:
  - a. In the AWS SSO console, go to the AWS accounts tab.
  - b. Select the AWS Control Tower account and click on “Assign users/groups.”
  - c. Choose the appropriate users and groups from the AWS SSO directory.
  - d. Grant the necessary permissions for Control Tower access.
6. Test the configuration:
  - a. Log in to the Azure portal using an account from AAD.
  - b. Navigate to the AWS Management Console using the AWS SSO link.
  - c. You should be able to access Control Tower resources based on the assigned permissions.
May 8, 2023
Impacts of Intellectual Dishonesty at Workplace
Intellectual dishonesty at the workplace can have significant impacts on individuals, teams, and the overall work environment. Here are some potential impacts:
1. Trust and credibility: Intellectual dishonesty erodes trust among colleagues and undermines the individuals’ credibility. When people engage in dishonest behavior such as lying, plagiarism, or misrepresenting information, others may question their integrity and become skeptical of their actions and words.
2. Collaboration and teamwork: Intellectual dishonesty can hinder effective collaboration and teamwork. When individuals are not honest about their knowledge, skills, or contributions, it can lead to misunderstandings, conflicts, and a breakdown in communication. Trust and collaboration are vital for building strong, cohesive teams.
3. Quality of work and decision-making: Intellectual dishonesty can compromise the quality of work and decision-making processes. Misrepresented or manipulated information can result in flawed analysis, inaccurate reports, and poor decision-making. Intellectual honesty is crucial for maintaining the accuracy and reliability of work outcomes.
4. Ethical and moral implications: Intellectual dishonesty goes against ethical and moral principles. It can create a negative work culture where individuals prioritize personal gain over the organization’s and its stakeholders’ well-being. Engaging in dishonest practices can damage one’s reputation and have legal consequences.
5. Employee morale and motivation: Intellectual dishonesty can lower employee morale and motivation. When individuals observe dishonest behavior in the workplace, it can create a toxic work environment, leading to demotivation, disengagement, and a decline in productivity. Employees may feel disillusioned and lose their enthusiasm for their work.
6. Organizational reputation: Intellectual dishonesty can have a detrimental impact on the reputation of the organization. If dishonest practices are exposed or known within the industry or among clients, it can damage the organization’s credibility, brand image, and stakeholder relationships. It may also lead to legal and regulatory consequences.
To maintain a healthy work environment, it is essential for individuals and organizations to promote intellectual honesty, transparency, and integrity. By encouraging open communication, fostering a culture of honesty, and implementing policies that discourage dishonest behavior, organizations can mitigate the negative impacts of intellectual dishonesty and promote a positive and ethical workplace.

How to avoid intellectual dishonesty at the personal level?

Avoiding intellectual dishonesty requires self-awareness, personal integrity, and a commitment to ethical behavior. Here are some ways that individuals can avoid intellectual dishonesty:
1. Commit to honesty and integrity: Make a conscious decision to prioritize honesty and integrity in your work and interactions. Understand that intellectual dishonesty not only harms others but also undermines your own credibility and reputation.
2. Be aware of biases and cognitive distortions: Recognize your own biases, prejudices, and cognitive distortions that may cloud your judgment or lead to intellectual dishonesty. Strive to approach situations with an open mind, consider different perspectives, and challenge your own assumptions.
3. Seek and respect diverse viewpoints: Actively seek out diverse viewpoints, opinions, and feedback. Engage in respectful discussions and debates, and be open to changing your opinions or beliefs based on new information or evidence. Avoid dismissing or ignoring perspectives that differ from your own.
4. Verify information and sources: Review the information before accepting it as true or using it in your work. Double-check facts, consult reliable sources, and critically evaluate the information’s credibility and trustworthiness.
5. Give credit and acknowledge sources: When using or referencing the work or ideas of others, give proper credit and acknowledge the original sources. Plagiarism is a form of intellectual dishonesty that should be strictly avoided. Cite references, provide attributions, and follow ethical academic or professional writing guidelines.
6. Be transparent about limitations and uncertainties: Be transparent about your work’s limitations, uncertainties, and assumptions. Clearly communicate any gaps in knowledge, potential biases, or areas where further research or analysis is required. Avoid presenting information as definitive or conclusive when it is not.
7. Admit mistakes and learn from them: If you make an error or realize that you were intellectually dishonest, admit your mistake, apologize if necessary, and take corrective actions. Learn from the experience and use it as an opportunity to grow, improve your integrity, and become more mindful of ethical behavior.
8. Seek feedback and accountability: Encourage others to provide feedback on your work and behavior. Surround yourself with people who hold you accountable for your actions and are willing to challenge you when they perceive intellectual dishonesty. Actively engage in self-reflection and welcome constructive criticism.
By practicing these principles, individuals can cultivate a culture of intellectual honesty and ethical behavior in their personal and professional lives. It promotes trust, fosters healthy relationships, and contributes to a positive and productive work environment.
April 1, 2023
This is how we hit the limit in Amazon EFS

When we architect the application, it is essential to consider the current metrics and monitoring logs to ensure its design is future-proof. But sometimes, we do not have the necessary logs to make the right decisions. In that case, we will let the application run in an architecture that we think seems optimized – using the metrics we had access to – and let it run for a while to capture logs required to apply necessary changes. In our case, the application has grown to the point where we could not expect it to happen!

The COVID-19 has increased the consumption of all online applications and systems in the organization, whether modern or legacy software.

We have an application that is spanned across three availability zones with EFS mount points in each AZ retrieving data from and Amazon Aurora Serverless. In the past two weeks, we realized the application is getting slower and slower. Checking the EC2 and database activity logs did not help, and we learned something could be wrong with the storage. Unexpectedly, the issue was, in fact, caused by the EFS limitation for I/O on general-purpose performance mode.

In General Purpose performance mode, read and write operations consume a different number of file operations. Read data or metadata consumes one file operation. Write data or update metadata consumes five file operations. A file system can support up to 35,000 file operations per second. This might be 35,000 read operations, 7,000 write operations, or a combination of the two.
see Amazon EFS quotas and limits – Quotas for Amazon EFS file systems.

After creating an EFS file system, you cannot change the performance mode, and with having almost 2 TB of data in the file system, we were concerned about the downtime window. AWS suggests using AWS DataSync to migrate the data from either on-premises or any of the AWS storage offerings. Although DataSync could offer help to migrate the data, we already had AWS Backup configured. So, we used AWS Backup to take a complete snapshot of the EFS and restore it as a Max I/O file system.

Note that Max I/O performance mode offers a higher number of file system operations per second but has a slightly higher latency per each file system operation.

Moodle Application Architecture

August 9, 2021
Communication and failure in information flow

Failures of Information Flow

Communication is the activity or process of expressing ideas and feelings or of giving people information; “an apparent answer to the painful divisions between self and other, private and public, and inner thought and outer word.”. According to the Oxford dictionary, communication means “the activity or process of expressing ideas and feelings or giving people information” (Peters, 1999).

However, in reality, communication is not just about the transmission of information amongst people. It starts with the willingness to initiate this transmission of info.

if the transmitter of information does not believe that the information will be actred upon or that it is not wanted, it will not be passed on – motivation to communicate will not exist.
(Knowles, 2011)

In an organization, if all levels of hierarchy believe that the top management must make the decisions due to the existence of power right at the top of the ranking, the communication at lower levels will eventually stop, which results in maladjusted decision making at all levels. The transmission of information shall not be considered the escalation of decision making. But instead, the information must be taken seriously, and superiors must not suggest a decision by receiving the passed-on information.

the organizational structure alone will not ensure a free flow of information – the will to communicate must be there too. This is, therefore, a cultural issue. Everyone in the organization has the responsibility to act on, pass, seek and receive information and there is no possibility to pass the responsibility to anyone else.
(Knowles, 2011)

The organization education concerning a free and speedy course of information transmission is the “heart of empowerment.”

the organization functioning as a holistic process rather than a hierarchy based on functional power bases.
(Knowles, 2011)

The information flow and decision-making process mustn’t follow the chain of command at all times. One way to improve the transmission of the knowledge and flow of information is to avoid 1-on-1 email communications and use tools like organization-wide wikis to share meeting notes, decisions, goals, plans, policies, etc.

References

Peters, J. D. (1999). Speaking into the air: A history of the idea of communication. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Knowles, G. (2011). Quality Management. Graeme Knowles & Ventus Publishing APS, USA.

August 1, 2021
How to use EFS to store cx_Oracle, Pandas, and other python packages?
This post focuses on how to use the EFS storage to store large packages and libraries like cx_Oracle, pandas, and pymssql and import the packages in AWS Lambda. Considering the Lambda package size limitation that is inclusive of layers, larger functions packages and libraries must be stored outside the Lambda package.

There are some steps that you do not need to follow as it has been done, and you can mount the EFS to your lambda and import the package. However, I will be logging the steps to ensure we all can reference the steps in the future – technical debt.

In short:
1. launched an EC2
2. created an EFS Storage
3. SSH to the EC2
4. Mount the EFS to the EC2
5. created a sample python venv project
6. installed all the package requirements I had in the virtual environment
7. moved the site_packages contents to the EFS/packages directory
8. created a directory in EFS and called it sl (shared libraries)
9. moved the libraries including the cx_Oracle the EFS/sl/oracle
10. created a test function in AWS Lambda using the code below
11. added an environment variable entry in the AWS Lambda Configuration
12. and Test
In Long:

I will start the details from step 4 onwards:
```
mkdir efs mount -t nfs4 -o nfsvers=4.1,rsize=1048576,wsize=1048576,hard,timeo=600,retrans=2,noresvport fs-6212b722.efs.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com:/ efs
```
Then I downloaded the latest version of instant client from Oracle website here (Basic Package (ZIP)):
```
wget https://download.oracle.com/otn_software/linux/instantclient/211000/instantclient-basic-linux.x64-21.1.0.0.0.zip
unzip instantclient-basic-linux.x64-21.1.0.0.0.zip
```
Renaming the directory to oracle before copying it to the EFS:mv instantclient_21_1 oracle

creating the necessary directories in EFS
```
mkdir -p efs/sl/
```
Then moving the oracle instant client to the efs
```
mv oracle efs/sl/
```
Now I will be creating a python virtual environment in EC2 to download the necessary packages and copy them to the EFS
```
python3.8 -m venv venv 
source venv/bin/activate 
pip install pandas cx_Oracle pymysql mymssql
```
Let’s check the packages in the venv site packages and then copy them to the EFS
```
ls venv/lib64/python3.8/site-packages/ 
mkdir -p efs/packages 
mv venv/lib64/python3.8/site-packages/* efs/packages/
```
At this point, we have python requirements and shared objects/libraries copied to the EFS. Let’s mount the EFS in Lambda and try using the libraries and objects.

To mount the EFS in AWS Lambda go to Configuration > File systems and click on Add file system.

Once you select the EFS file system and Access point you will need to enter the Local mount path in the AWS Lambda which must be an absolute path under /mnt. Save the file system and go to the next step.

You must add the environment variable before moving to the function test.

To add an environment variable go to Configuration > Environment variables

Click on the Edit and then Add environment variable and enter the key and value as per below:
```
LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/mnt/lib/packages:/mnt/lib/sl/oracle/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
```
^^^^^^^^^^ Pay attention to the path and joins

Sample Python code to test the libraries:
```
import json 
import sys 
import os 

sys.path.append("/mnt/lib/packages") 

import cx_Oracle 


conn = 'username/password@123.123.123.123/ORCL' 
curs = cx_Oracle.Connection(conn) 
```
You must append the system path with the packages directory from the mount point sys.path.append(“/mnt/lib/packages”).

Cheers
May 4, 2021
AWS Education Executive Forum

The AWS Education Executive Forum on 2^nd June, a live session from 9.30-11.30 am, is an intimate session for 10-15 executive customers from the education sector in Malaysia to share and discuss the digital transformation journey and how cloud innovation can help to achieve the journey.

This executive forum is a part of the AWS Initiate ASEAN Online on 10^th June, which is a global marketing event series built for customers newest to the cloud, with the overarching theme – Innovation Everywhere. This online event is designed to connect and raise awareness of the value of cloud adoption and help public sector organizations, government agencies, education institutions, and non-profit organizations to transform and innovate in the new normal.

April 20, 2021
Top reviewer on Gartner Peer Insights!

I received a badge from Gartner Peer Insights on productivity solutions:

I’m gonna send more reviews on security and cloud soon.

April 9, 2021
EDuTECH Asia 2021 – Digital transformation for higher-education
On 25th Feb 2021 I joined the executive panel discussion that was hosted by AWS on the topic Digital Transformation in Education and Adapting to the New Normal.

EduTECH Malaysia 2021 is set to take place on 24-25 February virtually. Over the course of two days, there will be over 60 presentations and live panel debates from leading educators and ed-tech innovators in Malaysia. There will be interaction, Q & A, and live town hall sessions. It will bring together education leaders, policymakers, decision-makers, professionals, technology partners, and stakeholders across the region to inspire, learn, collaborate and innovate.

I shared my digital transformation vision for higher-education institutions in Malaysia and how I have implemented technologies such as LMS and other innovations to adapt to the new normal.

The discussion was focused on four questions:
1. Why do you think digital transformation is important, and how can it impact education institutions?
2. Could you share with us your most significant challenges in supporting teaching and learning, and how you overcome them with technology?
3. If you can turn back time, what would you do to prepare yourself, your institutions, or your students before the pandemic happened?
4. What is your vision for education in 2030?
Education is Transforming Like Never Before
Sources: HollonIQ, Boston University, Global Knowledge 2019, WEF, Lancet, Emsisoft UNICEF, IDC, 451 Research
February 7, 2021
Managing Humans

A while ago, one of my colleagues suggested reading the book with the title “Managing Humans: Biting and Humorous Tales of a Software Engineering Manager” by Michael Lopp. I really enjoyed it, and I had to share it with my network.

I am so glad that I took the advise and read the book (actually listened). Thanks, Ismail Siraj.

https://www.audible.com/pd/Managing-Humans-Audiobook/B08966SX9M

February 5, 2021
3rd Annual Digital Transformation Summit Malaysia

I’ll be presenting Co-botting” with Automation: Raising efficiencies in repetitive tasks with robot-human collaboration
At
3rd Annual Digital Transformation Summit, 18th-19th November 2020

#digitaltransformation

#automation

#innovation

#cloud

#apistrategy

December 6, 2020
Ringelmann Effect

Ringelmann effect. We need to keep the teams small, and that is why the concept of two pizza teams was born.

“We try to create teams that are no larger than can be fed by two pizzas,” said Jeff Bezos. “We call that the two-pizza team rule.”

Image source:
https://lnkd.in/gBVedy6

#leadership

#leadershipdevelopment

#teamsize

#teamwork

#team

#devops

December 5, 2020

Presentation at International e-Conference on New Normal in Education 2020 (IENNE 2020)

The conference was organized by Mindware PLT and Akademi Pengajian Bahasa (APB) UiTM, Shah Alam. IENNE 2020 aims to bring together experts in the field, practitioners, scholars and various stakeholders to share pertinent issues and challenges in emerging ‘new normal’ in COVID-19 environment. It is a great opportunity to discuss new possibilities for sharing insights and to develop sustainable professional networks at an important crossroad towards new normal education.

Session 11 “Business, Marketing, Management and Social Innovations”

11:05-13:00 | November 29, 2020 (Sunday)

Paper ID	Title
IENNE-034	Case Study: Organizational growth, the Case of LEGO Presenter: Reza Ganji.
IENNE-035	External Business Communication Strategies: The Case of an International Malaysian University. Presenter: Reza Ganji.
IENNE-036	Failed Marketing Strategies: The Case of Home Depot in China. Presenter: Reza Ganji.
IENNE-038	International Marketing Communications Strategies in Profit-based vs Non-profit-based Organizations, the Case of Nivea and SWA. Presenter: Reza Ganji.
IENNE-039	Sustainability: The Case of Nissan LEAF. Presenter: Reza Ganji.

Session 11 Presentation 1 IENNE-034

Case Study: Organizational growth, the case of LEGO
Abstract—This study is focused on LEGO and its challenges regarding technology and culture. First, a brief background of the toy-making company is given, followed by an explanation of the numerous instances where LEGO has used technology to its advantage. Then the disadvantages of technology and the measures that LEGO has taken are discussed, plus the business processes, management functions, and global opportunities that have arisen for LEGO in the digital age. The theory applied in this case study is the diffusion of innovations, by Everett Rogers(1982). Extensive research makes it evident that DOI (diffusion of innovations) has never been studied and applied in the case of LEGO before. So based on data gathered from credible and relevant sources, the LEGO case has been studied from a DOI perspective. Moreover, diversity in all its forms and social media usage by LEGO are analyzed. Finally, challenges faced by LEGO are discussed, followed by recommendations for each problem. Being one of the most beloved brands on the planet, LEGO’s ability to remain popular for eighty years is an indicator of its high-quality products and excellent services. In order to maintain this status, LEGO has made tremendous efforts to reach out to its audience globally and still has a long way to go. LEGO continues to foster imagination and creativity in generations to come and to engage with its target groups on a larger scale than ever before, thanks to modern technology. Technology has created a paradigm shift for this traditional, family-owned business and yet it has more potential to be discovered. LEGO has influenced the way of thinking of many people globally and it can do so even more effectively and widely if it utilizes social media platforms and technology more profusely.

Session 11 Presentation 3 IENNE-035

External Business Communication Strategies: The Case of an International Malaysian University
Abstract— The main purpose of this paper is to focus on the external communication strategies of APU (Asia Pacific University), Malaysia. In order to do so, first, the history and background of APU is presented. Then the definition and functions of external communication, in general, and that of APU, in particular, are defined. In the next section, the challenges faced in their external communication policy are looked into and multiple theories are applied to the case, such as Cultivation Theory, Uses and Gratification Theory, and Spiral of Silence Theory. The findings of this research are based on primary data gathered from APU students. A questionnaire was developed with the focus on APU external communication strategies and questions were asked from students in a focus group. In addition to that, the researcher has conducted an interview with the Senior Manager of Marketing and Business Development at APU and used that information for further investigation of the issue. Next, the theories are applied to the findings and lastly, recommendations are offered to improve the shortcomings of APU’s external communication policy. Effective external communication is essential for a business to survive and thrive. In order for a company to flourish, clear and concise communication is of the essence. Cloudy, ambiguous external messages lead to negative impact, backlash, and a decrease in revenue. In the case of APU, clarity about the standards of education and the process of registration should be communicated clearly and honestly with regards to different cultures as it is an international university; messages should be adapted to audiences. Moreover, external communication needs to be bidirectional, interactive, objective, accurate, reliable, clear, and accessible to the target audience to serve its purpose. APU has done a fairly good job regarding its external communication, but there is always room for improvement.

Session 11 Presentation 4 IENNE-036

Failed Marketing Strategies: The Case of Home Depot in China
Abstract— In this study, the researcher has looked into the background and history of Home Depot Inc. The development of HD branches in China is discussed, followed by the analysis of the reasons for its failure in the Chinese market based on the four-dimensional host country culture analysis model for international retailers: Culture-Environment-Lifestyle-Mentality (CELM). Many case studies of Home Depot’s failure in China have already been based on Hofstede’s five cultural dimensions, but few studies have considered a host culture analysis framework, hence the choice of the CELM model. Next, some strategies are suggested for the re-entry of HD into the Chinese market based on CELM. Lastly, online and offline strategies for HD to deal with stakeholders are suggested. The two most important takeaways from this paper are the companies can’t just “parachute” in the new culture, they need to get in tune with cultural cues to stay on the path to success, and that doing well in the company’s home market does not necessarily mean the same will be true in another market. Unlike Argentina and Chile, where the market was not financially viable for HD to revise their strategies, the Chinese market has too much potential to overlook. So HD is determined to make it work in China whether through physical stores or via e-commerce.

Session 11 Presentation 5 IENNE-038

International Marketing Communications Strategies in Profit-based vs Non-profit-based Organizations, the Case of Nivea and SWA
Abstract— In this study, the researcher has chosen two organizations of totally different natures: the first one is a profit-based company and the second is a charitable organization. NIVEA FOR MEN has been chosen as the former and Scottish Women’s Aid as the latter. To begin with, the target audience of NIVEA FOR MEN and SWA have been studied and compared closely. SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) factors in their different market segmentations and the difference between marketing objectives of the two organizations have been thoroughly discussed. The focus of the study, however, is to devise a proper IMC (International Marketing Communications) mix for each organization and discuss how and why their marketing plans are and should be different, and differences between the two proposed IMC mixes have been critically discussed. The concept of IMC tools and their roles and functions, along with the emerging issues and challenges, have been analyzed in the UK market for the purpose of this case study. Challenges and ways to evaluate the success of the developed IMC mixes have been analyzed and solutions have been suggested for potential problems wherever applicable. All organizations need to apply IMC tools to create a competitive advantage, retain customers and boost sales. NGOs, on the other hand, use IMC tools for a totally different purpose: they need to attract volunteers (not customers), raise funds (not sales), and have loyal supporters (not customers). When designing a marketing strategy, the company’s vision, mission, and nature should be considered. This study shows how the IMC mixes suggested for NIVEA FOR MEN -as a profit-based corporate- and SWA- as a charitable organization- differ to suit their unique goals. SWA mostly uses online marketing, because it is low cost and that is very crucial to them. Unlike NIVEA FOR MEN, SWA does not have any giveaways, free samples, promotions, or discounts. They can’t take a long-term perspective on revenue, because they need it on a daily basis; whereas Nivea can afford to sacrifice short-term ROI (return on investment) for long-term profit. Nivea uses above-the-line advertising to promote their products, whereas SWA has to compete with other charitable organizations for free media time or PSA (public service announcements). NIVEA FOR MEN utilizes an experiential appeal to attract customers, but SWA attempts for ethical arousal to achieve its objectives. In addition to that, the target group for these two organizations differs greatly so the IMC tools differ to reach each company’s target audience. SWA mostly addresses less educated people who are more likely to abuse or suffer from abuse, whereas Nivea is targeted at middle and higher social class who have surpassed the first few stages of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and have reached a comparative level of comfort to consider aesthetics.

Session 11 Presentation 6 IENNE-039

Sustainability: The Case of Nissan LEAF
Abstract— In this paper, the researcher has investigated deeply Nissan’s business strategies with a focus on LEAF EV. A thorough SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis has been conducted leading to the diagnosis of micro and macro-level challenges. Then new market opportunities have been analyzed based on PLC (product life cycle) and IPAT (impact = population x affluence x technology). Nissan’s mission, vision, and code of conduct have been looked into in order to better evaluate the corporate’s sustainability objectives and values. Nissan’s marketing strategies have been established on the basis of its market segmentation, targeting, and positioning along with the analysis of 4 C’s. And last, but not least, a sustainability social campaign in Malaysia has been designed for Nissan. Nissan has touched lives and societies with its exclusive sustainable approach to business activities, long-term sustainable profit-making, influential social enhancement programs, and their unique conscientious approach towards usage of natural resources. And their “Last LEAF” (referring to O’Henry’s masterpiece) is their winning card, introducing safe, eco-friendly, and zero-emission mobility for all ages. It strives to improve urban air quality and the environment through green technologies implemented in EVs. Nissan adheres strictly to its detailed and precise code of conduct to build mutual trust with its stakeholders. Like all businesses, Nissan is also faced with challenges, such as a lack of charging units in Malaysia and the charging time, which is relatively long. The company has come a long way and has a long way ahead.

Session 10

“Resources and Quality of Life” 14:55-16:50 | November 28, 2020 (Saturday)

Paper ID	Title
IENNE-037	Intercultural Competence: The Case of Iranian University Students in Malaysia. Presenter: Reza Ganji.

Session 10 Presentation 2 IENNE-037

Intercultural Competence: The Case of Iranian University Students in Malaysia
Abstract—It is impossible to survive in the modern interdependent and highly connected world of today without learning about and being sensitive to different cultures, be it organizational culture, artistic culture, political culture, etc. In the modern world of cross-border and cross-continent mobility, it is crucial to take intercultural competence seriously and consider it an essential life skill. It is almost impossible to avoid intercultural communication of a sort in today’s globalized world. In this paper, the researcher has looked into the cultural similarities and differences between Iran and Malaysia affecting Iranian university students in Malaysia. To achieve this objective, Iranian respondents of different age groups were chosen, given questionnaires, and interviewed. The results show that among the chosen factors, only age and length of stay in Malaysia affect their adaptation level. Older students took longer to adapt and those with a longer duration of stay in Malaysia had adapted more to the local culture. The results of the interviews were then critically analyzed, applying relevant communication theories and models wherever applicable. A set of useful guidelines for achieving intercultural competence was developed based on lengthy research and in the end, the researcher has suggested some communication areas for further research. This research was done with three objectives in mind. First, to explore some of the challenging areas regarding cultural conflict and culture gaps between Iran and Malaysia by conducting a survey among Iranian university students residing in Malaysia. Secondly, to apply Intercultural Adaptation Theory in real life. And thirdly, to develop a set of guidelines for intercultural competence. All of these goals were achieved successfully.

November 29, 2020

Microsoft Teams is NOT your next LMS

In the past eight months, there has been an astonishing number of changes in how learners receive content and learning materials, as well as the communication methods with instructors. During this period, the changes were far more than what we had seen in the past four to five years combined. Considering how fast institutions had to apply the changes to survive the pandemic, the usual change processes were either not considered or partially ignored.

Like any IT organization, my team and I had to ensure our clients could keep up with the changes, including the necessary pieces of training, infrastructure demands, new systems, and application installation and configuration.

In our institution, we have been using Office 365 for many years, and particularly Microsoft Teams was adopted by my team since mid-2018. Initially, it was buggy and limited to a few connectors and APIs, and it grew considerably over time. However, the pandemic made many companies and educators panic and adopted this collaboration tool for many other purposes without many considerations. I had discussions with educators who believed Microsoft Teams can be our institution’s next LMS and started ignoring the policy and were using a collaboration tool for all the learners’ needs.

Some of the educators that I talked to about using a collaboration tool instead of a full-fledged LMS tend to believe that it’s the outcome that matters and not the device used. There are many reasons that Microsoft Teams cannot replace a tool like Moodle as LMS, and I will be pointing out a few:

Standardization

“Standardization is the process of implementing and developing technical standards based on the consensus of different parties that include firms, users, interest groups, standards organizations, and governments. Standardization can help maximize compatibility, interoperability, safety, repeatability, or quality. It can also facilitate commoditization of formerly custom processes” – this is the definition of Standardization from Wikipedia.

A full-fledged LMS like Moodle provides a smooth experience to all user types for different needs. That includes – but is not limited to – course and content management, support of content standards, reporting & analysis, user control, access management, etc.

For higher education institutions with complex business processes standardizing the technology, the eco-system is a must. Usually, it requires a long thought process with all stakeholders’ involvement from different teams to meet the requirements prior to finalizing a process to be implemented in the selected software.

Using a collaboration tool like Microsoft Teams instead of an LMS, the technology stack’s Standardization will get more complicated, although not impossible. A sudden shift from Moodle to Microsoft Teams, without going through impact and risk assessment across the technology stack, can go very wrong in the unseen structures of business application silos used for years.

Comprehension vs. Fragmentary

A comprehensive system is a large scale that can be complicated, while if you fragment it into small chunks, although scalable, it will be unpredictable. When you have access to an LMS that can comprehend many kinds of assessments and processes, management forms, and quizzes, it can be a part of the learning flow with no limitations ahead of the instructor. However, in an environment like Microsoft Teams, an examination/quiz is displayed using a connector, or a Microsoft Form. That’s where the fragmentation comes into the picture; not being able to consolidate all the journey into a single platform that collects, grades, and assesses how to help a student to succeed along the way.

Using an LMS would allow you to embed and blend more than just a form into the learning journey.

Embed more than just forms and quizzes

Decentralized

Reporting and analytics are unavoidable necessities for the learning journey to identify the retention risk. Moodle collects the necessary logs, and after processing the activities, it analyzes and generates reports using a built-in module to identify the students at risk. This analysis is done by an in-depth social breadth / cognitive cross-section matrix analysis.

Intellectual Property and Course Repository

Reusability, Content Packaging, and Interactivity

One of the many and most valuable assets of universities is the content developed by the faculty for instructions. The course materials and contents must be continuously evolved to respond to rapidly changing technology. Instructors who stay away from the LMS tend to share the original content through a third-party collaboration tool like Microsoft Teams. This helps the delivery speed but delays the improvements to be applied across the organization. The content remains in the instructors’ cloud storage, and any change is not reflected in the university content repository in the LMS for reusability. All corrections and improvements will not be shared with learners taking the same course with another instructor.

Another issue that I have found in Microsoft Teams is providing content packaging and delivery. Instructors can share the content in multiple formats, and it will be stored in the Files tab of the chat, but it does not provide a structure and a path to the learner. Moreover, the learning environment’s interactivity and the content supplied to the student are inadequate and limited to image, text, and video. In contrast, the content development tools like H5P can be used anywhere in the learner’s journey. Additionally, the class recordings will not be available in the LMS to be accessed by the user after completing the class. The class/meeting host shall either download/upload the recording file from the team’s session or provide the streaming link to Microsoft Stream. This would eventually discourage users from interacting with the LMS and making it irrelevant. Also, the students will get more confused about which platform to use for what purpose.

Tool expert

Another issue that instructors face during the pandemic is the variety of introduced tools. Educators need to learn how to use a lot of tools that are new in Microsoft 365. For example, using Microsoft Forms for tests and quizzes or using a planner to set deadlines, or even using Microsoft Teams assignment to grade exams and then transferring the results to the campus information system. They have to spend time to learn the tools to be able to teach! But the point here is that the instructor should not be focusing on the tools but instead spending time to provide quality materials and guidance.

Privacy and Security

Microsoft Teams’ built-in features are not sufficient for teaching purposes, and instructors like to use third-party tools and services using connectors. These connectors can be used for polling, marketing tools, chatbots, or event Moodle. When using the connectors in Microsoft Teams, the connectors will pull the necessary data and access the directory, files, etc. based on what a user subscribes to. But how do all these third-party tools and applications maintain your campus users’ personal data?

A few months back, a request was made to connect Microsoft Teams to Moodle and a Microsoft partner that provides the integration through API. I checked the integration instructions and the amount of data passing through the partner to be sent to Microsoft Teams. Shockingly almost every Moodle activity was accessible by the plugin, and the partner was receiving a copy of the action log. How is that data being maintained? Will Microsoft take responsibility for the data breach by the partners? Obviously, No!

It’s rather concerning that users connecting to third-party tools may have their data stolen through the organization with little or no knowledge by the account admin in what could potentially be a massive data breach.

Student Information System Integration

Connecting the institution to Moodle – or any other LMS – and building a synchronization is tedious work. But once you get it done, you can send the data two ways from Moodle to SIS (student information system) and vice versa. Microsoft helps schools with SDS (student data sync) tool to create group chats in Microsoft Teams. Users can also connect their Moodle account to Microsoft Teams by authenticating through AAD (Azure Active Directory).

Any software and web application require the base data to function properly. Still, the mentioned scenario should be considered because there is too much data leaving the information system without any return or contribution back to the system.

Configurability and Customizability

I heard from some educators that they believe Microsoft Teams should be a student hub as it is “comprehensive” and meets classroom needs. Let’s not forget that Microsoft Teams is a closed-source as-is solution, and there is no customization available. Any customization can only be delivered to users through connectors, third-party apps, and API integrations. The universities and colleges have complex processes and requirements that software like Moodle can meet by allowing users to customize the platform. The limitations are Microsoft Teams forces the institutions to abandon some of the business processes that were in-place with many years of analyzing what’s best for students. The university shouldn’t change strategies to meet the software limitations, but it should be customized to meet the business requirements.

Conclusion

Microsoft Teams is a proper and suitable collaboration tool not just for education but other industries too. But it is important to remember that the nature of the software is not learning management. The educators and institutions can use Microsoft Teams for the delivery of online classrooms using their online conferencing features without the expectations of anything more than streaming of video content.

No matter which delivery platform is in use, the content’s quality is primary to the learner. Imposing a new system for purposes outside of a chatting and conferencing tool will waste time and energy that could have been spent on content quality improvement. Institutions can inspire students by focusing on the content instead of the tool. Moodle is a simple integrated platform to use for both learner and trainer.

Microsoft Teams should be used as a gateway for communication and manage the learning through a full-fledged LMS.

My opinions are mine and do not reflect my employer’s.

November 9, 2020
Bureaucracy

It’s usual to assume bureaucracy is a terrible thing. But interestingly it has its own advantages.
I was reading about Bureaucracy Theory and came across the advantages of bureaucracy.
It increases creativity, predictability, scalability, and discourages favoritism.

Interesting read:
https://lnkd.in/gWjKErk

#management

#creativity

#leadership

#bureaucracy

November 5, 2020
Malaysian Health Data Warehouse at the Minister’s Fingertips!

Minister of Health accessing Malaysian health data warehouse using Amazon Alexa to query KPI of hospitals at SNOMED International Kuala Lumpur.

This was a PoC Project done in collaboration between APU and MoH to bring the health warehouse to the Alexa assistant. The Alexa back-end was done by my good friend and colleague Mustafa (Bofa).

#awsps

#awspublicsector

#apu

#awscloud

#malaysia

#medical

#healthcare

#research

#digitalhealth

Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Amazon Alexa Developers
Asia Pacific University of Technology and Innovation (APU / APIIT)APIIT

October 31, 2019
My Talk at AWS Public Sector Summit 2019 on Cloud Strategy

Cloud Strategy Part 1

Cloud Strategy Part 2

September 27, 2019
Interview with Disruptive Tech ASEAN

Sep 30 2019, I was interviewed in AWS Public Sector Summit to elaborate our digital transformation journey to the cloud.

Higher learning institutes, be it colleges or universities, want to ensure they have the right infrastructure for their students. Having the right infrastructure means students will have a more studious environment.

But apart from good physical infrastructures like state-of-the-art laboratories, libraries, and classrooms, the digital infrastructure needs to be looked into as well. With the current generation of students highly depending on technology, higher learning institutes have also notched up their digital infrastructure.

Over a decade ago, universities that offered free pubic WIFI, have an online database of e-journals and modern IT laboratories were considered top-notch. Today the demand for technology has gone beyond that. Students today want the information made available to them all the time. Most prefer working on their mobile devices and find researching for articles online within the campus a drag.

Realizing this, Asia Pacific University decided to embark on its digital transformation journey. Being a university that focuses on technology and design courses, their aim was simple; to ensure software and application are delivered to meet the highest quality.

According to Reza M. Ganji, Digital Transformation Lead, Asia Pacific University, the university initiated a small move and decided to migrate their applications to AWS. Prior to this, the university had a lot of legacy operations. They planned to modernize with the same provider, but the cost was high.

But when they approached AWS, the costs were bearable, which made them present to their board and received the green light to migrate to AWS infrastructure. Having started their DevOps transformation in 2017, the entire restructuring of the infrastructure and migration was completed in early 2019.

“Migrating our services to AWS has increased our efficiency by 116 times. We have 103 AWS Lambda services running. 100% of our infrastructure runs on AWS, from the backend and frontend. Everything is faster, cheaper, and more scalable on AWS.”

Today, the university uses technology in every aspect possible. From attendance reports to library services to taking exams, Reza pointed out that the drive behind this successful transformation was also the change of mindset among their staff.

Getting lecturers to use technology in teaching is no easy feat, but Reza said they were able to reduce negative responses by 75% since implementing various applications and services. The lecturers realized the amount of time they are able to save when most of their routine work like attendance taking is now able to be automated.

For the students, the response has also been the same. Judging by the positive comments they’ve received on the various platform, the changes made do have a direct impact on how students are doing their studies.

With AI being a trendy topic, APU is working with AWS AI specialists to embed AI into its learning environment. Using the example of e-journals, Reza said the university plans to use AWS to pull results of searches and compare with what students want and recommend a journal. For example, a student fails C-programming, the system will recommend to the student what to study to retake the exam in a month.

For examinations in the future, the university is inspired by Amazon Go, whereby they plan to use the same system for students when it comes to their exams. This includes using facial recognition and biometrics to identify the students, the course as well as checks their eligibility to take the exam.

When it comes to innovation, Reza commented that 60% of the students and employees are working on research development programs with AWS. For the students, the courses are 100% free at the AWS training center.

Since working with AWS, Reza added the university has joined the Amazon Partner Network in 2018 and now is an AWS Public Transformation Partner as well. Through this, the university helps governments, education, and non-profit organizations in their transformation journey. At the same time, he added that other universities and industries have also come to APU and look at how they managed to do it.

As Reza puts it, “Speed and agility are key to run this program. AWS has a wide selection of services. We didn’t face any problems and used all the services available. AWS is way ahead of the pace in innovation, ensuring our journey was smooth from start to finish.”

Source: https://disruptivetechasean.com/big_news/asia-pacific-university-completes-digital-transformation-in-18-months-with-aws/

September 7, 2019
Amanz Malaysia interview on How AWS Helps Organizations In Malaysia

Interview with Malaysian tech press “Amanz” on September 2019 on How AWS supports Malaysian institutions to transform a and innovate:

Pada acara AWS Public Sector Summit 2019 yang lalu, pihak AWS telah berkongsi tentang bagaimana perkhidmatan mereka membantu sektor-sektor awam di rantau Asia. Antara organisasi Malaysia yang turut terlibat dalam acara ini adalah Asia Pacific University dan juga aplikasi Citizen E-Payment Platform (CEPat).

Asia Pacific University of Technology & Innovation (APU)

Reza M. Ganji, selaku Ketua Transformasi Digital, Asia Pacific University telah berkongsi tentang bagaimana perjalanan mereka dalam sektor pendidikan di Malaysia, yang beralih daripada sistem pendidikan yang tradisional kepada sistem pendidikan digital, termasuklah dari segi pengurusan universiti.

Menurut Reza, hasrat untuk beralih kepada sistem yang lebih moden sudah lama, namun pihak mereka merasakan bahawa kos yang perlu ditanggung adalah tinggi. Namun, pihak APU tetap membuat peralihan kepada sistem digital ini sedikit demi sedikit bermula pada tahun 2017 sebelum memindahkannya ke perkhidmatan AWS sepenuhnya pada tahun ini, 2019.

Selepas peralihan telah dibuat, pihak APU melihat banyak produktiviti telah dilaksanakan, dan ia meningkat sehingga 116 kali lebih baik. Reza turut menyatakan bahawa selepas pelaksanaan sistem pengurusan AWS sepenuhnya, segalanya menjadi lebih pantas, teratur dan kos yang perlu ditanggung untuk peralihan ini adalah cukup mampu milik.

Pada mulanya, ia menjadi cabaran kepada mereka untuk mengubah persepsi dan mentaliti para pekerja di sana. Bahkan beliau juga turut menyatakan bahawa usaha mereka untuk mengubah cara bekerja dan mengajar para pensyarah juga bukanlah tugas yang mudah. Namun, selepas pelaksanaan inisiatif ini, APU berjaya untuk mengurangkan respon negatif sebanyak 75%. Kini, para pengajar lebih cenderung untuk menggunakan teknologi daripada AWS ini dalam tugasan harian mereka kerana ia sangat memudahkan cara mereka bekerja dan prosesnya adalah lebih cepat berbanding cara biasa.

Citizen E-Payment Platform (CEPat)

Citizen E-Payment Platform (CEPat) merupakan sebuah aplikasi yang telah dibangunkan oleh kerajaan negeri Selangor menerusi Smart Selangor Delivery Unit (SSDU). Melalui aplikasi ini, pelbagai transaksi untuk beberapa perkhidmatan kerajaan boleh dilakukan secara nirtunai. Antara transaksi yang disokong oleh CEPat ini adalah Cukai Taksiran, Kompaun, Lesen, Parkir dan banyak lagi.

Menurut Dr. Fahmi Ngah, Pengarah Urusan MBI Selangor, dengan menggunakan perkhidmatan yang ditawarkan oleh AWS, ia sangat membantu organisasi mereka untuk menjadi lebih efisyen dalam menguruskan dan menyimpan data. Dengan pengumpulan data yang efisyen ini juga, ia sekaligus dapat membantu Selangor untuk menghasilkan informasi yang berguna untuk inisiatif inisiatif yang lain pada masa akan datang.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=Vb0MRBbkVcs

Aplikasi ini boleh mula dimuat turun oleh kesemua jenis peranti, iaitu untuk Android dan juga iOS bermula bulan ini. Perkhidmatan ini juga bukan sahaja ditawarkan melalui aplikasi, malah ia juga ditawarkan melalui mesin kiosk dan juga laman rasmi mereka. Beliau juga turut menyatakan bahawa aplikasi ini disasarkan untuk menjadi pusat sehenti untuk rakyat Selangor yang mana ia bakal menyokong untuk membuat pelbagai transaksi yang lain termasuklah bil-bil utiliti.

Dalam usaha untuk mengumpul data, beliau juga turut menegaskan untuk tidak risau akan kecerobohan data kerana pihak mereka sentiasa mengutamakan keselamatan siber untuk data-data yang dikumpul. Di akhir temubual tersebut, Dr. Fahmi juga turut menyatakan bahawa beliau sebagai Pengarah Urusan MBI Selangor menyasarkan untuk menjadikan Selangor sebagai negeri pintar pada tahun 2020. Jadi, dengan pelaksanaan transaksi secara nirtunai antara dompet-dompet digital di Selangor pada masa akan datang, saya menjangkakan bahawa kita mungkin dapat melihat Selangor untuk menjadi negeri pintar yang pertama di Malaysia.

Source: https://amanz.my/2019219045/

September 7, 2019