Responce
Discussion 1
1. One of the largest benefits to SaaS to support the hiring process is the lower barrier to entry. Software as a service is intentionally designed to be more user friendly than traditional software solutions. With most SaaS, a typical end-user will be able to manage the service with minor assistance from the vendor, but most importantly most management can be accomplished by the typical user. The next benefit would be the flexibility on cost. With SaaS, the payment methods are most likely flexible, with the options to pay as you go, pay per user, or a recurring cost of per month. With more traditional services or solutions, the costs are most likely very large and up front.
2. The first and most important thing to consider when looking for SaaS is the security. The security of any service must be placed as a priority, because if there a security flaw not only is the vulnerability now a loss, but the loss of potential revenue and customer confidence will forever impact future business. The second thing to consider would be the infrastructure of where this SaaS is hosted. The credentials of that data center must be considered, the location of the data center, and the overall server configuration. The final consideration should be the password and permission system in place. This is similar to security, because a SaaS could be handled by multiple different parties, and the credentials of who will be handling what aspects of that software should be considered.
3. The greatest risk of outsourcing to a SaaS is the security risk. With the security of the software inevitably being in the hands of who is hosting that SaaS, the users of the service must interact with and hold that host responsible for the security of that service. The people who would be affected by a security vulnerability would not take "it was the host's fault" as a legitimate reason for them being affected. The company will be held responsible for anything that happens, so that company must remain in constant communication with that host to ensure the security of their service.
Discussion 2
1. There are multiple benefits of adopting the IT Strategy to use a SaaS solution to support the hiring process. The first I noticed was the option to "rent" a software solution as to eliminate the high cost of purchasing the program in full. The system is updated and maintained by the vendor because the solution is rented instead of being owned by the company. Many small business's are turned away by the initial price of the SaaS solution which leads to members using old systems that are not as efficient. Another huge benefit is the option to access the solution on a mobile device. Most systems are used in-house only and do not give the option to enter the solution while away from the workplace.
2. The CIO, Fadil Abadi, should consider looking into companies that have offer a SaaS solution with a very high security protocol in place. Because the solution will be accessible by a mobile device the system needs to have certain precautions in place that secure profile information. The article listed above, suggested that you look into a solution that has a free-trial. I agree that when choosing a system one that is offering a free-trial is confident with the service you will receive. The third thing Fadil should look for when choosing a SaaS solution is the integration system. How the system will pair with all of the other systems in and outside of the office will make a big difference on how successful it will be.
3. I think CIC's biggest risk is the fact that they will have other peoples personal information inside of this system and floating around the internet. Clients as well as employees need to feel that their information is secure and private. The IT department should be focused on making sure all information is password protected, free of any hacking, and securely stored in the system.