Interview Report Final
Meta-Commentary
I honestly feel that I had a more difficult time finding my major when compared to others. Everyone in class seemed like they had an idea in mind, yet I had no idea what I wanted to major in. I ended up researching a lot about the majors I’m interested in, which are Management Information Systems, Information and Computer Sciences, Information Communication Technology, Academy of Creative Media, and Journalism. I chose to research Management Information Systems because it related to my job right now which is being a Web Specialist for the school publication, Ka Leo. Basically my job is to take data and see how we can further improve our content, which is what MIS is. As I was compiling my questions I mainly tried to focus on learning more about the major. Being experienced in Journalism I found the interview process simple. I audio recorded the whole interview and took notes afterwards. My biggest weakness during the interview were my follow up questions. After the interview was finished, I regretted not asking more questions. I feel like I could’ve gotten more insight into this major if I just kept asking questions. The interview felt short, but I got what I needed which was good.
From: Algeo Rosario
To: English 100 Participants
Date: 19 October 2015
Subject: Interview with Randall Minas, Faculty Advisor of Information Technology Management Department
Introduction
As an undecided major it’s difficult to pick one focus of study that I will continue to use for the rest of my life. It’s not that I don’t know what to do, rather I don’t know what to pick. I’ve always been interested in technology and journalism, so I thought how I could combine the two. I thought about majoring in Computer Science but my peers say it’s difficult. I’m experienced in Journalism, but never thought about majoring in it because at times it can be very stressful. Looking up University of Hawaii at Manoa’s majors they offer Management Information Systems (MIS). MIS is a business degree that combines aspects of technology as well as business, and is also referred to as Information Technology Management (ITM). This project gave me the opportunity to talk to the Faculty Advisor of the Information Technology Management, Randall K. Minas. Minas graduated from Vanderbilt University majoring in Psychology with a concentration in Neuroscience. He got his Masters of Business Administration at Indiana State University, and his PhD in Information Systems at Indiana University. He came to the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 2014 to teach Information Systems.
Noteworthy Findings
Information Systems is the study of how nations employ technology to meet business requirements. People use technology to make a business more productive and employers more happy. Minas research interests were based on Neuroscience and IT. He studied how technology can affect cognition and emotion and how it can relate to organizational processes such as teamwork and and team success. “Information Systems has become a key aspect to our lives…what we study is how to improve technology for a business,” Minas said. Information Systems combines technology and business, however the business aspect seemed intimidating for me. Minas reassured me that the business aspect of MIS is something to not be intimidated about. A goal of a business is to see how things run more efficiently for a company. Business not only helps a company but there are also ethical obligations to society that businesses contribute to.
Recommendations
To become a MIS major, Minas recommended me to take care of all my General Education requirements before applying to the Shidler College of Business. From then on, I need to fulfill all the major requirements to become an MIS major. There are many benefits that add to being an MIS major. Entry-level careers make around $80,000 a year. With experience you can get your foot in the door in any job. “The Shidler College of Business has a great faculty and a good program…our graduates have a well connection in the community and are making headways into the IT workforce,” Minas said. Unfortunately, being an MIS major has it’s drawbacks. The job outlook in the mainland is more greater than it is in Hawaiʻi. Some classes working up towards an MIS major may be a bit boring, but it’s worth taking in the long run. However, ITM courses are generally well-liked by students. All in all, if you like technology and are willing to work for a business then you should consider it.
Effort Chart