Responds Paper that was sent 5 times to Instructor...this way it would not get lost

Reponds Paper
by
Jeff Ward
ED 3862 (Information and Communications Technology I) February 15th 2008
Instructor Jeff Whipple


The challenges faced by First Nation Organizations in the 21 st Century are vast compared to the global scale. One must relize that is wasn't until the last 35 years that First Nation Governments were able to control their own Band funds. Therefore, the last 30 years, First Nation Governments have been on a fast track trying to catch up with other government agencies and businesses. It wasn't until the last 10 years that First Nation governments were able to afford and and feel more privileged in using technology in the work place.
Like the Farmers in the world that relied on traditional methods, we as First Nation Goverments, by that I mean Band Offices, had to rely on the old methods of paper reports and actually book keeping in real books. I myself can remember the old fashion manual cheque presses. However, that this is not the case now, for my First Nation as well as the majority of First Nation's out there. This transition was fast for our people. This is same for the farmers of the world today. “Computer-savvy cattlemen and crop farmers are lining up to try out the latest gadgets, from tractor-mounted mapping systems to market reports delivered as podcasts.” First Nation Governments are now on high speed internet with computers in the majority of offices and are now contacting with other goverment agencies via e mail. Reports are now all created by computers. Cheques are now being printed by the computer. Just as the farmers now have evolved with the use of “Topics ranged from basic spreadsheet use for managing finances to implementing "precision agriculture" techniques to maximize crop yields through computer-driven soil testing and fertilizer applications.” We as First Nation Governments are now able to keep in touch with the rest of the world.

It may seem that Farmers are more advanced then many First Nation Governments, for example “ Lifelong farmer Norman Brown of Aledo, Ill., started a company that specializes in farm-friendly software to compile crop summaries, cost analyses, livestock feeding schedules and other specialized applications.” And, although First Nation Governments are able to use programs that are readily available on the market, they are more in need of specialized applications that would be more relavant to First Nation Goverments. However, because they only make up a small market for the industry one can see why these programs are not available. It has improved in the last few years, as the Federal Goverment has started to implement specialized programs that allow First Nation Goverments to become partners and more actively share programs. The Goverments are starting to see the need for First Nation Goverments to be online with agencies such at Health Canada and Indian and Northern Affairs.

As far as businesses in my community as well as other First Nation communities, it has been a hit and miss. It is promising that for the first time in history, businesses out there are looking to create partnerships with First Nation Communities and First Nation Goverments. However many of the companies are looking to do business on a Nation to Nation basis. As for example, “A Virginia-based company that specializes in "virtual call centres" in the United States it plans to hire as many as 500 home-based employees or contractors in the Ottawa area to work for this year. This company is doing what many other call centres do. It is capitalizing on that part of the workforce that finds not driving into a building every day very attractive,".

There are examples in some First Nations that are extending out into the business world. This is great for First Nation Governments and communities. However, many of the times these business agreements basically consists of land usage or leases of building on First Nation lands. For the First Nation this is only a baby step compared to the National scale.

As for the National scale, First Nation Governments and communities are at the bottom of the totem pole. In the Video speach by Daniel Pink titled “Abundance, Asia and Automation”, he brings up 3 very important points of consideration. As he puts it we must ask ourselves “Is somone over seas doing it cheaper, does a computer do it faster or does what you plan on doing meet the needs or wants of the population”? A fine example on how true that statement is and how First Nation Buisnesses are being under sold would be the selling of dream catchers and other Native arts and crafts. Now this is truely a First Nation products. But now you can go to almost any dollar store and buy a dream catcher for not only next to nothing because it is mass produced and made in China.

Why are we behind? There are many reasons as mentioned above. However there are many other issues that we face as First Nation People. Goverment Policies tended to surpress the First Nation Goverments. Big Industries tend to over flood the market, pressure Goverments to look at them rather then First Nation Goverments. Resourses are not shared. Call centers are pressured to move to bigger cities rather then smaller First Nation Communities.

One can see the challenges on the 21st Century that First Nation Governments, communities and People deal with on a global business environment. The challenges and opportunities may seem endless however it is up to our current leaders and future leaders to learn and capture the spirit of technology and bring it to our people.

References :


Articles:Farmer's Riding the Technology Wave, Associated Press, January 10, 2008Virtual call center to Hire 500, Ottawa Citizen, January 9, 2007Video:Daniel Pink: Abundance, Asia and Automation