Blockchain Workshop 101

IA Organizes the First Blockchain Workshop in Partnership with NEM Blockchain Innovation Centre KL

The workshop: Blockchain Workshop 101, dated 16-Apr-2018 3pm to 5pm was organized by Internet Alliance (IA), is the first workshop in the blockchain series. It was jointly organized by the NEM foundation, whom also an active member of Internet Alliance.

The workshop aims to educate members and ICT professionals on blockchain technology, particularly, its history, features, use cases and going forward visions.

Blockchain is a method of storing data where each record is stored in a unit known as block and chained up together in sequence hosted by a node (computer).

The blockchain is a new method of storing data compare to the conventional relational database which stores data in tables of rows and columns.

In retrospect, all blockchain protocols inherit common core attributes which enforce the ‘database’ to be decentralized, trustless, encrypted and non-tampered data.

Currently, the finance industry offers the strongest use cases for the technology. However, there are more use cases of blockchain technology in business & social events.

NEM set up in Malaysia has missions to foster mainstream innovation and adoption internationally – to create use cases in using the NEM platform within their IT infrastructures.

For the full article about “Blockchain Workshop 101”, click here to visit IT-Sideways.com.

IA Roundtable Discussion (March)

Internet Alliance Roundtable is a monthly event host by IA Corporate Member to showcase its company profile, business philosophy and speciality in the tech industry.  A topic that highlights on a specific concern of the industry will bring up for discussion, such as the current issues – challenges & opportunities, of the industry.

IA March Roundtable was hosted by Crayon Software Experts Malaysia Sdn Bhd at their new office in Mid Valley. The discussion topic of the session was “Digital Transformation among Corporates/SMEs  on Business Operation”

Below is the brief summary of the discussion :

• Microsoft license reporting process is tedious and may cause miss compliance, especially to a software/cloud solutions providers. Although Microsoft reporting requirement is stringent and challenging, however, the industry is still moving well. Solution providers just need to give extra care to the reporting.
• Traditionally to adopt digital in business, the company need to invest in hardware and software which was very costly and hence digital adoption is slow.
• In the modern days, cloud solutions are more affordable. However, this causes the cloud solutions market competitive and shrinking down the price.
• Solutions provider may white label its product to avoid in the price comparison.
• Some digital transformation reference cases were shared during the Roundtable:
  •  KFC and some fast food store established new outlets for digitalize experience (for order and payment) and as their test base before roll out in the market.
  • Some shopping malls implement ticketless parking system.
  • Property developer adopts IoT for showroom display and allows buyers to customize the layout of their unit.
• Local corporate are usually hesitate in continuous investment in a tech startup/eCommerce business (eg. GemFive). However, foreign funding makes the company sustain in a disrupting digital transformation business (eg. Grab).
• The Malaysia Digital Transformation agenda seems to rely on foreign forces too, such as the Ali Group.

The Roundtable discussion was wrapped up with below suggestion and comment by the attendees:

1. Internet Alliance should take up the role to promote or advocate initiative from the government to promote the local company, local product (solutions) in the Digital Transformation mission.
2. For instance, the Singapore government encourage businesses to use local technology solutions by doubling the incentive for users.
3. In fundamental, before making a successful digital transformation in business, the business leader must have “mentally transform” by agreeing and accepting a new way of operating business.
4. Mentally Transformation – Innovative, Creative & Tech Savvy,  should start from the young generation.