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System Performance Engineering ∞
Motivations ∞ The Why The study of System Performance Engineering begins, at first,
with the fundamental economic reasoning behind why Systems exist, indeed, why
Computer Technology exists. Computer
Technology is a capital good, from an economic perspective, the application
of which is meant to increase human productivity. Just as the steam engine of
the 18th century served as a means to increase human productivity in the
Industrial Age, Computer Technology serves to provide gains in the economic
world of the Information or Knowledge Age.
Thus, in the shift from the production of hard goods in
the Industrial Age to the production of services in the
Information & Knowledge Age relies on a shift of human productivity to
collect, process, organize, act on and review information by which to make
efficient and effective decisions in the thinking surrounding the production
of services. We have then, shifted
from the use of physical capital goods increase wealth, to that of
intellectual, or "thinking" capital. Where we used "brawn" in the
Industrial Age as factors of production, we use "brains" in the
Information Age. Finally, the translation of Information into useful
Knowledge serves as a fundamental need of the economic business entity in
streamlining and executing business process to produce these services. Ultimately, the application of computer
technology is meant to increase the productivity of our collective ability to
think and make decisions. Indeed,
the general study of Engineering provides for an economic basis at its
fundamental aims. Strictly defined,
Engineering is: "a.
The application
of scientific and mathematical principles to practical ends such as the
design, manufacture, and operation of efficient and economical structures,
machines, processes, and systems. b. The profession of or the work
performed by an engineer. 2. Skillful maneuvering or direction:
geopolitical engineering; social engineering. [http://www.thefreedictionary.com/engineering]" From Merriam Webster, we have Engineering defined as: "1 : the activities or
function of an engineer [www.m-w.com:
keyword = engineering] So then, System Performance Engineering, by definition,
must concern itself, at the base, with the understanding of what productivity
gains, or "efficient and economical structures" are to be created by the application of
computer technology systems and how to implement them into the organization
to achieve the realization of the economic benefits inherent in the capital
good - this, applied toward processes - business processes. The organization, upon anticipating
converting money capital to computer technology must have sound economic reasoning,
or a business case, to decide that the benefits or Return on
Investment, is adequate enough to balance the risk inherent in the "design
& manufacture of complex….products {and services}, i.e. the design and
implementation of Computer Technology Systems (hereinafter referred to as "Systems"). It has been said that "Technology Facilitates
Business and Business Drives Technology"[ref]. So then, this circular and interdependent
relationship bounds the study of System Performance Engineering and it's inherent aims to supplying the needs of the business,
ultimately in terms of profitability.
With the profits that a business generates - it will invest more in
Computer Technology, thus driving Technology to higher evolution in its
ability to facilitate the needs of a business. This leads us to the conclusion that a prime motivation behind Performance Engineering is rooted in what is hereafter termed as Performance Economics. |