Y2K and the American Dream: A Practical Guide for Millennium Readiness - Softcover

Gaffney, Michael

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1583482865 ISBN 13: 9781583482865

Publisher: iUniverse, 1999

Synopsis

We have all heard the stories. There are likely going to be some changes and effects of the Y2K that strike randomly in the communities around us in the coming months. The Y2K is not a singular day event, it is a series of events and risks that coincide during a six-month period with interrelated consequences dispersed across an 18-month period. The government, business, and banking communities seem to be going through the paces of readiness and testing, but what about the rest of us? What can we do to prepare and avert the certain inconveniences and randomly dispersed more serious impacts that are likely to come? Y2K and the American Dream focuses on the preparedness of the individual and their families. Its purpose is not to advocate reactionary panic, but to induce sound, financial, and practical readiness in a timely fashion to assure minimal impact by the fallout of the event itself. The Millennium is methodically divided into four Millennium Periods and six specific Millennium Impact Categories. The chapters detail those periods and categories and leads to a preparation checklist that assesses specific risks that must be addressed in each category and in each period in order to minimize overall Y2K impact.

About this title

From the Author

Updates on Y2K Personal Readiness since publishing
Since the release of this book, I have spent many hours speaking to public groups and forums and working for a major corporation in developing and delivering a Y2K Employee Preparation Program.

As I travel, I hear all kinds of questions and concerns that people have about Y2K and its effects on our personal lives.

Despite the summer lull in Y2K awareness and apparent concern, I remain convinced of some basic facts about Y2K and how it will affect the average citizen.

First, the main consequences of Y2K on the average individual will be along the lines of indirect interruptions in their supply chain. Providers of services, financial services, utilities and other services that we depend upon will be taxed to their limits during the HMP and CTMP Millennium periods by fluctuations in supply and demand that will eventually work their way to the end consumer. These will result not from computer failures per se but rather will be caused by market and pricing irregularities fueled by shortages or overstocks as panicking corporations and people react to a looming Y2K threat. My prediction is that nearly 80% of effects that will be attributed to Y2K will have nothing to do with computer failures themselves but will have everything to do with how people and corporations react and overreact to what they perceive as the Y2K threat. People who begin to do irrational things in the final weeks of 1999 driven by media hype and misdirected media attention and focus will most likely result in erratic fluctuations in stock markets, bank reserves, and the stability of ours and the economy of the global partners we inter-operate with.

The premise and purpose of this book is to help people prepare for the coming millennium by spreading the word of preparation and practical readiness. Y2K should not be viewed as a insurmountable threat to the world as we know it but should be viewed as an opportunity for growth, renewal, and the emergence of new businesses that will seize the opportunity to use the event to introduce new and exciting products and services. Y2K CAN be viewed as a possible threat to the unprepared and the organizations not properly positioned for the future.

"Y2K and the American Dream" is a very organized and practical view on how to prepare for and emerge from this event intact and positioned for the future.

About the Author

Michael Gaffney has been consulting, authoring, teaching, and presenting to business and high technology audiences for 15 years. Using a dynamic and spirited presentation and narrative style, his practical approach to this important topic provides insightful and timely information about the topic of Y2K readiness, both from personal and professional fronts. Mr. Gaffney, an MBA whose specialty has been finance and macroeconomics, is currently the Manager of Application Solutions for Compuware Corporation, a company known for its leadership in software technology including Year 2000 readiness. He guides a team of "Enterprise Solution" consultants who implement integrated client server and web-based computer systems to solve critical business challenges using Compuware's UNIFACE software development language and related integration products. In the 1970's, he was licensed as a commercial pilot, FAA Certified Flight and Ground Instructor, and FAA Certified Aircraft Mechanic. In the 1980's, he was an MBA and a pioneer in the use of Artificial Intelligence and Expert Systems to aid corporations in leveraging the knowledge of their business experts to help business run more efficiently. During the 1990's, he has been an outspoken advocate for "Open" multi-tiered computer systems and Object-based technology to promote widespread software reuse as a driver for competitive advantage in business. He has presented to countless clients, technical and business oriented conferences, meetings, and organizations throughout the last fifteen years. He has taught classes and seminars in Aviation Meteorology, Instrument Pilot Ground School, System's Analysis, Design, Programming, Object Oriented Programming, and Technology Utilization for Managers. His "ROI Expert" software program was featured in PC Week magazine in 1987 and has been sold in 12 countries since. He is highly acclaimed by those who have benefited from his speeches, classes, presentations, articles, and white papers.

Edition details

• Publisher: iUniverse
• Publication date: 1999
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1583482865
• ISBN 13: 9781583482865
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 132