Organizations in today’s competitive world must understand and utilize the value of knowledge management. Knowledge management, the set of business processes developed in an organization to create, store, transfer, and apply knowledge, is a great way to leverage a business because it involves capitalizing on assets already within the company. By using the systems of knowledge management, companies are able to be more effective and efficient while also gaining a strategic advantage over the competition.
Knowledge management involves the compiling of different types of knowledge found within an organization and managing it in such a way that the organization maximizes its potential. The three different types of knowledge generally existing in businesses are structured, semi-structured, and tacit. Structured knowledge includes the explicit knowledge found in formal documents, and usually only comprises about 20% of the company’s knowledge. Semi-structured knowledge consists of the more informal things like e-mail, voice mail, memos, bulletin board postings, and electronic presentations. The last category is tacit knowledge, which refers to the knowledge inside the brains of employees and is rarely recorded on paper or documents.
When a company has a system for compiling the information from the three different types of knowledge found within the entire company that is used for decision-making, it adds value to the company in a very strategically advantageous way. These systems are called enterprise-wide knowledge management systems. The strategic advantage that comes from using these systems is because the source of the knowledge is one that cannot be used by any other competitor. These systems are also very profitable since the knowledge comes from resources already being used within the company and requires no outsourcing or new costs.
To help manage the structured and semi-structured knowledge, business should utilize enterprise content management systems. These systems work with huge amounts of data, documents, communications and decisions and attempt to classify the different pieces of knowledge accordingly so that later it can be recalled and used in decision-making. Some businesses that deal with larger amounts of digital data may choose to use a digital asset management system instead since these specialize in working with digital objects.
The tacit knowledge is where the systems get tricky, and these are called knowledge network systems. A great example of a knowledge network system is a company’s internal help desk. This help desk may appear to be one telephone number that everyone calls when they have a question, but by pressing a certain number sequence, you are routed to a specialist that deals with the certain area of knowledge you are lacking and need help with. Another great example is the FAQ (frequently asked questions) database that can be found with almost anything these days to help you better understand something you don’t but another person is an expert at.
In today’s world, there are many innovative technologies out there that allow companies to internally promote the sharing of knowledge across great distances. For example, a company can use its intranet to host a wiki that is available to every employee for posting of best-practices when dealing with different situations or tasks so that everyone has access to the skills and techniques for working more efficiently and effectively.
Another system example is knowledge work system (KWS). This system is used primarily by engineers, scientists, and others who fit into technical mindset. As the book points out examples include CAD, virtual reality software, virtual reality modeling language, and investment workstations. For engineers it is very important to have access to systems like CAD because it allows for the engineer to use the software and develop 3-dimensional renderings of their product or bridge design. It also allows for showing what parts are going to be used to make the product.
For virtual reality software people can see things and in a “computer setting” and it may seem like another life. Doctors use this type of technology to look at tiny blood vessels. Another example is gamers who use virtual reality to simulate games with others also playing on virtual reality.
Investment workstations are very important to brokers who handle and control money because it allows for all the information to be centralized and easily accessed. These workstations combine information from a variety of external sources with in-house information. This helps to save time and money of everyone involved.
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Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
Offshore Call Centers
During the past decade, outsourcing a call center to an overseas destination has become an increasingly attractive option. This is a big change from the previous decade when companies typically had call centers in-house. This change has been brought on through a combination of lower labor costs, state-of-the-art telecommunications infrastructures, and a multilingual and educated workforce overseas, which has assisted struggling U.S. companies reduce costs in a challenging economy. Some of the major countries or districts that provide call center services are: India- Programming, Customer Support; China- Programming; Russia- Programming and R&D; Pakistan- Programming, Customer Support; Bangladesh- Programming and IT; Bulgaria- Programming and R&D; Ukraine- Programming and R&D; Belarus- Programming, R&D; Romania- Programming and IT; Philippines- Data Entry and Customer Support; Egypt- Customer Support and Programming; Malaysia- Customer Support and R&D.
After squeezing out all the potential productivity improvements in the domestic call centers, many Fortune 500 companies, such as GE, American Express, Sprint, and Dell, and many more, went "offshore" to further improve their cost-effectiveness by as much as 60%. Labor costs in domestic call centers makes up 70% of operating expenses, and in offshore facilities the labor costs are a mere 10% of those in the U.S. because employees in offshore facilities are willing to work at a fraction of domestic wages. The savings resulting from these cost advantages, for some companies, has been upwards of $250 million annually.
Offshore call centers employ university graduates from their enormous pools of skilled labor of approximately 2 million English-speaking college graduates and 300,000 post-graduates annually. Some Fortune 500 companies have started investing in local overseas communities so they can attract people and train them for their call centers. These multinationals have created new career opportunities for graduates looking for rewarding careers. With higher skilled employees, offshore call centers have achieved total satisfaction ratings of 92% versus the U.S’s 85%, along with 20% more transactions per hour than domestic facilities. These employees are committed to a call center career, and do not consider it just a temporary job.
Outsourcing started with simple, transaction-oriented, non-customer-facing work like back-office processing. Now it has evolved to e-mail, live inbound and outbound calls, human resources, accounting and bookkeeping, legal processing, transcription services, writing and editing, software development, web site designing, and knowledge processing transactions. These interactions were initially relatively simple, but are now much more complex requiring a superior infrastructure providing greater efficiency, scalability, value-added analytics, and integration with other systems.
To meet these fast changing complex needs and provide a superior service, offshore call centers are investing in state-of-the-art infrastructures consisting of networks with multiple domains; more than 150+ computers with high speed Pentium 4 processors, 1GB of DDR each, with 17” Samsung color monitors and 17” TFTs; Asterisks based IBM servers; IBM database servers; Mikrotik based IBM servers; FTP IBM servers (Internal as well external); wireless CISCO Routers working as a external gateway with maximum speed up to 108 Mbps; CISCO SRW-224G4 (REAL SWITCH) with 24 ports; MP-124 (Audio code with 24 ports); direct international lines VOIPs; and CISCO DES- 1024 R (Internal or fake switch with 24 ports).
Since offshore call centers offer a cost effective service consisting of a well-educated workforce supported by a superior IT infrastructure US companies are wising up and are taking advantage of this money saving method of doing business, especially during these times of economic uncertainty.
From a personal perspective, calling offshore call centers can become frustrating if the operator does not speak fluent English. One of the members in the group posting this blog works with call centers, most of them offshore, on a daily basis by acquiring information from insurance companies that have outsourced overseas, and unfortunately, employs workers who do not speak fluent English. This makes for a frustrating transaction when often the call involves time sensitive insurance matters involving payment of claims where information needs to be exchanged as quickly as possible. We have seen that offshore call centers have invested in superior IT infrastructures to meet the fast changing complex technology needs of their customers. Now, maybe these call centers will recognize the need for an equally superior group of fluent English speaking employees and invest in the much-needed English language instructional classes.
Our group would like to post a question for discussion: Do you think, with the economy the way that it is, that we should be outsourcing call center jobs, or do you think that we should try to keep these jobs in the US?
After squeezing out all the potential productivity improvements in the domestic call centers, many Fortune 500 companies, such as GE, American Express, Sprint, and Dell, and many more, went "offshore" to further improve their cost-effectiveness by as much as 60%. Labor costs in domestic call centers makes up 70% of operating expenses, and in offshore facilities the labor costs are a mere 10% of those in the U.S. because employees in offshore facilities are willing to work at a fraction of domestic wages. The savings resulting from these cost advantages, for some companies, has been upwards of $250 million annually.
Offshore call centers employ university graduates from their enormous pools of skilled labor of approximately 2 million English-speaking college graduates and 300,000 post-graduates annually. Some Fortune 500 companies have started investing in local overseas communities so they can attract people and train them for their call centers. These multinationals have created new career opportunities for graduates looking for rewarding careers. With higher skilled employees, offshore call centers have achieved total satisfaction ratings of 92% versus the U.S’s 85%, along with 20% more transactions per hour than domestic facilities. These employees are committed to a call center career, and do not consider it just a temporary job.
Outsourcing started with simple, transaction-oriented, non-customer-facing work like back-office processing. Now it has evolved to e-mail, live inbound and outbound calls, human resources, accounting and bookkeeping, legal processing, transcription services, writing and editing, software development, web site designing, and knowledge processing transactions. These interactions were initially relatively simple, but are now much more complex requiring a superior infrastructure providing greater efficiency, scalability, value-added analytics, and integration with other systems.
To meet these fast changing complex needs and provide a superior service, offshore call centers are investing in state-of-the-art infrastructures consisting of networks with multiple domains; more than 150+ computers with high speed Pentium 4 processors, 1GB of DDR each, with 17” Samsung color monitors and 17” TFTs; Asterisks based IBM servers; IBM database servers; Mikrotik based IBM servers; FTP IBM servers (Internal as well external); wireless CISCO Routers working as a external gateway with maximum speed up to 108 Mbps; CISCO SRW-224G4 (REAL SWITCH) with 24 ports; MP-124 (Audio code with 24 ports); direct international lines VOIPs; and CISCO DES- 1024 R (Internal or fake switch with 24 ports).
Since offshore call centers offer a cost effective service consisting of a well-educated workforce supported by a superior IT infrastructure US companies are wising up and are taking advantage of this money saving method of doing business, especially during these times of economic uncertainty.
From a personal perspective, calling offshore call centers can become frustrating if the operator does not speak fluent English. One of the members in the group posting this blog works with call centers, most of them offshore, on a daily basis by acquiring information from insurance companies that have outsourced overseas, and unfortunately, employs workers who do not speak fluent English. This makes for a frustrating transaction when often the call involves time sensitive insurance matters involving payment of claims where information needs to be exchanged as quickly as possible. We have seen that offshore call centers have invested in superior IT infrastructures to meet the fast changing complex technology needs of their customers. Now, maybe these call centers will recognize the need for an equally superior group of fluent English speaking employees and invest in the much-needed English language instructional classes.
Our group would like to post a question for discussion: Do you think, with the economy the way that it is, that we should be outsourcing call center jobs, or do you think that we should try to keep these jobs in the US?
Electronic Payment Systems
There are many different systems used today that make cash or check completely obsolete. They include digital wallets, micropayment, accumulated balance digital payment systems, stored balue payment systems, digital checking, and electronic billing presentment and payment systems.
A digital wallet allows users to make electronic commerce transactions quickly and securely. It is also known as e-wallet. One of the more well known forms of digital wallet is Paypal. The software provdes security and encryption for personal information and transactions. It allows users to shop without having to re-key their personal information every time they make a transaction. The technology is not only a software program, but it is also an information component. It is basically a database for user-inputted information. The database consist of the users shipping address, billing address, payment information and other important data.Digitial wallet has become a valuable part of Ebay. Ebay uses the technology for practically every transaction processed by its users.
Micropayment systems were brought about for those payments in very small amounts. Some non-ecommerce examples are toll booths and bus fees. This system becomes very obsolete, however, when dealing with credit cards because of the bank charges associated with each transaction.
Some micropayment systems will build an amount and then charge a larger sum for just that reason. These systems are called accumulated balance digital payment system. They will charge every month for the usage after the balance accumulates. An example of this is Vodafone.
Stored value payment systems are becoming more and more popular with each year. The primary reason for this is that more and more people are using the internet for literally everything. From purchasing clothes and food, to shoping for engagement rings. What this system does is holds the payment information in a bank for later use. One well known example of it is Paypal, which is a peer to peer. However, other websites, like AOP.org (a homeschooling cirriculum purchasing website) will store the information in their systems with a set up log in. This type is called a merchant platform.
Back in the 70's and 80's check writing became a basic form of payment. Problems came about later on the years where one would write a check and later "bounce" due to insufficient funds. This type of activity cause banks, retailers, and consumer to shell out expensive fees if the check was not recovered nor resolved. Out came in 2004 the "Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act" also know as Check 21. This practically removed barriers to paper electronic check processing. How this works was if a consumer pays for goods and services with a check, it automatically gets scanned online, to verify funds where normally would take days for the merchant to receive money now would take hours to move funds once payment is applied, instead of days. This act help reduce "paperwork", and help accelerate cash flow to businesses and other organizations. The use of the internet as a medium to clear payment via a checking account has made business e commerce more popular. The efficiency and speed of the transactions help move goods and services more rapidly. The digital checking movement created more business opportunities online than other retailer handling personal paper checks. According to Fed experts, by 2010 the paper check processing should completely decline rapidly. This should make transactions more than ever quicker and safer in the future.
Last, but not least, we have electronic billing presentment and payment systems. These systems are generally used in an automatic payment type. A really good example that many people use, in Arkansas, is CheckFree. This is Entergy's online payment system. You store your information in your CheckFree account and can set up automatic drafts to your checking or savings account to pay your bill. You can also add other bills that allow CheckFree use, like Dell, to your portfolio.Last, but not least, we have electronic billing presentment and payment systems. These systems are generally used in an automatic payment type. A really good example that many people use, in Arkansas, is CheckFree. This is Entergy's online payment system. You store your information in your CheckFree account and can set up automatic drafts to your checking or savings account to pay your bill. You can also add other bills that allow CheckFree use, like Dell, to your portfolio.
A digital wallet allows users to make electronic commerce transactions quickly and securely. It is also known as e-wallet. One of the more well known forms of digital wallet is Paypal. The software provdes security and encryption for personal information and transactions. It allows users to shop without having to re-key their personal information every time they make a transaction. The technology is not only a software program, but it is also an information component. It is basically a database for user-inputted information. The database consist of the users shipping address, billing address, payment information and other important data.Digitial wallet has become a valuable part of Ebay. Ebay uses the technology for practically every transaction processed by its users.
Micropayment systems were brought about for those payments in very small amounts. Some non-ecommerce examples are toll booths and bus fees. This system becomes very obsolete, however, when dealing with credit cards because of the bank charges associated with each transaction.
Some micropayment systems will build an amount and then charge a larger sum for just that reason. These systems are called accumulated balance digital payment system. They will charge every month for the usage after the balance accumulates. An example of this is Vodafone.
Stored value payment systems are becoming more and more popular with each year. The primary reason for this is that more and more people are using the internet for literally everything. From purchasing clothes and food, to shoping for engagement rings. What this system does is holds the payment information in a bank for later use. One well known example of it is Paypal, which is a peer to peer. However, other websites, like AOP.org (a homeschooling cirriculum purchasing website) will store the information in their systems with a set up log in. This type is called a merchant platform.
Back in the 70's and 80's check writing became a basic form of payment. Problems came about later on the years where one would write a check and later "bounce" due to insufficient funds. This type of activity cause banks, retailers, and consumer to shell out expensive fees if the check was not recovered nor resolved. Out came in 2004 the "Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act" also know as Check 21. This practically removed barriers to paper electronic check processing. How this works was if a consumer pays for goods and services with a check, it automatically gets scanned online, to verify funds where normally would take days for the merchant to receive money now would take hours to move funds once payment is applied, instead of days. This act help reduce "paperwork", and help accelerate cash flow to businesses and other organizations. The use of the internet as a medium to clear payment via a checking account has made business e commerce more popular. The efficiency and speed of the transactions help move goods and services more rapidly. The digital checking movement created more business opportunities online than other retailer handling personal paper checks. According to Fed experts, by 2010 the paper check processing should completely decline rapidly. This should make transactions more than ever quicker and safer in the future.
Last, but not least, we have electronic billing presentment and payment systems. These systems are generally used in an automatic payment type. A really good example that many people use, in Arkansas, is CheckFree. This is Entergy's online payment system. You store your information in your CheckFree account and can set up automatic drafts to your checking or savings account to pay your bill. You can also add other bills that allow CheckFree use, like Dell, to your portfolio.Last, but not least, we have electronic billing presentment and payment systems. These systems are generally used in an automatic payment type. A really good example that many people use, in Arkansas, is CheckFree. This is Entergy's online payment system. You store your information in your CheckFree account and can set up automatic drafts to your checking or savings account to pay your bill. You can also add other bills that allow CheckFree use, like Dell, to your portfolio.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Decision Making
The decision-making process is something that each company must go through if they want to succeed as a business. This is done through four different stages including intelligence, design, choice and implementation. Within the decision-making process, there are three different types of decision. Unstructured decisions are usually made by senior management and can include approving the overall budget and company goals. Structured decisions are usually made by individual employees and usually involve simple and routine decisions. The last are semistructured decisions that are usually made by middle management and can include departmental decisions.
Going back to the decision-making process, we can easily see that making a decision for a company should not be taken lightly. If you are in a management position and have the authority to make decisions, you are not only affecting the bottom line of the company, but also your employees. If a decision is the wrong one, it could cost them their jobs. On the other hand, a good decision made by following the process can help your company become one of the best.
There are a few different systems that support decision-making and each affect the business in a different way. The Management information system (MIS) helps a business by providing imperative reports that affect the bottom line for a company or show how different employees are performing. A decision-support system (DSS) supports more unstructured decisions. It is made up of several components that allow for data information and analysis. Executive support systems help the upper management of a company by realizing what information they need and pulling it together quickly. Lastly, a group decision-support system is interactive and allows decision makers to come together on the computer to discuss options. These are usually web-based.
All of these processes come together to form some of the most successful companies in our world today. I think if you live in the Little Rock area, lately you may have noticed some articles referring to Dillard’s and how some of the shareholders want to oust the current CEO, William Dillard, Jr. From the articles we’ve read, it can be seen that in making his decisions for the company, the shareholders do not believe he has followed the decision making process in because of that, profits have fallen. This mistake has caused the shareholders to ask for his removal and to figure out how they can make the profits of Dillard’s rise again.
One example that comes to mind of good decision making is that of Sam Walton. When he started Wal-Mart, it was not based just on him making money, but on providing for the communities. The decisions that Sam Walton made and that his family has made in the past has brought that company to what it is now. Wal-Mart supercenters are actually now the largest food retailer in the United States and handles 30 percent or more of the total national sales for products. So whether you like to shop at Wal-Mart or not, we have to give credit to Sam Walton for the decisions he made to build such a successful business.
Going back to the decision-making process, we can easily see that making a decision for a company should not be taken lightly. If you are in a management position and have the authority to make decisions, you are not only affecting the bottom line of the company, but also your employees. If a decision is the wrong one, it could cost them their jobs. On the other hand, a good decision made by following the process can help your company become one of the best.
There are a few different systems that support decision-making and each affect the business in a different way. The Management information system (MIS) helps a business by providing imperative reports that affect the bottom line for a company or show how different employees are performing. A decision-support system (DSS) supports more unstructured decisions. It is made up of several components that allow for data information and analysis. Executive support systems help the upper management of a company by realizing what information they need and pulling it together quickly. Lastly, a group decision-support system is interactive and allows decision makers to come together on the computer to discuss options. These are usually web-based.
All of these processes come together to form some of the most successful companies in our world today. I think if you live in the Little Rock area, lately you may have noticed some articles referring to Dillard’s and how some of the shareholders want to oust the current CEO, William Dillard, Jr. From the articles we’ve read, it can be seen that in making his decisions for the company, the shareholders do not believe he has followed the decision making process in because of that, profits have fallen. This mistake has caused the shareholders to ask for his removal and to figure out how they can make the profits of Dillard’s rise again.
One example that comes to mind of good decision making is that of Sam Walton. When he started Wal-Mart, it was not based just on him making money, but on providing for the communities. The decisions that Sam Walton made and that his family has made in the past has brought that company to what it is now. Wal-Mart supercenters are actually now the largest food retailer in the United States and handles 30 percent or more of the total national sales for products. So whether you like to shop at Wal-Mart or not, we have to give credit to Sam Walton for the decisions he made to build such a successful business.
Thursday, November 6, 2008
E-commerce
Have you ever wanted to go shopping, but you didn’t have anyone to watch the kids? What about wanting to go shopping, but the store isn’t in your hometown? E-commerce can help in these situations. More and more people are turning to the internet to do their shopping. It is convenient because you never have to leave the house, and you have a larger selection of things to choose from. Example, here in Little Rock we don't have a Macy's or Nordstrom’s. You can shop both these stores online and order whatever you find. While most shopping is still traditional, "e-commerce revenue represents about 5 percent of all retail sales in the U.S. and there is tremendous upside potential for growth." (pg. 313, MIS textbook)
E-commerce has many aspects that makes if different and better that traditional shopping. The textbook describes e-commerce as ubiquitous. This basically means that the t is available everywhere! You can reach the internet from your home, work, or even car! This creates a huge marketspace. Another great things about e-commerce is that it has universal standards. The standards for the internet are basically the same world wide. This aspect of e-commerce lowers the market entry cost. With e-commerce you have an unbelievable about of product differentiation, and it is easy to comparison shop! E-commerce opens a consumer up to the world! A person in the United States could easily shop in Paris from their living room, in their pajamas! How cool is that?
E-commerce has entered into our daily lives in one way or another. There are three different types of e-commerce; business-to-business, business-to-consumer, and consumer-to-consumer. Can you tell which one the group members have experienced?
Group member Lori said, “I like to shop on e-bay. I can find everything I need right there, and the prices are unbeatable!” If you guessed consumer-to-consumer, you got it!
When group member Renita was asked about e-commerce she replied, “ I love shopping online. It is very convenient, I have small children and getting to the mall or other stores is not always an option. So being able to get online and buy what I want or need is perfect. I shop at a lot of stores that we don't have here. So many people are looking for convenience these days and the stores have made it easy for us. Also with the Black Friday (Day after Thanksgiving) sales coming up a lot of people will be shopping online rather than going to stand in long lines at the store.” Did you guess business-to-consumer? This is what group member Justin had to say, “Not only people shopping online, but businesses as well. My civilian job is with Best Buy. I know first hand that all of the ordering is done by computers now. When something gets low on stock the computer system recognizes that it needs to order more. The funny thing about this way of doing business is that it doesn't take people anymore, it is done by the "all powerful computers." Doing business this way can be very useful, but it can hurt the company as well if it is not carefully monitored by employees. What I mean is that, you need someone dedicated to inventory. Having someone dedicated to inventory gives you the peace of mind that the computer system is correct and it also helps with loss prevention.” That’s it, business-to-business! Group member Brittney said, “ I get to experience all three types! I love shopping online at Buckle and Victoria Secret! I live over an hour away from either of these stores, so online shopping is the key. I also find good deals on textbooks through e-bay’s half.com. I have also bought parts for my job through other online companies. E-commerce is great!”
These are just a few examples of how e-commerce can affect your life. Have you thought about how it affects yours? It provides more options, saves time, and sometimes even money. Take a minute to think about where you would be without e-commerce. Don’t worry though, e-commerce is not going anywhere, only growing!
E-commerce has many aspects that makes if different and better that traditional shopping. The textbook describes e-commerce as ubiquitous. This basically means that the t is available everywhere! You can reach the internet from your home, work, or even car! This creates a huge marketspace. Another great things about e-commerce is that it has universal standards. The standards for the internet are basically the same world wide. This aspect of e-commerce lowers the market entry cost. With e-commerce you have an unbelievable about of product differentiation, and it is easy to comparison shop! E-commerce opens a consumer up to the world! A person in the United States could easily shop in Paris from their living room, in their pajamas! How cool is that?
E-commerce has entered into our daily lives in one way or another. There are three different types of e-commerce; business-to-business, business-to-consumer, and consumer-to-consumer. Can you tell which one the group members have experienced?
Group member Lori said, “I like to shop on e-bay. I can find everything I need right there, and the prices are unbeatable!” If you guessed consumer-to-consumer, you got it!
When group member Renita was asked about e-commerce she replied, “ I love shopping online. It is very convenient, I have small children and getting to the mall or other stores is not always an option. So being able to get online and buy what I want or need is perfect. I shop at a lot of stores that we don't have here. So many people are looking for convenience these days and the stores have made it easy for us. Also with the Black Friday (Day after Thanksgiving) sales coming up a lot of people will be shopping online rather than going to stand in long lines at the store.” Did you guess business-to-consumer? This is what group member Justin had to say, “Not only people shopping online, but businesses as well. My civilian job is with Best Buy. I know first hand that all of the ordering is done by computers now. When something gets low on stock the computer system recognizes that it needs to order more. The funny thing about this way of doing business is that it doesn't take people anymore, it is done by the "all powerful computers." Doing business this way can be very useful, but it can hurt the company as well if it is not carefully monitored by employees. What I mean is that, you need someone dedicated to inventory. Having someone dedicated to inventory gives you the peace of mind that the computer system is correct and it also helps with loss prevention.” That’s it, business-to-business! Group member Brittney said, “ I get to experience all three types! I love shopping online at Buckle and Victoria Secret! I live over an hour away from either of these stores, so online shopping is the key. I also find good deals on textbooks through e-bay’s half.com. I have also bought parts for my job through other online companies. E-commerce is great!”
These are just a few examples of how e-commerce can affect your life. Have you thought about how it affects yours? It provides more options, saves time, and sometimes even money. Take a minute to think about where you would be without e-commerce. Don’t worry though, e-commerce is not going anywhere, only growing!
Monday, November 3, 2008
Wireless Sensor Networks
Everyone wants to be wireless because of the conveniences it offers, but what exactly does being wireless mean? Does the conveniences match up or exceed the security vulnerabilities?
One Group Two member stated she has always connected to the internet on a desktop and now signs posted in the windows of businesses and the constant chum of WiFi conversations have peeked her interest to what a WiFi is. So what exactly is a WiFi? Research informs Group Two that WiFi is a wireless network that allows internet connectivity by the use of radio waves, minus the dangling wires. The same concept is used in cell phones, yet the frequencies are greater in WiFi connections, allowing for more data to be transferred at a time. Much the same idea as when our nose or tongue sends sensory information to our brain. However, just because one enters a location that advertises WiFi, he must have the capabilities on his laptop in order to connect. One requirement is already met if a fairly new laptop is being used as they are all now sold with internet-ready accessibility of an internal wireless transmitter. If an older laptop is used, a wireless adapter can be purchased that fits into the USB port or PC card slot. The laptop will then automatically search for a neighboring WiFi hotspot and ask if the user wants to connect to it. However, these networks usually contain many other users riding on the same free connection. This will slow down activity and even make the computer susceptible to security breaches. The setting on a laptop that allows automatic searches and connectivity for any available and unrestricted network can be turned off. There is yet another control for even greater security named the Media Access Control. The physical address of the computer must be verified before accessing the network by specifying authorized addresses at the installation of the router. Albeit, the security risk is manageable and does not compare to the convenience that wireless provides. One can move from place to place without being bound by wires. Now that’s a true advantage!
One can even have wireless internet in the comfort of his own home or during transport without a hotspot. Assessing the web is a cinch with a network card from an internet service provider or cell phone company. They are termed “air cards”. So if one is hanging on to a landline just to use dial-up or DSL to connect to the internet, the air card replaces landlines easily and with mobility options.
Another option is to get a wireless router, which would let you access the internet anywhere in your house within a certain distance of the router. The transmission uses an antennae on the router either internally or externally, which connects computers with wireless signals. With the advent of wireless keyboards, mouses, and even printers, the inconvenience of having lots of different wires is soon to become a mere memory. However, it is necessary that the router is compatible to the configurations of your laptop or it may not initially work correctly. More research and shopping will need to be done to make it work, so it is suggestive to get compatible systems initially.
There are many types of wireless networks and they are used in many more methods than with laptops, computers, cell phones, and the bluetooth. Much to Group Two’s surprise, it was learned that wireless sensor networks (WSN) are used in the production of grapes. It seems grapes are highly affected by the environment. The WSN monitors the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil and makes determinations about when to harvest and making wine production a process that can be monitored for a desired result.
WSN’s are also being implemented in the field of health care. They are used to measure heart rates and oxygen saturation levels in the blood. They soon will be used to monitor patients with heart disease, sleep apnea and asthma. They are used as alarms and monitor real time for instant and continuous processing. Once again the convenience of wireless...sensing without being present; what an idea!
WSNs were originally used by the military for battlefield surveillance purposes. They are commonly used to monitor, track, or control. An interesting application of WSNs while monitoring for the military is they can detect when an enemy intrudes a certain perimeter. In the past, landmines were used for the same purpose. Landmines can remain active for up to 50 years and they have killed or injured over a million people since 1975. So WSNs are a good example of technology saving lives.
Wireless technology is rapidly expanding. It is in libraries, hospitals, homes, hotels, coffee shops and just moments away from being in the nearest public restrooms thanks to the boundless innovations of those at Google!
One Group Two member stated she has always connected to the internet on a desktop and now signs posted in the windows of businesses and the constant chum of WiFi conversations have peeked her interest to what a WiFi is. So what exactly is a WiFi? Research informs Group Two that WiFi is a wireless network that allows internet connectivity by the use of radio waves, minus the dangling wires. The same concept is used in cell phones, yet the frequencies are greater in WiFi connections, allowing for more data to be transferred at a time. Much the same idea as when our nose or tongue sends sensory information to our brain. However, just because one enters a location that advertises WiFi, he must have the capabilities on his laptop in order to connect. One requirement is already met if a fairly new laptop is being used as they are all now sold with internet-ready accessibility of an internal wireless transmitter. If an older laptop is used, a wireless adapter can be purchased that fits into the USB port or PC card slot. The laptop will then automatically search for a neighboring WiFi hotspot and ask if the user wants to connect to it. However, these networks usually contain many other users riding on the same free connection. This will slow down activity and even make the computer susceptible to security breaches. The setting on a laptop that allows automatic searches and connectivity for any available and unrestricted network can be turned off. There is yet another control for even greater security named the Media Access Control. The physical address of the computer must be verified before accessing the network by specifying authorized addresses at the installation of the router. Albeit, the security risk is manageable and does not compare to the convenience that wireless provides. One can move from place to place without being bound by wires. Now that’s a true advantage!
One can even have wireless internet in the comfort of his own home or during transport without a hotspot. Assessing the web is a cinch with a network card from an internet service provider or cell phone company. They are termed “air cards”. So if one is hanging on to a landline just to use dial-up or DSL to connect to the internet, the air card replaces landlines easily and with mobility options.
Another option is to get a wireless router, which would let you access the internet anywhere in your house within a certain distance of the router. The transmission uses an antennae on the router either internally or externally, which connects computers with wireless signals. With the advent of wireless keyboards, mouses, and even printers, the inconvenience of having lots of different wires is soon to become a mere memory. However, it is necessary that the router is compatible to the configurations of your laptop or it may not initially work correctly. More research and shopping will need to be done to make it work, so it is suggestive to get compatible systems initially.
There are many types of wireless networks and they are used in many more methods than with laptops, computers, cell phones, and the bluetooth. Much to Group Two’s surprise, it was learned that wireless sensor networks (WSN) are used in the production of grapes. It seems grapes are highly affected by the environment. The WSN monitors the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil and makes determinations about when to harvest and making wine production a process that can be monitored for a desired result.
WSN’s are also being implemented in the field of health care. They are used to measure heart rates and oxygen saturation levels in the blood. They soon will be used to monitor patients with heart disease, sleep apnea and asthma. They are used as alarms and monitor real time for instant and continuous processing. Once again the convenience of wireless...sensing without being present; what an idea!
WSNs were originally used by the military for battlefield surveillance purposes. They are commonly used to monitor, track, or control. An interesting application of WSNs while monitoring for the military is they can detect when an enemy intrudes a certain perimeter. In the past, landmines were used for the same purpose. Landmines can remain active for up to 50 years and they have killed or injured over a million people since 1975. So WSNs are a good example of technology saving lives.
Wireless technology is rapidly expanding. It is in libraries, hospitals, homes, hotels, coffee shops and just moments away from being in the nearest public restrooms thanks to the boundless innovations of those at Google!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Computer Forensics
The world is becoming a smaller place to live and work. We bank electronically, and are more likely to receive an email than a letter. Criminal activity has, to a large extent, also converted from a physical dimension to a cyber dimension. As early as 1984, the FBI Laboratory and other law enforcement agencies began developing programs to examine computer evidence. For the most part these examinations were scattered throughout the agency but now it appears to be trending toward moving to a laboratory environment. Computer Forensics is defined as “the science of identifying, recovering, extracting, preserving, and documenting ESI (Electronically Stored Information) so that it can be presented as evidence in a court of law.” This science was created to address the specific needs of law enforcement in order to make the most of the electronic evidence. Computer forensics has been an evidence gathering tool of technology-related investigations and intelligence gathering in law enforcement and military agencies since the mid-1980s. However, only since 1999 have the tools been developed that make the examination process comprehensive, expedient, and financially feasible.
There are five basic steps to the computer forensic process: Preparation of the investigator, Collection of the data, Examination of the data, Analysis of the data, and Reporting of the findings.
The investigators must first acquire the equipment that is needed for each investigation. This equipment can include the normal equipment that is used in a traditional forensic investigation, such as cameras, notepads, crime scene tape, cable tags, and stick-on labels. It can also include equipment to help with the operating systems, data recovery software, disk imaging software, encryption decoding software, and file viewers. Investigators should try to never use the original media that is collected as evidence because that evidence needs to be preserved. They should also be aware of the court rules that are in place for evidence and be sure to follow these rules closely.
According to a veteran law enforcement officer and trainer, the most important aspect of computer forensic investigation is gathering the evidence. He said that all the computer technology in the world for forensics is only as good as the evidence (input) that is used. So when the officers or detectives arrive on the scene is imperative that the scene remain sterile. It is also imperative that evidence is gathered using proper procedures as not to contaminate the evidence. Once all the evidence has been gathered, the data can be put into the computers and various other machines, labs, etc. It really is amazing all the information that investigators can glean from the technology. However, again he stressed that the computers are only as good as their human counterparts. If the data input has been contaminated or gathered in a manner that is inconsistent with proper protocol, then the output from the forensics will not be good.
Computer forensic examinations are conducted in forensic laboratories, data processing departments, and in some cases, the detective’s squad room. Computer evidence represented by physical items such as chips, boards, central processing units, storage media, monitors, and printers can be described easily and correctly as a unique form of physical evidence. Although forensic laboratories are very good at ensuring the integrity of the physical items in their control, computer forensics also requires methods to ensure the integrity of the information contained within those physical items. The challenge to computer forensic science is to develop methods and techniques that provide valid and reliable results while protecting the real evidence from harm. Evidence can be found in many different forms: financial records, word processing documents, diaries, spreadsheets, databases, e-mail, pictures, movies, sound files, etc. There is a lot of information that is stored in a computer of which most users are unaware. A forensic examiner can usually tell what a computer was used for, when it was used, what the user has done on the Internet (and when), and recover much of what the user wrote, read or viewed on the computer. Examiners can find deleted files. They may not get the entire file, but they can get some of it.
Evidence to be analyzed must be information uncovered during an investigation. With average storage capacities approaching 30 gigabytes and systems with 60 GB available it is likely to be impossible to completely and exhaustively examine every file stored on a seized system. There may also be legal prohibitions against searching every file (example: doctor files-patient privacy). To keep the seized evidence intact and unaltered they try to make a copy of files to do the investigation from and then leave the original intact and unaltered. Unlike most investigation the evidence from computers will not always be the same, like fingerprints or DNA, each case will have different information to be analyzed. This leads to different policies of collection, examination and analyzing. Computer forensic science is also almost entirely technology and market driven, generally outside the laboratory setting, and the examinations present unique variations in almost every situation.
The final step in a computer forensic investigation is the report writing. This is actually the one of the greatest tasks of the forensic analyst because they must put the data together in such as way as to be readable for the intended audience. If the judge and jury in a court case cannot understand the evidence being submitted, it is unlikely that they will be swayed by the evidence in their decision making process. Disorganized and poorly written reports can jeopardize a case. There are websites that are aimed at helping these professionals to write good, detailed reports. There is even a website with a template to ensure that the report writer has all the necessary information in the report. That template is located at http://computer-forensics.privacyresources.org/forensic-template.htm Computer forensics is one of the many career opportunities for the skilled IT professional that would prove to be very interesting and challenging.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Securing Information Systems
What Executives Should Know and Do.
As technology is becoming more and more prevalent in today’s societies businesses are looking for more ways to secure account information that might include, home address, telephones, birthdays, and social security numbers. This information must be secured for people who might want to access it for unauthorized use including identity thieves. If account and personal information is stolen from consumers, your company might face serious consequences from the federal government and you could lose support from the very consumers you depend on.
Todd Fitzgerald from the National Government Services outlined 13 Questions that the Chief Information Office must ask of the Chief Executive Officer to ensure that all accounts, personal information, and company knowledge is kept secure. The questions are below. Fitzgerald examines how the changing workplace is affecting security at companies. Companies are having to evaluate how much money they need to spend on securing information without hurting the company’s bottom line. He argues that an employee’s security to certain types of information should be based on their position in the company, “Attention to security should be on a risk adjusted basis, with the higher priority projects receiving increased, formalized attention, while the smaller efforts could be accomplished by the development team through the use of internal peer reviews of the security requirements” (Fitzgerald 4). He goes on to point out that a CIO’s responsibility does not end there. CIO’s are responsible for making sure that servers are protected, codes secure, and insure that high standards are met by performing internal and external audits.
1. What is the minimum necessary effort required to produce code that is secure?
2. What do we need to do to avoid audit issues in the application development process without adding significant expense or delays to our projects?
3. Do you see your role as an after-the-fact reviewer of security controls or engaged in the implementation of the controls?
4. What technologies are available to reduce the labor intensive process of keeping up with the latest patches, system vulnerabilities, configuration management and compliance monitoring?
5. Can you provide information on the “real risks” that are present in our specific industry and the appropriate implementation alternatives that companies use to mitigate these risks?
6. How can we ensure that we have reduced our exposure to an acceptable risk?
7. What tangible benefit will we receive from the security investments that will enable the business?
8. Which internal/external audit issues will these investments eliminate?
9. What other information technology resources are required, in addition to ssstems Security staff, to implement the security solution presented? What support is required from the business?
10. How do the security requirements integrate with the systems development life cycle? Are we performing these tasks already?
11. Do we have the necessary experience in-house to implement these solutions? Should we consider outsourcing some of the functions?
12. What are the critical success factors for achieving success in our security efforts? How much security is “enough”?13. How can you help reduce the time I spend on compliance- related efforts in gathering documentation
As technology is becoming more and more prevalent in today’s societies businesses are looking for more ways to secure account information that might include, home address, telephones, birthdays, and social security numbers. This information must be secured for people who might want to access it for unauthorized use including identity thieves. If account and personal information is stolen from consumers, your company might face serious consequences from the federal government and you could lose support from the very consumers you depend on.
Todd Fitzgerald from the National Government Services outlined 13 Questions that the Chief Information Office must ask of the Chief Executive Officer to ensure that all accounts, personal information, and company knowledge is kept secure. The questions are below. Fitzgerald examines how the changing workplace is affecting security at companies. Companies are having to evaluate how much money they need to spend on securing information without hurting the company’s bottom line. He argues that an employee’s security to certain types of information should be based on their position in the company, “Attention to security should be on a risk adjusted basis, with the higher priority projects receiving increased, formalized attention, while the smaller efforts could be accomplished by the development team through the use of internal peer reviews of the security requirements” (Fitzgerald 4). He goes on to point out that a CIO’s responsibility does not end there. CIO’s are responsible for making sure that servers are protected, codes secure, and insure that high standards are met by performing internal and external audits.
1. What is the minimum necessary effort required to produce code that is secure?
2. What do we need to do to avoid audit issues in the application development process without adding significant expense or delays to our projects?
3. Do you see your role as an after-the-fact reviewer of security controls or engaged in the implementation of the controls?
4. What technologies are available to reduce the labor intensive process of keeping up with the latest patches, system vulnerabilities, configuration management and compliance monitoring?
5. Can you provide information on the “real risks” that are present in our specific industry and the appropriate implementation alternatives that companies use to mitigate these risks?
6. How can we ensure that we have reduced our exposure to an acceptable risk?
7. What tangible benefit will we receive from the security investments that will enable the business?
8. Which internal/external audit issues will these investments eliminate?
9. What other information technology resources are required, in addition to ssstems Security staff, to implement the security solution presented? What support is required from the business?
10. How do the security requirements integrate with the systems development life cycle? Are we performing these tasks already?
11. Do we have the necessary experience in-house to implement these solutions? Should we consider outsourcing some of the functions?
12. What are the critical success factors for achieving success in our security efforts? How much security is “enough”?13. How can you help reduce the time I spend on compliance- related efforts in gathering documentation
Monday, October 20, 2008
Computer Crimes
As the world becomes more and more dependent on computers, threats to those computers continue to increase at alarming rates. Computer crimes are flourishing despite the rigorous efforts of law enforcement and the business communities that try to stop it. According to a 2005 FBI survey, nearly nine out of 10 organizations experience computer security incidents in a year’s time. The survey revealed that virus and spyware led the list. Viruses and worms cost organizations $12 million annually.
Hackers are individuals who gains unauthorized access to computers. Crackers are hackers who have the intent of doing something criminal. According to the FBI, the newest threat to computers is through a wireless internet or network connection. The FBI stated that the Wireless Encryption Protocol is becoming increasingly vulnerable to hackers. They can gain access to a computer simply by being near your home. Once they have access, they can send illegal spam and pilfer your computer’s data. The FBI suggests that home computer owners setup password protection and change the default and security setting on the WEP.
Identity theft is also a serious computer crime plaguing our country. Personal information can be gained by a hacker through phishing. Phishing is accomplished by setting up fake web sites or sending emails to individuals asking to update personal information such as social security numbers, bank account information, or credit card information. The Internal Revenue Service has actually been warning individuals of this practice for several years now. Criminals pose as the IRS in an attempt to access confidential information. Many people are afraid of the IRS so this works out well for the criminals.
Setting router protocols is a small way to defend yourself from hackers and crackers. Another form of "self defense" is to pay a servicing company to "follow up" with your credit to help stop identity theft. I know this is a small price to pay, but once you have been hit, the cost of "recovering" your identity is very expensive and will be worth the investment. You should constantly get an updated credit report from the three major credit bureaus that you are entitled to each year. This will give you a chance to dispute, even report suspicious activities in your bureau. These credit/identity maintenance are very time consuming, but it is a small way of protecting yourself in the long run.
With all the advanced technological criminals in the world today, a few suggestions come to mind. Always make sure your computer is protected with some type of virus and firewall protection. If you haven’t already done so, make sure you setup passwords on your wireless internet connection. Most importantly, never ever give personal information to anyone in an email.
Hackers are individuals who gains unauthorized access to computers. Crackers are hackers who have the intent of doing something criminal. According to the FBI, the newest threat to computers is through a wireless internet or network connection. The FBI stated that the Wireless Encryption Protocol is becoming increasingly vulnerable to hackers. They can gain access to a computer simply by being near your home. Once they have access, they can send illegal spam and pilfer your computer’s data. The FBI suggests that home computer owners setup password protection and change the default and security setting on the WEP.
Identity theft is also a serious computer crime plaguing our country. Personal information can be gained by a hacker through phishing. Phishing is accomplished by setting up fake web sites or sending emails to individuals asking to update personal information such as social security numbers, bank account information, or credit card information. The Internal Revenue Service has actually been warning individuals of this practice for several years now. Criminals pose as the IRS in an attempt to access confidential information. Many people are afraid of the IRS so this works out well for the criminals.
Setting router protocols is a small way to defend yourself from hackers and crackers. Another form of "self defense" is to pay a servicing company to "follow up" with your credit to help stop identity theft. I know this is a small price to pay, but once you have been hit, the cost of "recovering" your identity is very expensive and will be worth the investment. You should constantly get an updated credit report from the three major credit bureaus that you are entitled to each year. This will give you a chance to dispute, even report suspicious activities in your bureau. These credit/identity maintenance are very time consuming, but it is a small way of protecting yourself in the long run.
With all the advanced technological criminals in the world today, a few suggestions come to mind. Always make sure your computer is protected with some type of virus and firewall protection. If you haven’t already done so, make sure you setup passwords on your wireless internet connection. Most importantly, never ever give personal information to anyone in an email.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Telecommunications and the World Wide Web
The world is quickly emerging into one that no longer knows life without technology. Kids now have no idea what it was like to not have video games, remote controls, computers or cell phones. With each new idea that launches in the business world comes a new trade and way of doing things. The World Wide Web and the telecommunications industries seem to be going strong with no signs of slowing down.
Without the World Wide Web, we would not be taking this class or posting this blog. There are so many other options now available to us that only a few years ago were unthinkable. We have internet banking where we can check our account balance anytime without ever setting foot in the bank. There is also the option of using one of the many search engines to find information for research projects or just for fun. It all helps us stay connected at all times.
The telecommunications industry has grown so much that landline phones are almost no longer a necessity. A person with a smart phone can accomplish almost anything they could do while sitting at their work desk. Check e-mail, surf the net, write a Word document and talk on the phone. There is also the option on many phones of being able to take pictures and video and immediately have them sent to someone else. In the cellular world, there are CDMA, GSM and 3G networks, which is used by the Apple’s new iPhone. If at any time we get tired of holding the actual phone in our hands, or we must talk while driving, we have the option now using a Bluetooth paired with our phones. Bluetooth can also connect to other items such as a printer, keyboard or PDA, constantly keeping us connected and able to personally network.
On the opposite side of the telecommunications industry lays the Wi-Fi and wireless internet that almost every company offers to its customers. Cingular, Verizon and Alltel offer a WiFi/wireless internet package that can keep you connected to the internet so long as you are in a cellular service area. How many places can we go now that doesn’t advertise on its walls that it is a “Wi-Fi Hot Spot?” Even McDonald’s has jumped on board making most of its locations a hot spot to help draw that technology savvy crowd. And most people won’t even consider a hotel that doesn’t offer WiFi or wireless internet to its customers. Even now, this blog is being posted using a wireless internet connection.
Our technology is ever changing. The good part is that these services are only improving and getting cheaper to use. The competition has really heated up over the past few years and everyone major telecommunications company wants a slice of that pie. This works well for the consumer who wants to just enjoy always being connected.
Without the World Wide Web, we would not be taking this class or posting this blog. There are so many other options now available to us that only a few years ago were unthinkable. We have internet banking where we can check our account balance anytime without ever setting foot in the bank. There is also the option of using one of the many search engines to find information for research projects or just for fun. It all helps us stay connected at all times.
The telecommunications industry has grown so much that landline phones are almost no longer a necessity. A person with a smart phone can accomplish almost anything they could do while sitting at their work desk. Check e-mail, surf the net, write a Word document and talk on the phone. There is also the option on many phones of being able to take pictures and video and immediately have them sent to someone else. In the cellular world, there are CDMA, GSM and 3G networks, which is used by the Apple’s new iPhone. If at any time we get tired of holding the actual phone in our hands, or we must talk while driving, we have the option now using a Bluetooth paired with our phones. Bluetooth can also connect to other items such as a printer, keyboard or PDA, constantly keeping us connected and able to personally network.
On the opposite side of the telecommunications industry lays the Wi-Fi and wireless internet that almost every company offers to its customers. Cingular, Verizon and Alltel offer a WiFi/wireless internet package that can keep you connected to the internet so long as you are in a cellular service area. How many places can we go now that doesn’t advertise on its walls that it is a “Wi-Fi Hot Spot?” Even McDonald’s has jumped on board making most of its locations a hot spot to help draw that technology savvy crowd. And most people won’t even consider a hotel that doesn’t offer WiFi or wireless internet to its customers. Even now, this blog is being posted using a wireless internet connection.
Our technology is ever changing. The good part is that these services are only improving and getting cheaper to use. The competition has really heated up over the past few years and everyone major telecommunications company wants a slice of that pie. This works well for the consumer who wants to just enjoy always being connected.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Analog vs. Digital
Starting February 17, 2009 all full-power broadcast television stations will stop broadcasting on analog airwaves. They will be in digital only. This allows stations to offer improved picture and sound quality as well as additional channels (www.dtv.gov). The bad thing is once this takes place, unless you have a newer TV, anything made before March 1, 2007 will need a digital-to-analog converter box. Up until March 31, 2009 all households will be able to request up to two coupons to redeem for the converter which each is a $40 value.
The main reason this switch is even happening is because the government wants to free up all of the analog airways. The website, www.dtvanswers.com, says an important benefit of the switch to all-digital broadcasting is that it will free up parts of the valuable broadcast spectrum for other services. Also, some of the spectrum will be auctioned to companies, so they can provide consumers with more advanced wireless services, such as wireless broadband.
Consumers will also benefit from this transition. Not only will digital offer a better picture and sound quality, digital is also more efficient. This transition will actually mean more choices of shows to watch! Who wouldn't love that? Now channels like 7 could offer more than one show. You could watch 7-1, 7-2, or 7-3. It is called multicasting. How awesome is that?
What makes digital better than analog? Basically, the digital signal is transmitted as 1's and 0's, your TV or converter box then deciphers those 1's and 0's and puts them in the correct order which then gives you the picture. It's kind of complicated if you are not around it often, but it is much more efficient than transmitting the old analog signal. Analog signals use much more bandwidth therefore cutting down on the quality of the picture and sound.
There are many questions to consider. Many are concerned about their satellite reception. From what I read, they have nothing to be concerned about. The satellite companies already broadcast their shows in digital. "As a result, there should be no change in service for satellite subscribers unless the local TV stations are not provided by the satellite carrier."
" I have Directv and they sent us a notice telling us that it wouldn't affect us no matter what type of television we have because they broadcast over a digital signal so if they work now they will work later." Renita Brown said. That is great to know!
Let's talk about this converter box. "To help consumers with the DTV transition, the Government established the Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), a part of the Department of Commerce, administers this program. Every U.S. household is eligible to receive up to two coupons, worth $40 each, toward the purchase of eligible digital-to-analog converter boxes." That sounds good to me. They official website for the transition states that they started taking applications January 2008. These coupons are only good at participating electronic stores, so visit dtv2009.org for a list of the stores.
If you decide to just get rid of your old tv and buy a digital, they even have programs for that! There are several recycling programs available to use. My Green Electronics was listed on the website, and you can view all their information at http://www.mygreenelectronics.org
If you would like to know more information visit the official website for digital tv transition at dtv2009.org.
The main reason this switch is even happening is because the government wants to free up all of the analog airways. The website, www.dtvanswers.com, says an important benefit of the switch to all-digital broadcasting is that it will free up parts of the valuable broadcast spectrum for other services. Also, some of the spectrum will be auctioned to companies, so they can provide consumers with more advanced wireless services, such as wireless broadband.
Consumers will also benefit from this transition. Not only will digital offer a better picture and sound quality, digital is also more efficient. This transition will actually mean more choices of shows to watch! Who wouldn't love that? Now channels like 7 could offer more than one show. You could watch 7-1, 7-2, or 7-3. It is called multicasting. How awesome is that?
What makes digital better than analog? Basically, the digital signal is transmitted as 1's and 0's, your TV or converter box then deciphers those 1's and 0's and puts them in the correct order which then gives you the picture. It's kind of complicated if you are not around it often, but it is much more efficient than transmitting the old analog signal. Analog signals use much more bandwidth therefore cutting down on the quality of the picture and sound.
There are many questions to consider. Many are concerned about their satellite reception. From what I read, they have nothing to be concerned about. The satellite companies already broadcast their shows in digital. "As a result, there should be no change in service for satellite subscribers unless the local TV stations are not provided by the satellite carrier."
" I have Directv and they sent us a notice telling us that it wouldn't affect us no matter what type of television we have because they broadcast over a digital signal so if they work now they will work later." Renita Brown said. That is great to know!
Let's talk about this converter box. "To help consumers with the DTV transition, the Government established the Digital-to-Analog Converter Box Coupon Program. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), a part of the Department of Commerce, administers this program. Every U.S. household is eligible to receive up to two coupons, worth $40 each, toward the purchase of eligible digital-to-analog converter boxes." That sounds good to me. They official website for the transition states that they started taking applications January 2008. These coupons are only good at participating electronic stores, so visit dtv2009.org for a list of the stores.
If you decide to just get rid of your old tv and buy a digital, they even have programs for that! There are several recycling programs available to use. My Green Electronics was listed on the website, and you can view all their information at http://www.mygreenelectronics.org
If you would like to know more information visit the official website for digital tv transition at dtv2009.org.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Google's Attempt of Total Control
Depending on an individual’s needs or goals and needs of a business determines the selection of software application and productivity tools. Whether an individual uses word processing application to compose class assignments or a business uses word processing to compose letters, a system is selected to accommodate objectives.
Microsoft Office (MO) long held the primary choice of such usage as other applications had phased out in its inability to provide services needed with the evolving needs and available conveniences of this technical era. MO’s suite includes applications that assists in composing professionally written correspondence such as letters and resumes from Word; creations of flyers and certificates from Publisher; slideshow presentations from Powerpoint, calculations and a user-friendly layout to analyze the information in Excel; and Access, which allows one to create databases and manage information. MO has the tools necessary for a smooth personal and business operation where information retrieval is easy by being saved to the hard drive or removable devices.
However, Google has embarked upon the barrier to entry with its Google Apps (GA). Although, the service is fairly new, it already has accumulated many former MO users as GA offers the same features of MO, but on a widened scale at a much more affordable cost. GA’s word processor, spreadsheet, Gmail, calendar and web page creator are direct competitors to MO’s Word, Excel, and Microsoft Outlook. GA may not have an application named Access or Powerpoint, but there are features available to allow one to produce similar end results by sharing the information online that can be accessed and edited all in real-time with the capability of instant online conversation.
GA offers a large amount of storage, strong spam filters and a calendar. It also has a chat feature built in, so it is not necessary to load another program for instant communication. It is convenient and most likely uses fewer resources, which are important when using a budget computer with lower computing capabilities. Google is geared to competing fiercely with MO, so it may not be long before comparative resources and performance levels exceeds the rival application. The unfamiliar applications are equipped with on-training sessions and video clips with and without sound capability for an easy transition.
Users of the Gmail account within GA claim that spam filters block 99% of the spam that usually makes it to your inbox. This convenience allows one to retaining an old email account without burdensome unwanted emails. Emails are tabbed into a thread for great organization, old emails are able to be archived, and all emails are online and even accessible by a mobile phone.
Gmail and Yahoo mail beta along with AOL mail to make up the vast majority of the 500 million or so web mail users around the world. Overall, web users prefer Gmail over all other web mail applications because the speed is consistently faster. They offer more features and more storage. But, Yahoo offers more mainstream Outlook-like user interfaces. If one is are looking for speed and tagging, then Gmail is a better choice. However, if one is looking for something that is closer to Outlook, then Yahoo mail is better.
The following are some comparisons of Gmail and Yahoo Mail:
GMail Yahoo Mail
Users 51m 250M
Storage 2.5Gb+ 1GB
Free Yes Yes
Search A B+
Speed A B+
“I’ve used GMail for a couple of years after using Yahoo! GMail is faster than Yahoo! and other email sites. The interface is easier to use and the inbox updates automatically. Spam very rarely gets through to my inbox, while my Yahoo! inbox was full of it,” exclaims a content Gmail user.
Smaller businesses with more simplified day to day tasks will benefit more from GA. The lower fees are important to this type of business and they most likely do not need to have strong presentation software. Although they need a good database, smaller businesses can handle their needs with a spreadsheet in GA. The spreadsheets can be networked to coworkers who can share the same online copy of each document, spreadsheet or presentation. All revisions are saved and recoverable.
The fact you must be on the internet to use GA is definitely a disadvantage when in an airport or if service is temporarily interrupted. The other applications are on your computer and used anywhere you have power. An offset to this is the Enterprise-class service, which are managed 24/7 by Google and phone support is available for critical issues. But who wants to wait while going through another avenue to pull up information that is wanted immediately? The idea of not having information and business secrets to be accessible at any time seems to be a great release of power.
It is clear that GA is significantly faster, has mounds and mounds of infinite space for storage that is added to when deemed necessary, less expensive than MO and Google is geared towards customer intimacy. Google encourages customers to offer their input on services they’d like to have which is not currently available. Google considers the information with available technology while working to improve its services. Google also takes into consideration the love of personalization that people enjoy in their messages and pages. They’ve added new emoticons and a wider array of colors.
Microsoft Office (MO) long held the primary choice of such usage as other applications had phased out in its inability to provide services needed with the evolving needs and available conveniences of this technical era. MO’s suite includes applications that assists in composing professionally written correspondence such as letters and resumes from Word; creations of flyers and certificates from Publisher; slideshow presentations from Powerpoint, calculations and a user-friendly layout to analyze the information in Excel; and Access, which allows one to create databases and manage information. MO has the tools necessary for a smooth personal and business operation where information retrieval is easy by being saved to the hard drive or removable devices.
However, Google has embarked upon the barrier to entry with its Google Apps (GA). Although, the service is fairly new, it already has accumulated many former MO users as GA offers the same features of MO, but on a widened scale at a much more affordable cost. GA’s word processor, spreadsheet, Gmail, calendar and web page creator are direct competitors to MO’s Word, Excel, and Microsoft Outlook. GA may not have an application named Access or Powerpoint, but there are features available to allow one to produce similar end results by sharing the information online that can be accessed and edited all in real-time with the capability of instant online conversation.
GA offers a large amount of storage, strong spam filters and a calendar. It also has a chat feature built in, so it is not necessary to load another program for instant communication. It is convenient and most likely uses fewer resources, which are important when using a budget computer with lower computing capabilities. Google is geared to competing fiercely with MO, so it may not be long before comparative resources and performance levels exceeds the rival application. The unfamiliar applications are equipped with on-training sessions and video clips with and without sound capability for an easy transition.
Users of the Gmail account within GA claim that spam filters block 99% of the spam that usually makes it to your inbox. This convenience allows one to retaining an old email account without burdensome unwanted emails. Emails are tabbed into a thread for great organization, old emails are able to be archived, and all emails are online and even accessible by a mobile phone.
Gmail and Yahoo mail beta along with AOL mail to make up the vast majority of the 500 million or so web mail users around the world. Overall, web users prefer Gmail over all other web mail applications because the speed is consistently faster. They offer more features and more storage. But, Yahoo offers more mainstream Outlook-like user interfaces. If one is are looking for speed and tagging, then Gmail is a better choice. However, if one is looking for something that is closer to Outlook, then Yahoo mail is better.
The following are some comparisons of Gmail and Yahoo Mail:
GMail Yahoo Mail
Users 51m 250M
Storage 2.5Gb+ 1GB
Free Yes Yes
Search A B+
Speed A B+
“I’ve used GMail for a couple of years after using Yahoo! GMail is faster than Yahoo! and other email sites. The interface is easier to use and the inbox updates automatically. Spam very rarely gets through to my inbox, while my Yahoo! inbox was full of it,” exclaims a content Gmail user.
Smaller businesses with more simplified day to day tasks will benefit more from GA. The lower fees are important to this type of business and they most likely do not need to have strong presentation software. Although they need a good database, smaller businesses can handle their needs with a spreadsheet in GA. The spreadsheets can be networked to coworkers who can share the same online copy of each document, spreadsheet or presentation. All revisions are saved and recoverable.
The fact you must be on the internet to use GA is definitely a disadvantage when in an airport or if service is temporarily interrupted. The other applications are on your computer and used anywhere you have power. An offset to this is the Enterprise-class service, which are managed 24/7 by Google and phone support is available for critical issues. But who wants to wait while going through another avenue to pull up information that is wanted immediately? The idea of not having information and business secrets to be accessible at any time seems to be a great release of power.
It is clear that GA is significantly faster, has mounds and mounds of infinite space for storage that is added to when deemed necessary, less expensive than MO and Google is geared towards customer intimacy. Google encourages customers to offer their input on services they’d like to have which is not currently available. Google considers the information with available technology while working to improve its services. Google also takes into consideration the love of personalization that people enjoy in their messages and pages. They’ve added new emoticons and a wider array of colors.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Green Computing?
Everything is going green, even computing, but what exactly is “green computing”? Wikipedia defines green computing as “the study and practice of using computing resources efficiently.” The problems addressed by green computing are increasingly complex and include but are not limited to the disposal of electronic waste, energy use, carbon free computing, telecommuting, and thin client solutions. All the major computer manufacturing companies are working on ways to make their products “greener” and providing solutions for companies with their existing systems. IBM has committed to a number of goals in reducing energy consumption with Project Big Green. To conserve energy they are implementing more intelligent design and more efficient cooling systems that may use liquid instead of air to cool. Fifty-five to sixty-five percent of power coming into data centers is from HVAC systems and lighting. IBM has created a "cold battery" to improve data center chillers, it can turn from a liquid into a solid, the temperature at which it turns to a solid can be set and can use less energy when charging up. The battery also holds power better than a traditional cooler and can be charged at night when it is cooler and utility rates are lower.IBM also claims to have become the first company to recycle 1 billion pounds of IT equipment last fall, and will continue recycling 40,000 systems per week. Solar power is one of the alternative energy sources. Solar powered computing is less polluting, more affordable, more reliable and more flexible for a wide variety of new markets, applications and environments. Some advantages of solar power are a clean non-polluting energy, silent operation, virtually free energy once the capital cost has been covered, no refueling, self sufficient, highly reliable, and virtually maintenance free. Carbon free computing is an idea to reduce the carbon footprint of users. This is the amount of greenhouse gases produced measured in units of carbon dioxide. VIA calculates how much carbon dioxide emissions will be released into the environment and the work with regional offset organizations to offset that amount of carbon dioxide. Some offsets are reforestation alternative energy, and energy conservation. Some benefits of carbon free computing are fulfilling corporate social responsibilities, eligibility for sales and tenders with green requirements, enhancing green working environment for employee comfort and morale, and raise awareness of energy conservation for further cost savings. Telecommuting is also an interesting way for companies to help "go green". By allowing their employees to work from home even a couple days a week helps companies cut down on power costs and saves gas and time on the commute. This doesn't solve the problem of cooling the servers but every little thing helps. Telecommuting reduces an individual’s carbon footprint by reducing the daily commute. Thin client computers are yet another way to help a company go green. A thin client does not store anything within it; instead it sends everything to the server for storage. Regular PCs pass only data to the server and store everything at the terminal instead. A thin client uses 70% less energy than a regular PC and can last longer. The topic of green computing is very vast and with the push from every direction for environmental responsibility this concept will only grow.
Outsourcing
Every day on the news we hear about companies closing down factories and outsourcing jobs to places like Mexico, India, and China. But what we don’t really know is if the outsourcing really helps the bottom line. Iacouvou and Nakatsu researched different companies and their outsourcing efforts over the years in an attempt to see what the common errors made by companies and the company contracted to do the outsourcing.
To begin they examined the case of Life Time Fitness (LTF) who went with a company in India to develop a decision support system in hopes that the company would develop a tool that would allow Life Time Fitness to decide where the best places were to put their gyms. Soon LTF began experiencing problems with transfer of knowledge, communication errors, and inexperienced IT personnel. This ended up costing the company a great deal of money and they decided to end the contract with the Indian company without the decision support system that they had originally needed.
Outsourcing is a unique method of getting work tasks done outside the walls of the actual business itself and possibly even outside the boundaries of the business' home country. Of course telephones are one way to enable outsourcing of jobs, but the internet opened many new doors for outsourcing especially for the information systems field. Everything has its advantages and disadvantages. First, it is very beneficial for companies to have many potential providers for information systems services and workers because of price competition and the huge demand on this field. On the other hand, outsourcing and offshoring can create more problems due to increased risks, communication barriers and inhibitors, culture clashes, and lack of knowledge.
The two kinds of outsourcing, domestic outsourcing among other U.S. companies and overseas offshoring to other low-wage countries, both have their own effects on the information systems field. Of course outsourcing occurring in our own country is going to have a smaller impact on overall employment demand since most businesses may lose a couple of their own workers as larger servicing firms hire them. However, the offshoring will have a much greater impact on the demand, especially the technical area as opposed to the management area, because most people overseas are learning the technical parts of the field, how things work, how they can be fixed, and how they can be serviced as opposed to how to manage people who do those things. The managers are those who remain in our own country, but more and more people overseas are learning the "grunt work" of certain fields, information systems and customer service call centers just to name a couple, and causing more competition when it comes to seeking employment in those areas.
For these reasons the researchers in the above mentioned article outlined several risk factors that US companies should take into account when considering outsourcing. “As the findings indicate, the risks focus on three major areas of concern: the communication between the client and the vendor, the client’s internal management of the project, and the vendor’s capabilities” (Iacovou and Nakatsu 91).
In conclusion, when it comes to learning new information systems skills, in order to maximize ones employment potential, it is very advantageous to not only develop a vast knowledge of the technical aspect (hardware, software, systems functions, etc.) but to also place an equal amount of importance on the managerial skills one would need to design new systems, solutions and implement them while leading others to do the same things.
To begin they examined the case of Life Time Fitness (LTF) who went with a company in India to develop a decision support system in hopes that the company would develop a tool that would allow Life Time Fitness to decide where the best places were to put their gyms. Soon LTF began experiencing problems with transfer of knowledge, communication errors, and inexperienced IT personnel. This ended up costing the company a great deal of money and they decided to end the contract with the Indian company without the decision support system that they had originally needed.
Outsourcing is a unique method of getting work tasks done outside the walls of the actual business itself and possibly even outside the boundaries of the business' home country. Of course telephones are one way to enable outsourcing of jobs, but the internet opened many new doors for outsourcing especially for the information systems field. Everything has its advantages and disadvantages. First, it is very beneficial for companies to have many potential providers for information systems services and workers because of price competition and the huge demand on this field. On the other hand, outsourcing and offshoring can create more problems due to increased risks, communication barriers and inhibitors, culture clashes, and lack of knowledge.
The two kinds of outsourcing, domestic outsourcing among other U.S. companies and overseas offshoring to other low-wage countries, both have their own effects on the information systems field. Of course outsourcing occurring in our own country is going to have a smaller impact on overall employment demand since most businesses may lose a couple of their own workers as larger servicing firms hire them. However, the offshoring will have a much greater impact on the demand, especially the technical area as opposed to the management area, because most people overseas are learning the technical parts of the field, how things work, how they can be fixed, and how they can be serviced as opposed to how to manage people who do those things. The managers are those who remain in our own country, but more and more people overseas are learning the "grunt work" of certain fields, information systems and customer service call centers just to name a couple, and causing more competition when it comes to seeking employment in those areas.
For these reasons the researchers in the above mentioned article outlined several risk factors that US companies should take into account when considering outsourcing. “As the findings indicate, the risks focus on three major areas of concern: the communication between the client and the vendor, the client’s internal management of the project, and the vendor’s capabilities” (Iacovou and Nakatsu 91).
In conclusion, when it comes to learning new information systems skills, in order to maximize ones employment potential, it is very advantageous to not only develop a vast knowledge of the technical aspect (hardware, software, systems functions, etc.) but to also place an equal amount of importance on the managerial skills one would need to design new systems, solutions and implement them while leading others to do the same things.
Friday, October 3, 2008
RFID Potential
Inventory tracking and management is an extremely important part of a company's daily operations. The majority of the process is done by hand. Individual pieces of inventory are marked, tracked, and managed with by a UPC (Universal Product Code) Bar code that is printed on the product. A UPC is a symbol that is 12 numerical digits long, which have corresponding bar of varying widths for each number. When scanned, the UPC reveals two pieces of basic information, the manufacturer and the class of products. For inventory purposes, UPC's also allow a company to determine how many of a given item they have on hand.
UPC's have helped companies track items effectively for nearly 35 years, with a few problems. First, an item's barcode had to be physically scanned or it wouldn't be included in inventory. Next, if the item was misplaced then chances are it would get overlooked, creating a shortage, causing the company to remove it from inventory. Suppose the item was found the next time inventory came around, the company would have an overage. Lastly, theft is a major problem with items that are tracked by UPC, since removal from company premises cannot be electronically detected at the time of removal.
The time for the replacement of the UPC is very near, and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is the technology to do it, for various reasons. RFID technology employs an automatic, electronic identification and tracking method, via devices, placed on individual items. Another major difference between RFID and UPC, is that RFID devices are small tags that contain a small circuit and antennas half the size of a grain of salt, these tags have the ability to contain numerous types of information about the product. This type of device allows a company to individually identify each piece of inventory, not just by manufacturer and class. Since each item can be wirelessly tracked, a company has the ability get an instant snapshot of their inventory at any time. This also allows a company to virtually eliminate unnoticed theft and loss. This will allow supermarkets and retailers to eliminate cashiers, reducing overhead, and implement a pass-through checkout, where customers will simply walk through a gate to checkout and pay for items; this will reduce the need for loss prevention personnel. Finally, companies will no longer have the need to hire companies such as RGIS LLC., an inventory counting company, and employees 30 years from now may not even know what an "inventory night" is.
There are other lucrative possibilities for a company's residential customer, such as on-hand grocery management. In 2009, Samsung plans to bring an RFID refrigerator to market. The fridge will monitor on-hand groceries, record regular usage to suggest a grocery list, and will of placing regular, customer-approved, orders to a specified grocery store. Since RFID has the capability of storing data, such as origin of a product, like spinach, in the event of a health scare (i.e. E-coli) the FDA will be able to send out a notification to consumers and businesses that have this item in their inventory.
It would seem that the technology has virtually endless possibilities; however it does come with a few obstacles. The most notable barrier is the cost per device, currently around 10 cents, which is too high relative to the cost of most company’s products. However, recently Wal-Mart has purchased a lot of RFIDs, for what they state was a lot less than 10 cents, to tag larger container of items while they are in-transit to their stores. The next obstacle will be to change over current systems, and to get all items tagged, but once this is completed companies will experience a dramatically improved bottom line.
UPC's have helped companies track items effectively for nearly 35 years, with a few problems. First, an item's barcode had to be physically scanned or it wouldn't be included in inventory. Next, if the item was misplaced then chances are it would get overlooked, creating a shortage, causing the company to remove it from inventory. Suppose the item was found the next time inventory came around, the company would have an overage. Lastly, theft is a major problem with items that are tracked by UPC, since removal from company premises cannot be electronically detected at the time of removal.
The time for the replacement of the UPC is very near, and RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) is the technology to do it, for various reasons. RFID technology employs an automatic, electronic identification and tracking method, via devices, placed on individual items. Another major difference between RFID and UPC, is that RFID devices are small tags that contain a small circuit and antennas half the size of a grain of salt, these tags have the ability to contain numerous types of information about the product. This type of device allows a company to individually identify each piece of inventory, not just by manufacturer and class. Since each item can be wirelessly tracked, a company has the ability get an instant snapshot of their inventory at any time. This also allows a company to virtually eliminate unnoticed theft and loss. This will allow supermarkets and retailers to eliminate cashiers, reducing overhead, and implement a pass-through checkout, where customers will simply walk through a gate to checkout and pay for items; this will reduce the need for loss prevention personnel. Finally, companies will no longer have the need to hire companies such as RGIS LLC., an inventory counting company, and employees 30 years from now may not even know what an "inventory night" is.
There are other lucrative possibilities for a company's residential customer, such as on-hand grocery management. In 2009, Samsung plans to bring an RFID refrigerator to market. The fridge will monitor on-hand groceries, record regular usage to suggest a grocery list, and will of placing regular, customer-approved, orders to a specified grocery store. Since RFID has the capability of storing data, such as origin of a product, like spinach, in the event of a health scare (i.e. E-coli) the FDA will be able to send out a notification to consumers and businesses that have this item in their inventory.
It would seem that the technology has virtually endless possibilities; however it does come with a few obstacles. The most notable barrier is the cost per device, currently around 10 cents, which is too high relative to the cost of most company’s products. However, recently Wal-Mart has purchased a lot of RFIDs, for what they state was a lot less than 10 cents, to tag larger container of items while they are in-transit to their stores. The next obstacle will be to change over current systems, and to get all items tagged, but once this is completed companies will experience a dramatically improved bottom line.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Porter's Competitive Forces
In Porter’s Competitive Force’s Model, we look at how substitutes might be used throughout different industries. There are many reasons that a substitute may be used. One example is the quality of the substitute. The question that comes to mind with this threat of a product is, "Is the substitute better?" After you reach that potential reason for change, you look at the buyers’ willingness to change and whether the price and performance of the substitute matches or exceeds that of the original product. Lastly, you look at the cost effectiveness to change to the substitute. Is it going to be easy and cost little to no money to change or is it going to be an expensive endeavor that will not pay off over time or may just simply not be affordable for most households. Substitutes tend to cause a lot of hassle with businesses. If you have a product to sell that no one else does, you are the sole determinant of the price and quantity that is put on that product. When substitutes come into place, prices must get much more competitive because you have to be able to keep up with the ‘best new thing.’ Look at how different computer companies are constantly upgrading, changing, and improving pricing structure so much to stay competitive to each other.
The power of customers is how much pressure they can place on a business. When the buyer’s power is significant, they can force prices down, demand higher quality products or services and play competitors against one another. Then you have the suppliers. Suppliers can make or break a firm. The only way for a firm to bargain with a supplier is to have many suppliers that can supply them with the same product. These market inputs are responsible for supplying raw materials, mechanisms, components, and services. The fewer number of suppliers for any given product means more power the supplier will have over the firm. They will also have more power over the firm if they are the only supplier that makes specific products for a firm. One thing that has helped firms gain more power over suppliers is the internet. Firms are able to contact suppliers much easier. They have easier access to many different manufacturers that produce many different materials all over the world. Distribution of these materials is made much easier and faster. Internet helps firms keep up with changing prices that in turn will help them make a better profit.
The threat of new market entrants is the possibility that new firms will enter the industry. New market entrants bring a desire to gain market share and often have significant resources. Their presence may force prices down and put pressure on profits. The threat of new entrants is highest when: Processes are not protected by regulations or patents, customers have little brand loyalty and etc. Without strong brand loyalty, a potential firm has to spend little to overcome the advertising and service programs of existing firms and is more likely to enter the industry. Enhancing your marketing/brand image, utilizing patents and creating alliances with associated products can minimize the threat of new entrants. Setting a price that earns positive but not excessive profits could reduce the threat of new entry in your industry because competitors may enter the industry if there are excess profits.
Traditional competitors are existing businesses in an industry. Rivalries naturally develop between companies competing in the same market. Competitors use means such as advertising, introducing new products, more attractive customer service and warranties, and price competition to enhance their standing and market share in a specific industry. To Porter, the intensity of this rivalry is the result of factors like equally balanced companies, slow growth within an industry, high fixed costs, lack of product differentiation, overcapacity and price-cutting, diverse competitors, high-stakes investment, and the high risk of industry exit.
The power of customers is how much pressure they can place on a business. When the buyer’s power is significant, they can force prices down, demand higher quality products or services and play competitors against one another. Then you have the suppliers. Suppliers can make or break a firm. The only way for a firm to bargain with a supplier is to have many suppliers that can supply them with the same product. These market inputs are responsible for supplying raw materials, mechanisms, components, and services. The fewer number of suppliers for any given product means more power the supplier will have over the firm. They will also have more power over the firm if they are the only supplier that makes specific products for a firm. One thing that has helped firms gain more power over suppliers is the internet. Firms are able to contact suppliers much easier. They have easier access to many different manufacturers that produce many different materials all over the world. Distribution of these materials is made much easier and faster. Internet helps firms keep up with changing prices that in turn will help them make a better profit.
The threat of new market entrants is the possibility that new firms will enter the industry. New market entrants bring a desire to gain market share and often have significant resources. Their presence may force prices down and put pressure on profits. The threat of new entrants is highest when: Processes are not protected by regulations or patents, customers have little brand loyalty and etc. Without strong brand loyalty, a potential firm has to spend little to overcome the advertising and service programs of existing firms and is more likely to enter the industry. Enhancing your marketing/brand image, utilizing patents and creating alliances with associated products can minimize the threat of new entrants. Setting a price that earns positive but not excessive profits could reduce the threat of new entry in your industry because competitors may enter the industry if there are excess profits.
Traditional competitors are existing businesses in an industry. Rivalries naturally develop between companies competing in the same market. Competitors use means such as advertising, introducing new products, more attractive customer service and warranties, and price competition to enhance their standing and market share in a specific industry. To Porter, the intensity of this rivalry is the result of factors like equally balanced companies, slow growth within an industry, high fixed costs, lack of product differentiation, overcapacity and price-cutting, diverse competitors, high-stakes investment, and the high risk of industry exit.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Hardware and Software
Fifteen years ago, the word “blog” didn’t mean very much to most of us. Hardware and software were just really starting to enter the language of every day users. Sales of the word processor began dwindling. It doesn’t take long for things to change. It is rare to find someone now who does not own a PC or a Mac or at least use one for work on a daily basis. Even children as young as two are being trained on how to control a mouse and type their names on a personal computer. In the business world, it seems that it would be difficult to make a profit without some type of computer.
The type of computer used by a particular business depends on their size and the type of business they are. Personal computers, likely not networked, are used with smaller businesses most likely because of the small number of employees. On the other hand, a company with multiple locations or many employees may have a need for compiling data from various locations in which they would all be networked using a centralized server. A retail chain with multiple stores would be a great example of this. Being able to transfer sales data, inventory changes, employee hours, etc is a huge advantage for retailers. Information polling on a daily basis will help the main office monitor the business on a regular basis. A server would also allow managers from the different stores to share data.
The software that companies use to operate their businesses also plays a crucial role in how profitable they may be. Some rely solely on programs in each department. Accounting, finance, marketing, human resources and engineering each have programs that enable them to complete their daily tasks. In the end, all of the information generated from these programs combines to keep the business going and relay to the public what they are trying to accomplish.
Now imagine yourself fifteen years ago, where you lived, how you dressed and what was going on in your life. Your friends living 200 miles away want to know what’s going on with you. Did we ever think it would be as simple as logging onto our personal computers, accessing the internet and posting a blog?
The type of computer used by a particular business depends on their size and the type of business they are. Personal computers, likely not networked, are used with smaller businesses most likely because of the small number of employees. On the other hand, a company with multiple locations or many employees may have a need for compiling data from various locations in which they would all be networked using a centralized server. A retail chain with multiple stores would be a great example of this. Being able to transfer sales data, inventory changes, employee hours, etc is a huge advantage for retailers. Information polling on a daily basis will help the main office monitor the business on a regular basis. A server would also allow managers from the different stores to share data.
The software that companies use to operate their businesses also plays a crucial role in how profitable they may be. Some rely solely on programs in each department. Accounting, finance, marketing, human resources and engineering each have programs that enable them to complete their daily tasks. In the end, all of the information generated from these programs combines to keep the business going and relay to the public what they are trying to accomplish.
Now imagine yourself fifteen years ago, where you lived, how you dressed and what was going on in your life. Your friends living 200 miles away want to know what’s going on with you. Did we ever think it would be as simple as logging onto our personal computers, accessing the internet and posting a blog?
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Cell Phones & Handhelds
Technology keeps changing so fast it is incredible. Cell phones and wireless handhelds have come so far compared to what they started out as. Just look 5 years ago to now. It is just amazing the process that has happened. If you go back a little farther to 10 years ago it is like comparing the stone ages to present times. Does anyone remember the bag phone? When the first flip phone came out it was so big it wouldn’t even fit in your back pocket. Now there are phones out there that are so small it is amazing people can actually see the numbers on them to place a call.
At this day and age there aren’t many people that don’t have a cell phone or a wireless handheld. In fact just today on the news they did a poll to see how many people couldn’t live without their BlackBerry. They even asked the question “Which would you rather be with, your BlackBerry or your spouse?” There were actually a lot of people that stated they would rather spend more time with their BlackBerry. This just goes to show how important technology is to people.
As our book says, “90 million (cell phone subscribers) are business subscribers.” Cell phones are a big part of companies these days. It is much easier to stay connected with everyone involved in any business. Cell phones give people access to the office when they are out of the office. People are able to send data and receive data from the office as if they were sitting in front of their computer. Also, cell phones and wireless handhelds help with international business, where before time zones created a communication barrier. Now you can reach people outside of the 9 to 5 work schedule. These digital devices have given us the flexibility to work on the go and since we have become so dependent on them if we had to go without them our world would probably come crashing down around us. We wouldn’t know what to do.
At this day and age there aren’t many people that don’t have a cell phone or a wireless handheld. In fact just today on the news they did a poll to see how many people couldn’t live without their BlackBerry. They even asked the question “Which would you rather be with, your BlackBerry or your spouse?” There were actually a lot of people that stated they would rather spend more time with their BlackBerry. This just goes to show how important technology is to people.
As our book says, “90 million (cell phone subscribers) are business subscribers.” Cell phones are a big part of companies these days. It is much easier to stay connected with everyone involved in any business. Cell phones give people access to the office when they are out of the office. People are able to send data and receive data from the office as if they were sitting in front of their computer. Also, cell phones and wireless handhelds help with international business, where before time zones created a communication barrier. Now you can reach people outside of the 9 to 5 work schedule. These digital devices have given us the flexibility to work on the go and since we have become so dependent on them if we had to go without them our world would probably come crashing down around us. We wouldn’t know what to do.
Monday, September 15, 2008
IT's Ease of Employee Recruitment
Business operations seek employees who are skilled, effective and resourceful, which are necessary components in building a competitive advantage. These employees are not only top notch managers, researchers, specialists, customer service representatives and salespeople. Whatever position that is held, employees must understand the company’s vision, be self-starters, have exceptional communication skills and must be creative in providing innovation to the organization.
However, these employees are hard to come by since not many prospective and current employees’ posses these skills. Businesses must research to determine what skill sets exist in their geographical location and what the company is willing to pay to entice these workers in addition to forecasting future employment needs. Often businesses have to go outside of its geographical location to discover these workers. Information systems (IS) and technology (IT) provide the needed provisions to gain such data needed to make the decisions that will lead an organization closer to its critical goals. IT makes this task more efficient by providing the ability to research and attract job seekers across the globe through various internet and extranet sites. Here they can see who is available and job searching, when they are willing to begin working, where they will work or relocate to, what skill sets exist and what pay is competitive among job markets in order to present a figure that will attract these workers.
IT allows instant access from remote locations and instant communication. All this is available within seconds and provides immediate data used to make sound decisions. IT is definitely a competitive advantage over shuffling papers, word of mouth or any other system as IT provides quick and easy results. Further, these benefits often result in employers gaining great selective power as information gained from business competitors through IT is available as well.
Because of the ease of use and efficiency in employee selection, the trend of IT usage extends to how people look for jobs. A huge number of electronic job resources are currently available: resume posting sites, job vacancy databases, employer websites, discussion boards and newsgroups, industry salary and information sites, general career information sites and networking organizations. Although, many of today’s job seekers go directly to a company’s web site to search for job openings where they can also research the organization’s growth prospectus, available employee benefits and get an idea of the company’s culture. Therefore, any company that has a well-designed and user friendly website has a significant advantage in recruiting employees. Consequently, a company that doesn't take full advantage of a website in recruiting risks losing qualified candidates to a business competitor who does.
More and more companies have begun to use IT in assisting with employment recruitment to simplify the selection process by outsourcing on-line employer advertising agencies. These agencies post and cross post an organization’s available positions to reach a wide and diverse range of potential employees. Such websites as Monster.com, Gojobs, CareerBuilder.com and Yahoo hotjobs are leading online recruiting agencies. One can enter his information via these websites and submit it using IT and the result is as if he were actually submitting it at the place of employment. An important difference is that using such a service may increase the chances of one’s information be reviewed by the hiring authority. IT also provides ease in applying to a position in a separate state from where one resides as one gain and sends information remotely. The Internet gives job seekers access to vast amounts of information about vacancies and employers, 24-hour availability, broader geographic reach, networking, career development advice, simplified resume distribution and the goals and prospected growth of the organization. For recruiters and employers, the Internet can speed up the hiring process, provide a large pool of qualified applicants, and reduce advertising and operational costs that had previously been spent in large sums of employee management.
However, one must proceed with caution when submitting personal information because if a website is unknown, then researching it to ascertain its credibility is critical. Submitting personal information should not be viewed lightly as security should be one’s main priority.
However, these employees are hard to come by since not many prospective and current employees’ posses these skills. Businesses must research to determine what skill sets exist in their geographical location and what the company is willing to pay to entice these workers in addition to forecasting future employment needs. Often businesses have to go outside of its geographical location to discover these workers. Information systems (IS) and technology (IT) provide the needed provisions to gain such data needed to make the decisions that will lead an organization closer to its critical goals. IT makes this task more efficient by providing the ability to research and attract job seekers across the globe through various internet and extranet sites. Here they can see who is available and job searching, when they are willing to begin working, where they will work or relocate to, what skill sets exist and what pay is competitive among job markets in order to present a figure that will attract these workers.
IT allows instant access from remote locations and instant communication. All this is available within seconds and provides immediate data used to make sound decisions. IT is definitely a competitive advantage over shuffling papers, word of mouth or any other system as IT provides quick and easy results. Further, these benefits often result in employers gaining great selective power as information gained from business competitors through IT is available as well.
Because of the ease of use and efficiency in employee selection, the trend of IT usage extends to how people look for jobs. A huge number of electronic job resources are currently available: resume posting sites, job vacancy databases, employer websites, discussion boards and newsgroups, industry salary and information sites, general career information sites and networking organizations. Although, many of today’s job seekers go directly to a company’s web site to search for job openings where they can also research the organization’s growth prospectus, available employee benefits and get an idea of the company’s culture. Therefore, any company that has a well-designed and user friendly website has a significant advantage in recruiting employees. Consequently, a company that doesn't take full advantage of a website in recruiting risks losing qualified candidates to a business competitor who does.
More and more companies have begun to use IT in assisting with employment recruitment to simplify the selection process by outsourcing on-line employer advertising agencies. These agencies post and cross post an organization’s available positions to reach a wide and diverse range of potential employees. Such websites as Monster.com, Gojobs, CareerBuilder.com and Yahoo hotjobs are leading online recruiting agencies. One can enter his information via these websites and submit it using IT and the result is as if he were actually submitting it at the place of employment. An important difference is that using such a service may increase the chances of one’s information be reviewed by the hiring authority. IT also provides ease in applying to a position in a separate state from where one resides as one gain and sends information remotely. The Internet gives job seekers access to vast amounts of information about vacancies and employers, 24-hour availability, broader geographic reach, networking, career development advice, simplified resume distribution and the goals and prospected growth of the organization. For recruiters and employers, the Internet can speed up the hiring process, provide a large pool of qualified applicants, and reduce advertising and operational costs that had previously been spent in large sums of employee management.
However, one must proceed with caution when submitting personal information because if a website is unknown, then researching it to ascertain its credibility is critical. Submitting personal information should not be viewed lightly as security should be one’s main priority.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Streamlining Corporate Communication
Gone are the days of paper memos and corporate mail outs. Electronic communication has replaced the paper form of communication in most corporate settings. Intranets now allow employees to communicate much quicker and with less chance of the message being lost under a pile of papers on a desk. Some companies only allow access at work but other companies allow access through the internet. The intranets have many benefits. It can consolidate corporate data into a central location allowing the proper employees quicker access to the needed information. All employees can get email about a meeting. It can allow all employees to share resources, improve customer service, and reduce paperwork. The intranets help save time and money.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
The World it is A'Shrinking
Okay, perhaps it has already shrunk. So the real question is just how small can it get.
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