In an ever-changing business world, the energy industry relies on innovational technology to meet market demands. Companies understand the important of the role of technology and the positive possibilities up-to-date technology brings. In the article I read, it exemplified several different market trends that will govern how energy companies use/invest in their new technology and how they will chose to run their business. Some examples include merger and acquisition activity, climate change, government policy and regulation, rapid shifts in consumer demands patterns, and the renewable energy debate. The company must also determine how it will be the most operationally efficient throughout the entire company. This will help greatly reduce costs. Although cutting costs is a goal of nearly all companies, with the increase of M &A’s companies must now manage a larger set of assets, while trying to drive down costs. The main idea is to cut costs without conceding any quality or capability of the operating systems. It is particularly essential to think about the three C’s (Condition or health of the systems, Capability (today and in the future), and Capacity). In the business world today it is imperative to have a modern and quick communications infrastructure. Everyday the amount of information available is increasing and if technological innovations are not made in the communications field, companies will be left behind. For example, page 5 of the article states, “databases will need enhancing to be capable of handling massively increased amounts of data in real-time, billing systems will need upgrading, network bandwidth will need improvement, and customer management processes will have to be transformed”. These necessary advances will take place in the near future as well, absolutely within in 15 years for most companies. The bottom line is that companies must prepare for investment in new technology and make smart technological investments as well. The rapid modernization of technology on a daily basis is intriguing to me. In my opinion, I not only agree with the article, but I believe that our technological growth is growing exponentially. In the upcoming years, it will take close monitoring of the success of a company’s information and communication systems to make sure that company doesn’t fall behind in their particular industry. I feel as if this is currently happening at a greater pace, especially with the United States and international markets struggling. Companies are fighting for that technology edge in their field and at this point, with the world’s economy on thin ice, they are fighting for their lives. Take the Grand River Dam Authority for example, their CEO looked at two questions concerning his company, “where are we, and where do we need to be? He realized that his systems needed upgrading and that his existing infrastructure was unable to meet regulation standards. In my mind, this article illustrates how companies must take a particular interest in technological innovation and focus on informational communication as top priority.
Written by Danny Orr
Source: http://next-generation-communications.tmcnet.com/topics/business-critical-communications/articles/43562-future-role-ict-meeting-operational-challenges-energy-utilities.htm
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
No need to touch
With the new advances in technology there is no surprise that in a short period of time that touches screens will become obsolete. The Microsoft Corporation is in the process of developing a new technology called SideSight that uses inferred sensors, they can sense up to 10 cm from the side of the phone or mobile device. This technology allows you to both scroll and search the internet without ever having to touch anything except for thin air. There will also be an option where you can use a pen to mark up the screen with notations; you could mark the internet, important documents, etc. This technology will forever change the size of the technology that is released. Cell phones, PDA’s and all other handheld devices will become smaller and smaller without the necessity to touch the screen or any buttons. This will also change the IT world forever; it will make both travel and everyday use of mobile devices both faster and more convenient. There are only a couple things wrong with the SideSight software that Microsoft is in the process of making. First it will be difficult to control the inferred sensors; the phone or mobile device may move the screen or scroll when you do not want it to. The other problem is that the sensors are only fast enough to move at 11 screens per second and Microsoft wants to get that number up to 20 screens per second before they release the technology to the public. This technology will not just impact the use and speed of IT but it will also change the carriers that companies use. Since Microsoft will obviously not release the technology to apple for the Iphone, companies will be hesitant to use AT&T and the Iphone and will choose to give their business the carrier that has the rights to the new technology. I am really hesitant to believe that this SideSight technology will actually work, it seems that it is pretty farfetched to move a screen without touching it, I think that the software will lag and not work very efficiently. In summary if Microsoft is able to fully develop this software it will change the way IT is used for ever, things will be done more quickly, and people will be able to hold actual computers at the palm of their hands. With this type of innovation the rate at which mobile devices srink is unpredictable.
Land Information Systems Are Transforming Community Development, New Lincoln Institute...
Recently, the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy in Cambridge Mass. has developed a new social use for information systems in declining neighborhoods. The new technologies that are being developed are aimed at revitalizing our countries declining neighborhoods. The information systems help to target failing neighborhoods and help protect them from foreclosures and “home-flippers.” The new systems also help to develop plans for which type of public works would be most valued within a given region. Researchers here have developed new technologies which will enable them to restore urban areas which are in decay, and vitalize land values and overall quality of the areas. These new technologies have been very successful in facilitating revitalization, improving vacant lots, building on affordable housing initiatives, heading off foreclosures, or integrating neighborhood efforts into a larger regional framework.
I think that this is a much better use for technology innovation then simply increasing profits and productivity within a company. If more technologies such as these were being developed and implemented, it would go a very long way to help the economy, and thus booster businesses across the nation.
It was stated within the article that these new technologies that were developed were able to rehabilitate and renovate over 150 acres of abandoned lots into a vibrant neighborhood with affordable housing for its residents. This is the kind of progress that we need as a society, affordable housing which benefits everyone. We have come to a point in our society where we should at least be able to eliminate poverty within our own borders, and this new technology is the first step in doing so.
While technology is important to businesses for their day to day procedures, I believe that the focus of new technologies should be something that everyone can profit from, rather than solely a company which will only use it to cut costs. By using information systems to help the greater good, we become more productive and efficient as a society. By eliminating the poverty that exists in many regions across the United States of America, we are then as a nation more prepared to advance our society both socially and economically.
It is important to understand that technology is more then just a way to become more efficient in our day to day operations or even in the day to day operations as a company. Technology is a way for us to be more efficient and informed as a society, and thus affect both businesses and individuals. If we devote our energies to solving the separation of wealth within this country, all of our other problems will be less significant, and our workforce will be more capable then ever.
Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS130710+19-Mar-2008+PRN20080319
I think that this is a much better use for technology innovation then simply increasing profits and productivity within a company. If more technologies such as these were being developed and implemented, it would go a very long way to help the economy, and thus booster businesses across the nation.
It was stated within the article that these new technologies that were developed were able to rehabilitate and renovate over 150 acres of abandoned lots into a vibrant neighborhood with affordable housing for its residents. This is the kind of progress that we need as a society, affordable housing which benefits everyone. We have come to a point in our society where we should at least be able to eliminate poverty within our own borders, and this new technology is the first step in doing so.
While technology is important to businesses for their day to day procedures, I believe that the focus of new technologies should be something that everyone can profit from, rather than solely a company which will only use it to cut costs. By using information systems to help the greater good, we become more productive and efficient as a society. By eliminating the poverty that exists in many regions across the United States of America, we are then as a nation more prepared to advance our society both socially and economically.
It is important to understand that technology is more then just a way to become more efficient in our day to day operations or even in the day to day operations as a company. Technology is a way for us to be more efficient and informed as a society, and thus affect both businesses and individuals. If we devote our energies to solving the separation of wealth within this country, all of our other problems will be less significant, and our workforce will be more capable then ever.
Source: http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS130710+19-Mar-2008+PRN20080319
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Infosys Sharpens India Focus
Infosys Sharpens India Focus
The Wall Street Journal
Sep 12, 2008
Infosys Technologies which is a one of India’s biggest software exporters has decided to branch out and has been involved with 3 IT projects in North America and other parts of India. The company is trying to gain on the local competition of Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. and IBM. More outsourcing is starting to come into this part of India and Infosys wants to be able to cash on the quick moving outsourcing contacts. Infosys get 1.3% of its revenue from India and 63% from North America. With these new deals Infosys will be able to up their earnings to about $333 million in the public sector of the IT industry. India has been the fastest growing nation within the last 20 years with over 1.2 billion people and will continue to grow. Teaming with the Ministry of Power of the Government of India, Infosys will help advance IT solutions for the generation, transmission and distribution of power. They will help create a streamline for the power sector of India and provide an application for a more consumer-friendly atmosphere. CEO Kris Gopalakrishnan also sees an opportunity of a lifetime that will come out of the financial crisis. According to Kris, “mergers of companies will require IT integration. Restructuring of financial services companies will open opportunities for the IT industry. With the vast outsourcing of U.S companies to that of India and China, Infosys will be able to take control of that market. Onfosys has also added new service lines such as consulting and package implementation, business process outsourcing, infrastructure management, and testing and systems integration. Bharti Airtel, India's leading integrated telecom services provider, has entered into an innovation and technology partnership with Infosys Technologies to deliver customer experience to the customers of Airtel digital TV, its Direct-To-Home TV service. As part of its Digital Convergence Platform, Infosys will provide a suite of products including devices, application servers and interactive applications that will focus on providing an enhanced digital lifestyle to Airtel digital TV customers.
Infosys diversity in different sectors of certain industries and developing new partnerships has helped made it one of the premiers IT companies in the world.
Will Appelt
Infosys Sharpens India Focus
Infosys Sharpens India Focus
The Wall Street Journal
Sep 12, 2008
Infosys Technologies which is a one of India’s biggest software exporters has decided to branch out and has been involved with 3 IT projects in North America and other parts of India. The company is trying to gain on the local competition of Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. and IBM. More outsourcing is starting to come into this part of India and Infosys wants to be able to cash on the quick moving outsourcing contacts. Infosys get 1.3% of its revenue from India and 63% from North America. With these new deals Infosys will be able to up their earnings to about $333 million in the public sector of the IT industry. India has been the fastest growing nation within the last 20 years with over 1.2 billion people and will continue to grow. Teaming with the Ministry of Power of the Government of India, Infosys will help advance IT solutions for the generation, transmission and distribution of power. They will help create a streamline for the power sector of India and provide an application for a more consumer-friendly atmosphere. CEO Kris Gopalakrishnan also sees an opportunity of a lifetime that will come out of the financial crisis. According to Kris, “mergers of companies will require IT integration. Restructuring of financial services companies will open opportunities for the IT industry. With the vast outsourcing of U.S companies to that of India and China, Infosys will be able to take control of that market. Onfosys has also added new service lines such as consulting and package implementation, business process outsourcing, infrastructure management, and testing and systems integration. Bharti Airtel, India's leading integrated telecom services provider, has entered into an innovation and technology partnership with Infosys Technologies to deliver customer experience to the customers of Airtel digital TV, its Direct-To-Home TV service. As part of its Digital Convergence Platform, Infosys will provide a suite of products including devices, application servers and interactive applications that will focus on providing an enhanced digital lifestyle to Airtel digital TV customers.
Infosys diversity in different sectors of certain industries and developing new partnerships has helped made it one of the premiers IT companies in the world.
Will Appelt
Infosys Sharpens India Focus
Infosys Sharpens India Focus
The Wall Street Journal
Sep 12, 2008
Infosys Technologies which is a one of India’s biggest software exporters has decided to branch out and has been involved with 3 IT projects in North America and other parts of India. The company is trying to gain on the local competition of Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. and IBM. More outsourcing is starting to come into this part of India and Infosys wants to be able to cash on the quick moving outsourcing contacts. Infosys get 1.3% of its revenue from India and 63% from North America. With these new deals Infosys will be able to up their earnings to about $333 million in the public sector of the IT industry. India has been the fastest growing nation within the last 20 years with over 1.2 billion people and will continue to grow. Teaming with the Ministry of Power of the Government of India, Infosys will help advance IT solutions for the generation, transmission and distribution of power. They will help create a streamline for the power sector of India and provide an application for a more consumer-friendly atmosphere. CEO Kris Gopalakrishnan also sees an opportunity of a lifetime that will come out of the financial crisis. According to Kris, “mergers of companies will require IT integration. Restructuring of financial services companies will open opportunities for the IT industry. With the vast outsourcing of U.S companies to that of India and China, Infosys will be able to take control of that market. Onfosys has also added new service lines such as consulting and package implementation, business process outsourcing, infrastructure management, and testing and systems integration. Bharti Airtel, India's leading integrated telecom services provider, has entered into an innovation and technology partnership with Infosys Technologies to deliver customer experience to the customers of Airtel digital TV, its Direct-To-Home TV service. As part of its Digital Convergence Platform, Infosys will provide a suite of products including devices, application servers and interactive applications that will focus on providing an enhanced digital lifestyle to Airtel digital TV customers.
Infosys diversity in different sectors of certain industries and developing new partnerships has helped made it one of the premiers IT companies in the world.
Will Appelt
Infosys Sharpens India Focus
Infosys Sharpens India Focus
The Wall Street Journal
Sep 12, 2008
Infosys Technologies which is a one of India’s biggest software exporters has decided to branch out and has been involved with 3 IT projects in North America and other parts of India. The company is trying to gain on the local competition of Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. and IBM. More outsourcing is starting to come into this part of India and Infosys wants to be able to cash on the quick moving outsourcing contacts. Infosys get 1.3% of its revenue from India and 63% from North America. With these new deals Infosys will be able to up their earnings to about $333 million in the public sector of the IT industry. India has been the fastest growing nation within the last 20 years with over 1.2 billion people and will continue to grow. Teaming with the Ministry of Power of the Government of India, Infosys will help advance IT solutions for the generation, transmission and distribution of power. They will help create a streamline for the power sector of India and provide an application for a more consumer-friendly atmosphere. CEO Kris Gopalakrishnan also sees an opportunity of a lifetime that will come out of the financial crisis. According to Kris, “mergers of companies will require IT integration. Restructuring of financial services companies will open opportunities for the IT industry. With the vast outsourcing of U.S companies to that of India and China, Infosys will be able to take control of that market. Onfosys has also added new service lines such as consulting and package implementation, business process outsourcing, infrastructure management, and testing and systems integration. Bharti Airtel, India's leading integrated telecom services provider, has entered into an innovation and technology partnership with Infosys Technologies to deliver customer experience to the customers of Airtel digital TV, its Direct-To-Home TV service. As part of its Digital Convergence Platform, Infosys will provide a suite of products including devices, application servers and interactive applications that will focus on providing an enhanced digital lifestyle to Airtel digital TV customers.
Infosys diversity in different sectors of certain industries and developing new partnerships has helped made it one of the premiers IT companies in the world.
Will Appelt
IT at Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart is a leader in the IT world. The company is constantly trying to improve its IT infrastructure in order to make its daily business practices faster, cheaper, and more convenient. Wal-Mart does this, yet still manages to spend less than 1% of its global revenue on IT. Wal-Mart is currently developing a system that will automatically trigger a purchase order for a new product the moment it is taken off the shelves in a given store. This is an example how Wal-Mart encourages its suppliers to upgrade their IT as well so that the entire purchase and sale of items is easier on both ends.
I think that what Wal-Mart is doing as far as encouraging its suppliers to upgrade their current IT is great. This system of getting items on the shelves faster while having them spend less time in storage is better for everyone, including Wal-Mart and its customers. This new system of having a purchase order made the moment a customer buys a product is a great way for Wal-Mart to save money, and in turn, to pass some of the savings down to the customers. Wal-Mart is constantly trying to go out and be the first to get its hands on a piece of IT technology. This is why Wal-Mart is a leader in its field.
The more efficient Wal-Mart can run its business, the more enjoyable the public will find shopping at Wal-Mart. If new IT offers a better shopping experience, while at the same time decreasing Wal-Mart's costs, then it is a no-brainer; Wal-Mart must strengthen its IT in order to remain a leader with a loyal customer base. This is something that Wal-Mart realizes and will continue striving to upgrade. I do not believe that there will ever come a day where Wal-Mart or any other company totally maximizes its IT efficiency. There are always slight details that can be improved to make the purchase and sale of products by a company like Wal-Mart better. This is what Wal-Mart understands, and this is why Wal-Mart will not be failing anytime within the foreseeable future. Wal-Mart does not have to strive for perfection, it simply must consistently stay ahead of any competition in the IT field.
http://www.informationweek.com/news/mobility/RFID/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=L5MO1TXU0E2ZEQSNDLPCKHSCJUNN2JVN?articleID=47902662&pgno=3&queryText=&isPrev=
Computer Technology Opens a World of Work to Disabled People Danny granatell
Computer Technology Opens a World of Work to Disabled People
David Joachim, New York Times
The development of information technology over the last twenty years has increased globalization making the world smaller and more connected. During this time, outsourcing has become a common method for companies to cut cost using the benefits of technology and the Internet. Many Americans believe that outsourcing and innovative technology has been the reasons for the loss of jobs in America as companies move over seas for cheaper capital and labor. However, the development of new technology has created work opportunity for many disabled people, which have difficulty finding work due to the constraints of their medical conditions.
The evolution of computers, telecommunications, and cheap access to these at home has allowed for disabled people to find a new means of income. The combination of these developments “lets a blind person use a keyboard instead of a mouse to navigate a program, and voice synthesizers that turn text into speech. There are also alternatives to the mouse for people with limited use of their arms.” In one example, Steven Stingley, a quadriplegic as a result of a car accidents twenty years ago is able to field phone calls for Office Depot from his home in Centerville, Utah. Stingley, who works about 20-24 hours a week, said the new technology has allowed him to find consistent employment and income. Another interesting fact is that at home answering agents generally make as much or more than their counterparts in large companies. They are paid anywhere from $10-$20 dollars an hour depending on benefits and commission. This is in large part due to the reduced cost of capital. Companies that outsource their answering service to home agents do need have sunk costs for rent space and utilities expenses. The home agent pays those expenses, which is the price they pay for working at home. Another interesting fact is that the I.R.S. is one of the largest employers of disabled home agents. They currently have over 350 employed disabled home agents in 42 different states that handle customer service calls.
The development of information technology for disabled people is remarkable. Not only has it allowed many disabled people to find a steady means of work and income, but also allows companies to cut costs giving them incentive to higher more disabled workers. These benefits not only help disabled people and companies, but also the public as it allows disabled people to fend for themselves and not depend on government aid. The use of this technology also raises another question about the future of business. The developments of information technology allows for disabled workers to compete for job opportunities by working at home. Could this technology allow disabled workers to become major role players in large companies? As information technology becomes cheaper, faster, and more reliable it is not impossible for one day to have disabled workers to be high-level employees in large companies. The use of advance technology levels the playing field as competition for certain positions becomes more mental than physical as employees can work from home.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/01/technology/01disable.html?scp=7&sq=computer%20technology&st=cse
David Joachim, New York Times
The development of information technology over the last twenty years has increased globalization making the world smaller and more connected. During this time, outsourcing has become a common method for companies to cut cost using the benefits of technology and the Internet. Many Americans believe that outsourcing and innovative technology has been the reasons for the loss of jobs in America as companies move over seas for cheaper capital and labor. However, the development of new technology has created work opportunity for many disabled people, which have difficulty finding work due to the constraints of their medical conditions.
The evolution of computers, telecommunications, and cheap access to these at home has allowed for disabled people to find a new means of income. The combination of these developments “lets a blind person use a keyboard instead of a mouse to navigate a program, and voice synthesizers that turn text into speech. There are also alternatives to the mouse for people with limited use of their arms.” In one example, Steven Stingley, a quadriplegic as a result of a car accidents twenty years ago is able to field phone calls for Office Depot from his home in Centerville, Utah. Stingley, who works about 20-24 hours a week, said the new technology has allowed him to find consistent employment and income. Another interesting fact is that at home answering agents generally make as much or more than their counterparts in large companies. They are paid anywhere from $10-$20 dollars an hour depending on benefits and commission. This is in large part due to the reduced cost of capital. Companies that outsource their answering service to home agents do need have sunk costs for rent space and utilities expenses. The home agent pays those expenses, which is the price they pay for working at home. Another interesting fact is that the I.R.S. is one of the largest employers of disabled home agents. They currently have over 350 employed disabled home agents in 42 different states that handle customer service calls.
The development of information technology for disabled people is remarkable. Not only has it allowed many disabled people to find a steady means of work and income, but also allows companies to cut costs giving them incentive to higher more disabled workers. These benefits not only help disabled people and companies, but also the public as it allows disabled people to fend for themselves and not depend on government aid. The use of this technology also raises another question about the future of business. The developments of information technology allows for disabled workers to compete for job opportunities by working at home. Could this technology allow disabled workers to become major role players in large companies? As information technology becomes cheaper, faster, and more reliable it is not impossible for one day to have disabled workers to be high-level employees in large companies. The use of advance technology levels the playing field as competition for certain positions becomes more mental than physical as employees can work from home.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/01/technology/01disable.html?scp=7&sq=computer%20technology&st=cse
Not just a cable company: Cox Communications
Who would have thought that a cable company would ever make the transition into the wireless network? Aren’t the ideals around a cable company based in the strong connection within its’ wired technology? Well, Cox Communications has just announced that they are going against the norm. The goal is to broaden their customers into their own wireless network. Cox will be building such a network from the ground up. Their hope is to create a superior network that will draw customers with bundle packages with all their services. Cox realizes that it is maintaining its current customers. But this new form of technology will allow Cox to grow in many more areas if the technology works the way it should.
This new wireless network that they will create comes after the failure of their 2005 version, called Pivot. This old network, that was linked with Sprint, Comcast, Time Warner, and Advance/Newhouse Communications, was a total flop. Three years later Pivot is non-existent. Many questions and concerns are now being raised with yet another attempt at a wireless network. Will there be another flop? How reliable will it be? How strong will the technology perform? Is Cox just wasting time, energy, and most importantly money? These are the questions that Cox will have to answer in the coming months if it hopes to truly break into this type of market.
The truth of the matter is that Cox’s new wireless network will work efficiently. Cox Communications is dedicated to this new idea. They will not put a price tag on the new software. They will leave no stone unturned. “Wireless service will be a key driver to Cox’s future growth,” Cox President Pat Esser. "Now we are building our own wireless network in our footprint and leasing capacity from Sprint nationwide to deliver an integrated service that we build and manage," said Stephen Bye VP of wireless for Cox. The company is heading in the proper direction. It is with these new technologies that Cox Communications will continue to grow with long term future aspirations.
Sources: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10076435-94.html
This new wireless network that they will create comes after the failure of their 2005 version, called Pivot. This old network, that was linked with Sprint, Comcast, Time Warner, and Advance/Newhouse Communications, was a total flop. Three years later Pivot is non-existent. Many questions and concerns are now being raised with yet another attempt at a wireless network. Will there be another flop? How reliable will it be? How strong will the technology perform? Is Cox just wasting time, energy, and most importantly money? These are the questions that Cox will have to answer in the coming months if it hopes to truly break into this type of market.
The truth of the matter is that Cox’s new wireless network will work efficiently. Cox Communications is dedicated to this new idea. They will not put a price tag on the new software. They will leave no stone unturned. “Wireless service will be a key driver to Cox’s future growth,” Cox President Pat Esser. "Now we are building our own wireless network in our footprint and leasing capacity from Sprint nationwide to deliver an integrated service that we build and manage," said Stephen Bye VP of wireless for Cox. The company is heading in the proper direction. It is with these new technologies that Cox Communications will continue to grow with long term future aspirations.
Sources: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1035_3-10076435-94.html
Coca-Cola: Building a Better Design Machine
Coca-Cola Enterprises created what they call the “Design Machine”. This Design Machine is a web-based design tool that lets the beverage giant customize marketing for hundreds of brands globally. With this new innovation, Coca-Cola is now able to produce new signs in less than ten minutes versus its previous strategy that would take weeks or months with a team of people. The Design Machine is part digital library of brand assets, part design and production tool. Many of Coke’s employees use the site to create hundreds of millions of pieces of customized retail marketing, ranging from grocery aisle signs to packaging to bottle labels.
The introduction of the Design Machine at Coca-Cola Enterprises has improved the company immensely. The most important and obvious reason for the production of the Design Machine is money. The company has reduced fees to agencies for localizing point-of-scale pieces by thirty percent and the company no longer has to hire outside printing shops and pay rush fees. The efficiency of this new product has helped significantly with the overall production of the marketing department.
Not only did the Design Machine help the Coca-Cola fiscally but also the new machine allows the company to produce high quality materials. The problem before this machine was that the design team consisted of a mere sixty employees in turn making it extremely difficult for nondesigners to create good designs. With the new machine everyone is becoming educated on what a good design is. The tool also suggests that the company is making great strides in the effort of balancing globalization and the local prospects of the product.
This Design Machine that the Coca-Cola Company has produced is the epitome of competitive advantage. They now have the capability of producing millions of marketing campaigns in no time at all as well as different campaigns for different ventures such as the Olympics. All of this is now done at the most cost efficient means possible. This is another facet that makes this new innovation so significant. Coca-Cola Enterprises is not one of the worlds biggest beverage companies just because, rather they are who they are because of the constant technological and innovative breakthroughs they make everyday.
The introduction of the Design Machine at Coca-Cola Enterprises has improved the company immensely. The most important and obvious reason for the production of the Design Machine is money. The company has reduced fees to agencies for localizing point-of-scale pieces by thirty percent and the company no longer has to hire outside printing shops and pay rush fees. The efficiency of this new product has helped significantly with the overall production of the marketing department.
Not only did the Design Machine help the Coca-Cola fiscally but also the new machine allows the company to produce high quality materials. The problem before this machine was that the design team consisted of a mere sixty employees in turn making it extremely difficult for nondesigners to create good designs. With the new machine everyone is becoming educated on what a good design is. The tool also suggests that the company is making great strides in the effort of balancing globalization and the local prospects of the product.
This Design Machine that the Coca-Cola Company has produced is the epitome of competitive advantage. They now have the capability of producing millions of marketing campaigns in no time at all as well as different campaigns for different ventures such as the Olympics. All of this is now done at the most cost efficient means possible. This is another facet that makes this new innovation so significant. Coca-Cola Enterprises is not one of the worlds biggest beverage companies just because, rather they are who they are because of the constant technological and innovative breakthroughs they make everyday.
Flir System’s Night-Vision means growing success in new markets
Flir Systems is a tech company, founded as recently as 1978, that has been moving faster and faster up the ladder of success. The company specializes in the production of “infrared technology for both commercial and government uses.” (1) Flir uses infrared technology to produce “high-end, infrared cameras” (1) that are used especially in war zones such as Afghanistan and Iraq. These cameras, which are also used at the United States border to catch illegal activity or drug smugglers, help find “land mines and explosives”(1) at these dangerous war scenes making them very popular with the government and military. Especially during current war times, the company has been rapidly growing and increasing revenues, placing them on “BusinessWeek’s list of Hot Growth companies along with big names such as Apple, Google, and Microsoft.” (1) Their technology, which like I said earlier, tends to be “high-end”(1) or expensive, is both very necessary and important for strategic and safety purposes.
Flir Systems, however, remains generally unknown to the public, perhaps for many reasons. One of the reasons is that the company hasn’t created products for the “consumer market” (1) yet. They have focused mostly on government and military uses, but the prediction is that their great success will allow them to move into new markets. The challenge for the company is to be able to enter these new markets by creating products that directly impact the general public. I personally believe that we have only seen the beginning of Flir Systems. Now, Flir Systems, in working with other manufacturers, is going to try and "incorporate their technology into vehicles, such as boats and cars." (1) Their technology will provide enhanced night-vision, opening up a whole new wave of potential growth for their future. Also, Flir Systems is trying to make their own “home-surveillance systems,”(1) using thermography. Thermography comes in the form of a “hand-held device” which can detect “poor insulation, gas and water leaks,” (1) all very important safety issues in a home.
Flir Systems has been one of the leading and most successful companies to date that uses infrared technology in the production of high-end products. As a result, this company can be used as a great example of one who values information technology and uses business intelligence to achieve success. Flir has virtually no competition, which gives the company a lot of creative space to test and try new things. If the night vision plan takes off, Flir could gain big name exposure because they would be targeting an entirely new group of people. Night-vision can be marketed as a new and improved safety feature in BMWs, and other luxury cars. To be honest, driving at night is dangerous for anyone. There is always the chance that a deer will run in front of your car or a person is riding a bike on the side of the road and you can’t see them in your headlights until it is too late. Night-vision "uses technology to determine any sign of body heat, show the image on the dashboard screen" (1) and make a noise to alert the driver. Customers who purchase these cars will become aware of night-vision and more prone to look into the system for a safer car. The company will enter a much larger target audience if they can create a less expensive, more reasonable night-vision, for all customers, not just wealthier ones. Everyone can benefit from night-vision.
When my mom bought her Lexus SUV probably over 10 years ago, it was the first year the car had come out. She paid extra for luxuries such as seat heaters, back window windshield wipers, a sunroof and others. Now, she laughs at how inexpensive those quote on quote luxuries have become in comparison to the newly introduced ones such as the TV screen in the seats and a mini refrigerator in the passenger seat compartment. Her luxuries at the time have become so mass produced and common in today’s car market that most cars include them, or the price is just a little bit higher to get them. The same thing has happened with navigation systems. While they are still expensive, the price has gone down since they first came out and now they are very common in some form, whether it be purchased separately or designed into the car.
I’ve come to the conclusion that people are very intrigued by new innovations, especially if they serve as beneficial, and in this case, increased safety is definitely a benefit. Most people will spend some extra money to stay in the loop of technology and even to stay as safe and protected as possible. But as evident with the lexus example, if new technology becomes popular enough, the price will go down and it will become more prevalent in society. Eventually, I think that will happen with Flir Systems’ products.
So what will prevent them from creating the next upcoming, popular piece of car technology or home safety feature? The targeted market and the potential for success are there. The only thing left for the company to do is release their product and watch it take off.
Source: 1. http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/oct2008/tc20081024_135220.htm
computers compete as clever conversationalists
At the University of Reading in England a test was held to see if a computer could hold a conversation with a human and they wouldn't know the difference. They way the test was held was they had testers sit at a computer and have a conversation with two people. One being a real human and one being a computer. They were then asked at the end of the conversation who they believed to be the human and the robot. On some occasions the testers were stumped and got it wrong. With the technology the way it is right now it seems like there are many years until it becomes actually useful but the fact that a computer can use sarcasm and joke around is still amazing. But as time progresses and the technology gets more sophisticated I believe that this is a great breakthrough in technology but I believe that having this sort of technology could have its ups and downs. The good part involving this study is that the artificial intelligence could allow for computers and robots to complete tasks that put humans at risk or could help eliminate human error. Examples of this would be mining in caves. They wouldn't have to worry about anymore mining accidents if it was robots down there or during surgery a robot could perform it instead of a human. But the problem with this would be that it would eliminate more jobs for people. An example of this already occurring is just on assembly lines. People used to have jobs on assembly lines and now robots mostly take care of all the assembly necessary. Another possibility of this posing a problem is the sci-fi idea of robots and computers gaining too much intelligence and beginning to become dangerous to humans because they help run most of the military equipment and also they have control over most of the economic aspects of companies and personal accounts.
In the end I don't believe that this technology is a bad thing in the least. The greater the technology the better. I just feel that we should invest technology money into something more important than a computer that can hold a conversation. This is a great accomplishment though and I believe that my generation won't be able to see the true affects that this one little step in artificial intelligence will be able to help produce. I just hope that the creators of the future technology involving artificial intelligence take the right precautions in keeping the technology under control.
In the end I don't believe that this technology is a bad thing in the least. The greater the technology the better. I just feel that we should invest technology money into something more important than a computer that can hold a conversation. This is a great accomplishment though and I believe that my generation won't be able to see the true affects that this one little step in artificial intelligence will be able to help produce. I just hope that the creators of the future technology involving artificial intelligence take the right precautions in keeping the technology under control.
Mining for Gold
Today’s business world is all about gaining a competitive advantage. When companies like Wal Mart strive to create economies of scale, or firms like Bank of America or JPMorgan Chase perform merger after merger, the firms are trying to inch ahead of the competition and line their pockets with gold and silver. But creating economies of scale and scope or having a merger is the big picture. Businesses of today have foot soldiers performing everyday to achieve these goals, and these foot soldiers go largely unnoticed.
The groundwork is really done by the IT department at many firms. In the Wall Street Journal article “Mining for Gold,” Sean Kelley, CIO of Deutsche Asset Management (a division of Deutsche Bank AG), was interviewed about the role technology plays the business. Kelley offered insight upon insight about the workings of information technology at Deutsche Asset Management, raising the ideas of diversification of research, data mining techniques, technological innovation, in sourcing and outsourcing.
“We make it our business to understand next-generation technology. How, for example, do you sift through the information on the Web and bring it back in a way that someone can work with? [Maybe we'll use] graphical models and heat maps and geography maps and other visualization techniques. Rather than be a chief information officer, I have to take that hat off and become a chief ideas officer and ask, "How can we get an advantage with this?" And it makes the job that much more interesting.”[1] Kelley fuses the ideas that his legwork as an Chief Idea Officer and his new age research style will lead to a comparative advantage in the industry.
Kelley follows the technology within his industry, but also outside of the industry as well. Programs like iTunes offer a kind of interface that is so simple and people friendly, and that could bring a lot to the corporate table.
Kelley is on the right track with his technology theories. He is guiding the company in the right direction by always looking at next generation technology, because if you aren’t on the leading edge, you will fall behind. Deutsche Bank is a very successful company, and in no small part because of its technology policies. Data mining is used to find out what clients want, and can be used to judge the market environment.
It seems that Kelley has read The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman because he is cognizant of many of the ideas that Friedman believes in so strongly. Outsourcing can get things done better and cheaper. The steroid factors, like Voice over IP allow instant communications, even video communications, in seconds, from manager to manager.
Even now, with a floundering market, Kelley sees the opportunity to gain a competitive advantage. With all of the research that the IT department can do, he sees the current financial crisis as an opportunity for Deutsche Bank to grow in market share.
Cock-eyed optimist? Technology Revolutionist? No. I don’t think he is either of these. I think he is a realist. He is doing with technology what every firm should be doing. Technology gives to those who embrace it the advantage to become more successful.
A Walk in the Clouds
The shift to delivering IT through a utility model is changing the business computing landscape as it is today. That model is known as cloud computing. Cloud computing is Internet-based ("cloud") development and use of computer technology ("computing"). “The cloud is a metaphor for the Internet (based on how it is depicted in computer network diagrams) and is an abstraction for the complex infrastructure it conceals.” In other words, Cloud Computing is a style of computing in which IT-related capabilities are provided as a service. In a time where “Everyone just wants to get the applications and data they need, when and where they need it”, Cloud Computing offers the attempt to synchronize information across operating systems.
“Although 65% of business technology professionals polled for a recent InformationWeek Analytics cloud computing report have not yet identified moving IT functions into the cloud as a priority, it is expected to change in a fairly short order.” This is because the Cloud Computing transition has been led by smaller businesses and companies, which will in-turn force larger enterprises and companies to adapt or be left behind. Even though smaller companies are leading the change, Cloud computing is currently being driven by “big-name” providers including Amazon, Google, and Yahoo!, as well as traditional vendors including Hewlett Packard, IBM, Intel, Microsoft and SAP.
With Cloud Computing becoming more known and visual to companies, many raise questions about the security, reliability, and overall performance of the new computing model. Recent events that gave Cloud Computing a “negative” view was when Google’s Gmail and App System, as well as Amazon, went down over the past year. Although outages like these would shake the confidence of those moving towards Cloud Computing, the Historical data on cloud outages is tracked and kept on records.
In my view, when doing a little outside research, it shows that we've been providing Cloud Computing solutions for the last couple years, allowing small to mid-sized companies to outsource some or all of their IT functions. It seems to be a great success for both customers and companies with low cost of entry, predictable pricing, and access to otherwise too expensive services To me, Cloud Computing is not that new, it's just getting more visibility.
Sources: http://www.cloudcomputing.informationweek.com/, http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/04/07/15FE-cloud-computing-reality_1.html
“Although 65% of business technology professionals polled for a recent InformationWeek Analytics cloud computing report have not yet identified moving IT functions into the cloud as a priority, it is expected to change in a fairly short order.” This is because the Cloud Computing transition has been led by smaller businesses and companies, which will in-turn force larger enterprises and companies to adapt or be left behind. Even though smaller companies are leading the change, Cloud computing is currently being driven by “big-name” providers including Amazon, Google, and Yahoo!, as well as traditional vendors including Hewlett Packard, IBM, Intel, Microsoft and SAP.
With Cloud Computing becoming more known and visual to companies, many raise questions about the security, reliability, and overall performance of the new computing model. Recent events that gave Cloud Computing a “negative” view was when Google’s Gmail and App System, as well as Amazon, went down over the past year. Although outages like these would shake the confidence of those moving towards Cloud Computing, the Historical data on cloud outages is tracked and kept on records.
In my view, when doing a little outside research, it shows that we've been providing Cloud Computing solutions for the last couple years, allowing small to mid-sized companies to outsource some or all of their IT functions. It seems to be a great success for both customers and companies with low cost of entry, predictable pricing, and access to otherwise too expensive services To me, Cloud Computing is not that new, it's just getting more visibility.
Sources: http://www.cloudcomputing.informationweek.com/, http://www.infoworld.com/article/08/04/07/15FE-cloud-computing-reality_1.html
The Introduction of "Cloud" Computing
A new innovation in the IS world is the relatively new creation of a new type of computing. This is called “cloud computing”, where software on a computer and on the Web are more centralized in the so called “cloud”, which is another name for the Internet and the complex system and infrastructure that functions over the Internet. This allows access on any type of machine that connects to the Internet such as smart phones and other appliances. It is still a very new system of computing, where remote servers will offer many different Web services and applications that are stored on a server, from which people from any type of the prior mentioned internet devices will be able to access these applications for a limited time through the “cloud”. Many companies are in the process of producing some sort of OS that embraces this new and improved medium, such as Google, IBM and Amazon, to name a few.
In its own effort to join this new system, Microsoft has announced today, October 28th, that they will release their own “cloud OS” called Azure, taking advantage of this new 3rd generation niche. They will also continue to develop their new personal 2nd generation response to their relative failure with Windows Vista with the new Windows 7 alongside Azure, in order to capture take back the consumer market, in which they have not been very strong in lately due to strong competition from Apple. Azure will allow its participants to access a large amount of new software and tools for the Internet through the “cloud OS”. Though the entire system will not be available for another year or so, some of the applications are currently being used by large amounts of PC users, such as the Live Services. Also, they have also introduced a new social networking service for mobile devices called Bluehoo, which was presented yesterday in Los Angeles to a number of software developers along with Azures.
With this new system, we are about to embark on a whole new type of computing, which is very exciting to watch cultivate. The main question at this point is whether or not each of the companies are going to be able to keep up with this new emerging technology, something that many critics are doubting that Microsoft can do. Many people are saying that this new Azure is not fully equipped for this new system and that it is not going to be able to function as well as other systems by other companies. Also many critics note Windows semi-lack of commitment to this system due to their commitment to Windows 7, which uses the older technology of computing. Only in time will we see if this new system will be prosperous and helpful to society.
Night Vision
Driving at night can be especially difficult if you live in a rural area. Animals jump out of nowhere and sometimes, so do people. Long, curvy, narrow roads can be extremely dangerous to drive down when it is dark out. Flir has designed a set of infrared cameras that can detect body heat and are installed just like a navigation system. The camera is in the grill of the car and shows a picture on a screen of what is ahead of you, further than what you can see. Sometimes your eyes just aren’t good enough.
Flir Systems is a company that is not very well known but their products are worth looking into. Tech savvy consumers who are up to date on technology have most likely heard of some of Flir’s technology. This company specializes in infrared technology mostly in law enforcement and the war in Iraq. Some of their products are used to help detect land mines or other explosives in Afghanistan as well as help monitor the U.S. Mexico border for illegal substances or drugs. Flir’s technology is extremely helpful and useful. These products help soldiers protect their own lives as well as save others. I don’t see a reason why this company wouldn’t be extremely successful. Their products do seem to be a little expensive but we are talking about protecting lives. The U.S. has spent insane amounts of money funding the war so maybe the government is buying the right technology. Flir also sells their products to foreign governments though. If there were a way to do this, Flir should just sell to American companies. Why sell the same products to the people we are fighting? They are using our own technology against us.
Even though most of Flir’s products are sold to U.S. and foreign governments, they are trying to push their products to other businesses like auto manufacturers. Their company focuses on safety so why not make your automobile safer? Just like the products that they sell to the army, these infrared screens would be a little costly but definitely worth it. I can’t tell you how many times I have driven down a dark road and then out of nowhere a person is walking along the side of the street. With this new technology, you would be able to see this person for a few miles before approaching them and your car would beep letting you know something is there. So many lives are lost due to car accidents and I think this technology would definitely help.
They are also make home surveillance devices and they are trying to introduce something called thermography. This device would help homeowners and inspectors to detect if there are “gas and water leas, poor insulation, other inefficient use of energy, and structural damage invisible to the eye”. This technology, just like all the others, is worth spending the money on. It is so hard to notice things like gas leaks yet it is crucial to know when one happens. With this device, you would be protecting your home and family. I honestly think that all of their inventions are extremely important and one day they will be used by everyone.
Source: Business Week: Flir Leads in Night Vision Gear
Flir Systems is a company that is not very well known but their products are worth looking into. Tech savvy consumers who are up to date on technology have most likely heard of some of Flir’s technology. This company specializes in infrared technology mostly in law enforcement and the war in Iraq. Some of their products are used to help detect land mines or other explosives in Afghanistan as well as help monitor the U.S. Mexico border for illegal substances or drugs. Flir’s technology is extremely helpful and useful. These products help soldiers protect their own lives as well as save others. I don’t see a reason why this company wouldn’t be extremely successful. Their products do seem to be a little expensive but we are talking about protecting lives. The U.S. has spent insane amounts of money funding the war so maybe the government is buying the right technology. Flir also sells their products to foreign governments though. If there were a way to do this, Flir should just sell to American companies. Why sell the same products to the people we are fighting? They are using our own technology against us.
Even though most of Flir’s products are sold to U.S. and foreign governments, they are trying to push their products to other businesses like auto manufacturers. Their company focuses on safety so why not make your automobile safer? Just like the products that they sell to the army, these infrared screens would be a little costly but definitely worth it. I can’t tell you how many times I have driven down a dark road and then out of nowhere a person is walking along the side of the street. With this new technology, you would be able to see this person for a few miles before approaching them and your car would beep letting you know something is there. So many lives are lost due to car accidents and I think this technology would definitely help.
They are also make home surveillance devices and they are trying to introduce something called thermography. This device would help homeowners and inspectors to detect if there are “gas and water leas, poor insulation, other inefficient use of energy, and structural damage invisible to the eye”. This technology, just like all the others, is worth spending the money on. It is so hard to notice things like gas leaks yet it is crucial to know when one happens. With this device, you would be protecting your home and family. I honestly think that all of their inventions are extremely important and one day they will be used by everyone.
Source: Business Week: Flir Leads in Night Vision Gear
Microsoft To Offer 'Cloud Computing'
Yesterday Microsoft released a free trial version of new software called Azure. In the past Microsoft has releases operating systems for PC’s and mobile devices, but now it has released the first operating system for the Internet. This software is Microsoft’s new “cloud computing” infrastructure. Basically it allows clients to utilize Microsoft’s data centers so they will not have to worry about expanding their own if the business expands. All of the data can be transferred from anywhere is the world over the Internet. This “could computing” is a newer technology that is booming. Apple, Amazon, and Google have already started to do something similar. Apple has directed theirs towards the individual while Microsoft’s is more for directed at businesses. This technology is especially important for businesses because it gives them an unlimited amount of room to expand.
“Spending on software delivered over the Internet, known as cloud computing, may almost triple to $42 billion by 2012, according to Framingham, Mass., research firm IDC.” This fact shows how this technology will be even further advancing in the next decade. Soon everything we own will be linked together. Our cell phones, computers, televisions, and even cars will all be networked together. Having all of these devices connected to the Internet will allow us to access any information and time. However, this means that new security will be needed to protect information stored in this cloud. Hackers could be able to access all of your personal information just by hacking into your car.
“Amazon and -- to a lesser degree, Salesforce.com -- have already gotten their models going. There's a real risk they might completely bypass Microsoft.” It was inevitable for Microsoft to introduce their version of this technology. Apple releases their version, MobileMe, this passed summer with the new iPhone 3G. Microsoft is currently having developers try out the new system and offer feedback. This new operating system will completely change the business world. Microsoft is know for its reliable server operating systems so individuals can only expect good things from this new system. I feel as though it will combine their server operating system with Windows Vista, PC operating system. Microsoft is behind with this technology and needs to introduce a new better way for businesses to take advantage of this idea.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/27/AR2008102702779.html
Company Uses Social Networking to Keep in Touch
An engineering company called Beca has very recently begun to improve its team collaboration through the use of IT systems. More specifically, the company’s CIO Robin Johansen has become a proponent of social networking sites, claiming that they provide much-needed benefits for the company by making its employees more efficient. Interestingly enough, he encourages the use of both business-focused social networking systems such as LinkedIn as well as general-population sites such as Facebook. In addition to social networking sites, the company also uses IP-based video-conferencing which helps support the company’s use of virtual teams. Essentially, both practices are forms of e-collaboration that the company is implementing in an effort to improve team collaboration.
Implementing these practices may seem like a win-win situation but in fact, unbelievably, many CIOs try to ban social networking, claiming that it’s a waste of time. However, these forms of e-collaboration are extremely useful. They can help the company gain a competitive advantage by facilitating the sharing and flow of information. For example, Beca uses social networking as a problem-solving tool. According to Johansen, “social networking is very valuable for being able to tap into people with similar skills and ideas, and challenges... you can find people who can share with you proven techniques to solve problems”.[1] Johansen praises the technology as being very fast, low-cost, and efficient and sees it as providing benefits for everyone, especially clients who don’t have to have their time wasted while waiting for employees to reinvent the wheel. In addition, this technology is very conducive to the changing nature of work in a globalized world. Indeed, the technology helps to better unite this global company which has a lot of remote projects as well as multiple offices spread around the world. After analyzing this form of e-collaboration it soon becomes clear that the benefits heavily outweigh the costs. It’s almost safe to say that there are almost no downsides to using this technology except that workers may spend too much time socializing and may get distracted from their work as a result.
Not only is social networking a pleasant convenience, at times it becomes a necessity. Many young, talented workers use it to keep in touch with both friends and associates who work in the same discipline. The absence of social networking and consequently, the opportunities it provides colleagues to communicate with one another will be a “disincentive for young people to come into the business”.[2]
Not only should all companies encourage social networking, but they should also encourage the use of Beca’s inexpensive and easy-to-use IP-based video-conferencing. Beca has found that this e-collaboration technology is cost-efficient and environmentally conscious since it cuts back on air travel. It also improves team collaboration by helping the company deal with cultural and language issues. Indeed, video communication enables employees to better understand each other by enabling them to read each other’s body language. This technology is really useful for a company like Beca which has a diverse workforce situated in many different countries. Lastly, video communication supports virtual teams as it enables many different employees from places like
It’s quite clear that Beca’s use of such e-collaboration tools as social networking and video-conferencing is greatly improving its team collaboration, thereby increasing the organization’s productivity and helping to give it a competitive advantage by doing so.
A Virtual (Global) World
At its creation the Second Life technology was intended to serve as a virtual world for those looking for an opportunity to be part of an online community. The people who partake in these online communities are almost given a chance at living another life. More recently major corporations such as IBM adopted similar technologies to assist the globalization of their company. By using such technologies, companies are able to let workers come together through the virtual world to build a sense of community within companies that often have workers scattered throughout different companies. While many aspects of this plan are new to many companies, many ideas are already showing results. Companies such as Xerox use the actual Second Life technology to host virtual meetings in their offices. At a 2007 conference, Xerox allowed people who could not attend the conference to participate via live cams and text chats to interact with the people who were there. Another company, Cisco actually uses the Second Life virtual community to recruit within their company. Microsystems has chosen to use this technology to assist in connecting all of their user-databases and user-verification systems throughout their entire company. While this has proven to be an effective system in connecting global companies, often times troubles arise when CEOs and officials are not familiar with the system and its technology. Questions still remain as to the cost of this system and whether or not it is cost efficient.
In a world that now relies on the best methods of communication, using technologies such as Second Life can make the task much easier. By deciding to employ such technologies the company is making necessary adaptations in today’s world. With many companies currently globalizing, it is crucial to have an efficient system to allow the people of the company to interact and even “meet” with other people within the company. Ideas such as those used by Unilever, which include letting teams meet globally is an effective idea for any company. By allowing a branch to be made up of people all throughout the world, Unilever is allowing each of its teams to have the best and most qualified people. I do, however, find that recruiting new workers through this system is an idea that is not without its flaws. Recruiting is a crucial part of a company’s operations. Companies should avoid virtual meeting for recruits, as it is still important to be able to interact with the person face to face. Using a website, even if it is a “virtual world,” is a flawed way of recruiting for any company. Perhaps in the future when the system and concept gains more steam, companies can use this as an effective recruiting tool but until then I feel it should not be used. On the whole, the integration of Second Life type technologies into many of today’s biggest corporations should lead to nothing but increased success and effectiveness within the company. If it becomes accepted by many of the major companies today, this concept has the opportunity to spread and become a fixture for all companies.
In a world that now relies on the best methods of communication, using technologies such as Second Life can make the task much easier. By deciding to employ such technologies the company is making necessary adaptations in today’s world. With many companies currently globalizing, it is crucial to have an efficient system to allow the people of the company to interact and even “meet” with other people within the company. Ideas such as those used by Unilever, which include letting teams meet globally is an effective idea for any company. By allowing a branch to be made up of people all throughout the world, Unilever is allowing each of its teams to have the best and most qualified people. I do, however, find that recruiting new workers through this system is an idea that is not without its flaws. Recruiting is a crucial part of a company’s operations. Companies should avoid virtual meeting for recruits, as it is still important to be able to interact with the person face to face. Using a website, even if it is a “virtual world,” is a flawed way of recruiting for any company. Perhaps in the future when the system and concept gains more steam, companies can use this as an effective recruiting tool but until then I feel it should not be used. On the whole, the integration of Second Life type technologies into many of today’s biggest corporations should lead to nothing but increased success and effectiveness within the company. If it becomes accepted by many of the major companies today, this concept has the opportunity to spread and become a fixture for all companies.
IT in Northrop Grumman
Last Wednesday I went to Northrop Grumman's IT department to get a closer look at their company. Northrop Grumman is an international company concerned with defense technology that has 120,000 employees. With a company this large information technology is crucial. Besides meeting Loyola Alum, I got a chance to sit in on about updating their technology services. The room was full of many teams of two-- one business partner and one IT partner-- many of these teams needed updates. They used a system called SAP that had a program that allowed all the groups to bring up their requests for updates, it even allowed groups who were phoned in to be part of the meeting. The program allowed everyone at the meeting to see a quick description of the updates, how long it would take, who it would concern, and any possible risks in order to let the head of the departments vote to either pass or deny the request. With a company stretched out across the world with so many employees, IT helps Northrup Grumman stay organized and productive.
Monday, October 27, 2008
A New World of 3D
As of recently, new innovative ideas are being developed for the uses of three dimensional (3D) technology across many different industries. The 3D technology has been used by the automotive and aeronautics industries for the past two decades, but as the technology becomes more affordable and the graphics for the software become more realistic, other industries are looking to adopt and use it in new ways.
3D technology is surprisingly already beginning to be used in industries such as swimsuit apparel. The designer Lori Coulter uses the technology so that women no longer have to try on swimsuits but instead they go into a room where a scanner takes 140 measurements of their body and creates a 3D image which it then uses to select flattering styles for that person. The technology is also being used in the architecture and medical fields. “About 23,000 dentists worldwide are helping patients get crowns more quickly with a tool called Cerec, a computerized 3D system from dental technology company Sirona that takes a 3D scan of a tooth and automatically manufactures the final crown in one visit.”[i] In architecture, 3D technology has been used in the past for large scale projects such as dams and office buildings, but it someday could be used in the construction of houses and other smaller projects as the technology becomes cheaper and easier to use.
The video game industry has been a large inspiration for the 3D software that this new technology uses. Many video games allow the players to create unique three dimensional characters. Companies want to make using new 3D technology as simple as playing a video game. A company called [TC]² is using its scanners to scan a person and create a realistic avatar for them to use on the online virtual world of Second Life.
The potential of this technology is far reaching. In the future there may be scanners set up at the entrances of all clothing stores that immediately scan your body and show you a list of clothing options from which to choose. There may be a time in the near future when sitting at the dentist or orthodontist with molding in your mouth waiting for it to take form will not be customary. There may also come a time when designing a real house is as simple as playing a video game. All of these possibilities are on the horizon because of the new ideas that 3D technology and software are being applied to today.
[i] http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/oct2008/tc2008103_215733_page_2.htm
3D technology is surprisingly already beginning to be used in industries such as swimsuit apparel. The designer Lori Coulter uses the technology so that women no longer have to try on swimsuits but instead they go into a room where a scanner takes 140 measurements of their body and creates a 3D image which it then uses to select flattering styles for that person. The technology is also being used in the architecture and medical fields. “About 23,000 dentists worldwide are helping patients get crowns more quickly with a tool called Cerec, a computerized 3D system from dental technology company Sirona that takes a 3D scan of a tooth and automatically manufactures the final crown in one visit.”[i] In architecture, 3D technology has been used in the past for large scale projects such as dams and office buildings, but it someday could be used in the construction of houses and other smaller projects as the technology becomes cheaper and easier to use.
The video game industry has been a large inspiration for the 3D software that this new technology uses. Many video games allow the players to create unique three dimensional characters. Companies want to make using new 3D technology as simple as playing a video game. A company called [TC]² is using its scanners to scan a person and create a realistic avatar for them to use on the online virtual world of Second Life.
The potential of this technology is far reaching. In the future there may be scanners set up at the entrances of all clothing stores that immediately scan your body and show you a list of clothing options from which to choose. There may be a time in the near future when sitting at the dentist or orthodontist with molding in your mouth waiting for it to take form will not be customary. There may also come a time when designing a real house is as simple as playing a video game. All of these possibilities are on the horizon because of the new ideas that 3D technology and software are being applied to today.
[i] http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/oct2008/tc2008103_215733_page_2.htm
(Fool's) Gold in Data Mining Our Society
Following the al-Qaeda attacks in 2001, United States officials scrambled to plan for future catastrophes. High on the list of suspected targets was California's Golden Gate Bridge. Were terrorists to destroy the passageway between San Francisco and Marin County, how widespread would the fallout be? To answer the this question, the Department of Homeland Security turned to Microsoft offshoot Inrix, the self-described "leading provider of real-time, historical and predictive traffic information."
Inrix utilizes GPS-enabled mobile phones and tracking devices installed on commercial vehicles to monitor traffic conditions. Typically marketed to public and private consumers in need of trafic information, Inrix focused their methods on the area surrounding the Golden Gate Bridge. After an analysis of the patterns, they determined that the loss of the nearly two-mile long bridge would initially result in traffic chaos, though surprisingly it would more or less return to normal sometime during days two and four after the incident.
This procedure of data collection and analysis is called "reality mining." It is the study of human interaction based on the GPS information of mobile phones and other portable, network-enabled devices. Researchers have found that they can get a more accurate picture of what, where, when and with whom people do things from a device they carry than they can from more subjective sources (such as what people say about themselves). Data has shown that people may lie, but positional signals don't. Seemingly-ubiquitous cell phones and PDA's not only log calls, messages and whereabouts, but with Bluetooth the phone can also keep tabs on one's proximity to other holders of similar phones. As more people use wireless handsets to make purchases, the phone gathers data on spending patterns, too. This information can be put to public use (as seen in Inrix's catastrophe assessment), or studied for commercial use.
Alex Kass of Accenture notes that "companies can use data on a sample population over a given period—say, a week or a month—and then assume some of them are sick, to provide a more accurate picture of how widely an illness could spread. Information on a particular individual or group could help build more accurate models to predict how an illness spreads from one person to another." Nathan Eagle, a research scientist at the MIT Design Laboratory, asserts that wireless companies could use the information to help keep customers from switching to a rival through identifying "influencers," those who use their phone the most. Not only are these subscribers valuable for their personal volume of calls, but they're also more likely to influence other people's service and product purchases, as well as take customers with them when they switch.
Reality mining has useful applications, but does that make it okay? Guilherme Roschke, an attorney with the Electronic Privacy Information Center in Washington, D.C., has stated that "while reality mining may have legitimate uses, there is also the potential for abuse." There is the fear of being monitored without consent, as well as of personal information being stored for foreign parties to examine.
As we become more attached to the Web we see our privacy diminish, so where do we draw the line? A Zogby International poll in late 2007 found that 18% of Americans would feel comfortable implanting tracking devices on their children and that 11% of Americans are not averse to brain implants that have access to the Internet. I don't know about you, but an Internet-enabled device that had access to my thoughts, while useful, is also disturbing. With many agreeing to movement and trend tracking, we see human privacy lessening every year. The underlying question is this: What are the new rules? With privacy slowly becoming a relic of the past, how much information will we allow others to gather? Sure, some argue that "if you're not doing anything wrong then you don't have anything to fear," but who decides what is wrong? As Benjamin Franklin wrote, "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Thus, we must go forth with care. Action ought to be taken to secure that all data is anonymous and that is destroyed as soon as it is no longer useful.
Poll data:
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/poll_us_attitudes_about_intern_1.php
Inrix utilizes GPS-enabled mobile phones and tracking devices installed on commercial vehicles to monitor traffic conditions. Typically marketed to public and private consumers in need of trafic information, Inrix focused their methods on the area surrounding the Golden Gate Bridge. After an analysis of the patterns, they determined that the loss of the nearly two-mile long bridge would initially result in traffic chaos, though surprisingly it would more or less return to normal sometime during days two and four after the incident.
This procedure of data collection and analysis is called "reality mining." It is the study of human interaction based on the GPS information of mobile phones and other portable, network-enabled devices. Researchers have found that they can get a more accurate picture of what, where, when and with whom people do things from a device they carry than they can from more subjective sources (such as what people say about themselves). Data has shown that people may lie, but positional signals don't. Seemingly-ubiquitous cell phones and PDA's not only log calls, messages and whereabouts, but with Bluetooth the phone can also keep tabs on one's proximity to other holders of similar phones. As more people use wireless handsets to make purchases, the phone gathers data on spending patterns, too. This information can be put to public use (as seen in Inrix's catastrophe assessment), or studied for commercial use.
Alex Kass of Accenture notes that "companies can use data on a sample population over a given period—say, a week or a month—and then assume some of them are sick, to provide a more accurate picture of how widely an illness could spread. Information on a particular individual or group could help build more accurate models to predict how an illness spreads from one person to another." Nathan Eagle, a research scientist at the MIT Design Laboratory, asserts that wireless companies could use the information to help keep customers from switching to a rival through identifying "influencers," those who use their phone the most. Not only are these subscribers valuable for their personal volume of calls, but they're also more likely to influence other people's service and product purchases, as well as take customers with them when they switch.
Reality mining has useful applications, but does that make it okay? Guilherme Roschke, an attorney with the Electronic Privacy Information Center in Washington, D.C., has stated that "while reality mining may have legitimate uses, there is also the potential for abuse." There is the fear of being monitored without consent, as well as of personal information being stored for foreign parties to examine.
As we become more attached to the Web we see our privacy diminish, so where do we draw the line? A Zogby International poll in late 2007 found that 18% of Americans would feel comfortable implanting tracking devices on their children and that 11% of Americans are not averse to brain implants that have access to the Internet. I don't know about you, but an Internet-enabled device that had access to my thoughts, while useful, is also disturbing. With many agreeing to movement and trend tracking, we see human privacy lessening every year. The underlying question is this: What are the new rules? With privacy slowly becoming a relic of the past, how much information will we allow others to gather? Sure, some argue that "if you're not doing anything wrong then you don't have anything to fear," but who decides what is wrong? As Benjamin Franklin wrote, "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Thus, we must go forth with care. Action ought to be taken to secure that all data is anonymous and that is destroyed as soon as it is no longer useful.
Poll data:
http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/poll_us_attitudes_about_intern_1.php
Instant on Computers
In the past 10 years or so the speed of technology has greatly increased. Yet millions of working Americans go to work every day turn on their computers and stare. Five minutes later their computers have finally booted up. While it actuality five minutes is not a long time in this case it seems like an eternity. Luckily for the millions of people who deal with this hassle every day a solution maybe around the corner. Instant on computers may soon become a norm in society. The average computer now a day takes anywhere from 90 seconds to five minutes to boot up. The new instant on computers would take just a quick 20 seconds to boot up. The idea for this new technology came from smart phones. Smart phones do not use the bulky windows operating system like most computers do. They can quickly access email and the internet in seconds. The speed of smart phones has only made the business world thirstier for speed. The average business man is frustrated by the fact he can access his email so fast on his phone yet so slow on his computer. Companies pouring money into this idea include PC heavyweights Dell and HP. This need for speed may cause big problems for another technology king Microsoft. Computer companies may choose to go with competitor Linux’s quicker less bulky software for these new instant on computers. The Linux system would allow for the fast boot instant on computers need. Some computers will be produced with just Linux others will be produced with both Linux and Windows. The average consumer could start his computer using Linux and while using that could boot up Windows eventually having the ability to toggle between the two. This widespread use of Linux could greatly damage one’s user experience of the lethargic Windows. Microsoft recognizes the threat and is currently attempting to develop its own instant on operating system. After reading and analyzing this article it’s clear that instant on computers could revolutionize the PC industry. I remember the first computer I had roughly eight years ago it took what felt like an hour to boot up. To think that soon I could be using my computer in 20 seconds shows just how far technology has come. I also agree with the article that this new technology may create serious problems for Microsoft. If Linux can provide a simple and fast alternative to Windows then Linux may do some serious damage to Microsoft’s market share. This would not be good at all for Microsoft as it has already lost a lot of market share to rival Apple. However, I am sure a company like Microsoft will not let itself be bullied around and will defiantly develop its own instant on technology. The good thing in all of this is that the consumer will certainly benefit. In due time those seemingly long waits in the morning for the computer to boot up will be no more.
Wal-Mart Wins the Information Wars
Wal-Mart is one of the most technologically advanced companies in the world today. Its aggressive adoption of information technology to improve logistics and back-office efficiency has been a major source of productivity during the information age. Wal-Mart has a specially designed system in which each store is electronically connected to a secure Wal-Mart headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas. This is how they are able to track sales and volume of each individual product sold in each store to be able to automatically reorder and stock their inventory.
Because of its heavy investment in information technology, Wal-Mart has worked hard to keep competitors from learning its technological secrets. Wal-Mart has filed several trade secrets lawsuits in Arkansas on companies that have attempted to get to their employees such as Amazon.com. However, Wal-Mart shares many of its secrets with the United States government, specifically the Pentagon. Wal-Mart collaborates with the Pentagon in the Total Information Awareness System, part of the Homeland Security Bill. Because over one hundred million Americans visit a Wal-Mart store each week, it has become a human analysis trap, analyzing transactions from credit card purchases to security cameras to find patterns that might indicate unusual activity. A surprising fact stated in the article that supports human transaction analysis is when “Federal officials in their investigation of the 9/11 hijackers discovered through video cameras and inventory sales records that a couple of the hijackers had shopped at a Wal-Mart where they purchased box cutters.” In the near future, it would not be surprising if systems using facial recognition could allow the tracking of purchases even of cash customers. Within hours of the World Trade Center towers collapsing, top executives at Wal-Mart and officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency were in contact. Wal-Mart agreed to divert several truckloads of materials, including bottled water, work boots for rescue workers, and cots, to the rescue effort in New York City. This accentuates Wal-Mart’s generosity and patriotism in a money hungry world.
Wal-Mart’s single flaw lies with its relationship with its small communities. Even though it generates well over two hundred billion dollars each year, having over 3,500 stores and over 1.5 million employees, “Wal-Mart is beset with union battles and workers’ lawsuits not to mention citizens’ groups who bemoan the retailer’s impact on local culture and mom-and-pop businesses.” Through whatever hostilities the company faces, critics could never diminish Wal-Mart’s magnitude in the marketplace.
Because of its heavy investment in information technology, Wal-Mart has worked hard to keep competitors from learning its technological secrets. Wal-Mart has filed several trade secrets lawsuits in Arkansas on companies that have attempted to get to their employees such as Amazon.com. However, Wal-Mart shares many of its secrets with the United States government, specifically the Pentagon. Wal-Mart collaborates with the Pentagon in the Total Information Awareness System, part of the Homeland Security Bill. Because over one hundred million Americans visit a Wal-Mart store each week, it has become a human analysis trap, analyzing transactions from credit card purchases to security cameras to find patterns that might indicate unusual activity. A surprising fact stated in the article that supports human transaction analysis is when “Federal officials in their investigation of the 9/11 hijackers discovered through video cameras and inventory sales records that a couple of the hijackers had shopped at a Wal-Mart where they purchased box cutters.” In the near future, it would not be surprising if systems using facial recognition could allow the tracking of purchases even of cash customers. Within hours of the World Trade Center towers collapsing, top executives at Wal-Mart and officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency were in contact. Wal-Mart agreed to divert several truckloads of materials, including bottled water, work boots for rescue workers, and cots, to the rescue effort in New York City. This accentuates Wal-Mart’s generosity and patriotism in a money hungry world.
Wal-Mart’s single flaw lies with its relationship with its small communities. Even though it generates well over two hundred billion dollars each year, having over 3,500 stores and over 1.5 million employees, “Wal-Mart is beset with union battles and workers’ lawsuits not to mention citizens’ groups who bemoan the retailer’s impact on local culture and mom-and-pop businesses.” Through whatever hostilities the company faces, critics could never diminish Wal-Mart’s magnitude in the marketplace.
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