 |
Using Information for 'on-the-spot' Decision-making
Author: Jose Allan Tan  | Posted: 01-12-2007 | Comments: 0 | Views: 21 | Rating: (50)  (?) 
 Ralph Szygenda, CIO of General Motors, said that successful companies have the right information available to them for making 'on-the-spot' decisions around the world and 'round the clock.
Global businesses today operate 24x7. At any given time, decisions are being made that will impact someone's operations somewhere in the world.
When you order a PC from Dell from your home in Sydney, you are triggering a build process either in China or Malaysia. You are also indirectly putting Dell suppliers on alert as to what components they will need to restock for the PC vendor. Dell's logistics partner will also be notified when to collect the PC from the warehouse, its shipping route and when you expect it to arrive at your doorsteps.
There is tremendous pressure on businesses to move faster than is traditionally possible. Anticipating what the market wants is expensive. Reacting to changes in the business can be slow, cumbersome and you risk losing potential revenue that might otherwise be gained from having first mover advantage.
Regardless of what your role is in your business, having information on-the-spot or at the point of need is crucial to the execution of your job. It has direct impact on the profitability of a company. A number of vendors like Motorola, Intermec and RIM are delivering solutions to empower staff to collect and make decisions on-the-spot.
Mike Muller, Head of Asia Pacific for Motorola's Enterprise Mobility business (formerly Symbol), says that its about making sure that persons doing the job, on the spot, have got the right information, the right application and the right infrastructure to make the right decision. "It's really around getting the information from the point of work, into a central point, and then getting information back out again into the point of decision. And it's really around compressing the time for all of that to happen," adds Muller.
The solution is borderless, industry-transparent, and like the Internet, it works 24x7x365. Muller cites the example of an airplane sitting on an airport tarmac.
If there's a 747 sitting on the ground in an airport that needs maintenance, the airline is losing money for as long as it's on the ground. They want maintenance work on it immediately, the real-time information around parts availability, access to online manuals, and everything they need to be able to get that plane up and going again as quickly as possible. "That's really the promise, and also what enterprise mobility is delivering today. It's really about compressing the decision time, making sure that wherever you are, you've got the data, you've got the application, and you can do the work," says Muller.
Beyond the product literatures and the explanation of well-meaning sales executives, the challenge for many businesses today is to integrate mobile solutions into existing applications that may not have been designed to support such technologies.
The desire to bring in the benefits of mobile technology into the enterprise comes with a number of challenges. Security is top of mind among businesses and operations managers concerned about data theft.
There are lots of documented stories about confidential information being leaked out or stolen. But in many cases, the device from where theft or loss occurred was one that was not sanctioned by the enterprise.
"In one example, the information was an Excel spreadsheet stored on a SD memory card loaded onto a personal digital assistant (PDA). Without a companywide policy on how information is stored and accessed, the CIO will never know what devices employees are using and, more importantly, what information is being stored in these devices," adds Muller.
Technology is now available where you can remotely manage mobile devices out in the field. You can lock the device the moment it leaves a designated area. You can even trigger a disable code that literally makes the device into a brick.
After you've passed the security concerns, the next challenge is identifying the right solutions and making sure the integration is seamless.
After security, cost is the next factor that determines the solution that gets deployed. There are two types of cost most executives need to look into: acquisition cost and operational cost.
"We help customers build effective business cases for each solution and in many cases these are self-evident. If a customer can see that they can get an extra 10 percent productivity out of their sales force, or that their drivers can deliver five extra packages a day. You know, these kinds of things are very easy to do to get around the cost," notes Muller.
Muller also points to high data costs in many parts of Asia that could be a limiting factor for companies operating in those areas.
The third challenge has to do with people. Blue-collar workers in logistics, warehousing and retail may find the technology cumbersome to learn and intrusive on their daily lives.
"You can have the best application and infrastructure in the world but if you have a workforce that is afraid or unable to use the device (for lack of training) you will never get the payback you expected," says Muller.
Muller suggests positioning the new technology as part of career advancement and having a small number of people who become champions of the technology. Once people see the benefits of the technology, widespread adoption follows closely.
Which technology or solution is right for your business? The good news is that competition continues to drive down the cost of technology. The bad news is that when you have so many vendors out in the market, identifying the right solution and the right provider is a challenge in itself.
The reputation of the solutions provider is important. You are investing in a technology that has a lot of potential, so getting the right technology and the provider is very important.
"There are many great products in Europe and the US. If those vendors are represented by one guy in one country plus a bunch of resellers who have never sold the product, you may want to think of your options carefully," cautions Muller.
Check the ancillary product offerings of the vendor. Make sure it is not a one-product-wonder. Point solutions have the nasty habit of being proprietary, with limited scalability and functionality. You'd also want to stick with a company that will be around long after the technology has evolved into something totally different.
Also very important is provision for local support. The provider must have local support capability and the infrastructure to go with it. Ask the provider if they have the support capability in your country (and in your local language).
New technologies always present risks. A proven strategy is knowing what others before have done. Ask for references in your industry preferably in your country or region. Make sure you get the chance to talk to them about their challenges. Learning from their mistakes and achievements will make your life a lot easier.
Rate this Article:
Current: 0 / 5 stars - 0 vote(s).
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/information-technology-articles/using-information-for-onthespot-decisionmaking-272317.html
About the Author:
Current I am the content director and web strategist for Questex Asia Ltd. I also have 6 years of Marketing and Communications experience with Hitachi Data Systems in Asia. Other prior stints include senior industry analyst for Dataquest (a Gartner Group brand) and account director at Euan Barty Associates - a PR firm in Hong Kong.
|
Submitting articles has become one of the most popular means of generating quality backlinks and targeted traffic to your website. Join us today - It's Free! |
|
Related Articles
Why Companies Need Business Intelligence
By: Jose Allan Tan | 31/01/2008 | Information Technology
Business Intelligence is about enabling enterprises to use available information to make better business decisions. BI tools' failure rests in the business unit's failure to communicate their needs and IT's failure to ask the right questions. The result is solutions that fail to deliver expectations.
Build Your Own Call Center: Advise From the Field
By: Jose Allan Tan | 02/02/2008 | Business Opportunities
Following the feature "Call Center opportunities -- what's all the fuss about?", we continue the series with a look at the process of building a call center from the ground up. Critical to the success of building a call center business is due diligence, flexibility, adaptability and persistence. The recommendations listed here are from field discussions with owners and managers of existing call centers in Asia.
Managing Service Level Agreements Realistically
By: Jose Allan Tan | 31/01/2008 | Information Technology
A Service Level Agreement (SLA) is a contract between two parties for the delivery of service to a certain standard and at agreed upon periods. But SLAs don't always work the way they were meant to. Enter Service Level Management (SLM).
New Challenges in Business Travel
By: Jose Allan Tan | 31/01/2008 | Organizational
Time efficiency and flexibility will become increasingly important to commuters. These travelers will select to use suppliers which facilitate smooth and fast travel.
Deploying Secure Network Access
By: Jose Allan Tan | 31/01/2008 | Networks
The most successful Identity & Access Management (I&AM) strategies are those that take a holistic approach to strategy creation. You can implement in phases but the goal must have the entire enterprise in mind.
Enhancing Contact Center Intelligence
By: Jose Allan Tan | 31/01/2008 | Customer Service
Knowing 30 percent of your customer doesn't mean you are doing very well. It means that you don't know the 70 percent who are not your customer. Should you care? As companies learn to tap the potential of contact centers, its time you also look at the hidden messages that are inadvertently collected but not used.
Lean Concepts Make Mean Manufacturers
By: Jose Allan Tan | 01/12/2007 | Strategic Planning
"ERP, Lean Specialty/MES, and homegrown solutions provide the foundation from which companies are enshrining value streams, improving productivity, preparing for new product launches, and driving culture change throughout the company and supplier base." Jane Biddle, Vice President of Manufacturing Research, AberdeenGroup
Where is your Competitive Edge?
By: Jose Allan Tan | 02/02/2008 | Technology
For an organization to effectively compete, it needs to be intimately familiar with its strengths. A company can excel in one of three areas: operations, customer relationship and innovation. In recent years, it has been proven that a well-integrated information technology can add significant value to each of these areas.
Got a Question? Ask.
Ask the community a question about this article:
Frequently Asked Questions
My nephew has applied twice for a visitor visa to ...
By: Raj | 21-07-2008
My nephew has applied twice for a visitor visa to visit to USA, and has been rejected twice. What course is open for me to help him to come and strictly visit USA.
Personal emails on own email sent on BES
By: BB | 20-07-2008
My company does not provide or pay for Blackberries, but does allow for connection to company email via BES. I use my personal bb quite often for personal emails, using my own name@carrier.blackberry.net address. If i choose to use BES, will company have access to emails i send and receive at name@carrier.blackberry.net address, or is that info not kept on the BES servers? Thanks.
Need to find page to fill out budget for a grant
By: Saving All Kids Organization | 17-07-2008
i need help in finding the site where you can fill out a budget online for like a city grant.
in this case it is the yyouth support sysytem grant number: 6416
please tell me how at: savingallkids@aol.com
Type of information system do you recommend?
By: Student needing help! | 12-07-2008
What information system can record, produce and burn a CD for a musician. It also needs to be able to take care of finances both personal and professional and listen to audition recording of session musicians interested in playing with musican on the album he wants to make? It must have internet access too.
Do arrests for things like DUI and other driving ...
By: LibraGay | 26-06-2008
Do arrests for things like DUI and other driving offenses get reported to the FBI; would they show up on a report from the National Crime Information System?
What is the difference between a social enterprise ...
By: dee | 02-06-2008
what is the difference between a social enterprise and a community interest company
Q&A Powered by: 
Latest Information Technology Articles
Online Support for Personal Computer
By: Smit Mathur | 23/07/2008
Online computer Support is gaining esteem among tech users for helping Home Users and Business Magnets avoid hauling themselves into the hassles connected with taking their computer to a service center.
Search Engine Optimization and Its Benefits for You
By: Sarah Folgea | 23/07/2008
If you're a new webmaster and have recently uploaded the company web site online, you may or may not be surprised to find out that there is now much more to your job than just uploading additional content and answering readers' emails. For a web site to be considered successful, it needs a steady stream of visitors coming in. But how do you increase the number of your site's visitors? Well, most knowledgeable web masters employ search engine optimization and you should, too.
How Healthy is Your Website?
By: Sarah Folgea | 22/07/2008
On occasion, SEO consultants have been compared to the likes of medical doctors. They have been expected to correctly analyze and diagnose the symptoms of your website. Instead of reading medical x-rays, the SEO consultants take a look at the integral workings and symptoms of your website and determine what is healthy and what could use some improvement.
Using Podcast Submissions to Enhance Your Podcast Marketing Strategy
By: Christopher Conlan | 21/07/2008
Podcast marketing is a crucial part of your overall podcast strategy. Once you’ve developed the idea, bought the equipment, downloaded the software and created your podcast the next question is “how do I find an audience”. Start with how the audience finds you as your premise and make sure you’re where they’re already looking.
Bit Torrents
By: srimanigandan | 19/07/2008
Bit Torrent is small file which contains all the information that needs for the info needed for the download which the torrent made for, it contains the file names, their sizes, location of download and many other information
Technology Project Planning: Too Much of a Good Thing?
By: Timothy Nuckles | 18/07/2008
For project owners who are in the midst of planning a new project—gathering requirements, fleshing out specifications, polling user preferences, etc.—the law of diminishing marginal returns sets in much earlier than they realize. The resources spent during the initial planning stages produce some hefty returns. But soon after, spending the same amount of resources again, and the next time after that, will produce smaller and smaller chunks of benefit.
High Hopes for Open Virtual Machine Format
By: Arthur Cole | 17/07/2008
Will the OVF, the Open Virtual Machine Format, really make it easier to manage virtual resources across multi-platform environments?
The World is a Social Network, are You a Part of It?
By: John Barnes | 17/07/2008
The rise of social networking sites has meant that people can stay in touch and keep updated with their friends’ whereabouts.
More from Jose Allan Tan
Hardwiring Disk Encryption for Extra Protection
By: Jose Allan Tan | 08/07/2008 | Electronics
Data encryption falls under three broad categories: data-in-transit; data-in-use; and data-at-rest.
Why is Iso 14001 Relevant to a Sustainable Initiative?
By: Jose Allan Tan | 01/07/2008 | Ethics
“Within the next few years it may not be possible to conduct business in most of the world unless you can prove your ‘green’ credentials,” says Bob Hayward, Director of IT Advisory at KPMG.
Rising Pc Adoption is Translating Into Higher Software Piracy Rates in Asia
By: Jose Allan Tan | 01/07/2008 | Information Technology
Software piracy remains the scourge of many a software vendor. Through the efforts of lobbyist organizations such as the Business Software Alliance (BSA) governments in Asia are taking positive steps in reducing illegal software use both at the consumer level and in some cases even at the corporate and government levels.
Asia's Storage Priorities and Concerns
By: Jose Allan Tan | 02/06/2008 | Information Technology
A few years ago, I spoke to the CIO of a major Asian conglomerate. A fire gutted their main data center. Although the company never deployed a hot standby data center, they dutifully performed backups of their data every day. So when the time came to do a restore, the tapes were found to be blank. Oops!
Preparing for the Future Data Center
By: Jose Allan Tan | 02/02/2008 | Business Ideas
In the future, the forces of standardization, commoditization and virtualization will drive down the cost of the data center and reduce the time to get a configuration online, providing greater capability through the dynamic assembly of lower cost processors into massive networks of computing capability.
Best Practices in Building a Wireless Enterprise
By: Jose Allan Tan | 02/02/2008 | Networks
When mobile operator 3 Australia wanted to migrate its customers from 2G to 3G, it realized that beyond the preparation of a glitzy marketing campaign, it also needed to make sure that its 43 retail outlets and 45 dealers would be able to cope with the new business. The solution was nothing short of inspiring.
Successful Financial Supply Chain Strategy: the Cfo Connection
By: Jose Allan Tan | 02/02/2008 | Management
A study conducted by Accenture, Stanford, and INSEAD found that senior executives of leading companies view supply chains as critical in their operations, and most agreed that investments in supply chain capabilities have increased in the last three years. Central to achieving such a transformation is the chief financial officer (CFO).
Unleasing the Potential of Retail Through Wireless Technology
By: Jose Allan Tan | 02/02/2008 | Networks
In the crazy world of commerce, few businesses are as predictably unpredictable as retail apparel. This unpredictability requires in-depth understanding of the business and the intuition to look beyond current practices. PEPPO Fashion in Bangkok answered this call to change.
|
|
Computers 
