1

CHAPTER 18

Creating a Wireless Organization

2

Learning Outcomes

Explain how a wireless device helps an organization conduct business anytime, anywhere, anyplace

Discuss three limitations to wireless devices and the effects they can have on an employee’s job performance

List and discuss the key factors inspiring the growth of wireless technologies

Describe the impact a mobile organization has on an employee

3

Wireless Lexicon

Personal Digital Assistant (PDA): a handheld device acting as an electronic organizer

Pager or Beeper: a pocket-sized one-way or two-way receiver

Mobile or Cellular phone

Microbrowser Bluetooth

IrDA: a protocol suite designed to support transmission of two devices over short-range point-to-point infrared

Hand-held computers Global Position System

(GPS) 802.11: an IEEE

wireless standard for data transfer

4

Overview - Wireless Devices

Common wireless devices Cellular phones and

pagers Global positioning

systems (GPS) Cordless computer

peripherals Home-entertainment-

system control boxes Two-way radios Satellite television

Limitations: Cell phones include Web

browsers, but lack the functionality and memory to run customized applications

PDAs are getting connectivity, but generally not to corporate networks

E-mail typically do not include such functions as voice

5

Overview:Disruptive wireless technologies WiMax wireless broadband – enables wireless

networks to extend as far as 30 miles Radio frequency identification tags (RFID) Micro hard drives Apple’s G5 and AMD’s Athlon 64 processors

6

Wireless and Mobile Technologies

Mobile – the technology can travel with the user, but it is not necessarily in real-time

Wireless – gives users a live (Internet) connection via satellite or radio transmitters

7

Wireless Growth

Wireless growth is occurring because:

Universal access to information and applications

The automation of business processes

User convenience, timeliness, and ability to conduct business 24x7x365

Global Internet andWireless users growth

Current Mobile Phone Users’ Applications Interest

9

The Wireless Culture

Wireless is making it more difficult to divide work from nonwork

Over the last 10 to 15 years employees have seen a steady erosion of their personal time as their work day lengthens

10

Opening Case Study Questions

1. Why would Dell want to explore the wireless market for new opportunities?

2. With the emergence of mobile technologies, why should leading edge companies be concerned with the lack of compatibility between wireless applications?

3. How could Charles Schwab use wireless technology to increase its market share?

4. Do you think organizations that do not embrace wireless technologies are at a disadvantage? Explain your answer

11

Watching the Weather

The Weather Channel’s Web site, www.weather.com, features current conditions and forecasts for over 77,000 locations worldwide

The Weather Channel uses wireless messaging to deliver “severe weather alerts” to subscribers’ cell phones and pagers

12

Case Questions

1. Do you consider The Weather Channel’s use of wireless technology disruptive? Why or why not?

2. Review the key factors inspiring the growth of wireless technology and brainstorm a new service The Weather Channel could provide to its customers based on these factors

3. Determine who The Weather Channel’s competitors are and evaluate what it can do to protect its business