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Web 2.0

  1. Web 2.0 tools help companies manage knowledge, coordinate work and enhance decision making in a number of ways. Blogs, wikis and social networking help companies and their employees communicate and boost productivity (p. 423). After all, blogs can provide information to users in a less formal way yet attainable form and grant readers the opportunities to respond to the writer, ask, questions, comment, etc. This interaction bridges the corporate users and the readers/customers or potential customers and builds relationships. Since Web 2.0 tools are user friendly, communication and knowledge creation are easy (p. 423).

For the workforce, wikis serve as a “blackboard” a space in which corporate workers and an increasingly mobile workforce can communicate with each other, formalize projects and the components thereof, document progress and do so in a less costly manner. After all, wikis, like most Web 2.0 tools contain costs. This is especially true since Web 2.0 tools do not require IT department implementation (p. 423).

  1. Blogs, wikis and social networking tools solve the problem of individual emails, IMs and the creation of numerous emails conveying information, raising questions or documenting progress. Web 2.0 solves the problems of connection across a large company or department and provides the users with flexibility. It offers the manager or creator the opportunity to post the information and the other workers or users with 24 hour viewing from anywhere they can log into such platforms. For this reason, all parties have a sense of autonomy and connectedness despite virtual connectivity.
  2. Companies like Wal-Mart or Procter & Gamble could benefit from using Web 2.0 tools internally because wikis could provide departmental or store information, convey opportunities for employees and/or connect efforts across the company locations. For Proctor & Gamble wikis could provide researchers with the space to play with ideas and or work on projects. Due to the nature of wikis, the progress would be documented and would be accessible to all with permissions/access. Therefore, Web 2.0 could prove invaluable internally.
  3. Nevertheless, Web 2.0 tools and platforms do pose some problems for companies related to intellectual property, unethical practices and/or maintaining company policies related to their use. After all, privacy, respect and the code of conduct relative to the use of Web 2.0 in the workplace is critical (p. 423).

Reality Mining

  1. Businesspersons might be interested in location-based mobile networking because people are increasingly mobile and location-based information helps people decide where to eat, what to see, or where to go (p. 435). By providing people with timely, location-based information, it facilitates decision-making and also encourages consumption of goods and services. For these reasons, businessmen would be interested in location-based mobile networking to build clientele.
  2. Numerous technological innovations have facilitated and cultivated the development of Sense networks. Notably these include GPS systems, GPS tracking, mobile phones, and GPS applications and other devices with such tracking devices (p. 435, 436). Through harvesting the GPS tracking information, businesses have predicted the likelihood of numerous activities (p. 435). These include restaurants frequented, theatres visited, gas stations and/or certain routes. Understandably then, these devices and the information they provide have induced Sense networks.
  3. I do feel that the privacy risks surrounding Citysense are significant. Understandably, privacy issues and personal information are of great concern. While cell phone companies cannot share users’ personal data or information without consent, granting consent opens doors to numerous problems (p. 436). These notably include “guided” decisions based upon probability, exposure to advertising and location-based information. Because of this, autonomy is false. Therefore, I would not sign up for Sense Network services. I would rather access the information or explore for myself.

Overbooking

  1. From the perspective of the airlines, the software used to predict “no shows” and avoid loss of revenue is working. After all, US Airways contends that 7-8% of its passengers are no-shows, and that the revenue “reclaimed” through overbooking proved crucial to the company’s survival (p. 459). Yet, the current modeling software has not been as accurate predicting the rate of no-shows (p. 459). In fact, the percentage of passengers displaced because of incorrect no show predictions have dramatically shifted, more than doubling the previous estimates (p. 459). If this trend continues, this will be problematic for the airlines, especially since these passengers may be stuck for several days before they can reach their destinations (p. 459). Therefore, modeling software should include different weather situations and the like to increase predictability and delimit unhappy customers. The latter will inevitably affect business.
  2. If airlines are bumping too many passengers, the bumped customers might choose other airlines based upon their experiences and/or another mode of transportation in order to reach their destinations. This could prove detrimental to the company in it the future.
  3. The DSS generally engages the historical flight record and the number of economy, business-class and first-class seats. Notably, as well, this system also factors in the previous no show rates in certain regions. Since some origination airports have higher no shows than others, this is important.
  4. Numerous people and processes are responsible for excessive bumping. These include DSS systems devoid of weather options and/or modelingand, airlines personnel including gatekeepers who create phony reservations to avoid complaints caused by overbooking. Additionally, of course, those with business-class and first class tickets that have greater flexibility also promote overbooking because they have higher no show rates (p. 459).
  5. Overbooking is a problem initially created by people but also created by circumstance. Since the DSS lack the models that factor in weather historically and/or its potential to increase or decrease no-shows, overbooking is more a company created problem than one created by people. Circumstance always factors in.