Life on the Grid: iPhone Become iTrack (Chapter 12)

  1. Why do cell phone manufacturers (Apple, Google, and BlackBerry) want to track where their customers go?

             Cell phone manufacturers, Apple, Google and Blackberry, want to track where their customers go due to various factors. Firstly, location-based service provided in Apple, Google’s Android and BlackBerry smartphones can be the tool for three of the cell phone manufacturers to earn money. They can earn money by the location-based service in smartphones through advertising. Apple and Google are advertising platforms, so this makes them create the location-based service in their smartphones products.

            This can be explained that mobile technologies based on the smartphone make it possible to locate people who use smartphones. After that, the location data of the users will be reported to the smartphone manufacturing company databases, retained and analyzed. The analyzed location data will then be sold to advertisers and others. When the advertising firms received the location data of their customers, they will pay Apple, Google’s Android and BlackBerry for the information of their customers’ location and for the distributing of their mobile advertisements. Once the advertising firms know where their customers are through mobile, they can send the customers advertisements, coupons, and flash bargains based on where the customers are.

        Next, Apple, Google and BlackBerry needs the location data of their smartphones’ users as they want to use the information to identify the location of cell phones for WIFI connected phones, and to improve the customer experience of location based services. Furthermore, the location information of users is also needed for them to improve their services.

        Moreover, location-based service created in smartphone can also build a strong and closed customer relationship to Apple, Google and BlackBerry. For instance, Foursquare, a 2009 start-up, is a popular mobile social application that allows users to check in to a restaurant or other location, and the app automatically lets friends on Facebook and other programs learn where you are. After starting up Foursquare on a smartphone, smartphone users will see a list of local bars and restaurants based on their cell phones’ GPS position. Foursquare has a widely accepted loyalty program. Each check-in awards users points and badges, which can be used later for discounts and at various venues. Users of  smartphones with Foursquare app are also awarded to be “Mayors” of the venue based on how many times they have checked in over a month’s time. Those who become Mayors will be given special offers. Thus, from here, it is shown that Apple, Google’s Android and BlackBerry provide location-based service in their smartphones can help them to create customers’ values.

2.     2.  Do you think cell phone customers should be able to turn tracking off ? Should customers be informed when they are being tracked? Why or why not?

          In my opinion, I think that the cell phone customers should be able to turn tracking off. They should also be informed when they are being tracked. This is because if the systems of the smartphones manufacturers do not have the action of that, they will violate their customers’ privacy for certain scenarios. For example, it is sure that most of the people do not like others from the public, who they do not know, to have known their location and what they are doing. This will be especially when they are enjoying their special occasions, such as, wedding ceremony and dating. So, from here, it is encouraged that customers are informed when they are being tracked.

          Moreover, allowing smartphones users to turn tracking off using their smartphones’ functions also acts as a respect of the cell phone manufactures towards their customers. They can show their respect to their customers by giving permission to their customers to choose to check in their location areas or not through their phones’ location-based services.

          Last but not least, if there is no awareness of being tracked among customers and customers cannot turn tracking off, users will be scary to use smartphones with location-based services. This may bring bad reputation to the cell phone manufactures and also the smartphones products itself. It is owing to the bad treatment and customers’ services provided by the system of cell phones. Consequently, sales of cell phones with location-based services may decrease.

3.      3. Do you think cell phone tracking is a violation of a person’s privacy?

         Many privacy groups are calling for legislation to gain user consent as a condition of cell phone tracking. Go to the Internet to find out one of the privacy groups and summarize its stand and viewpoint. We must support this group in its call for federal regulation cell phone tracking. Because the Cell phone manufacturers (Apple, Google and Blackberry) tracking is indeed an invasion of privacy. A privacy group is Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC).The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC) was founded in 1993 and focuses public attention to emerging civil liberties and to protect privacy, the first amendment, and constitutional values. EPIC does not lobby for, consult, or advice companies, nor do we endorse specific products or services. This list merely serves as a sampling of available privacy-enhancing tools. I do support its calls for federal regulation because it does need to be regulated, as this type of tracking is a breach of privacy. Google and Apples position of cell phone tracking is to help improve apps and service. Limitations of cell phone tracking can be specified in the settings from accurate to city locations.

DST Systems Scores with Scrum and Application Lifecycle Management (Chapter 11)

1.    1.   What were some of the problems with DST Systems’ old software development environment?

       DST Systems is a software development company whose flagship product, Automated Work Distributor, increases back – office efficiency and help offices become paperless. DST was founded in 1969 and its headquarters are in Kansas City, Missouri. The company has approximately ten thousand employees, 1200 of whom are software developers.

            Some of the problem is DST Systems’ used a mixture of tools, processes, and sourced code control system, different group within the organization used very different tools for software development for example like Eclipse.  This makes managers hard to unable to easily determine how resources were being allocated, which of their employees were working on certain project, and the status of specific assets. Other than that, the previous method that is “waterfall” method which is used for designing, coding, testing and integrating its product. In the waterfall model of software development, progression flows sequentially from one step to next like a waterfall, with each step unable to start until the previous step has been completed.

2.     2.  How did Scrum development help solve some of those problems?

          Scrum is a framework for agile software development in which project progress via a series of iteration called sprints. Scrum projects make progress in a series of sprints, which are time boxed iterations no more than a month long. Scrum development help solve some of those problem by relies on self- organizing, cross- functional teams supported by a Scrum Master and a product owner. The Scrum Master acts as a coach for the team, while the product owner represents the business, customers or users in guiding the team toward building the right product. DST tried Scrum with its existing software development tools and experienced strong results. The company accelerated its software development cycle from 24 to 6 month and developer productivity increased 20 present. 

3.      3. What other adjustments did DST make to be able to use Scrum more effectively in its software projects? What management, organization and technology issues had to be addressed?

           The other adjustments DST was able to make to use Scrum more effectively in its software projects were by setting up a project evaluation team to identify the right development environment. DST wanted the ability to use the new software without significant training and software they could quickly adopt without jeopardizing AWD’s development cycle. After considering, DST settled on CollabNet’s offerings.

CollabNet specializes in software designed to work well with agile software development methods such as Scrum. Its core product is TeamForge, it used to centralize management of users, projects, processes and assets. DST adopted Collabnet's subversion product to help with the management control of changes to project documents, programs, and other information stored as computer files. DST’s adoption of CollabNet’s products was fast, just requiring 10 weeks. Besides, the adjustment allowed DST to complete all of their work within the ALM platform.

          For the part of management, organization and technology issues had to be addressed, Jerry Tubbs, the systems development manager at DST systems, says DST was successful in attempts to revamp the software group because some factors.

1.  Looked for simplicity rather than complicated

2.  Much cheaper than some of the alternatives

3. Involved developers in the decision making process to ensure that change to be greeted enthusiastically

4. Allow for the developers to adopt ALM software on their own

The company was successful because they selected the right development framework as well as the right software to make that change a reality and skillfully managed the change process.

COLGATE PALMOLIVE KEEPS MANAGERS SMILING WITH EXECUTIVE DASHBOARDS (Chapter 10)

1.    1.   Describe the different types of business intelligence users at Colgate-Palmolive.

The different types of business intelligence users at Colgate-Palmolive Colgatehad been a global SAP user since the early 1990s, but it was running five separate ERP system to serve its different geographic regions. Over a period of time, disparities in the data developed between different geographic regions and between the data used at the corporate level and the data used by an individual region or business unit

Other than that, Colgate choses to creating a single global data repository using SAP NetWeaver Business Warehouse, SAP’s analytical, reporting and data warehousing solution. Colgate’s regional ERP System feed their data to the warehouse, were the data are standardized and formatted for enterprise-wide reporting and analysis. This eliminates differences in data across the enterprise.

Furthermore, Colgate’s Information Systems specialist then implemented SAP NetWeaver BW Accelerator to speed up data loads and improve user perception and adoption, and then they implemented SAP Business Objects Web Intelligence to build customized reports. SAP Business Objects Web Intelligence provides a powerful, intuitive interface that enables business professionals to ask spontaneous questions about their data.

2.      

       2.  Describe the “People” issues that were affecting Colgate’s ability to use business intelligence.

               

        The “People” issues that were affecting Colgate’s ability to use business intelligence. For example, every time a sales report was run, it showed different number for orders and shipments. Colgate wanted more useable data to drive business decisions and all of its managers and business units worldwide to work with the same version of data.

          In addition, for of the output of the warehouse for senior manager is daily HTML table that showing series of financial and operational metrics for the day compared to the previous month and quarter. However the data were not being used enough employees in their decision making to have an impact on business benefit.

      Eventually, Colgate’s senior manager and other casual user began requesting deeper access to the warehouse data in a more timely and user-friendly format. They want reports that were easier to run where the data could be interpreted faster. Senior management requested customizable.

3.      

           3. What people, organization and technology factors had to be addressed in providing business intelligence capabilities for each type of user?

              

                 Colgate’s Senior Managers and other casual users, on the other hand did not feel comfortable running ad hoc reports or drilling down into the layers of data to answer questions the data brought to light. They did not have much time to spend developing reports and the standard reports produced for them by the warehouse lacked navigation and drill down capabilities.

Eventually Colgate’s senior manager and other casual users began requesting deeper access to the warehouse data in a more timely and user-friendly format. They wanted reports that were easier to run where the data could be interpreted faster. Senior management requested customizable, real-time dashboards that could be more easily used to drive performance improvement.

Colgate’s information systems specialists then implemented SAP NetWeaver BW Accelerators to speed up data loads and improve user perception and adoption and they implemented SAP Business Objects Web Intelligence to build customized reports.

4.    4.  What kind of decisions does Colgate’s new business intelligence capability support? Give three examples. What is their potential business impact?

                 

          For Colgate, better reporting tools that can support different kinds of users have greatly expanded the use of business intelligence throughout the company. Currently about 4000 users interact with Colgate’s SAP system daily, but this number is expected to expand to 15000 or 20000 users in the future. People who are accustomed to seeing reports stuffed with numbers are finding that they can use the information presented in dashboards to make faster decisions.For example, managers can determine positive or negative financial conditions by simply looking for negative financial conditions by simply looking for where dashboard reports use the colour green, which reflects improvements in Colgate’s financial position.

SOCIAL COMMERCE CREATES NEW CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP. (Chapter 9)

      1.      1. Assess the people, organization, and technology issues for using social media to engage with customers.

Nowadays, most people will use the social media to keep in touch with friend and let them know what they recently doing. However, these social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Line can become powerful tools for engaging customers in business for all companies of all shapes and sizes. In addition, location based businesses like gourmet food trucks can tweet their current locationto loyal followers and fans. Appointment-based businesses can easily tweet or post cancellations and unexpected openings. Larger companies run sweepstakes and promotions and can have an opportunity to shape the perception of their brands and to solidify relationships with their customers.Companies are rolling out ads that capitalize on the social media features of Facebook to achieve greater visibility. For example, Facebook ads feature the ability to ‘Like’ a brand, send a virtual gift, answer a poll question, or instantly stream information to your news feed. Facebook also allow you to following the fan page of the brand and can get the new feed about the brand or the updates news, promotion, and competition.

      2.  What are the advantages and disadvantages of using social media for advertising, brand building, market research, and customer service?

Advantage	Disadvantage
Companies of all sizes have an opportunity to shape the perception of their brands and to solidify relationships with their customers.	The result can be unpredictable, and not always beneficial, as Starbucks learned. Starbucks launched a social media contest, which was essentially a scavenger hunt for advertising posters in Twitter. The campaign backfired. At the urging of anti- Starbucks protesters, users flooded Starbucks’ Twitter feed with pictures of employees and protesters holding signs criticizing Starbucks’ labor practices.
To achieve greater visibility- Facebook ads feature the ability to “like” a brand, give comment, answer poll question, send a virtual gift
To allow customers to socialize and share their purchases with friends through social media
Answer user question and respond to complaints. Companies can easily manage the complaints of products from user and get improvement overall through these application
A company used text mining to gather data and convert then to useful information and uses the information to gauge the success of promotions, which products are hot and which are duds, and the impact of advertising campaigns.
Use social media- Facebook’s targeting capabilities to determine which types of people respond to the various ads it has created.

3.    3.  Should all companies use Facebook and Twitter for customer service and advertising? Why or why not? What kinds of companies are best suited to use these platforms?

Yes, companies should use these social media Facebook and Twitter for customer service and advertising. This is because Facebook and Twitter more effective compare to others. Facebook and Twitter is a social web and have a large amount of people or companies link their business, company products to social media. Companies with selling digital goods like camera, smartphone and so on are suitable to use the platform because social media need be efficiently and good performance with digital products. Furthermore, with media social, companies easy to communicate with other company. They also can make a good relationship with both companies that make an agreement or contract. Other than that, company can make an improvement about their organization with conversation from the other country. They will changes and share experience and idea to become a good and successful company in the future. 

ACHIEVING OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE AND CUSTOMER INTIMACY: Enterprise Application ( Chapter 8 )

1.What type of companies are most likely to adopt cloud-based CRM software services?why? what companies might not be well suited for this type of software?

The types of companies that adopt cloud-base CRM software service is small businesses that find the on demand model especially appealing because there are no large up-front hardware and software investments or lengthy implementation on corporate computer system. Saleforce’s e-mail and Web-to-lead capabilities helped company quadruple new sales leads.. A task feature automatically generate specific task based on the type of lead and the stage in the sales process. The system automates customer service functions including order confirmation, follow up customer satisfaction surveys and shipping notification. Cloud base software service also appeals to large companies. The system with automated reports and dashboards monitoring key performance indicators, sales calls, and sales volume. CRM software service also help to create more successful marketing campaign. Not all companies experience gains of that magnitude and cloud computing does have drawback. Companies that manage their CRM apps with a cloud infrastructure have no guarantees that their data will be available at all time, or even that the provider will still exist in the future.

2.What are the advantages and disadvantages of using cloud-based enterprise applications?

Advantages	Disadvantages
Cost Efficiency This is the biggest advantage of cloud computing, achieved by the elimination of the investment in stand-alone software or servers. By leveraging cloud’s capabilities, companies can save on licensing fees and at the same time eliminate overhead charges such as the cost of data storage, software updates, management	Security and privacy in the Cloud Security is the biggest concern when it comes to cloud computing. By leveraging a remote cloud based infrastructure, a company essentially gives away private data and information, things that might be sensitive and confidential. It is then up to the cloud service provider to manage, protect and retain them, thus the provider’s reliability is very critical.
Backup and Recovery The process of backing up and recovering data is simplified since those now reside on the cloud and not on a physical device. The various cloud providers offer reliable and flexible backup/recovery solutions. In some cases, the cloud itself is used solely as a backup repository of the data located in local computers.	Limited control and flexibility Since the applications and services run on remote, third party virtual environments, companies and users have limited control over the function and execution of the hardware and software. Moreover, since remote software is being used, it usually lacks the features of an application running locally.
Quick deployment and ease of integration A cloud system can be up and running in a very short period, making quick deployment a key benefit. On the same aspect, the introduction of a new user in the system happens instantaneously, eliminating waiting periods.	Increased Vulnerability Related to the security and privacy mentioned before, note that cloud based solutions are exposed on the public internet and are thus a more vulnerable target for malicious users and hackers. Nothing on the Internet is completely secure and even the biggest players suffer from serious attacks and security breaches. Due to the interdependency of the system, If there is a compromise one one of the machines that data is stored, there might be a leakage of personal information to the world.
Increased Storage Capacity The cloud can accommodate and store much more data compared to a personal computer and in a way offers almost unlimited storage capacity. It eliminates worries about running out of storage space and at the same time It spares businesses the need to upgrade their computer hardware, further reducing the overall IT cost	Dependency and vendor lock-in One of the major disadvantages of cloud computing is the implicit dependency on the provider. This is what the industry calls “vendor lock-in” since it is difficult, and sometimes impossible, to migrate from a provider once you have rolled with him. If a user wishes to switch to some other provider, then it can be really painful and cumbersome to transfer huge data from the old provider to the new one. This is another reason why you should carefully and thoroughly contemplate all options when picking a vendor.

3.What people, organization and technology issues should be addressed in deciding whether to use a conventional CRM system versus a cloud-based version?

People will provide firm wide information to support decision making. They also will enable rapid responses to customer requests for information or products. Besides, removing hardware and its complications Companies Not Suited For ERP and CRM. People also can made large investments on traditional and customized solutions that already work. In organization  the Human-Resource Optimization will act as while traditional ERP and CRM solutions demand for technical staff, cloud-based solutions allows to optimize HR to focus on operation. In technology for security: using the web as infrastructure, cloud-based ERP and CRM solutions have difficulties in offering security-comfort to companies that own sensible data. Besides, Seeks to cut cost Companies That Use Cloud Based ERP and CRM Services: it enables them to achieve operational excellence and customer intimacy.  It releases them from infrastructural maintenance and its respective fixed (servers, storage, networking components) and operational costs

Information Security Threats and Policies in Europe ( Chapter 7 )

1. Botnet.

• A botnet is a network of autonomous malicious software agents that are under the control of a bot commander.
• The network is created by installing malware that exploits the vulnerabilities of web servers operating system, or applications to take control of the infected computer.
• A botnet also refer to the collection of internet –connected programs in order to perform task.
• This can be as mundane as keeping control of an internet relay chat (IRC) channel, or it could be used to send spam email or participate in distributed denial-of-service attacks.
• The world botnet is a portmanteau of robot and network.

2. Some of the main points of the Digital Agenda for Europe.

• Digital Agenda for Europe has recently launched by European commission.
• The goal of this initiative is to define the key role that information and communication knowledge technologies will play in 2020.
• The initiative calls for a single, open European digital market.
• Another goal is that broadband speed of 80Mbps be available to all European citizen by 2020.
• The initiative is considering the implementation of measures to protect  privacy and the establishment of a well-functioning network of CERT to prevent cybercrime and respond effectively to cyber attacks.

3. How cyber attack can be carried out.

• The cyber attack on Estonia start in late April 2007 and lasted for almost three weeks.
• During this period , vital parts of Estonia internet network had to be closed from access from outside the country, causing millions of dollars in economic losses/
• At round same time, Arsys important Spanish domain registration company also targeted international hackers.
• Arsys reported hacker had stolen codes that then use the to insert links to external server containing malicious codes in webpage of its clients.
• French the UK and Germany were amount European countries suffered most inspection.
• The French navy had grown all military planes when discovered its computer network was infected.
• In UK, Worm infected computers in ministry of defence, the city of Manchester’s city council and police network.
• Computers in network of German Army were infected too. Once, install on computer, co flicker is able to download and install other malware from control the website infected computer could be under full control of hackers.

      4. Weakness exploited by malware.

• Malware may exploit weakness to initially infiltrate a system or to gain additional privileges on an already- compromised machine.
•  The weaknesses may be exploit automatically by malware authors creations or manually by attempt will be generically called an attackers.
• Weaknesses fall into 2broad categories , based on where the weaknesses lies.
• Technical weakness involve tricking people.
• The malware, hidden in shortcuts to executable programs (files with extension .ink) was executed  automatically when the content of an infected USB drive was displayed .
• Employing this same technique , the worms was capable of installing other malware.
• Data gathered later by other experts indicates that the worms was actually looking for some specific programmable Logic Controllers(PLC) devices used in a specific industrial plants. A facts that points to the possibility that malware was part of the sites infected with sabotage.
• The significance that such a sophisticated treat represents to the industrial recourses in Europe and others parts of the world cannot be underestimated.

Automakers Become Software Companies

1. How is software adding value to automakers’ products?

• improve customers’ experience.
• save cost.
• faster the work time.

2. How are the automakers benefiting from software -enhanced cars?how are customers benefiting?

• easier the customer to navigate the road and car with additional software.
• solve the traffic problem, parking.
• communicate each other it anything happen on the road.
• all smart phone user can connect and analyze data on car application.

3. What value chain activities are involved in enhancing cars with software?

• Control panel with touch screen .
• for development of company and cars, Ford develop software that synchronize with both pattern of product.
• it navigate well all item in a car, such as temperature, speed ,clock ,music and phone.-upgrade software easily at Ford website.

4. How much of a competitive advantage is software providing for automakers? Explain your answer.

Ford has hired human machine interface engineers :

• analyze their customers feedback.
• when Ford has this effort, it will easier the process of making decision based on result.
• Ford also asked dealer to implement time to gain more technology knowledge.
• it also has develop the manufacturing of it products such as it can protect it own product with sensor and other useful application.
• the reason why automakers have many benefit than other product is because they develop themselves  with variety progress and it far away develop with other products. It also make them perfect with their competitor.