e-business technology - connectivity
The rapid increase in speeds and availability of Internet connectivity is creating new co-ordination and communication mechanisms across and within organisations, and with customers. There is a clear analogy with traditional retail sales in which shops require a location that is convenient to its target customers with suitable opening hours, parking, proximity to public transport links and so on.
EBusinesses have to offer a slick service to its customers, otherwise they will rapidly go to another site if they find themselves getting bogged down with slow or difficult website access.
The ‘right’ connectivity
The connectivity is ‘right’ if the speed, functionality and cost are appropriate and available to the target market segments.
Connectivity is as varied as the devices that use it. Early EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) systems used private leased lines or networks, and these are still in use between major trading partners and within corporate and industry networks.
The ‘Internet’ itself is somewhat amorphous and may be accessed through;
- Dial-up modem using a standard telephone line
- ADSL, cable modem or similar ‘broadband’ dedicated digital subscriber service
- ISDN, a
- Leased line,
- Wireless services via mobile telephones and ‘palmtops’, including 3G and WAP
- LAN or WAN (Local or Wide Area Network)
- Local wireless networks such as Bluetooth
These connection options offer different capacity, performance and costs for the user or supplier. The ‘reach’ and availability also varies; at the moment, no individual service offers the best of everything. For example, most consumers would probably find the fastest download speeds from broadband, whereas wireless offers better portability.
The greater the degree of portability or ‘reach’ then, typically, the lower will be the performance and reliability. Just as selection of the appropriate devices is vital then so it is with the connectivity methods.
Fortunately, for many suppliers, a small degree of adaptation is often all that is required to offer a level of service through a new form of connectivity or a new device. Unless the website relies on extensive graphics, animation and so on, then it is often a good rule of thumb to plan for the slowest access that customers are likely to use.
Author: Steve Whiteley, January 2007
tutor2u is the leading global publisher of e-learning resources for Economics, Business, Politics, Enterprise, Law, Sociology, Religious Studies and related subjects. Our materials are used by over 3,500 schools and colleges in the UK and in educational institutions in over 85 other countries. tutor2u offers a range of free and subscription-based materials - designed to support teachers and inspire students. The business also runs a popular series of student revision workshops and teacher conferences. tutor2u was named Online Learning Resource of the Year at the prestigious BETT Show - the World's leading educational show.
|
Privacy & terms of Use |
Contact us |
Teacher Newsletters & Subject Blogs |
