Unit 2: Information on modern organasations

Information on modern organisations

Many companies fail because they didn't capitalise on e-commerce side of the company and did not have a business strategy. This was evident because during the recession companies that did not have a clear strategy using ICT  inevitably failed. HMV and Blockbuster are classic examples of this, and in this blog I will go in a deeper analysis and evaluation of why they went bust.

Organisations can be categorised in three main types of organisation that can be readily identified:

Commercial organisations

These are what we would normally call businesses. They trade in a competitive market with the main objective is to survive and make profit and growing the business. The smallest of these businesses are sole traders like a stall on your local market or windows cleaners; the largest are international companies like coca cola or Ford motor company. 

public organisations

 

 These organisations are funded by taxation and are controlled by directly or  indirectly by the government. Theses include: direct government bodies such as government departments and the civil service; local government, public educational bodies such as school, colleges and universities; the health service; the armed forces and the emergency services.  

non-profit or charitable organisations

 

These organisations raise their finance from donations or grant funding and use the funds to raise a particular cause or issue, they provide employment and incomes for the organisations administrators. There are many types of these organisations like private education and health care fields, many of whose organisations are set up as charities.     

Blockbuster

The DVD and rental company had 528 stores across the country and 2 million customers. A company that once dominated the industry was preordained to extinction because they did not see that driving to a shop and renting a movie was not as easily accessible as downloading it online.

 

Retail consultant said: "There are shifts in the market place all the time. Blockbuster had a window of opportunity 5 years ago to respond to changes in the market perhaps buy a streaming service and perhaps build on their strong band.

The main lessons that you can take away from Blockbusters failure is that it doesn't matter how successful you are today, tomorrow is not guaranteed. With technology evolving rapidly businesses have to adapt and have a clear strategy Here are my thoughts how Blockbuster could have survived:

 

Purchased Neflix in 2000, this may not have been an option if blockbuster had asserted itself and modified its strategy

 

Opened kiosks much earlier and began closing stores, this would have reduced capital costs and improved convenience

Used Neflix’s early model of subscriptions and distribution through mail

Entered the on demand space much earlier, before Netflix and lovefilm took over the market .

HMV

HMV is looking to follow in the footsteps of blockbuster, HMV a market leader in the entertainment industry, sales fell dramatically to 13% to £288 million in six months to the end of October.

HMV opened its flagship in 1921 in oxford street in London and now they have over 240 stores and are at the risk of losing those shops because they have not put enough onto their website. The demand for online is increasing, extenuating this fact music fans in Britain have streamed audio tracks more than 3.7 billion times last year. Furthermore digital albums sales increased by 14.8% to 30.5 million last year. However in store sales have been been at a deficit, sales of album on CD by 19.5% last year to 69.4 million. The growth of digital downloads, the recession and competition from supermarkets were all eroding its business performance.By far the biggest impact, however, was the explosion in popularity of mail order websites such as Play.com, Amazon, and Tesco.com. For almost a decade these companies exploited a loophole in EU tax rules to ship DVDs and CDs at VAT-free prices from the Channel Islands – thereby undercutting HMV.

civil rights

Civil rights 



"Civil rights" are the rights of individuals to receive equal treatment (and to be free from unfair treatment or "discrimination") in a number of settings -- including education, employment, housing, and more -- and based on certain legally-protected characteristics

The more data there is on people, and the more technology is used to monitor and control people in order to keep society safe as a  possible, then the more likely is that people's right to privacy and civil rights as a whole may be compromised. There are many ways that your information is stored, the most common are compulsory id cards. One aspect that makes id cards so controversial is that they will be linked to a national database that will be capable of storing a great deal of information about each individual and it can be linked to your driving license number, national insurance number, NHS number etc
Here are some advantages and disadvantages of having an id card. 

Advantages

• One advantage of having an identification card is that it makes things easier when you need to take care of important affairs. For example, if you're applying for vouchers to help you pay your bills, your identification card allows the clerk to easily find background information on you. Or if you're an employer, a copy of a job candidate's ID card will help you do a more detailed search of that person's history.

Disadvantages

Identity theft is one major drawback of having an ID card. For example, if you renewed your ID card but you threw your old one away without cutting it up, a thief who often goes through old trash bags may run across your card and use it to open new bank or credit card accounts. If this happens, you'll have to spend huge amounts of money and time rebuilding your financial history.

 

 

Bridging the gap

Bridging the gap 

There have been lots of initiatives to bridge the gap sponsored by the national government, local government, private industry, and charities. In this post I am going to evaluate them to give a flavour of the breadth and range of initiatives in this area in the UK.  

UK online 

UK online was started in 2001 and funded by the government as a project to give computer access to people in the community and to help them develop ICT skills so that they can be employable. Currently they have over 6000 UK online centres located in schools,libraries and community centres. They have a network of 3,800 community based UK online centres across England, provide products on out ww.learnmyway.com website, run marketing campaigns, offer training and project opportunities and administer grant funding to help their centres help more people make the most of online life. 

Facts about UK online 

• 3,800 partner centres
• UK online centres in 84% of deprived wards
• One-third of our customers have no formal qualifications
• Over 7 in 10 users are socially excluded
• Over 50% receive some state benefit
• Around a quarter earn less than £10k a year
• 50% of users don't own their own home and 23% live in social housing
• 25% are responsible for children
• One-third of users consider themselves to have a disability or mental health issues
• 29% are unemployed and 33% are retired.
• One-quarter of centre users are from non-British ethnic backgrounds
• 90% of visitors access online government services in a UK online centre
• 60% of customers progress to take up further education, Information, Advice and Guidance opportunities, volunteering placements or employment
• 96% of people who use the centres rate the service as good to excellent

Community Access to Lifelong Learning (CALL)

CALL is a huge programme that was heavily invested with 200 million capital investment to cover development and running costs . These centers were aimed at providing access to technology and skills development for businesses and the general public. The voluntary sector was heavily involved in establishing and running these centers.  Furthermore this programme enables libraries, schools and other lifelong learning institutions to become connected with the internet and provide access to all groups within society, with the hope of providing particular benefits to socially excluded people who otherwise has less access to online learning opportunities.

Learning is likely to be ever more important to the UK’s prosperity.  The types of jobs we are doing are changing, as are the skills we need to do them, and access to learning will help people to meet the rapid changes required. With that into account CALL aims to improve "access to lifelong learning for adults through the use of ICT, with a particular focus on socially excluded adults and those in disadvantaged communities" and  "further develop the creation of community-based content to encourage people to use ICT and encourage them into lifelong learning"

Tackling the divide on the ground

Tackling the divide on the ground 

Broadcasting

Digital broadcasting is both an empowering technology and of the political barriers that sometimes is a main factor between the digital divide between the rich and the poor. Satellite broadcasting allows geographically remote areas to receive news and information that was not previously available. In rural Asia they used to have low quality terrestrial broadcasts provided on unreliable equipment, however now they have High quality sound and images and a range that was previously unimaginable. Densely populated cities, Jungles and mountains are all traversed better with wireless technology than with expensive cable.

Greater Bandwidth

• Signals broadcast digitally have the advantage of greater bandwidth than analog transmissions. High-definition television is only available with a signal that's broadcast digitally. This is not the only format supported by digital media. High-definition and standard-definition digital signals are broken up into one of five signal patterns to accommodate multiple aspect ratios. This translates to a crisper picture for the consumer, regardless of the size of his digital television.

Automatic Tuning

• A consumer need not worry finding the resolution that is appropriate for her television. Digital signals automatically tune to the proper format resolution. This alleviates consumer anxiety surrounding electronics. With the assurance that their television is going to work no matter what bandwidth their signal is working at, consumers are free to purchase for the aesthetic and technical value of the given television, whether that be plasma, LCD or others.

Multiple Reception Outlets

• There are multiple ways to receive a digitally broadcast signal. The most common way is through a cable connection commonly referred to as "digital cable." Users are also able to receive the signal via satellite with the use of a dish. Advances in technology have also allowed digital broadcasting to run through DSL Internet connections and through mobile phones. There are now many televisions built with this desire in mind, many including hookups to accommodate a computer-to-television entertainment systems.

http://www.ehow.com/list_5959086_advantages-digital-broadcasting.html

  Mobile phones

Mobile phones have helped poverty-stricken nations like rural Pakistan and Bangladesh because it allows people to stay in touch in remote locations. Furthermore the mobile phone users in Pakistan and Bangledesh will double next year outnumbering fixed-line customers for the first time and marking a new era of communications.

Governance

A main factor in the digital divide comes in the form of the government of the under-served countries.Studies show that over 40 per cent of the world population does not have the opportunity to learn how to use a computer.  For example the state is only telecommunication provider, charges monopoly prices for its services and prevents other organisations providing competitive services. Also importing hi tech technology causes problems like high tariffs and strict regulations. This is where a government strategy is needed to deal with this problem.  Successful strategies of this nature have occured in the United Arab Emirates and Afghanistan where they have set up a free trade zone which is encouraging ICT investment throughout the middel east, Asia and Africa. 

Kindle- The genius book killer

Kindle- the genius book killer

The Kindle is an electronic device for downloading, storing, and reading electronic books, known as e-books. The Kindle has instant wireless access to Amazon.com and their huge number of e-books (over 115,000 and growing). You can read newspapers, subscribe to magazines and blogs, and even play audio files such as MP3’s or audio books. 

The kindle has many advantages over a paperback like how I don't have to take up valuable space with books. I also can pack as many books as I want when I travel without weighing down my suitcase. Furthermore I can change the font size to accommodate my eyes.  Has anyone ever considered the environmental benefits of e-books? Although I can't claim to be a 'go green' fanatic I think it is important to note that the less paperbacks purchased, the less trees will be cut down. Also you don't have to pay for the production of books and shipping which may or may not sell. I think the main reason that paperbacks will become obsolete because of the portability and ease of reading (500+ page books are just unwieldy to read in bed) Be that as it may, e-books are clearly the wave of the future.

However not everyone can afford a kindle or e-book reader so it would be cheaper to buy just a paperback. Furthermore not all older but still good to read books are available as an eBook, so you could be missing out on some classics.  Also I know that to some people the feeling and cherishing the book is just as important as reading the content. only downsides that I can see is that as an electronic device it can be damaged beyond a state of use more easily than a physical book. Moreover when you want to lend it to a friend. If you like to lend and borrow books, then you may yet be better off with a good old-fashioned paper-and-ink edition And if you’re the type who leaves books on the bus, then you probably won’t want to risk doing that with an expensive e-book

Mobile phone history

Mobile phones history

Do you remember when you bought your first mobile phone? Perhaps you were able to stump up the £3000 needed for a cell phone back in 1985. In recent years, values of early mobile phones have nearly outstripped their cost back in the day. The mobile phone is now also a serious investment as well as an important piece of social history. There are many new innovations developed in the mobile phones here are some of the key ones:
 

3G-3G means 3rd generation mobile communications, putting it simply it’s just a fast means of transferring data (fast internet) most new phones are 3G now, and you have a data plan to use any internet, so, no you can’t use the 3G internet totally free of charge.
 

Wi-Fi- Wi-Fi is a popular technology that allows an electronic device to exchange data wirelessly (using radio waves) over a computer network, including high-speed Internet connections. Using your home internet connection is beneficial in many ways. It's usually much faster than connecting over mobile networks. Also, you won’t be using up any data allowance you may have on your mobile contract.
 

Camera phones- No longer do you have to carry a digital camera, now you will have it on your mobile phone. Some mobile phones have a 12 megapixel camera and HD 1080p video recording, which is at the top end of the digital camera market.

 

Mobile phone statistics




 

• 76% of 18-24 year olds had their first mobile by the age of fourteen.
• There are more than 81 million mobile subscriptions in the UK.
• Mobile phone users each and about 200 text messages every month.
• Almost a third of those aged over 45 are still using their first mobile phone.
• The first mobile phone call in Britain was made by comedian Ernie wise in 1985 on the Vodafone network .
• Less than two thirds of 25- 34 year olds in Britain change their mobile phone every 9 months.
• In 2000 only half of British adults had a mobile phone. Ownership now stands at 92%.

Mobile phone usage in public

Mobile phone usage in public

Mobile phone is a device that can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link while moving around. The first hand-held mobile phone was demonstrated by John F. Mitchelland Dr Martin Cooper of Motorola in 1973, using a handset weighing around 1 kg. From 1990 to 2011, worldwide mobile phone subscriptions grew from 12.4 million to over 6 billion, penetrating about 87% of the global population and reaching the bottom of the economic pyramid. Mobile phones allow you to access computer technology without bulky hardware. For example, you can record videos, browse the Internet or send and receive text messages.

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=mobile+phones+history&qs=n&form=QBIR&pq=mobile+phones+history&sc=6-21&sp=-1&sk=#view=detail&id=1562A68F242A911F8BA0994E7DCD636C4315ADD5&selectedIndex=16

Disadvantages of mobile phone usage in public

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=mobile+phones+when+driving+google&qs=bs&form=QBIR#view=detail&id=A01D8E9E3FA8F3346A2EDF823C110D826D0D27E4&selectedIndex=57

Safety- Mobile phones can interfere with aircrafts and hospital equipment, causing danger to yourself and other people.  Furthermore texting and taking phone calls whilst driving is a major distraction.  Drivers are four times more likely to have a crash if they are talking on their mobile phones, researchers have found. A study from the British medical journey interviewed 456 drivers who owned mobile phones and had ended up in hospital after a crash. Those using hands-free sets had a 3.8% higher chance of an accident, while those using handheld phones had a 4.9% raised risk. 

 

Peace and quiet- Many people go to places like the library to study or read and get rudely interrupted by mobile phone users talking on their phone. Others go to church to reflect and pray and also interrupted by mobile phone users.  Students at school get distracted extremely easy by mobile phones and are not focused on their school work.  Ofsted are implementing a new drive to try and ban mobile phones into classrooms to improve discipline in school. Sir Michael Wilshaw, chief inspector of the education watchdog said: “The outrageous behaviour that you occasionally see in all schools is serious, but I think the bigger issue is that low-level disruption which takes place which stops children learning effectively. Teachers and head teachers have got to stamp that out.”

Inconveniencing others: Usually mobile phone users will multitask, attempting to buy a bus ticket, whilst carrying having a conversation .This will cause an inconvenience to others and hold other people up, who are have to wait longer. This commonly happens at the ATM, driving or completing a store transaction. Their divided attention becomes an obstruction to the cashier, therefore disrupting everyone and not to forget about wasting their time.

Advantages of mobile phone use in public

Safety:  Although mobile phones can be a danger their also can save your life, some argue that having 999 available anywhere you go is essential to your safety and others around you. Mobile phone bans stop drivers' ability to report an accident, road rage incident, medical emergency or crime. Drivers assert the importance of calling for directions if lost or receive help if their car breaks down.

 

Personal freedom: However some people believe that if there pay for their phone on pay as you go or contract that you can use your mobile phone when and where you want.

 

Emergencies- Genuine emergencies do occur, and some calls truly cannot wait. People who have sick or elderly family members, parents expecting an important call from their child, and those in the midst of a crisis believe it's acceptable to leave their phones on in public.

These days it seems that most people carry a cell phone, and ringing

 phones can be heard everywhere from restaurants to shopping centers. Some people consider talking on a mobile phone in public rude, while others continue to talk wherever they go.  On the other hand, some are very careful about how they use mobiles, turning them off or putting them on silent for meetings or important occasions. In many cultures mobile phine usage is not allowed, in japan the use of mobile phones on public transport is frowned upon, and messages asking passengers not to make calls and to switch their phones to silent mode are played frequently.