Communicating through computers: Impact on a small business group

A case study of the use and impacts of the NLS computer message system was performed by the Business Planning Group of Bell Canada. The author presents the results of the study, and compares the Group's findings with existing research on computer- mediated communications systems. Preliminary conclusions are drawn concerning the impact of such systems on the work habits of user groups.     

International aspects of computer communications

The current and predictable trends in international computer communications are outlined. The opportunities that arise through the use of these services are then discussed. The opportunities will not be grasped unless the problems connected with international communications are solved. The author discusses the need for the development of international standards, the development of payment systems for multifaceted international systems, the need for security and privacy of information, the tendency for companies to slow down innovation as a result of their sunk investments in present systems, and the barriers to the free flow of information imposed by national interests.     

Potential for visual communications technology in business

The authors describe the methodology used in a survey conducted by NTT to assess the potential of visual communications technology in business and the conclusions drawn. Communications activities were investigated in detail at a selected manufacturing company, and several fundamental communication patterns suitable for the application of visual communications services were defined. It was concluded that the areas with the greatest potential for such services were ‘investigation/ inquiry’, ‘negotiation’, and ‘submitting information’. To confirm these needs, a questionnaire was mailed to major corporations throughout Japan. Finally, several services and systems were proposed.     

Communication satellites for rural development

The author points out that telecommunications in rural areas are an essential infrastructure for development, and that appropriately designed satellites could form an important part of rural communications technology. He argues that hybrid systems involving clusters of communities, served by a single ground station and rural radio telephone interconnection, are likely to be lower cost than all-satellite or terrestrial-only systems.     

The orbit-spectrum resource: Market allocation of international property

The author presents a formulation of a market system for the allocation of orbital space to geosynchronous communications satellites. Although based on a simplified model of satellite communications systems, the market system retains sufficient flexibility to be applicable to the allocation problems of the next two decades. Ultimately, the usage rights put forward in this article may need to be modified to include explicitly additional aspects of the orbital-spectrum resource. This formulation, however, includes in the definition of the usage right most of the information actually used today in picking an orbital location for a satellite.     

Communications and information resources in Canada

The author details Canada's efforts to maintain unity and national economic and cultural identity through its communication and information resources. The country's dependence on the USA is stressed. Computer communications, broadcasting and publishing industries, telephone and satellite communications, and research and development are covered and several Canadian innovations are introduced. It is concluded that, with appropriate action, Canadian communications and information resources could be used to strengthen national sovereignty.     

Bundling communications policy for the new US administration

The USA does not have a coherent framework for communications policy. The author sets out what should be the prime concerns of a communications policy aimed at serving a pluralistic society in an ‘electronic age’. She describes the current situation, in which responsibilities for communications are divided over a wide range of government organisations. The Communications Act of 1934 is under review, and the author focuses on major aspects of the debate, and lists suitable areas for government involvement. She concludes by stressing the need for the new US administration to provide a coherent structure for communications policy making to encourage the essential free flow of information.     

Developing information policy

The author first considers some of the policy issues that arise in connection with the creation of new information, primarily scientific and technical information. He then discusses specific policy problems stemming from communications and information storage and retrieval systems and their use. A broader integrative view of this field could help develop a national information policy for the future. Such integrative work remains to be done, and suggestions for future studies in this area are given.     

Innovation strategies in the electronic mail marketplace

The author examines several crucial aspects of three types of office communications technologies: facsimile, communicating word processors, and computer based message systems. By identifying the technical, service and cost characteristics of each, he analyzes and compares their potential patterns of adoption and innovation.     

The role of technology in the shift towards open innovation: the case of Procter & Gamble

As with all new ideas, the concept of Open Innovation requires extensive empirical investigation, testing and development. This paper analyzes Procter and Gamble's 'Connect and Develop' strategy as a case study of the major organizational and technological changes associated with open innovation. It argues that although some of the organizational changes accompanying open innovation are beginning to be described in the literature, more analysis is warranted into the ways technological changes have facilitated open innovation strategies, particularly related to new product development. Information and communications technologies enable the exchange of distributed sources of information in the open innovation process. The case study shows that furthermore a suite of new technologies for data mining, simulation, prototyping and visual representation, what we call 'innovation technology', help to support open innovation in Procter and Gamble. The paper concludes with a suggested research agenda for furthering understanding of the role played by and consequences of this technology.     

The use of picturephone service in a hospital

A Picturephone® two way visual communications system was operational from March 1973 to April 1976 at the Bethany-Garfield Hospital in Chicago, and achieved metered usage as high as 1800 calls per month. To assist the AT&T Marketing Department in its visual communications market exploration programme, interviews of Bethany-Garfield personnel who had access to the system were conducted. When asked to rate a number of individual features of the system, the high and medium users rated the fast access feature above all others. Thus the main reason for the high usage of the Picturephone system appears to have been less related to its visual communications feature than to its ‘hot-line’ capability to reach contacts quickly.     

Controlling unwanted communications to the home

A greater volume of communications into the home increases concerns about offensive messages and unwanted solicitations. The author presents legal, regulatory and technical approaches to giving individuals more control over the communications they receive through the mails, over the telephone network, via broadcast television, and from cable TV. Technical means for allowing greater subscriber control are available, but they generally receive low priority in system design. Although receivers' rights to avoid unwanted communications may conflict with senders' rights to free speech, the author favours placing more choice and responsibility on the recipient.     

Using artificial intelligence to detect crisis related to events: Decision making in B2B by artificial intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) could be an important foundation of competitive advantage in the market for firms. As such, firms use AI to achieve deep market engagement when the firm's data are employed to make informed decisions. This study examines the role of computer-mediated AI agents in detecting crises related to events in a firm. A crisis threatens organizational performance; therefore, a data-driven strategy will result in an efficient and timely reflection, which increases the success of crisis management. The study extends the situational crisis communication theory (SCCT) and Attribution theory frameworks built on big data and machine learning capabilities for early detection of crises in the market. This research proposes a structural model composed of a statistical and sentimental big data analytics approach. The findings of our empirical research suggest that knowledge extracted from day-to-day data communications such as email communications of a firm can lead to the sensing of critical events related to business activities. To test our model, we use a publicly available dataset containing 517,401 items belonging to 150 users, mostly senior managers of Enron during 1999 through the 2001 crisis. The findings suggest that the model is plausible in the early detection of Enron's critical events, which can support decision making in the market.     

Towards a strategy for fish farming in the UK

The UK's fish farming industry, though not yet making a significant contribution to the national food supply, appears to be developing towards an annual production level of about 20 000 tonnes by the mid 1980s. The author discusses the prospects and constraints for the different farmed species, legal and organizational problems, the market, and research and development activities. The role of the industry in creating new wealth and widening consumer choice is stressed.     

Same as it ever was: the search for evidence of increasing hypercompetition

Some strategy scholars and practitioners contend that markets have become increasingly hypercompetitive in recent years. We examine this contention by analyzing industry and business performance patterns in a broad sample of firms drawn from the Compustat Industry Segment database for the 1978–97 period. We find little support for the argument that markets have become more hypercompetitive. From the late 1970s to the late‐1980s we observe decreased performance and market stability, consistent with increasing hypercompetition contentions. From the late 1980s to the mid‐1990s, however, trends reverse and performance and market stability increase. For strategy research, our results suggest that hypercompetitive perspectives are important but no more so now than they were in recent years. For practice, our results suggest that managers today face markets no more dynamic and opportunities to gain and sustain competitive advantage no more challenging than in the past. Accordingly, they should continue developing a portfolio of skills to manage businesses whether conditions are increasingly stable or unstable. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cable TV in Austria. Between telecommunications and broadcasting

In this paper the development of the Austrian cable television (CATV) sector is discussed, focusing on its delicate interconnections with telecommunications and broadcasting, the blurring borderlines and resulting regulatory problems. The policy network is identified and recent changes in the CATV policy and strategy are highlighted, In particular, developments towards a stronger convergence within the electronic communications sector. The case study illustrates peculiarities and shortcomings of Austrian media and communications policies on the way toward a future-oriented information infrastructure.     

How America's fragmented approach to public safety wastes money and spectrum

Emergency responders such as firefighters, police, and paramedics depend on reliable and ubiquitous wireless communications. Failures in these communications systems can cost lives. Particularly since 9/11, there has been great concern in the US about the possibility of failures due to lack of interoperability, and failures due to a shortage of public safety spectrum. This paper shows how both of these and other serious problems are a logical consequence of America's fragmented approach to public safety, in which thousands of local agencies make independent decisions without a coherent strategy to unify or guide them. Because of this fragmented approach, public safety agencies build more infrastructure than they should, spend more tax-payer money than they should, and consume more scarce spectrum than they should, all for a system that is unnecessarily prone to interoperability failures. This paper also considers the most widely cited estimates of public safety's spectrum needs, which predict a serious shortage unless considerably more spectrum becomes available to public safety by 2010. This paper shows that estimates for the amount of spectrum needed in 2010 would be vastly lower if the US adopted an effective national strategy that included coordinated planning and modern technology. On the other hand, if the US retains today's fragmented approach, regions where coordination among local public safety agencies is particularly weak may need more spectrum than popular estimates would indicate, leading to an even greater shortage. Thus, the federal government should start playing a large role in setting the direction of public safety communications, rather than leaving this to many independent local governments.     

EUTELSAT's regional role

Interim EUTELSAT was established in 1977 as the provisional organization for the operation of commercial satellite telecommunications systems for the European region. EUTELSAT's definitive statute is expected to come into force at the beginning of 1984. This article looks at the objectives of EUTELSAT and considers the organization's role as a regional operator within the context of a global satellite communications system.     

中国经济发展方式与人口红利关系辨析

近年来热烈讨论的人口红利,对我国来说更接近于一种＂人口机会窗口＂。它可以通过增加劳动力投入,提高储蓄率等渠道推动经济增长。但这种经济增长并非一定是现代经济增长。中国的实践证明,粗放式低层次地利用＂人口机会窗口＂,走传统工业化道路已经遇到严峻挑战。印度自20世纪80年代起采取新的经济发展模式,积极培养与积累人力资本,发展高新技术产业,值得中国参考。应深层次充分挖掘人力资源优势,积累人力资本,走出一条依靠科技进步和劳动者素质提高的发展道路,真正分享人口红利。