Chap14

Chapter 14The Virtual OfficeThe Virtual Office

MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS 8/ERaymond McLeod, Jr. and George Schell

Copyright 2001 Prentice-Hall, Inc.

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IntroductionIntroduction Automation began in the factoryAutomation began in the factory

– Numerical control (NC)Numerical control (NC)– Direct numerical control (DNC)Direct numerical control (DNC)– CAD/CAMCAD/CAM– RoboticsRobotics

Office automation (OA) began with IBM in the 1960’sOffice automation (OA) began with IBM in the 1960’s– Word processingWord processing– Magnetic Tape/Selectric TypewriterMagnetic Tape/Selectric Typewriter

Office automation systems are characterized by Office automation systems are characterized by communicationcommunication

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Office Automation (OA)Office Automation (OA)

Formal and informal electronic systemsFormal and informal electronic systems Communication of informationCommunication of information Persons inside and outside the firm are Persons inside and outside the firm are

affectedaffected Used by managers, professionals, Used by managers, professionals,

secretaries, and clerical employeessecretaries, and clerical employees– managers and professionals are collectively managers and professionals are collectively

known as knowledge workersknown as knowledge workers14-3

The Virtual OfficeThe Virtual Office Office work can be done at virtually any Office work can be done at virtually any

geographic locationgeographic location Must be linked by electronic communicationMust be linked by electronic communication ImpactImpact

– Emerged with the appearance of low cost Emerged with the appearance of low cost microprocessorsmicroprocessors

– TeleprocessingTeleprocessing– TelecommutingTelecommuting

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Advantages of the Virtual Advantages of the Virtual OfficeOffice

Reduced facility costsReduced facility costs Reduced equipment costReduced equipment cost Formal communications networkFormal communications network Reduced work stoppagesReduced work stoppages Social contributionsSocial contributions

– Those unable to leave their homes can now Those unable to leave their homes can now work in new wayswork in new ways

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Disadvantages of the Disadvantages of the Virtual OfficeVirtual Office

Sense of not belongingSense of not belonging Fear of job lossFear of job loss Low moraleLow morale Family tensionFamily tension

These are disadvantages to the employee!

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Recommended Virtual Recommended Virtual Office StrategyOffice Strategy

Provide computer resourcesProvide computer resources Provide access to information sourcesProvide access to information sources Provide noncomputer suppliesProvide noncomputer supplies Arrange to forward phone callsArrange to forward phone calls Utilize conference callsUtilize conference calls Schedule regular meetingsSchedule regular meetings Follow a work routineFollow a work routine

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Virtual OrganizationVirtual Organization

Extends idea of a virtual office to an entire Extends idea of a virtual office to an entire organizationorganization

No ties to physical locationNo ties to physical location Three I EconomyThree I Economy

– InformationInformation– IdeasIdeas– IntelligenceIntelligence

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OA ModelOA Model

Information and communicationInformation and communication– No dataNo data

Computer and noncomputer applicationsComputer and noncomputer applications "Other problem solvers" "Other problem solvers"

– Internal Internal – EnvironmentalEnvironmental

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Environment

Environment

The firm

Problem SolverOther

Problem Solvers

Database

Transform

NoncomputerApps

Computer-Apps

Inputphysical resources

Outputphysical resources

An OA ModelAn OA Model Communications Information

Office Automation System

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Office Automation (OA) Office Automation (OA) ApplicationsApplications

Word processingWord processing Electronic and voice mailElectronic and voice mail Computer calendaringComputer calendaring Audio conferencingAudio conferencing Video conferencingVideo conferencing Computer conferencing Computer conferencing FAXFAX VideotexVideotex ImagingImaging Desktop publishingDesktop publishing

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Word ProcessingWord Processing

Use of a computer to perform automatically Use of a computer to perform automatically many of the tasks necessary to prepare many of the tasks necessary to prepare typed or printed documentstyped or printed documents

Contribution to managers is the preparation Contribution to managers is the preparation of more effective communicationsof more effective communications

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A Word Processing SystemA Word Processing System

Secretary or manager

Document storage

CPU Typed documents

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Electronic Mail (E-mail)Electronic Mail (E-mail) Use of a computer network that allows users Use of a computer network that allows users

to send, store and retrieve messages using to send, store and retrieve messages using terminals and storage devicesterminals and storage devices

Good when two-way conversation is not Good when two-way conversation is not neededneeded

Easy asynchronous communicationEasy asynchronous communication Eliminates phone tagEliminates phone tag

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An Electronic Mail SystemAn Electronic Mail System

Mail storage

CPU

Mail displayand entry

Mail display and entry

Mail displayand entry

User 1

User 2

User n

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Voice MailVoice Mail

Like e-mail except messages are sent and Like e-mail except messages are sent and received over telephone systems in audio formreceived over telephone systems in audio form

Requires computers with an ability to store Requires computers with an ability to store audio messages digitally and convert them audio messages digitally and convert them back upon retrievalback upon retrieval

Managers do not have to typeManagers do not have to type Less equipment and infrastructure than Less equipment and infrastructure than

e-mail e-mail

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Computer

Message coding and

decoding unit

User 1 User 2

Secondarystorage

AAVoice Voice MailMail

SystemSystem14-17

Electronic CalendaringElectronic Calendaring

Use of a networked computer to store and Use of a networked computer to store and retrieve a manager’s appointment calendarretrieve a manager’s appointment calendar

Allows other managers’ calendars to be Allows other managers’ calendars to be accessedaccessed

Facilitates schedulingFacilitates scheduling Does not communicate problem-solving Does not communicate problem-solving

informationinformation

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An Electronic Calendaring SystemAn Electronic Calendaring System

Calendar storage

CPU

Calendar displayand entry

Calendar display and entry

Calendar displayand entry

Manager 1

Manager 2

Manager n

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Audio ConferencingAudio Conferencing

Uses voice communications equipment to Uses voice communications equipment to establish an audio link between establish an audio link between geographically dispersed peoplegeographically dispersed people

Conference call was first form of this Conference call was first form of this systemsystem

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Rules for Added Efficiency Rules for Added Efficiency in Audio Conferencingin Audio Conferencing

Have a moderatorHave a moderator Keep participants to a manageable sizeKeep participants to a manageable size Send an agenda firstSend an agenda first Identify yourself when speakingIdentify yourself when speaking Keep a taped recordKeep a taped record Distribute a hard copy transcript or meeting Distribute a hard copy transcript or meeting

minutesminutes

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An Audio Conferencing SystemAn Audio Conferencing System

AudioChannel

Location 1 Location n

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Video ConferencingVideo Conferencing

Use of television equipment to link Use of television equipment to link geographically dispersed conference geographically dispersed conference participantsparticipants

Three general configurationsThree general configurations– One-way video and audioOne-way video and audio– One-way video and two-way audioOne-way video and two-way audio– Two-way video and audioTwo-way video and audio

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Video channel

Videochannel

Location 1Location n

A. One-way video transmission

B. Two-way video transmission

Video Video ConferencingConferencing

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Desktop Video Desktop Video ConferencingConferencing

Video and audio equipment are attached to each Video and audio equipment are attached to each workstation in the network enabling the two-way workstation in the network enabling the two-way communication of picture and soundcommunication of picture and sound

Technical concernsTechnical concerns– Many desktop computers are powerful enough alreadyMany desktop computers are powerful enough already

– Requires high-speed communications networkRequires high-speed communications network

– Cost is typically less that $1,000 for the additional Cost is typically less that $1,000 for the additional equipment to make a standard PC a desktop video equipment to make a standard PC a desktop video stationstation

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Computer ConferencingComputer Conferencing Uses a networked computer that allows Uses a networked computer that allows

participants with some common characteristic to participants with some common characteristic to exchange information regarding a particular topicexchange information regarding a particular topic

One of the largest was an IBM PC computer One of the largest was an IBM PC computer conferenceconference– Over 4,000 topic areasOver 4,000 topic areas– Over 40,000 membersOver 40,000 members

Computers must be networked togetherComputers must be networked together

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TeleconferencingTeleconferencing

Incorporates all other conferencing techniques Includes:

• audio• video• computer conferencing

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FAXFAX

Original document

Facsimile machine

Analogchannel

Facsimile machine

Documentcopy

Uses special equipment that can read a document at one end of a communication channel and make a copy at the other end

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VideotexVideotex

Uses a computer to store and display a Uses a computer to store and display a stored narrative and graphic material on a stored narrative and graphic material on a CRT screenCRT screen– Can be created in the firm’s own computerCan be created in the firm’s own computer– Can be owned by a service and accessed by the Can be owned by a service and accessed by the

firm (such as the Dow Jones News / Retrieval firm (such as the Dow Jones News / Retrieval Service)Service)

– Can be owned by other firmsCan be owned by other firms

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ImagingImaging

Uses optical character recognition (OCR) to Uses optical character recognition (OCR) to convert data on paper to a digital format for convert data on paper to a digital format for storage in a secondary storage devicestorage in a secondary storage device

Performed by a document management Performed by a document management (DM) system(DM) system

Conserves space since documents are not Conserves space since documents are not stored in paper formstored in paper form

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A Document Management A Document Management SystemSystem

OCROCRReaderReader

Network serverNetwork server

DBMDBMSS

WorkstationWorkstation WorkstationWorkstation

WorkstationWorkstationWorkstationWorkstation

LaserLaserprinterprinter

LaserLaserprinterprinterDocumentsDocuments

to be readto be read

Optical Optical disk disk

storage storage unitunit

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Desktop PublishingDesktop Publishing Uses a computer to prepare output that is very Uses a computer to prepare output that is very

close in quality to that produced by a typesetterclose in quality to that produced by a typesetter Requires high resolution monitor and printing Requires high resolution monitor and printing

devicesdevices Three areas of applicationsThree areas of applications

– administrativeadministrative– technicaltechnical– corporatecorporate

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Desk-Top Publishing Desk-Top Publishing SystemSystem

High-resolutionscreen

Keyboard MicrocomputerLaser printer output

Document storage

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OA and Virtual Office in OA and Virtual Office in PerspectivePerspective

Aimed at the heart of business problem Aimed at the heart of business problem solvingsolving– Supplements interpersonal communicationsSupplements interpersonal communications– Provides opportunity for better communicationsProvides opportunity for better communications

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SummarySummary

Early OA was directed at secretarial staff Early OA was directed at secretarial staff and clerksand clerks

Communication needs of managers and Communication needs of managers and knowledge workers were recognizedknowledge workers were recognized

Virtual office concept emergedVirtual office concept emerged Goal of OA is increased productivityGoal of OA is increased productivity

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Summary [cont.]Summary [cont.] Variety of applicationsVariety of applications

– Word processingWord processing– E-mailE-mail– Voice mailVoice mail– Electronic calendaringElectronic calendaring– Audio conferencingAudio conferencing– Video conferencingVideo conferencing– Computer conferencingComputer conferencing– FaxFax– VideotexVideotex

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