The Essay Explores The Impact Of Increased Connectivity Due To IT, The Internet On Porter's Five Forces, And Differences Between Tacit And Explicit Knowledge.

1. Information technology makes it possible to “never be out of touch.” Discuss the pros and cons of always being available to your employers and clients (regardless of where you are or what you are doing.)

2. Describe the five forces in Porter’s competitive forces model and explain how the internet has affected each one.

3. Compare and contrast tacit knowledge and explicit knowledge.

4. Search online for the article from The Atlantic: 'Is Google Making Us Stupid?’ Is Google making us stupid? Support your answer.

5. Will Business Intelligence (BI) replace business analysts?

(Hint: See ‘Will Business Intelligence Replace the Business Analyst?’

at http://www.information-management.com/issues/20050201/1018117-1.html

and ‘Your Next Business Analyst Will Be a Robot’ at https://www.batimes.com/kupekupersmith/your-next-business-analyst-will-be-a-robot.html)

6. Is security a technical issue, a business issue or both? Provide a rationale for your answer.

7. How can an organisation best employ social computing technologies and applications to benefit its business processes?

8. In some cases, individuals engage in cybersquatting so that they can sell the domain names to companies expensively. In other cases, companies engage in cybersquatting by registering domain names that are very similar to their competitors’ domain names in order to generate traffic from people who misspell web addresses. Discuss each practice in terms Page 4 of 5 of its ethical nature and legality. Is there a difference between the two practices? Support your answer.

9. Investigate the role of the web in human resources management.

10. Differentiate between customer-facing CRM applications and customer-touching CRM applications.

Pros and Cons of Always Being Available to Employers and Clients

In the age of information technology, where every person is connected through smartphones, computers and iPads, the employers and the customers expect that the employees can provide services at any time. In addition to it, the development of the global economy has forced the employees to work at odd timings or the standard time of other countries. It has increased the burnout and work-life imbalance among the employees. Other consequences include headaches, ulcers, lack of sleep, stress and nervous breakdown. The work-life imbalance can also negatively impact on the productivity and performance of the employees. Although technology has increased the accessibility between the employees and the organization and the urgent matter can be addressed immediately, it has disrupted the wok-life balance of the employees. Moreover, twenty-four hours connectivity with the organization also disrupts the family life of the employees. Even when the employees are not in a committed relationship, there life gets disrupted which impact on their productivity in the organization. The present organizations demand that the employees work overtime and remain available for any throughout the day and event at night. It will adversely impact on the productivity of the employees as it increases their stress level and makes the workplace ultra-competitive. Although there are certain benefits of the competitive workplace, taking competition to another level will only become counterproductive as the employees will not focus on the goals of the organizations but upon their individual goals. Another drawback of the increased connectivity for the employees is that the employees who are working on the standard time may get demoted as they will be considered not responsible enough to handle the responsibilities (Mayhew, 2017).

Internet has significantly impacted on the five forces as depicted by Porter. The bargaining power of both suppliers and the buyers has increased with the increased accessibility of the internet. The information gap between the customers and the business organizations has narrowed which has increased the bargaining power of the customers as they have more information and options to choose from. The bargaining power of suppliers has also increased as the suppliers can access information related to the business organizations. On the contrary, it has reduced the bargaining power of the business organizations as they have little influence over the customers. The e-business models of the organization will enable easier entry to the companies in specific industries wherein previously, new company’s entry was difficult. At present, a large number of companies enter the market and outsource their work from other firms in the supply chain. It increases the risk of new entrants (Boone & Kurtz, 2014).

Explanation of Porter's Competitive Forces Model and How the Internet has Affected Each Force

It could be critiqued that the internet has increased the strength of each of the five forced depicted by Porter. With the increased market transparency, the bargaining power of both suppliers and the customers has increased. In several industries, the barrier to entry has substantially reduced as the companies now work in a virtual environment. The search function of the web can be used to find the substitute products which have also increased the competition in the workplace. The industry rivalry has also increased with the advent of internet. The competing companies’ faces fierce competition as gathering information regarding the current and future strategies of the competitors has become easier for the business organizations. The companies can also easily access information related to the target market and the latest trends of the business organizations (Boone & Kurtz, 2014).

The knowledge can be defined as substantial information on a particular subject. It could be differentiated into two different types of knowledge. In knowledge management, it is important to outline the difference between tacit and the explicit knowledge. The explicit knowledge can be defined as the knowledge which is obtained from the written documents which are codified. The explicit knowledge is easy to retrieve and access in a business organization. The explicit knowledge can be easily stored and transmitted from one place to another or from one person to another person. The knowledge is easy to retrieve from media; however, the major challenge in the explicit information is tits storage and updating it so that every person can access it easily. On the other hand, the tacit knowledge is the knowledge which is not formally coded. This knowledge cannot be easily transferred from one person to another by verbal or written communication. It includes information like how to use complex machinery or computer knowledge. This information is transmitted through interaction and contact with the person possessing the knowledge. There are several differences between the tacit and explicit knowledge such as the tacit knowledge is carried in mind whereas explicit knowledge is transferred through spoken words or by written document (Hua, 2013). The explicit knowledge can be transferred through different communication channels whereas there is no such mechanism in tacit knowledge. The examples of tacit knowledge are the skills required for bicycle riding or the ability to swim. A person cannot teach other person these skills; however, they can be learnt by themselves. The explicit information can be easily searched or found; however, the tacit knowledge is one which is difficult to share with other person. In a business organization, explicit knowledge can be defined as the standard procedure or rules on a significant topic; however, the process of conducting some task and overcoming challenges is the knowledge which is difficult to share. It is categorized as the tacit knowledge (Stewart & Rogers, 2012).

Comparison and Contrast of Tacit Knowledge and Explicit Knowledge

In 2008, Nicholas G. Carr published an online article regarding the impact of the internet usage on the cognitive ability of the users. It is discussed that reading on the online mediums is a shallower form of reading and less intense than reading from the books. The youth of the society is using internet excessively which is intruding their normal lives. It can be argued that internet and the online mediums have the possibility to negatively impact on the cognitive capacity of the individuals. However, technological development is an autonomous development of the society and will pursue an independent direction. The choice to limit the use of internet should be with the individual and the society. The literary books have the potential to enhance the capability of the human brain by manifolds. The books have been pioneer in development of the human civilization and cannot be abandoned immediately. The books require serious cognitive efforts which will be beneficial for an individual to develop his cognitive ability (Carr, 2008).

Another issue in cyber space is that there is abundant information present on the internet. A user has access to wide variety of information. This shift has leaded the people to engage in superficial comprehension of several subjects rather than a deep comprehension of only a few subjects. The web technologies also negatively impact on the memory retention. The present culture is focused on obtaining and accessing information rather than recalling it. The people have developed ability to find information on the internet which has reduced their ability of the people to remember information. It can be stated that overall there are certain negative impacts of the information technology on the ability of the human (Carr,2008)..

Technology has made huge progress over the years. Today, electronic tools and equipment are commonly used in everyday lives of the people. Robots and artificial intelligence have also intervened in the daily lives of the people.  Robots provide assisted service and physical assistance in several tasks. At present, scientists are focusing on increasing the power solving capabilities of the robots. The computing machines and robots are already used in solving complex logical and arithmetic problems. With adequate changes, the scientists can also develop the problem solving capabilities of the robots. In that case, these machines will be capable of replacing the humans at business analyst role. The primary role of the business analyst is to solve business problems. This role can be easily replaced by the robots or the artificial intelligence in the near future. At present also, a large number of companies in the USA and other developed countries are outsourcing this role from India and China. Therefore, it is not important that business analyst should be hired from nearby places or should be a human. Since currently, the position of business analyst is outsourced, it is obvious that the companies are trying to reduce the associated cost with the business analyst role and focusing on recruiting the candidates with maximum potential at the lowest cost. Moreover, it could be critiqued that using artificial intelligence for business analyst role can reduce the chances for human error an increase the productivity and efficiency of the organization. The employment of the artificial intelligence will also reduce the expenses associated with the position. Therefore, there is high probability that the companies will employ artificial intelligence robots in the near future. It will also reduce the issue of the work-life balance. These robots can also work at odd times to achieve the goals of the organization (Granville, 2008).

Discussion on the Atlantic Article 'Is Google Making Us Stupid?'

Today, security has become a central issue in the business organizations. It is not anymore a technical issue and becoming a central issue for the business leaders, organizations and government which is transcending through the international border. The customers are increasingly demanding security as they are concerned about privacy and protecting personal information. Moreover, the  business partners and suppliers are demanding it which can provide mutual network and information access. The competing companies are  making significant efforts to steal the competitive intelligence of other business organizations. Several business organizations are engaging in data disclosure and security breaches so that they can achieve financial gain. The present and the former employees who are familiar with the policies and processes of the organization can easily access sensitive information of the organization (Tipton & Krause, 2003). They can even facilitate attacks or coordinate with external attackers to teal valuable resources of the organization. Therefore, it is important for the business organizations to make information security part of corporate governance and consider it as a managerial responsibility. Moreover, it is the responsibility of directors and senior executives to set the direction of the organization. They are also critical in assessing how the software security is perceived, managed and implemented. In the present, the information security needs the attention of individual companies and business leaders so that the overall standards of technology can be enhanced. The information security governance is focused on implementing the principles of accountability management so that desirable behavior can be adopted in the application of technology (Allen, 2013).

The social computing is the field of the computer science which deals with the intersection of the computer technology and the social behavior. It refers to all the communication platforms which is computer meditated. It encompasses both explicit and the imp licit form of communication. The examples of social computing are blogs, email, Facebook, twitter and Wikipedia sites. In an IT point of view, it refers to the applications wherein the users not only consumes the application but also contribute to it by tags, ratings and feedbacks. The social computing values contribute to several areas; however, the significant value can be perceived in business enterprises. All the business organizations pursue the goal of using the knowledge identified from the social computing in better ways. It can lead to the identification and the discovery of similar profiles on the social media which can assist the organization in expanding its customer base. The companies can also explore the common interest of the users and use it for developing its marketing strategy. The social computing can be used to pass and share information among the potential users. The companies can publish information related to new offers and schemes on the social media platforms and this information can be easily transferred to the potential users. Another significant advantage of the social media platforms is that it can be helpful in developing the human resources of a company. It is important for an organization to identify the talented and productive people when recruiting them in the organization. The social computing platforms are beneficial for identifying the behavioral aspects of a person. Adopting these technological tools in the organization will also be helpful for the organization as the youth use these tools in their daily lives and college studies. It can also be helpful in retaining people within the company (Velev, 2010).

Business Intelligence vs. Business Analysts

Cybersquatting is the process of registering, selling or using a domain name which uses the name of existing businesses or trademarks with the intention of increased profits and traffic flow. The companies having well-known domain name will have unfair advantages over other competitors in terms of revenue from advertising. The cyber-squatter also sell the sell the domain name belonging to the company owning the trademark at a specific rate at an inflated price. It is completely unethical because the firstly the individuals are using the name of the organization to increase the traffic inflow and mislead the potential internet visitors. Later, when the business organizations become aware that there brand name is being used in the internet in a wrong manner, they sell the website at a high price to the actual possessor. It is unethical as it is similar to the theft of the brand name. This practice is reducing day by day as companies are becoming aware. Moreover, several small companies are also using the domain name of large companies to increase the workflow on their website. It is unethical as well as illegal as the organization is stealing the brand of another organization. Several governments have made efforts to control the practice of cybersquatting. It can be critiqued that the practice of cybersquatting is illegal when a business organization is using the domain name for profitability. However, it is not illegal in other situations, for instance, if a person has made a similar domain name to show support or for fanning towards their favorite sports team (Mambi, 2010).

The internet has intervened in the daily lives of the people and become integral in the daily business operations. Internet and web-based applications can be used effectively in human resource management of the organization. The web applications can be used to identify the suitable candidates for the organization. Currently, there are several web-based applications such as LinkedIn which are used for the professional networking. The companies can evaluate the skill set of the candidates and connect with them. Moreover, another significant application of internet for the potential candidates is to provide training and development programs to them. Internet can be used to provide effective and world class training to the potential candidates. The training can be provided at the remote areas. The employees can also participate in the training from their homes or any other comfortable location. Internet can also be used for hiring remote employees who cannot commute to the workplace effectively. The employees can work from the comfort of their place and work at the hours which are most comfortable to them. The internet can also be effectively used to reduce the overall time and money in the selection of the candidate. E-recruitment can be used for initiation screening of the candidates wherein the employer can effectively screen the candidates and examine their portfolio with internet based applications. It is an effective strategy which reduces time and investment from the recruiters (Feliciana & Davim, 2013).

The customer facing refers to the manner in which the customer perceives the application of the business organization. It is an integral part of the customer relationship management (CRM) and the customer facing solution is designed to increase the customer satisfaction from the service. It is an interface which is used to add value to the relationship with the customers. A customer facing applications can be huge cost saver for the organizations. However, if they are implemented in a wrong manner, they can frustrate the customers and negatively impact on the brand image of the organization.  

In the customer facing applications, the customers involve in direct interaction with the customer center representatives. In other words, in these applications, then customers interact with the real people. Examples of such applications include customer service & support, sales force automation, marketing and campaign management.

On the other hand, the customer touching applications are the ones in which the customers interact with the applications rather than dealing with the customer service representatives of the organization. It includes processes in which the customer searches and compares the application with their friends, obtain technical information or engage in loyalty programs (Rainer & Cegielski, 2010).   

References

Allen, J.H. (2013). Security Is Not Just a Technical Issue. [Online]. Available at:  https://www.us-cert.gov/bsi/articles/best-practices/governance-and-management/security-is-not-just-a-technical-issue [Accessed on: 16 May 2017].

Boone, L.E., & Kurtz, D. (2014). Contemporary Marketing. Cengage Learning.

Caarr, N. (2008). Is Google Making Us Stupid? The Atlantic. Retrieved on 18 May 2017 from https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/07/is-google-making-us-stupid/306868/ 

Feliciana, C., & Davim, M.J.P. (2013). Human Resource Management and Technological Challenges. Springer Science & Business Media.

Granville, V. (2012). Can data scientists replace business analysts? Data Science Central. Retrieved on 18 May 2017 from https://www.datasciencecentral.com/forum/topics/can-data-scientists-replace-business-analysts 

Hua, G.B. (2013). Implementing IT Business Strategy in the Construction Industry. IGI Global.

Mambi, A.J. (2010). ICT Law Book: A Source Book for Information and Communication Technologies & Cyber Law in Tanzania & East African Community. African Books Collective.

Mayhew, R. (2017). The Disadvantages of Being Connected to Work 24/7. [Online]. Available at: https://work.chron.com/disadvantages-being-connected-work-24-7-22290.html [Accessed on: 16 May 2017].

Rainer, R.K., & Cegielski, C.G. (2010). Introduction to Information Systems: Enabling and Transforming Business. London: John Wiley & Sons.

Stewart, J., & Rogers, P. (2012). Developing People and Organisations. Kogan Page Publishers.

Tipton, H.F., & Krause, M. (2003). Information Security Management Handbook, Fifth Edition. CRC Press.

Velev, D. (2010). Business Value of Social Computing in the Enterprise. Economic Alternatives, issue 2.