Andrew Parenti

Jeremy Wang

MIS 220

20 September 2011

MIS: In Your Pocket

1) Efficiency; that’s the name of the game in today’s business world. Why would a

business want to waste time trying to uncover some buried information when it can just

pull it up with the click of a button? Many companies have answered this question by

adapting to a more technological and modernized world. One company, whose name has

become synonymous with technological advancements, is Apple. Their newest products,

the iPad and the iPhone, have revolutionized the way people approach everyday business.

These Apple products are easy to use and have many features, such as calendars, E-mail,

web browsing, and notepads that allow for a more organized and efficient workplace.

Also, iPhone and iPad owners have an online market available to them that is constantly

updating with helpful new applications.

As stated earlier, many businesses are utilizing these technological advancements

for the benefit of their company. For example, the article states that physicians at

Doylestown Hospital, a health center outside of Philadelphia, all use iPhones in their

daily workplace. Aside from the basic calendar and communication applications that all

iPhone users are accustomed to, this hospital has customized the phones so that the

doctors can view its MEDITECH database from anywhere in the world (Laudon, Laudon,

2011). By customizing the iPhone in such a way, doctors are able to answer questions

about specific medical cases at all times. This greatly improves operational efficiency

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simply by making this information readily available at all times. Along he same lines, a

California based company, D.W. Morgan, has developed an application for their iPhones

known as Chainlinq mobile. This application allows the company to essentially track

each one of its shipments from start to finish. Also, this program uploads its information

directly from the phone to the company’s website, which makes it anywhere from

twenty-minutes to twelve hours faster than its competition (Laudon, Laudon, 2011).

Again, operational efficiency is definitely increased due to the fact that it can track every

shipment and solve problems faster than before. This iPhone has become an essential

part of D.W. Morgan’s daily operation. In fact, Morgan president Grant Opperman said

“We haven’t even begun to see all the potential of the iPhone for our business (Apple,

2010).” Finally, Timothy Childs, owner of a custom chocolate development company

known as TCHO, is able to monitor each machines in his Flavorlab using a specific

iPhone application. He can control and regulate each machine so that even when he is

away fro the office he is still able to operate efficiently and effectively (Laudon, Laudon,

2011).

All in all, we can see what types of applications were used whether it be

something as simple as a calendar or as complex as Chainlinq or MEDITECH. These

applications support many different business functions from being able to view private

information to tracking a shipment’s every move and even to controlling specific

machines when you’re not around. It’s safe to say that with all of these applications

being utilized effectively, operational efficiency should skyrocket in comparison to what

it used to be.

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2) Imagine that you’re sick and you’ve been waiting patiently for test results that

could potentially alter the way you live your life or even require you to seek immediate

medical attention. When you call into your doctor, he or she is at their home and doesn’t

have access to new files in their office. This could cause a wide variety of problems

ranging from mental distress to further sickness or even death. While some of these

outcomes may seem either insignificant or rather extreme, they’re still problems that all

physicians like to avoid, which is why Doylestown Medical center gives doctors the

ability to view their MEDITECH files from their phones (Refer to the image below).

With this technology, doctors are never ignorant of anything relevant to their career,

which improves the doctor-patient relationship greatly. According to the article, Dr. Scott

Levy was quoted saying “every radiographic image a patient has had, every dictated

report is available on the iPhone. Also, these iPhones are used at patient’s bedside to

access specific medical references (Laudon, Laudon, 2011). Not only does this greatly

improve doctor-patient relationships, but it also increases treatment efficiency, which

allows the hospital to treat more patients, increase health-care quality, and grow as a

whole.

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A company such as D.W. Morgan needs to have the ability to constantly observe

their shipments. Since this company deals with many Just-in-time businesses, it’s

imperative that they are punctual in their deliveries and very accurate with their

information. Without Chainlinq, it appears that D.W. Morgan would have an incredibly

difficult time handling their shipments. If they were unable to track their deliveries than

they wouldn’t have the ability to fix any problems that may occur along the way and they

wouldn’t be able to update their customers on the whereabouts of their products. The

artcicle states that it is absolutely critical to know the exact moment when delivery trucks

will arrive and that in the past, it used to require many phone calls and much manual

effort to provide customers with the same updated information (Laudon, Laudon, 2011).

As stated earlier, Chainlinq directly connects the drivers to the executives and gives

everybody the ability to view the progress of the shipments. To a certain extent it also

allows upper management to observe employee performance by making sure that

shipments are going where they need to go and whether or not they are on time. It allows

Morgan to keep costs down too by centralizing everything. For example, if the company

wanted to do the same thing with a variety of other programs it would cost them much

more money to implement multiple programs rather than just the one iPhone program.

D.W. Morgan is a prime example of a company whose utilization of modern technologies

increases efficiency and eliminates a wide variety of potential problems.

The article also examines a start-up company called TCHO. This company is a

smaller company that’s owned by a man named Timothy Childs. His business is making

custom chocolate flavors using specialized machines that he operates. With this being

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said it’s easy to recognize that these machines most likely require a lot of supervision and

care. Mr. Childs has developed a program on his iPhone that allows him to operate the

machines even when he is off-site. This application obviously allows him to increase

productivity since he is still able to produce even when he is not around. Also, by

utilizing this program, he is able to receive alerts about specific temperature changes or

malfunctions in his products. He even has the ability to access security cameras and

watch his operating room live (Laudon, Laudon, 2011). Essentially it allows him to have

to ability to work at all times, which is great for his business.

3) Technology is becoming an increasingly important part of not only our business

activities, but also our daily lives. Each day we, as people, see an increasing number of

our peers flocking to the stores to pick up the latest piece of technology. With this being

said, it must be recognized that there is no avoiding the technological growth in our

nation. Companies of all sizes would greatly benefit from the utilization of such high-

tech mobile digital devices. Now, not each and every company is going to use these tools

in the same way, but by equipping their employees with the appropriate amount of such

technology would be key in order to succeed in today’s business world. In order to gain

true understanding of this idea, companies of both sizes, large and small need to be

analyzed.

Apple seems to be the weapon of choice when it comes to these digital mobile

devices. SmithBucklin, a large global asset management firm, has recently equipped its

employees with the Apple iPad 2. This company views the iPad 2 as much more than

simply a luxury, but rather as a necessity. Mike Nikolich, the Chief Marketing Officer or

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SmithBucklin had this to say of their recent utilization of the iPad 2, "Ultimately we see

the iPad 2 as a productivity tool. It's a lot easier to bring the tablet on the train or out of

town for work, and lots of people here already use them during meetings (Yin, 2011)."

By using this tool, SmithBucklin employees are able to communicate much easier and

use all of the available applications that the Apple market has to offer. They are much

more able to stay in touch with social media such as Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace,

which is what Mike Nikolich is hoping for (Yin, 2011). SmithBucklin serves as a

representation of big businesses in today’s fast paced and competitive market world.

They understand that a product such as the iPad is much more than just a luxury, it acts as

a tool for them to enhance daily activity create more opportunities for future business

options.

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Big businesses are not alone in this technological revolution. The middle class

and small business will surely be utilizing these incredible technologies. An article in the

Seybold Report claims that it’s easy to envision a future where every middle class home

has a thin tablet of some kind for every member over the age of ten (Latamore, 2010).

With this being said, these iPads or tablet devices will inevitably leave the homes of these

middle class individuals and enter the work world. For example, my family has had

much experience with regards to adapting to these technological changes in small

businesses. My father, who owns a small barbeque franchise in southern New Jersey, has

equipped all upper management with iPhones. This was done for very much the same

reason that other larger companies do it. By equipping his team with the most up to date

phones around, he was better able to communicate and organize his business. The iPhone

became essential in daily operations. Also, Just as Timothy Childs had the ability to

supervise his machines from his phone, my father had the ability to access his security

cameras and supervise each individual location directly from his iPhone. The

relationship between Apple and the business world is also growing. Apple is attempting

to appeal to small business as well. They have developed a specialized support plan for

small businesses known as Joint Venture (Yin, 2011). It’s evident that All types of

businesses can benefit from this type of mobile digital device and it’s safe to assume that

more businesses, each day, will be utilizing this type of technology.

4) The market today is entirely different from the market of yesterday. With

technological advancements everyday, the modern business world is an ever-changing

technological society. As stated many times in this case study paper, companies are

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attempting to adapt to the more modern, technological times. Any company who fails to

adapt properly is left behind and loses much of its competitive edge. At the company

level, in- formation is considered a critical tool and an essential asset (Hyeyoung, Jae-

Nam, Jaemin, 2010). In today’s modern society information needs to be gathered quickly

and effortlessly. The iPhone is clearly an incredible tool in many modern businesses and

ha helped shape many companies, however, the CEO of D.W. Morgan claims that it’s not

simply a tool for shaping a company, but rather an entire industry. His quotation “the

iPhone is not a game changer, it’s an industry changer. It changes the way you can

interact with your customers and your suppliers” has many implications. What he’s

trying to say is that the iPhone represents a technological wave that is pouring over the

entire business world. At this point, the iPhone isn’t a luxury any more, but rather it is

now a necessity that is utilized by many major firms and companies. This tool has

changed the way many companies such as D.W. Morgan view business. Prior to the

advent of the iPhone, international communication was difficult and time consuming,

however, now “it’s as easy as an Internet connection and an iPhone (Apple, 2010).”

The iPhone has clearly changed an entire industry. All companies who utilize this

technology have the ability to work more efficiently and be more successful.

Personally, while I’m not involved in many business operations, it’s clear to

me how the iPhone and similar technologies have affected the way we interact with

one another. Whether we view a student’s college life (class, social responsibilities,

sports…etc) as a business operation or not is irrelevant, but either way this

technology has had a drastic impact on our lives. Although, I do not use the iPhone, I

use an android-based phone with similar features. These allow me to organize my

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classes, work and other responsibilities fairly simply. Most of my peers and

teachers have similar technologies and it gives us the ability to interact much more

effectively. To put the business end of college life into perspective with regards to

these phones I’d like to emphasize an application known as “mox.” This application

allows students to link their school e-mail account with their phones and view all of

their classes, classmates and teachers. Also, it gives contact information for

everybody and shows schools announcements. So, it’s true that this iPhone and

similar technologies aren’t simply a game changer, but rather an industry changer.

They change the way all people in a certain industry interact and operate. D.W.

Morgan’s CEO said it best “everybody will need to do this or be left behind (Apple,

2010).”

MIS in Action

1) Apple iPhone

a. Capabilities

i. Facetime video calling- allows people to video chat with one

another

ii. Web Browsing- Users are able to surf the web easily and quickly

iii. Maps + Compass- the iPhone can act as a GPS system and gives

users an accurate map with which to follow.

iv. iTunes- acts as a music player and stores all your favorite music.

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v. App store- Gives users the ability to access the ever expanding

apple market

b. Business Use – The iPhone offers many useful business features such as

up to the minute calendar, video calling, top speed web browsing and

effective E-mail services (Apple, 2010).

2) Apple iPad

a. Capabilities

i. Long Battery Life- the iPad has a battery capable of lasting 10

hours.

ii. LED Blacklit display- a high definition screen which makes

reading information much easier.

iii. Air play/ Air Print- Wirelessly send video and documents to TV’s

or printers.

iv. Multi-Touch- Everything can be accessed by using your fingers. It

makes using it much easier.

v. iOS 4- The world’s most advanced operating system.

b. Business Use- The iPad offers many of the same features that the iPhone

does. The iPad however, has a larger screen and is much more practical in

terms of a laptop or desktop substitute (Apple, 2010).

3) Blackberry

a. Capabilities

i. E-Mail- Users can communicate easily with peers and colleagues

ii. GPS- like the apple products, it acts as a GPS using Maps

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iii. Web Browsing- It offers the use of the World wide web from

either your phone or your tablet

b. Business Use- From a business perspective, the Blackberry is very useful.

There are many software packages such as Blackberry enterprise server

technology, Blackberry balance technology and Blackberry mobile

conferencing (Blackberry, 2011).

4) Motorola Droid

a. Capabilities

i. GPS navigation- Uses Google Maps and acts as a GPS

ii. E-Mail- High tech email usage with great 3G internet coverage

iii. Business ready- Many security features that allow businesses to

easily adopt the droid and use it easily

iv. Web browsing- As with most smart phones, the droid offers high

speed web browsing

b. Business Use-The Motorola droid uses an android based operating system,

which is a direct competitor for Apple. These phones offer many of the

same features and can be easily utilized by many businesses (Motorola,

2011).

MIS in action #2

1) Apple iPhone

a. Business features

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i. SharePlus Mobile office Client- this application allows users to

share important information across multiple planes and

between workers. It’s a vital application in accessing

information quickly and easily.

ii. Omnifocus- this application gives users the ability to manage

to-do lists and organize company priorities.

iii. WebEx- users are able to share contact information and other

information such as calendars and notes via WebEx. Also,

users are able to utilize their communicational tools to organize

online conferencing (Apple, 2010).

2) Apple iPad

a. Business Feature

i. Jeppeson Mobile TC- With this application, there is no need

for paper documents in the workplace. This application allows

users to keep notes and records on the ipad and use this product

as a substitute for traditional notebooks.

ii. Roambi-Visualizer- Allows companies to review financial

charts and graphs and easily maneuver through all of them.

iii. Heart Pro- Specific to medical professionals, this app helps

physicians and nurses view medical records and medical

images (Apple, 2010).

3) Blackberry

a. Business Features

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i. Blackberry balance- secure business systems hat allows

companies to share information and documents with one

another. Also, it allows the phone to operate on both business

and personal levels without compromising one another.

ii. Blackberry Enterprise server- For larger companies and

organizations that require a high level of IT control

iii. Mobile Conferencing- this application is helpful when many

colleagues are attempting to have a meeting via the phone

device. It allows users to move quickly and easily in and out of

conference calls (Blackberry, 2011).

4) Motorola Droid

a. Business features

i. Droid Pro- an application designed specifically for business

that includes all business needs including high-tech security

features.

ii. Exchange – This application allows users to share private

information between one another. It’s android specific and

provides much security for its users.

iii. Motoblur- delivers all information that comes in the form of a

message to your home screen s it’s safe and easy to access on

you smartphone (Motorola 2011).

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Works Cited

"App Picks." motorola.com. motorola, 2011. Web. 19 Sep 2011. <motorola.com>.

"Business software." Blackberyy.com. Blackberry, 2011. Web. 19 Sep 2011. <Blackberry.com>.

Hyeyoung, Kim, Lee Jae-Nam, and Han Jaemin. "The Role of IT in Business Ecosystems." Communications of the ACM. 53.5 (2010): 6. Web. 20 Sep. 2011.

"iPad in Business." apple.com. apple inc, 2010. Web. 19 Sep 2011. <apple.com>.

"iPhone in Business." Apple.com. Apple Inc, 2010. Web. 19 Sep 2011.

Latamore, Bert. " The iPad's Effect on Business Computing." Seybold Report: Analyzing

Publishing Technologies. 10.12 (2010): 3. Web. 20 Sep. 2011.

Laudon, Kenneth, and Jane Laudon. Management Information Systems. 11. 1. Upper

Saddle River: Pearson Prentice hall, 2011. 1-2. eBook.

Yin, Sara. " How the iPad Is Emerging as a Business Tool." PC Magazine. May 2011: 1.

Web. 20 Sep. 2011.

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