Assembly Line Version 2.0

The internet is changing the way people do business in ways reminiscent of the assembly line. However, these changes are not just on an operations level, but on a much grander business scale.
The creation of the assembly line allowed each worker to focus on a singular task. This resulted in greater efficiency, quantity, and possibly most significant: specialization. The internet and IT are having a similar impact on businesses. In the past businesses would be involved in many levels of activity and every aspect of their industry from purchasing raw materials and manufacturing to selling and marketing. Now businesses are becoming more focused and specialized.
Take the example of Motorola and T-Mobile. In the past one company would have made the phones and then sold them. Today’s environment of fast communication and integrated IT has led to separate companies taking on these separate, more closely related tasks. Motorola has taken on the aspect of phone manufacturing and customer service. Meanwhile, T-Mobile has taken the task of marketing and sales. Consequently, each company is now involved in fewer activities, but they have become better at the activities they participate in. Sound familiar? That is right. Specialization.
With that said, you can predict the future for business. More of the same. In the example of Motorola, they may decide to simply handle customer service aspects and outsource the manufacturing aspects. Then they may decide to further specialize and only handle the technical side of the customer service, outsourcing all billing and account services. Just like the assembly line workers, businesses will continue to narrow scope and become more specialized.

Developer Competency Questionaire

1a) 30+ pages, team project for small business class
1b) Web site traffic reports: 2-30 spreadsheets with unique formulas and graphs. This was done for my job.
1c) Around 1100 entries including names, addresses, contact info, and client info. All together about 25 columns.
1d) Web site created www.nicholsonrevell.com and www.nicholsonrevellblog.com
1e) I have not created much software. The most extensive I have created were Excel spreadsheets for various uses.
2a) 3
2b) 3
3a) 5
3b) 5
3c) 5
3d) 5
3e) basic html

IT: Competitive Advantage?

Our recent class readings discussed the concept of IT as a competitive advantage. In my opinion, information technology does not provide any sustainable competitive advantage by itself. Even the greatest and most advanced IT will inevitably be reproduced and surpassed by competing products. With the increasing speed of new technology this can only be expected to occur faster and faster. Thus, even the most advanced piece of IT may only give you an advantage for a few month or weeks.
The true sustainable competitive advantages with IT are seen in the utilization and integration of the technology. Those companies who are able best use IT and develop competencies around the IT can have a sustainable advantage over competitors.
Take for example the simple piece of software, Microsoft Office. Businesses and employees around the globe have this software. Yet, does simply owning this software give any kind of advantage? Nope. What allows this product to be so valuable are the skills and competencies users have developed and the way in which businesses integrate the technology into their operations.

Innovation Abuse

I found Dr. Miller's discussion about innovative technology very interesting this past week. The example of the AT&T/retail store coupon scanner was definitely an intriguing. However, I cannot share this optimistic view in regards to new technology. It is my opinion that almost every "good idea" is actually a "bad idea" in the making.

What do I mean by this? I mean that that despite good intentions this idea will inevitably be used in horrible ways unintended by the original creators. Take for example email database marketing. This was once a cost effective way to send a message to thousands; even millions of clients in the blink of an eye. Truly this would usher in a new age of marketing. Not really. This idea is now the foundation for one of mankind's greatest rivals: the spam email.

So, in the art of the pessimistic view point, allow me to predict the future abuse of the great idea from AT&T. Imagine that standing in front of a display for more than 10 seconds will result in a coupon being sent to your phone. Now imagine that some marketers determine that it would be more effective to send a message after only 8 seconds. Then 5. Then 2. Now you are afraid to become stationary in a grocery store for fear of an onslaught of coupon messages. Frantically you run through the isles throwing items into your cart reminiscent of "Super Market Sweeps" game shows.

Another potential 'End of Days' scenario? Innovators develop scanners that detect customers within 500 feet. Now you don't even have to be in an isle or even in a store. You could be on I-20 and pass by a line of fast-food chains. Or even worse... a Wal-Mart. Suddenly your phone is assaulted with a blitz of 200,000 coupon messages.

Maybe I am just too pessimistic and make too much out of nothing. Maybe I am the next Miss. Cleo television psychic and have correctly predicted the future. Maybe I am bat#$@* crazy. Regardless of your opinion on the issue of my mental competence, you must agree that even the best intention innovative technology is guaranteed to be abused.