Home > Store

Mobilize Your Enterprise: Achieving Competitive Advantage Through Wireless Technology

Register your product to gain access to bonus material or receive a coupon.

Mobilize Your Enterprise: Achieving Competitive Advantage Through Wireless Technology

Book

  • Sorry, this book is no longer in print.
Not for Sale

Description

  • Copyright 2003
  • Dimensions: 7" x 9-1/4"
  • Pages: 416
  • Edition: 1st
  • Book
  • ISBN-10: 0-13-009116-2
  • ISBN-13: 978-0-13-009116-1

This book explains in clear language how mobile technology can be put to use by companies to gain competitive advantage. As it stands today, the most important part of the workforcethose standing in front of customers have no way of accessing critical information when and where they need it. The result is a lot of inefficiency and lost opportunities. Mobile technology alleviates this problem by enabling mobile professionals to access their company's information through small computing devices. The result is friction free sales and services. This book explains how the mobile paradigm came about, where it is going, and what is possible today. It explains how to evaluate where it makes sense for your business and where it does not. The book introduces a methodology for reengineering your business processes through mobility. Brans explains the anatomy of a mobile solution, going into details on portable computing devices, wireless network technologies, wireless application gateways, enterprise applications, and wireless security.

Sample Content

Downloadable Sample Chapter

Click here for a sample chapter for this book: 0130091162.pdf

Table of Contents

(NOTE: Each chapter concludes with a Summary.)

Foreword.


Preface.


Acknowledgments.

I. MAKING THE CASE.

1. The Future is Wireless.

Technology versus Magic. The Magic of Companies. Friction-Free Sales and Service. Technology That Works Magic. How Far We Have Come. Near-Term Expectations. Long-Term Outlook. The Impact on IT Planning. Planning for Security. Planning to Deploying New Applications. Addressing the Paradigm Shift. Immediate Actions.

2. Today's Possibilities.

The Current State of Technology. Networks. Battery Technology. CPU/Memory. User Interface. Enterprise Applications. Analysis of Today's Technology. The Current State of the Industry. The Demand Side. The Supply Side. Visionaries versus Pragmatists. The Cautious Visionary. Job Functions With Immediate ROI. Functionality Required.

3. Today's Business Value.

Sales. Information at Your Fingertips—Literally. Price Quotes and Product Availability. Orders and Delivery. Up-Sell and Cross-Sell. Forecasts. Opportunities/Customer Contacts. Benefits. Service Employees. Dispatch. Parts Replacement. Trouble Ticketing. Problem History/Technical Documents. Billing. Benefits. Consultants. Information Access. Email Access. Staying Up to Date. Benefits. The Traveling Professional. Performing Administrative Tasks. Alerts. Email. Meetings. Benefits. The Rest of the Company.

II. CLOSING THE GAP.

4. The Anatomy of a Mobile Enterprise.

The Gap between Workers and Information. Building Blocks to Bridge the Gap. Portable Computing Devices. User interface. Wireless Networks. Wireless Application Gateways. Enterprise Applications. Synchronization. Security. Different Solution Configurations. Access to One Application. Access to Several Applications. A Subscription Service. Choosing the Right Kind of Solution for You.

5. Portable Computing Devices.

Enterprise Requirements of Portable Devices. The Range of Devices Available. Cell Phones. Choosing a Cell Phone. Cell Phone Features. WAP Browser. Messaging. Data Entry. Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs). Palm OS-Powered PDAs. Pocket PC-Powered Devices. EPOC-Powered Devices. RIM. Accessories. Smart Phones. Telephone Manufacturers that Make Smart Phones. PDA Manufacturers that Make Smart Phones. The Downside of Smart Phones. Tablet Computers. Notebooks. Ultra-Thin Notebooks. Desktop Replacement. Features for the Mobile Professional. Ruggedized Devices. Rugged Defined. Ruggedized PDAs. Ruggedized Tablets. Ruggedized Notebooks. Interesting Combinations of Devices. Notebook and PDA. Cell Phone and PDA. Cell Phone and Notebook or Tablet. Device Management. Portable Devices and the Mobile Enterprise. Salespeople. Service Employees. Consultants. Traveling Professionals.

6. Wireless Network Technologies.

Tips on Terminology. Frequency and Wavelength. Bands and Spectrum. Cellular and PCS. TDMA and CDMA. Fundamentals of Radio Signaling. Electromagnetic Radiation. Radio Frequencies. Signal Propagation and Disturbances. Increasing Frequency. Modulation. Analog versus Digital. Multiplexing. Circuit Switching versus Packet Switching. Voice Communications. Data Communications. Voice over Packet. Licensed versus Unlicensed Spectrum. Cellular. PCS. Specialized Mobile Radio (SMR). 3G. Unlicensed Frequency: Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM). The Cellular Model. Cells. Handoff/Handover. Roaming. Dual-Mode/Dual-Band. Network Standards Using the Cellular Model. AMPS. Maximizing Frequency Use. AMPS Data Services. AMPS for the Mobile Enterprise. TDMA (IS-136). Digital AMPS (D-AMPS). From D-AMPS to TDMA (IS-136). TDMA (IS-136) Data Services. TDMA (IS-136) for the Mobile Enterprise. GSM. Subscriber Identity Module (SIM). GSM Data Services. GSM for the Mobile Enterprise. CDMA (IS-95). Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS). Data Services. CDMA for the Mobile Enterprise. Data Networks. Mobitex. ARDIS. Data Networks for the Mobile Enterprise. Bluetooth. Bluetooth for the Mobile Enterprise. Wireless LANs. Background on 802.11. 802.11 for the Mobile Enterprise. Location Technology. Location Determination. Location-Based Services. Location for the Mobile Enterprise.

7. Wireless Application Gateways.

Joining Three Worlds. Data Exchange Models. PreFetch and Aggregate. On-Demand. Push. Synchronization. Thin Client/Thick Client. Underlying Technologies. J2EEª. J2MEª. Extensible Markup Language. Other Markup Languages. Application Servers. WAG Functional Reference Model. Presentation. Applications. Business Logic. Mobility. Computing Platform. Legacy Integration. Application Development.

8. Enterprise Applications.

The Evolution of Business Applications. Business Process Automation. Software Development, Packaging, and Integration. Presentation of Application Output. All Roads Lead to the Customer Office. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). Supply Chain Management (SCM). Customer Relationship Management (CRM). Enterprise Application Integration (EAI). Knowledge Management (KM). Elements of KM Systems. Choosing the Right Scope for KM. Workflow. KM for the Mobile Enterprise. Email. Personal Information Management (PIM). Collaboration. Additional Applications. Time and Expense. News. Alerts. Desktop Synchronization (Detachable/Disconnected). Enterprise Applications for the Mobile Workforce.

9. Mobile Enterprise Security.

Security Threats. Legitimate Use. Confidentiality. Service Availability. Data Integrity. Non-repudiation. Tools and Concepts for Countering Threats. Physical Security. Cryptography. Digital Signatures. Digital Certificates. Authentication. On-Device Data Security. Virus Protection. Security Solutions. Public Key Infrastructure. Firewalls. Virtual Private Networks. Device Protection. Peculiarities of the Mobile Environment. Always-On Connections. Low Bandwidth. Broadcast Nature of Wireless. Low Powered Devices. A New Breed of User. Securing the Mobile Enterprise. A Fully Secured Mobile Enterprise. Updating the Corporate Security Policy.

III. READY, SET….

10. Reengineering Business Processes.

Process-Oriented Business. Consistency. Economy of Scale. The Importance of Flexibility. Objectives in Reengineering Business Processes. A Simple Methodology. Notation. Modeling As-Is Processes. Redesigning Processes. Evaluating the Case for Mobility. Example 1: Pharmaceutical Sales Rep. Pre-Call Planning. Physician-Facing Activities. Post-Call Activities. Advantages Gained through Mobile Technology. Example 2: High-Tech Field Engineer. Dispatch. Repair Equipment. Time and Materials. Advantages Gained through Mobile Technology.

11. Fitting the Solution to the Problem.

Developing a Shopping List. Device Requirements. Online versus Offline Access. Network Requirements. Thin Client versus Thick Client. System Load. Uptime. Security. Going Shopping. The Structure of the Industry. Device Vendors. Systems Integrators. Wireless Network Operators. Wireless Application Gateway Vendors. Enterprise Application Vendors. Platform Vendors. The Size of the Vendor. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO).

12. Deploying a Mobile Enterprise Solution.

Measuring the Benefits of Mobile Technology. Metrics for Sales. Metrics for Service Workers. General Metrics. Deployment Phases. Planning a Pilot. Running the Pilot. Initial Implementation. Fiscal Planning Aspects. Health and Safety Concerns. Working while Driving. Effects of Radio Frequency (RF) Signals on Health.

Afterword.

IV. APPENDICES

A: Online Resources.

Definitions/Encyclopedias/Tutorials. Industry News/Opinion. Industry Forums. Industry Analysts and Research Firms. Health and Safety. Resources for IT Professionals. Device Vendors. Enterprise Application Vendors. WAG Vendors. Systems Integrators. Wireless Network Operators. Platform Vendors. Vendors of Security Products. Other Vendors.

B. Recommended Reading.

Technology Adoption. Personal Computing Devices. Wireless Network Technology. Enterprise Applications. Security. Wireless Application Gateways. Business Process Reengineering. Internet. Industries. Health and Safety. Periodicals.

Glossary.
Index.

Preface

Preface

There are some common mistakes technology vendors tend to make in an early market. They get confused by all the hype. But in an early market it is usually the supply side—not the demand side—that makes all the noise. This is self-perpetuating—one vendor hears noise from other vendors, interprets it as a market, and then generates some more noise. In many cases, the hype gets out of hand and people get all the wrong expectations. Unfortunately, in the midst of all that, no real buyers can be identified.

For example, two years ago many people thought there would be a real interest in performing financial transactions on a cell phone. Some were thinking that the average person would want to trade stocks from these small devices. The problem was that typical consumers had no desire to do so.

The hype would not have been so bad if it had stayed among a closed group on the supply side. After all, the suppliers themselves are at fault for not having identified buyers with real problems that could be solved through the new technology. Unfortunately, this was not the case. The general public got wind of these big ideas about a big emerging market, and the confusion spread to the demand side.

Following the early hype is a lot of disappointment and frustration. Few people realize that there was never such a market—just a lot of companies going to the same trade shows and recycling ideas, mistaking those ideas for something coming from potential buyers. People who were in the middle of this look for various scapegoats for the market's not having taken off. They never realize that in fact the market they were targeting never really had a problem that could be solved by the technology in the state it was.

Once companies go belly-up through all this and die-hard techies move on to the next hype wave, we start to hear a whisper—one that in fact has been there long before the technology hype drowned it out. This whisper talks about an industry or industries who have had some burning problem for a long time. That is what is called a market—somebody has a problem (the demand side) and somebody else has a solution (the supply side). This is not rocket science; any kid selling lemonade on a hot summer's day understands this.

Mobile technology has matured in the last two years. There are several good wireless data services available—and there are several good PDAs, tablet computers, and notebook computers with wireless capabilities built in. The technology is now at a state where real business problems can be solved—and it turns out that there are real business problems crying out to be solved. These are the problems resulting from lack of critical information when and where workers need it. This problem is particularly acute among mobile workers—especially those who spend a lot of time in front of customers.

Mobilize Your Enterprise: Achieving Competitive Advantage Through Wireless Technology is both a business book and a technical book. It explains the business value of mobile technology to the enterprise—and it explains the enabling technology in terms of its business value. As such, Mobilize Your Enterprise aims to help the following types of readers:

  • Executives, looking to understand what mobile technology can do for your company: this book will arm you with answers to your business questions and it will give you a working knowledge of the technology that makes business value possible.
  • Sales Managers, Service Managers, Line of Business Managers, looking for ways of optimizing the business processes of mobile workers: you will learn where mobile technology has business value and where it does not. You will learn enough about the underlying technology to be able to make sense of what vendors are telling you.
  • IT Managers, looking to understand the mobility paradigm: this book will show you the different technologies that go into a mobile solution. It will also help you develop ways of talking about the business rationale for mobile technology to economic buyers in your company. You will learn the structure of the market, and what kinds of vendors you should call on.
  • Technology Vendors, looking to further your knowledge of this market: this book will help you understand how the buyer sees mobile solutions. It will complement your understanding of the technology, and it will give you new insight into the competitive landscape.

Mobilize Your Enterprise: Achieving Competitive Advantage Through Wireless Technology is a book to help you make decisions. I hope—and fully expect—that you will find the mobility paradigm a compelling way for your company gain an advantage. But if this book helps you decide that mobility does not make sense for your company, I will still consider that I have done my job.

Updates

Submit Errata

More Information

InformIT Promotional Mailings & Special Offers

I would like to receive exclusive offers and hear about products from InformIT and its family of brands. I can unsubscribe at any time.

Overview


Pearson Education, Inc., 221 River Street, Hoboken, New Jersey 07030, (Pearson) presents this site to provide information about products and services that can be purchased through this site.

This privacy notice provides an overview of our commitment to privacy and describes how we collect, protect, use and share personal information collected through this site. Please note that other Pearson websites and online products and services have their own separate privacy policies.

Collection and Use of Information


To conduct business and deliver products and services, Pearson collects and uses personal information in several ways in connection with this site, including:

Questions and Inquiries

For inquiries and questions, we collect the inquiry or question, together with name, contact details (email address, phone number and mailing address) and any other additional information voluntarily submitted to us through a Contact Us form or an email. We use this information to address the inquiry and respond to the question.

Online Store

For orders and purchases placed through our online store on this site, we collect order details, name, institution name and address (if applicable), email address, phone number, shipping and billing addresses, credit/debit card information, shipping options and any instructions. We use this information to complete transactions, fulfill orders, communicate with individuals placing orders or visiting the online store, and for related purposes.

Surveys

Pearson may offer opportunities to provide feedback or participate in surveys, including surveys evaluating Pearson products, services or sites. Participation is voluntary. Pearson collects information requested in the survey questions and uses the information to evaluate, support, maintain and improve products, services or sites, develop new products and services, conduct educational research and for other purposes specified in the survey.

Contests and Drawings

Occasionally, we may sponsor a contest or drawing. Participation is optional. Pearson collects name, contact information and other information specified on the entry form for the contest or drawing to conduct the contest or drawing. Pearson may collect additional personal information from the winners of a contest or drawing in order to award the prize and for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.

Newsletters

If you have elected to receive email newsletters or promotional mailings and special offers but want to unsubscribe, simply email information@informit.com.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it is necessary to send out a strictly service related announcement. For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email. Generally, users may not opt-out of these communications, though they can deactivate their account information. However, these communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users on a regular basis to provide requested services and in regard to issues relating to their account we reply via email or phone in accordance with the users' wishes when a user submits their information through our Contact Us form.

Other Collection and Use of Information


Application and System Logs

Pearson automatically collects log data to help ensure the delivery, availability and security of this site. Log data may include technical information about how a user or visitor connected to this site, such as browser type, type of computer/device, operating system, internet service provider and IP address. We use this information for support purposes and to monitor the health of the site, identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents and appropriately scale computing resources.

Web Analytics

Pearson may use third party web trend analytical services, including Google Analytics, to collect visitor information, such as IP addresses, browser types, referring pages, pages visited and time spent on a particular site. While these analytical services collect and report information on an anonymous basis, they may use cookies to gather web trend information. The information gathered may enable Pearson (but not the third party web trend services) to link information with application and system log data. Pearson uses this information for system administration and to identify problems, improve service, detect unauthorized access and fraudulent activity, prevent and respond to security incidents, appropriately scale computing resources and otherwise support and deliver this site and its services.

Cookies and Related Technologies

This site uses cookies and similar technologies to personalize content, measure traffic patterns, control security, track use and access of information on this site, and provide interest-based messages and advertising. Users can manage and block the use of cookies through their browser. Disabling or blocking certain cookies may limit the functionality of this site.

Do Not Track

This site currently does not respond to Do Not Track signals.

Security


Pearson uses appropriate physical, administrative and technical security measures to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use and disclosure.

Children


This site is not directed to children under the age of 13.

Marketing


Pearson may send or direct marketing communications to users, provided that

  • Pearson will not use personal information collected or processed as a K-12 school service provider for the purpose of directed or targeted advertising.
  • Such marketing is consistent with applicable law and Pearson's legal obligations.
  • Pearson will not knowingly direct or send marketing communications to an individual who has expressed a preference not to receive marketing.
  • Where required by applicable law, express or implied consent to marketing exists and has not been withdrawn.

Pearson may provide personal information to a third party service provider on a restricted basis to provide marketing solely on behalf of Pearson or an affiliate or customer for whom Pearson is a service provider. Marketing preferences may be changed at any time.

Correcting/Updating Personal Information


If a user's personally identifiable information changes (such as your postal address or email address), we provide a way to correct or update that user's personal data provided to us. This can be done on the Account page. If a user no longer desires our service and desires to delete his or her account, please contact us at customer-service@informit.com and we will process the deletion of a user's account.

Choice/Opt-out


Users can always make an informed choice as to whether they should proceed with certain services offered by InformIT. If you choose to remove yourself from our mailing list(s) simply visit the following page and uncheck any communication you no longer want to receive: www.informit.com/u.aspx.

Sale of Personal Information


Pearson does not rent or sell personal information in exchange for any payment of money.

While Pearson does not sell personal information, as defined in Nevada law, Nevada residents may email a request for no sale of their personal information to NevadaDesignatedRequest@pearson.com.

Supplemental Privacy Statement for California Residents


California residents should read our Supplemental privacy statement for California residents in conjunction with this Privacy Notice. The Supplemental privacy statement for California residents explains Pearson's commitment to comply with California law and applies to personal information of California residents collected in connection with this site and the Services.

Sharing and Disclosure


Pearson may disclose personal information, as follows:

  • As required by law.
  • With the consent of the individual (or their parent, if the individual is a minor)
  • In response to a subpoena, court order or legal process, to the extent permitted or required by law
  • To protect the security and safety of individuals, data, assets and systems, consistent with applicable law
  • In connection the sale, joint venture or other transfer of some or all of its company or assets, subject to the provisions of this Privacy Notice
  • To investigate or address actual or suspected fraud or other illegal activities
  • To exercise its legal rights, including enforcement of the Terms of Use for this site or another contract
  • To affiliated Pearson companies and other companies and organizations who perform work for Pearson and are obligated to protect the privacy of personal information consistent with this Privacy Notice
  • To a school, organization, company or government agency, where Pearson collects or processes the personal information in a school setting or on behalf of such organization, company or government agency.

Links


This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every web site that collects Personal Information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this web site.

Requests and Contact


Please contact us about this Privacy Notice or if you have any requests or questions relating to the privacy of your personal information.

Changes to this Privacy Notice


We may revise this Privacy Notice through an updated posting. We will identify the effective date of the revision in the posting. Often, updates are made to provide greater clarity or to comply with changes in regulatory requirements. If the updates involve material changes to the collection, protection, use or disclosure of Personal Information, Pearson will provide notice of the change through a conspicuous notice on this site or other appropriate way. Continued use of the site after the effective date of a posted revision evidences acceptance. Please contact us if you have questions or concerns about the Privacy Notice or any objection to any revisions.

Last Update: November 17, 2020