Enterprise Networking Issues - Research Proposal Example

Running head: Information Technology Research Proposal Information Technology Research Proposal Insert Name Insert Grade Course Insert Tutor’s Name 22 November 2011 Information Technology Research Proposal Research Title: To improve outage times, the company needs to let vendors be able to connect to their equipment by the internet. Research Background Companies in the modern world are experiencing accelerated pressure to incorporate and utilize information technology in their activities. The modern world continues to embrace globalization, which in turn has increased information level among organizations and consumers. As a result, sustaining competition, addressing consumer needs, and remaining relevant in the dynamic market and business environment requires strategic information technology procedures and strategies. Technology in its basic terms has evolved to be the avenue and platform upon which modern businesses possess the ability to succeed or fail (Anonymous, 2006). Therefore, this research project will investigate and evaluate how internet connectivity, specifically with regard to vendor equipment results into improvements and reduction of outage time. Research Questions In order to have clear and well defined research strategy, research questions always act to provide guidance and limits in which the research can be carried out. Therefore, research questions for this project include: What is the importance of internet connectivity in a company? Why is it necessary to integrate and connect vendor equipment to the internet in the organization? What are challenges to this process? How can the challenges be addressed? Significance of Research It is observed that in order to improve the functionability of companies systems, there is great need to integrate vendor equipment in the entire system of the organization. Such integration calls for internet connectivity of vendor equipment. This process will have numerous benefits ranging from reduction in outage time, improvement in customer service, operation cost will drastically reduce, and overall management of various departments and units of the company will be simplified. Today, every organization is fighting to fit in the competitive and dynamic market environment and information technology has been identified as one of the core elements that will aid organizations to sustainable growth. Therefore, in undertaking this research, the aim is to identify and explain how integration of vendor equipment to internet connectivity is necessary and how well the company can benefit from the entire venture. Relevant Literature Internet today is seen to be a necessity, a broad shift from the recent past where internet was seen as an option. For companies and other organizations to navigate through the dynamic business environment, there is religious need to embrace information technology that will connect the companies to the outside world. At the same time, internet connectivity in an organization should not just be in one area or department but it has to incorporate different departments in the organization and also employees should be part of this connectivity (InfoWorld, 2001). Today, communication in most organization is drastically changing where the old forms and tools of communication are being replaced by new communication tools such as e-mails and websites (Silverstein, 2001). In this way, presence of internet and proper internet connectivity provides opportunity for the company to integrate its business activities and processes which in turn enable the company to carry out its functions in the most effective and efficient way. Some benefits of the internet make its usage anywhere regardless of the company, to motivate numerous people and organizations to have desire to adopt it. For example, with internet exchange of e-mails with different people who are stakeholders to the business become easy and at faster rate (Silverstein, 2001). At the same time, company’s employees and other stakeholders can be able to remain in contact with the organization even when far away and through this; the company’s operations are not halted anyhow. Further, various stakeholders of the company can use the internet to search for valuable information or carry out research that may be of great benefit to their line of work or specialization (Silverstein, 2001). Lastly, internet connectivity enable the company to harness and facilitate business transactions in the most effective and efficient way (Silverstein, 2001). Vendor equipment remains critical to the success of the company. Just like stakeholders, vendors’ critical role to the sustainability of the company cannot be underestimated. As a result, it has been observed that the broad information technology strategy that an organization or company may pursue should include vendor activities. Therefore, connecting vendor equipment to the internet in the organization constitute one way of integrating organization’s activities while at same time being able to improve overall functionality of the organization activities and systems (Webber and Peters, 2010). But in order to achieve proper and functional integration of vendor equipment and internet connectivity, there exist a number of recommendations that need to be observed. First, there should be an overall understanding of available technologies in the company and its related mechanisms. Next, the company should establish the degree on internet connectivity and security exhibited by each of the alternative methods available (Sarat and The Johns Hopkins University, 2009). Moreover, issues of what methods to use to achieve best internet connectivity, quantity of internet to be accessed and the security measures to accord the entire process, need also to be part of the broad strategic planning for the eventual information technology planning and strategy (Sarat and The Johns Hopkins University, 2009). Research Methods In order to establish solutions to the research questions, this project will utilize a number of research methods that have ability to address issues of concern conclusively. As a result, investigative survey methods, interviews and case analysis will be adopted as research methods to utilize. Surveys will constitute construction and administration of questionnaires where the aim will be to establish the role, benefit and challenges of internet connectivity in the organization. Also, questionnaires will investigate the extent, level and willingness adoption of integrative internet connectivity in the organization has been achieved and what obstacles have been witnessed. Interviews will involve employees, management teams, customers, and vendor specialist about their take on integrative internet connectivity. Lastly, case analysis, will explore some of the success stories of companies that have managed to institute and benefit from integrative internet connectivity with vendors. Research Outputs It is believed that by the end of this research project, primary data will be generate and be available for policy development. It is also believed that, the research project will be able to establish how well vendor equipment can be integrated in internet connectivity, what benefits are available for such undertaking and how well the company can carry out this process with success. Timetable This research project will be carried out within a time-frame of six months but the period may be extended depending on the nature of the assignment to be undertaken. Also the response of possible project sponsors from companies is likely to influence the time-frame of the project. Research Funding Potential The research project will be successful if the concerned companies keen to undertake comprehensive and integrated internet connectivity of its vendor equipment will consider this project as one avenue such needs can be realized. It has been established that internet is critical to success of organizations in new modern world and as a result, effort by companies to be at front-line in having accurate data to initiate information technology strategies is critical. Conclusion Vendors remain critical to the success of the company, and this calls for strategic integration of the equipment to company’s internet. In this way, outage time will be reduced, customer service will increase and this will see upward growth of the company accompanied with satisfied customers. Therefore, as a matter of urgency, companies are advised to initiate strategic plans of integrating vendor equipment with internet connectivity. References Anonymous. (2006). ‘AVAYA developer brings new capabilities to FIFA’. Networks Updates, pp. 6-8. Retrieved November 22, 2011, from http://web.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=c2cc2bdb-4409-4dd2-b4a4-e7a07d4828ee%40sessionmgr110&vid=5&hid=112. InfoWorld. (2001). Enterprise networking: ‘Cisco CEO sees broadband future’. InfoWorld Media Group, Vol. 23, No. 13. Retrieved November 22, 2011, from http://books.google.com/books?id=rzgEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA77&dq=role+of+internet+connectivity+in+the+business&hl=en&ei=G0PMTpbqCsKAhQfi3YW0Dg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CFIQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=role%20of%20internet%20connectivity%20in%20the%20business&f=false. Sarat, S & The Johns Hopkins University. (2009). A multi-faceted approach to countering Internet threats. IL: ProQuest. Retrieved November 22, 2011, from http://books.google.com/books?id=Cqi9tJuKlaAC&pg=PA94&dq=internet+outage+time&hl=en&ei=GifMTuqQOITKhAel15C-DQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CEMQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=internet%20outage%20time&f=false. Silverstein, B. (2001). Internet marketing for information technology companies: proven online techniques to increase sales and profits for hardware, software and networking companies. USA: Maximum Press. Retrieved November 22, 2011, from http://books.google.com/books?id=d2e24w-29LQC&pg=PA18&dq=benefits+of+internet+networking+in+the+company&hl=en&ei=T0TMTv7QNceohAf43aTkDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CE0Q6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=benefits%20of%20internet%20networking%20in%20the%20company&f=false. Webber, D & Peters, A. (2010). Integrated library systems: planning, selecting, and implementing. CA: ABC-CLIO. Retrieved November 22, 2011, from http://books.google.com/books?id=uqgpxajvAsQC&pg=PA6&dq=Integrated+vendor+internet+connectivity&hl=en&ei=UEjMTo3JL4SZhQfwiYGlDQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CEAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Integrated%20vendor%20internet%20connectivity&f=false. Read More