Virtual Work Place Practise - Essay Example

?Virtual Work Place Practise Introduction In today’s competitive business environment, business leaders are on the lookout for strategies that would enhance sustainability of their business without increasing their cost of production. On the other hand, customers are concerned with the extra service they obtain alongside their purchase. Customers in modern business environment are also cautious about paying for the extra cost incurred from inefficient business operations. Visual workplace practices have become a significant management tool for most businesses. This paper will therefore, analyse the significance of visual workplace practice through a case study approach. The case study was covered in “Visual Workplace Practice Positively Impacts Business Process,” benchmarking an International Journal. Case Problem According to the case study, businesses in the modern business environment are more concerned about their cost of production than their customer’s satisfaction. It is evident that the abilities of a business to survive in the modern competitive environment depend on its profit margins and the sustainability of their customer base. This indicates that customers also have a stake in determining the sustainability of a business. From the case study, the virtual world has endless opportunities that businesses can exploit to enhance their sustainability. In businesses, virtual world is usually associated with communication. This association shields the possibilities of virtual tools in taking businesses to the next level. Communication is of less economic value to business and their customers. However, communication has additional benefits to the business that indicate commercial value to a business. The basic value derived from communication is efficiency, which results in reduced costs of operation and customers satisfactions. The business depicted in the case study is a supplier of medical equipment. Before the business adopted its current information system, the business depended on the traditional receipts and invoices to accounts for its sales and credits. In addition, the business depended on traditional filing system without any concrete information backup or database. This method of operation had many disadvantages to the business resulting in the need for an up-to-date business solution. The business required a business solution that would integrate its sales, supplies and enhance the capabilities of the customers. Initially the company applied start-up software and basic templates to handle its data requirements. In addition, the company relied on manual processing of information to make simple custom reports. This method of operation was disadvantageous to both the customers and the company. Reporting was also a major problem that the business had to handle in its daily operations. This is because its accounting systems could not link historical data with the current data. To solve the problems the business required to a have a database that had the capabilities of storing large quantities of data (Braden, Thomas, Larry, & Leonard, 2012). In addition, the business required a system that would make historical data easily accessible to the customers. The business also needed a system that would enhance separation of critical information from other junk information. This indicates that the business relied on an information system that was too complex to be understood by its customers and other stakeholders. Solution After analysing the problems, the business managers noted that an obvious solution would be an efficient and interactive information system. The company also required investing in an information system that would reduce complexity in the operations of its customers and employees. The business also required transferring its historical information and sales records into a new database. An effective solution would also enhance the corporate social responsibility of the business. The first target of the new information system was inefficiency in business operations. This included avoiding time loss and loss of human capital. Modern day consumers are more aware of the economic implication of time and hence they are more attracted to a business that is cautious about time. The new information system facilitated online purchasing by integrating the banking system with the sale software. This enables the business to have different outlets where customers can purchase their products without requiring them to consult the main store. In addition, the new system allows business manager to access wide range of marketing and supply information from their PC. The system also enabled customers to complete the purchasing process through the company’s website. In this case, the customer saves the time required in the traditional purchase transactions while the business saves its human capital required to operate the traditional system. This is enabled by the creation of the visual workplace where a company employee can serve several customers simultaneously. Businesses are also concerned with the credibility and accuracy of information that they provide to the third party. Despite their need for efficiency, businesses are concerned with the quality of their business information. This requires them to have an efficient tracking and recording of historical data. By adopting an integrated information system, a business has the capabilities of linking its historical data with its current sales records. This linkage enables the company employees and customers to access critical information about the business. Challenges Despite the numerous business problems that could be solved by the new information system, the business encountered some challenges. The main challenge is associated with adopting the new information system into the business. It has been established that company employees are reluctant to adopt new methods of operation. In addition, company employees are concerned with preserving their values and known methods of operation. Their conservative nature prevents them from exploring the numerous possibilities that can be realized from automated business operations (Braden, Thomas, Larry, & Leonard, 2012). Adopting an information system also provide technical challenges for the customers. It was established that most customers had trouble while using the new system. Therefore, the company has a role to improve its information system in order to make its user friendly to its customers and the public. Improving the user friendliness of the system would enable the company to meet its corporate social responsibilities. Conclusion Businesses require having competitive operations in order to remain relevant in the modern business environment. Acquiring virtual technology is a cost effective method of improving the operations of a business enterprise. From the case study, virtual businesses have numerous capabilities that businesses can adopt. Technology can solve most of the problems experienced by the traditional brick and motor business by improved communication. However, there are challenges that businesses require to solve in order to achieve the benefits of virtual business operations. Annotated Bibliography Alavi, M. & Leidner, D. E. (2010 May). Knowledge Management and Knowledge Management Systems: conceptual foundations and research issues. MIS Quarterly 25(1) 107-136. This article analyzes the different building blocks or foundations of effective information management systems. The author focus on the significance of people in an information based management system. Braganza, A. & Morgan, C. (2007, September). Mature Organizations and the Internet: Lessons for Net-Competition. Int. J. Services Technology and Management 1(4), 447-458. This article explores the potential of the internet as a management tool. The researcher analyzes the benefits of internet in management of SMEs. In the analysis, the author explores various management ideas that can be implemented through the internet. Ghoshal, S. & Gratton, L. (2008). Integrating the Enterprise. MIT Sloan Management Review 4 (1), 31-38. This article discusses the process of integrating information systems in an organization. The author assumes that different organizations require different implementation strategies. However, the author does not explain factors that lead to these differences. Gutman, J. (2007). Means-End Chains as Goal Hierarchies. Psychology & Marketing 14 (6), 545-560. This article focuses on information technology management through hierarchical systems of leadership. The author focuses on the impacts of information management across the different organization structures. Heaton, L. & Taylor, J.R. (2009). Knowledge Management and Professional Work. Management Communication Quarterly 16 (2), 210-236. This article follows the hypothesis stated by the previous article by Alavi, M. & Leidner, D. E. The author of this article focuses on the implication of information system to workers working in an organization. The author focuses on training as a strategy to reduce redundancy and possible lay-offs. Reference Braden, K. Thomas, P. C. Larry E. M. & Leonard, W. (2012). Visual workplace practices positively impact business processes. Benchmarking: an International Journal, 19 (3), 412 – 430. Read More