Why Did UPS Decide That It Was Time to Develop the Next Generation DIAD - Case Study Example

Every company in the market is looking for better ways of satisfying its customers. In line with ensuring customer satisfaction, companies are also very much aware of the need for efficiency at reduced cost without compromising service delivery. Therefore, UPS in designing the new generation DIAD V as a result of emerging technologies that previous DIAD IV did not possess.

This may have been viewed as a loophole that competitors could use and as a way to maintain its market niche, UPS saw the necessity of designing DIAD V.What features will the DIAD V provide and how will they give UPS an advantage over the competition? The new DIAD V has the following features: designed using state-of-the-art mobile technologies that will be virtually indestructible-both shockproof and waterproof (). DIAD V will be smaller in size as compared to DIAD IV; automatic jumping between cellular networks and will enable DIAD V to provide a high rate of connectivity; WI-FI support for faster data transfer rates (Anonymous p.592). Further, the new DIAD V will have color, autofocus flash camera that will enable drivers to scan bar codes and capture signatures for delivery; a processor that will increase storage; and color display for GPS support navigation (Anonymous p.592).

Why do UPS want to design its own unique device rather than using an off-shelf solution such as a Blackberry?

The development of technology by any company depends on numerous factors. However, the critical among these factors is the number of resources the company has to channel to the technology and the business and customer needs the technology will meet. Given these two big factors, it can be deduced that the shipping industry is very dynamic and customer and employee needs can be regarded to be fluid. Therefore, designing its own technology, UPS is able to tailor-make technology that resonates with both organizational needs, available resources and customer needs and also that has room for modification in future as the needs in the market change.

How does a company in the shipping industry end up being a technology leader and innovator? Globalization is exerting pressure on businesses to adapt information management systems that are efficient, cost-effective and that result in customer satisfaction. As a result, UPS as a shipping company has become a leader in technology and innovation as a way of improving customer services, leveraging competitive advantage over its competitors, and minimizing costs of doing business.

What plan did Sears Holdings implement to gain more insight into customer’s online shopping behavior?

The company created a program known as My SHC Community Customers of Sears and Kmart (Anonymous p.636). Members were encouraged to become part of something new, which also was different. The program facilitated an online interactive community, where members were supposed to give their views and opinions on what they wanted (Anonymous p.636). As part of the requirement, members were supposed to install research software on their computers, which was to help SHC track members online, browsing habits.

To ensure more members are encouraged to join, the company paid members $ 10 each (Anonymous p.636). Why was the plan considered by a Harvard Law Professor and the FTC to be unethical and unlawful? The plan was considered unethical and unlawful since the company was largely infringing members’ privacy without informing them. This was evident when the company collected a lot of information concerning the members without sufficiently informing the members about what information was being collected by the software.

Therefore, many secrets and personal information of the members were being monitored and recorded by SHC without the knowledge of the members. If Sears Holdings had implemented its plan in accordance with FTC guidelines, do you think any customers would be willing to sacrifice their privacy for $ 10? Given the sensitive nature of the information the company was collecting, I believe no particular customer would be willing with adequate knowledge to have his or her privacy monitored online.