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The Role of the Web

For a couple decades, large companies have automated their businesses, eliminated costs, and enhanced their products by using software and web-based technology. Many companies have imposed rules against consumer-oriented technologies such as the iPhone and other smart phones. Now some companies are pushing for their employees to come to work with the iPad in their briefcases. A Chicago law firm, Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP banned the iPhone when it was released but ended up putting in pre-orders for 10 iPads prior to their release. Today, 50 attorneys from the firm have access to the technology department's internal systems through their personal iPads. The iPad also has more than 500 applications that are related to business.

Another example of a web-based technology used by businesses is MindBody Online, "a web-based scheduling and management service for a variety of health clubs, spas, and salons." This service is directed to both the businesses and their consumers. It's an easy way for businesses to manage monthly subscriptions and class packages and also includes e-commerce services for studios to sell products online and in-store. It also allows people to sign up for and pay for classes online. MindBody Online now has 9,500 businesses using the services and tracking 1.2 million consumers.

A number of businesses are embracing what's known as cloud computing, where tasks such as storage and database management are done off-site and delivered via the internet by companies including Amazon.com, Microsoft and Google. Rick Schooler needs to house 180 terabytes of medical images and expects to be at 300 terabytes within three years. The storage gear needed to store all that information is very expensive, so Schooler has begun turning over online backup storage to Internet security provider, Symantec. This program cuts his storage budget by 20 to 25 percent.

Pretty soon, you'll be able to do just about anything you need with your cell phone in the palm of your hand. In Rochester, Ind., Dairy Queen has more than 350 customers that can wave special stickers fixed to the backs of their cell phones at a scanner in the store which gains qualifications for free cones and Blizzard sundaes and loyally points. Co-owner Dave Reasner says that it has helped sales rise more than 3 percent in the past year. The radio frequency identification technology in these stickers are very similar to warehouse inventory tracking systems and is showing up more frequently next to cash registers in stores.

Many organizations are trying to go paperless and keep all their records electronically, including hospitals and medical clinics. President Barack Obama plans to spend $17.2 billion to induce care providers to maintain patient records electronically, scrapping the current paper-based system. By 2014, every American is expected to have electronic health records. Kaiser Permanente is getting on this right away. Today, all of its medical clinics and two-thirds of its hospitals operate in a paperless environment and the rest are scheduled to be completely digitized by next year.

Bibliography:

Geron, Tomio. Aug. 20th, 2010. Mind, Body & Scheduling: An Online Tool For Yoga Studios, The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved on Sept. 1st, 2010. http://blogs.wsj.com/venturecapital/2010/08/20/mind-body-scheduling-an-online-tool-for-yoga-studios/?KEYWORDS=web-based+technologies

Worthen, Ben. Aug. 24th, 2010. Businesses Add iPads to Their Briefcases, The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved on Sept. 1st, 2010. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703846604575447531699309858.html?KEYWORDS=web-based+technologies

Hesseldahl, Arik. July 17th, 2010. Businesses Confront the Cloud Security Threat, Business Week. Retrieved on Sept. 1st, 2010. http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jun2010/tc20100616_394524.htm

Kharif, Olga. August 16th, 2010. Shoppers Check Out of Stores Via Cell Phone, Business Week. Retrieved on Sept. 1st, 2010. http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/may2010/tc20100516_101609.htm

King, Rachael. August 7th, 2010. How Kaiser Permanente Went Paperless, Business Week. Retrieved on Sept. 1st, 2010. http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/apr2009/tc2009047_562738.htm?chan=technology_ceo+guide+to+tech_green+computing