[8630] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Dec 93 COOK Report Reviews "Doing Business on the Internet"
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Gordon Cook)
Sat Nov 27 21:36:30 1993
From: cook@path.net (Gordon Cook)
Date: Sun, 28 Nov 1993 02:35:55 GMT
To: com-priv@psi.com
The December Issue of The COOK Report on Internet -> NREN is published tonight.
The lead article is a 6,900 word review of Mary Cronin's new book - **Doing
Business on the Internet: How the Electronic Highway is Transforming American
Companies** (Van Nostrand Rheinhold, 300 pages, $29.95, publication December 7,
1993). Rather than a standard brief review we have taken the route of a
detailed summary of and commentary on most of the points that Cronin makes. She
has gathered, distilled and structured an immense amount of information into a
very persuasive argument that no business - be it a self-employed writer or a
mid-size trading company, or a huge industrial concern - can now expect to
operate competitively and successfully without an Internet connection.
This is an outstanding book. Indeed it is a landmark book which may excede the
200,000 copy sales racked up by Ed Kroll's The Whole Internet Guide during *its*
first year in print. Consequently we have tried to drive that point home by
presenting to our readers as much of the size and scope of the book as possible.
Herewith a few of our boxed quotes:
Early corporate adoption of the network was generally driven by "innovative
departments latching on to a useful new resource to meet an immediate need."
Consequently in most companies we have not yet seen a clear understanding on the
part of top management of the ability of the network to improve corporate
performance and profits. Internet advocates within corporations need to
understand the network's sources of competitive advantage. Cronin positions her
book as a guide to achieving this understanding.
Cronin sums up very succinctly the strategic focus of the events and individuals
she has described. The percentage of workers in economy that produces goods
rather than services is continuing to decline. The importance of communication
increases in direct proportion to the growth of the service economy. In this
environment "new business strategies like partnerships, collaborative research
and development, and virtual teams all place a premium on information being
transmitted received and clearly understood by all participants. Managing
communications across time zones, language and cultural differences and uneven
technical development make the process even more complex. In this environment
new management tools [like the Internet] are essential."
_______
A librarian at a company with a long history of Internet involvement, includes
as a part of her definition of basic library services, scanning the network and
passing on strategic information to interested individuals and departments.
She finds that the Internet is changing the very foundation of what it means to
be a librarian. Librarians are becoming teachers as well as information
specialists.
She notes that a point of potential danger may occur when, as the Internet
becomes easier to use, researchers may think that it provides all the data they
need. Librarians know that, because of its distributed sources and
organization, data found on the Internet varies a lot in quality and
comprehensivness. As a result researchers who venture just a little outside
their field can be mislead. . . . We must help our clients to use the
Internet, and to understand how it fits in with other resources.
_________
A manager with Advantis, the IBM-Sears network outsourcing joint venture told
the author that if the Internet was the customers preferred means of
communication, it was obligatory for Advantis to met them there because failure
to do so would be equivalent to abandoning the market.
_______
While many companies start by connecting just one department to the Internet,
unless "management also looks at the Internet in the context of overall
corporate goals, requests for connectivity within the company are likely to be
addressed on the 'squeaky wheel' basis. Once the network is in place many ideas
about applications will begin to surface, and more areas will request
connectivity. Developing a whole company strategy at the outset will be helpful
to prevent delays, frustrations, and end runs or short term solutions. Part of
the overall plan can be an assessment off the costs and benefits associated with
various network applications to estimate which efforts are likely to yield the
most positive results. The process for expanding connections or undertaking new
applications can then be staged in a flexible way. . . . Participation by top
management and a broad understanding of the workings and scope of the Internet
are also important factors for developing an effective whole-company strategy."
(pp. 250-251)
Cronin is a library director and professor in the Carroll School of Management
at Boston College. Her book is expected to be available at the Internet World
show at the Javits Convention center in New York City on December 7th and in
book stores shortly thereafter.
_____________
An article on the Northern Telecom ANS alliance takes a look at the GTE history
of the Magellan Switch earlier known as SPANet.
_____________
Also included are 3 articles on ANS's Joining the CIX, an article on the use of
cooperative agreements by NSF, and Jamie Love's article on Juris.
_____________
Part 3 of Computer Networks and Health Care appears. The 4th and final part
will be published in January.
_____________
Finally publication of the Editor's draft OTA NREN policy recommendations as
Internet RFC 1527 is mentioned.
_______________________________________________________________
Gordon Cook, Editor Publisher: COOK Report on Internet -> NREN
431 Greenway Ave, Ewing, NJ 08618
cook@path.net (609) 882-2572
_______________________________________________________________
The Editor requests that this file be publicly posted elsewhere in full without
editing.
