THE WALLACE E. CARROLL SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT
MD254: e-Service Operations Management
Spring 2003
MD254 Home
Week 8
e-Service Process Technology: e-Service Network Infrastructure
Assigned Readings
MD254WEBSITE: “From Idea to IPO: Building a Successful and Supportive E-Business Infrastructure,” IBM Global Services, 2000,
(http://www-3.ibm.com/e-business/doc/content/resource/pdf/46564.pdf)
MD254WEBSITE: “Infrastructure Agility,” Meta Group, July 18, 2000,
(http://www-3.ibm.com/e-business/doc/content/resource/pdf/43747.pdf)
MD254WEBSITE: “Quality of Service: Evolving to the Next Generation,” IBM E-Business Infrastructure, October 2001,
(http://www-3.ibm.com/e-business/doc/content/resource/pdf/48158.pdf)
Class Discussion Assignment
Read “Portal Operation on $150 a Day: Recreation.gov Builds a Bridge Between Government Agencies.” (http://www.newarchitectmag.com/documents/s=2286/na1002k/). Come prepared to discuss the infrastructure issues mentioned. If you are interested in seeing how Web Services are being used to facilitate an agile infrastructure, go to Recreation.gov, and click on the links for “Share Recreation Data” and “What is RecML?”
Class Discussion Assignment
This is an example of how Amazon.com has built an adaptable infrastructure that utilizes Web Services. First, read the HANDOUT one page article (“Amazon’s Tightwad of Tech,” Business 2.0, Feb. 2003) about Amazon’s infrastructure, and take a quick look at this site (http://www.simplest-shop.com/) mentioned in the article, which is built on Amazon’s infrastructure. To find out more about this, you can go to Amazon.com’s developer site (http://www.amazon.com/webservices). Click on “How To” in the menu and scroll down on that web page to see some interesting examples of how the Amazon.com infrastructure allows different e-services to be deployed. Particularly interesting are the “Amazon Browser” (which also browses Google) and “Amazon Java Applet” (which also provides web services from Google, Froogle, and other sites.) The link to “Web Services FAQ” provides some information on how Amazon is using Web Services. You too could build yourself an Amazon.com outlet store!!!
Case Study Assignment
None.
| Keyword Legend E-SERV = E-Service: 24 Ways to Keep Your Customers … CRM = CRM at the Speed of Light: Capturing and Keeping Customers … FUL = E-Commerce Logistics and Fulfillment: Delivering the Goods |
Related Readings: For Further Information
Motivation for e-Service Flexibility
Some of the fundamental ideas behind technology strategy of flexibility for electronic
services relates to the ability to sense and respond to customers. The Bradley and Nolan
article perhaps was the first source to widely disseminate the concept of the need to quickly "sense and respond" to customers. The Hagel and Armstrong
article lists some of the strategic value gained by various parties participating in
e-Services. The Nicholas Carr articles essentially stress the point of the importance of flexibility.
Bradley, S. P., and R. L. Nolan, Sense and Respond, Harvard Business School Press, S. P. Bradley and R. L. Nolan (eds.), Harvard Business School Press, 1998, p. 1-7.
Hagel III, J., and A. G. Armstrong, “The Race Belongs to the Swift,” in Net Gain, Harvard Business School Press, 1997, p. 7-15, 172-175.
Carr, N., “Be What You Aren’t,” TheStandard.com, August 7, 2000.
http://www.thestandard.com/article/display/0,1151,17135,00.html
Carr, N., “Giant Steps,” The Standard.com, August 28, 2000.
http://www.thestandard.com/article/display/0,1151,17920,00.html
Weber, J., “Catching the Next Wave,” TheStandard.com, December 18, 2000
http://www.thestandard.com/article/display/0,1151,20848,00.html
Downes, L., “Deconstructing The Web,” TheStandard.com, August 7, 2000
http://www.thestandard.com/article/display/0,1151,17374,00.html
Flexibility and Network Processes
Garud and Kotha provides a metaphor for how one might view flexible
networked production systems. Interestingly, this paper brings up the issue of "sense and
respond" 4 years before Bradley and Nolan.
Garud, R., and S. Kotha, “Using the Brain as a Metaphor to Model Flexible Production Systems,”
Academy of Management Review, 19, 4, 1994, p. 671-698.
Background: What Is Flexibility?
Flexibility is frequently referred to by MIS writers, but seldom defined. Flexibility is
frequently used by manufacturing researchers, but has been defined in many different -- and sometimes conflicting -- ways by OM writers.
Heim, G.R., “A Summary of Flexibility Concepts”
SummaryOfFlexibilityConcepts.pdf
A Model of e-Service Flexibility
Academics typically view "dimension" of flexibility as having multiple sub-dimensions.
The following document summarizes our attempt at developing a model of flexibility dimensions in e-Retailing. Also included
is a summary of dimensions that define “flexibility” in manufacturing operations.
Heim, G. R., “A Model of Flexibility Dimensions for E-Service Operations”
eServiceFlexibility.pdf
Related Readings: Traditional (Person-to-Person) Services
Fitzsimmons & Fitzsimmons, Service Management: Operations,
Strategy, and Information Technology, Irwin/McGraw-Hill, 2001, Chapter
6, p. 149 ("Flexibility")