9.1 Enabling Mobile Technologies Landscape



The emerging mobile technologies play a significant role in enabling global business communications
and globalization.
   
They not only influence the organizational structure of a business but also play a role in facilitating the
application of principles and practices of management.
   
For example, management control, distribution of authority, management of deliverables across
geopolitical boundaries, and application of legal and tax principles all undergo change in a global environment resulting from these enabling technologies.
   



9.1 Enabling Mobile Technologies Landscape



Figure 9-2: Enabling mobile technologies for global business communication (leading to globalization and collaboration between businesses and enhanced global management.


9.1 Enabling Mobile Technologies Landscape



The communication technologies depicted in Figure 9-2 above is the technical drivers and enablers for
transitioning a business to a mobile one. This transition can also lead to and enhance the collaboration and globalization of enterprises. Figure also shows pictorially the resultant influences of such technologies on business:
They result in global and collaborative businesses that also expand rapidly.
They create collaborative management strategies that influence the creation of virtual teams
and management of outsourced/smart-sourced projects.
They have a positive impact on environmentally responsible "green" business strategies that
handle the growing significance of "green" business.
Mobile technologies, however, do not exist or operate in isolation. They form a suite of interrelated
components that depend on each other to collect, store, retrieve, analyze, and disseminate information and knowledge.


9.1 Enabling Mobile Technologies Landscape



Technologies are discussed in the following sections to understand how they help in METs.
Mobile Internet
Mobile Internet extends the Internet by making it available on mobile devices using wireless connectivity. The Internet has been understood as a network of computers without any central control or organization. Occasionally it has also been referred to as a "mind map" providing ideal conduit for communications between individuals, organizations, and governments.
   
Mobile Devices
Mobile devices play a far more crucial role in mobile enterprise transitions than desk-bound machines in corresponding electronic transitions. Mobile devices are influenced by both hardware and software factors. Mobile system architecture also influences devices; a thick client model will require the devices to run sophisticated operating systems and applications.
   
Mobile Networks
The range, strength, security, and types of mobile networks need to be considered when an enterprise transitions to a comprehensive mobile one.


9.1 Enabling Mobile Technologies Landscape


Mobile Applications
Mobile applications range from back-end server-side business applications that store and process large amounts of data and information, to numerous applications that offer ever-increasing functionality on tiny handheld devices.
   
Mobile Middleware
Mobile middleware technologies bring together or "gel" the various parts of a mobile software application.
   
Mobile Web Services
Mobile Web services enable publishing and consumption of service offerings over mobile networks irrespective of the underlying platforms.
   
Mobile Groupware
Groupware can be understood as a combination of technology and applications that facilitate communication among a number of individuals who need to work in a group.


9.1 Enabling Mobile Technologies Landscape


Mobile Enterprise Architecture
Mobile system architecture extends and expands the known concepts of standardized information technology (IT) system architecture, with specific focus on mobile technologies.
   
Mobile Contents
Mobile contents deal with the provision and use of data and information through one or more databases in a mobile business.
   
Mobile Convergence
Mobile convergence deals with the convergence of devices, telephony, applications, and networks.
   
Mobile Interfaces
Mobile interfaces, include network interfaces and their standardized protocols, interfaces to content management systems and, most importantly, the interface between the user and the mobile device.