Cases on Telecommunications And Networking

431 Pages·2006·7.366 MB·English

by  Mehdi Khosrow-Pour, Mehdi Khosrowpour

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Mehdi Khosrow-Pour, D.B.A.
Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Cases on Information Technology
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Copyright © 2006 by Idea Group Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced,
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Product or company names used in this book are for identification purposes only. Inclusion of the
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Cases on telecommunication and networking / Mehdi Khosrow-Pour, editor.
p. cm.
Summary: “This book presents a wide range of the most current issues related to the plan-
ning, design, maintenance, and management of telecommunications and networking technologies
and applications in organizations”—Provided by publisher.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 1-59904-417-X — ISBN 1-59904-418-8 (softcover) — ISBN
1-59904-419-6 (ebook)
1. Telecommunication systems—Case studies. 2. Computer networks—Case studies. I.
Khosrowpour, Mehdi, 1951- .
TK5102.5.C325 2006
004.068—dc22 2006008425
British Cataloguing in Publication Data
A Cataloguing in Publication record for this book is available from the British Library.
The views expressed in this book are those of the authors, but not necessarily of the publisher.
Cases on Information Technology Series
ISSN: 1537-9337
Series Editor
Mehdi Khosrow-Pour, D.B.A.
Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Cases on Information Technology
• Cases on Database Technologies and Applications
Mehdi Khosrow-Pour, Information Resources Management Association, USA
• Cases on Electronic Commerce Technologies and Applications
Mehdi Khosrow-Pour, Information Resources Management Association, USA
• Cases on Global IT Applications and Management: Success and Pitfalls
Felix B. Tan, University of Auckland, New Zealand
• Cases on Information Technology and Business Process Reengineering
Mehdi Khosrow-Pour, Information Resources Management Association, USA
• Cases on Information Technology and Organizational Politics and Culture
Mehdi Khosrow-Pour, Information Resources Management Association, USA
• Cases on Information Technology Management In Modern Organizations
Mehdi Khosrow-Pour, Information Resources Management Association, USA & Jay Liebowitz,
George Washington University, USA
• Cases on Information Technology Planning, Design and Implementation
Mehdi Khosrow-Pour, Information Resources Management Association, USA
• Cases on Information Technology, Volume 7
Mehdi Khosrow-Pour, Information Resources Management Association, USA
• Cases on Strategic Information Systems
Mehdi Khosrow-Pour, Information Resources Management Association, USA
• Cases on Telecommunications and Networking
Mehdi Khosrow-Pour, Information Resources Management Association, USA
• Cases on the Human Side of Information Technology
Mehdi Khosrow-Pour, Information Resources Management Association, USA
• Cases on Worldwide E-Commerce: Theory in Action
Mahesh S. Raisinghani, Texas Woman’s University, USA
• Case Studies in Knowledge Management
Murray E. Jennex, San Diego State University, USA
• Case Studies on Information Technology in Higher Education: Implications for Policy and
Practice
Lisa Ann Petrides, Columbia University, USA
• Success and Pitfalls of IT Management (Annals of Cases in Information Technology, Volume 1)
Mehdi Khosrow-Pour, Information Resources Management Association, USA
• Organizational Achievement and Failure in Information Technology Management
(Annals of Cases in Information Technology, Volume 2)
Mehdi Khosrow-Pour, Information Resources Management Association, USA
• Pitfalls and Triumphs of Information Technology Management
(Annals of Cases in Information Technology, Volume 3)
Mehdi Khosrow-Pour, Information Resources Management Association, USA
• Annals of Cases in Information Technology, Volume 4 - 6
Mehdi Khosrow-Pour, Information Resources Management Association, USA
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Chapter I
iTalk: Managing the Virtual E-Business......................................................................1
Daniel Robey, Georgia State University, USA
Leigh Jin, San Francisco State University, USA
This case describes the successful launch of a free voicemail service across the
entire U.S. Although initially successful, iTalk later foundered in its efforts to generate
revenues with services that customers would be willing to buy. Technical problems
delayed deployment of new services, and relationships between iTalk’s engineers and
operations personnel became strained. Facing these and other problems, iTalk was not
in a strong position to go public or to raise additional funds from private investors.
Worse, iTalk had become potential prey for takeover attempts.
Chapter II
The Value of Coin Networks: The Case of Automotive Network Exchange®............ 17
Andrew Borchers, Lawrence Technological University, USA
Mark Demski, Lawrence Technological University, USA
As a response to strong competitive pressures, the U.S. automotive industry has
actively employed electronic data interchange in communications between suppliers
and car makers for many years. This case reviews the recent development of ANX®, a
COIN (Community of Interest Network) intended to provide industry-wide connectiv-
ity between car makers, dealers and Tier suppliers. The authors identify technical and
business challenges to the success of ANX®.
Chapter III
Up in Smoke: Rebuilding After an IT Disaster .......................................................... 29
Steven C. Ross, Western Washington University, USA
Craig K. Tyran, Western Washington University, USA
David J. Auer, Western Washington University, USA
Jon M. Junell, Western Washington University, USA
Terrell G. Williams, Western Washington University, USA
A fire destroyed a facility that served as both office and computer server room for
a College of Business located in the United States. The fire also caused significant
smoke damage to the office building where the computer facility was located. This case,
written from the point of view of the chairperson of the College Technology Committee,
discusses the issues faced by the college as they resumed operations and planned for
rebuilding their information technology operations.
Chapter IV
Policy Processes for Technological Change.............................................................. 48
Richard Smith, Simon Fraser University, Canada
Brian Lewis, Simon Fraser University, Canada
Christine Massey, Simon Fraser University, Canada
This case examines policy processes for the introduction of technology-mediated
learning at universities and colleges. It is based on the results of a two-year research
project to investigate policy issues that arise with the implementation of telelearning
technology in universities and colleges.
Chapter V
Implementing Software Metrics at a Telecommunications Company:
A Case Study............................................................................................................... 58
David I. Heimann, University of Massachusetts Boston, USA
This case study explores a metrics program to track the development of a new
version of a telecommunications company’s voicemail product. The study addresses
the adoption of the program, its components, structure, and implementation, and its
impact on product quality and timeliness. The study also discusses the aftermath of the
program and its place in the larger organizational culture.
Chapter VI
Managerial Issues for Telecommuting....................................................................... 77
Anthony R. Hendrickson, Iowa State University, USA
Troy J. Strader, Iowa State University, USA
This case compares and contrasts the issues faced by firms in today’s telecom-
munications environment with an actual telecommuting case study of Trade Reporting
and Data Exchange, Inc. (T.R.A.D.E.), a software engineering company located in San
Mateo, CA.
Chapter VII
The Elusive Last Mile to the Internet.......................................................................... 90
V. Sridhar, Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, India
Piyush Jain, Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, India
The challenges faced by organizations in developing countries in getting reliable,
high-speed Internet access to support their mission critical Web-enabled information
systems are highlighted in this case. The case prescribes various measures to optimally
use the constrained bandwidth available from service providers. The challenges in
defining and monitoring appropriate service level agreements with the service provid-
ers are discussed.
Chapter VIII
Remote Management of a Province-Wide Youth Employment Program Using
Internet Technologies...............................................................................................109
Bruce Dienes, University College of Cape Breton, Canada
Michael Gurstein, University College of Cape Breton, Canada
This case describes a province-wide network of Community Access Internet sites
that was supported during the summers of 1996 and 1997 by Wire Nova Scotia (WiNS),
a government-funded program to provide staffing, training and technical support for
these centers. Remote management enabled the efficient and low-cost operation of a
program involving 67 sites.
Chapter IX
Moving Up the Mobile Commerce Value Chain: 3G Licenses, Customer Value
and New Technology..................................................................................................128
Martin Fahy, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland
Joseph Feller, University College Cork, Ireland
Pat Finnegan, University College Cork, Ireland
Ciaran Murphy, University College Cork, Ireland
This case discusses Digifone’s (an Irish telecom company) evaluation of an open
XML vocabulary as part of the mediation and billing solution for their next generation
(3G) mobile services. The case argues that the key to exploiting 3G technology is inter-
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industry agreement on measurement standards to effectively manage the value of the
associated services.
Chapter X
The Integration of Library, Telecommunications, and Computing Services in a
University..................................................................................................................156
Susan A. Sherer, Lehigh University, USA
This case study describes the process of integrating the library, computing and
telecommunications services in a University with all the problems and challenges that
were experienced during the project.
Chapter XI
Nation-Wide ICT Infrastructure Introduction and its Leverage for
Overall Development.................................................................................................172
Predrag Pale, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing,
University of Zagreb, Croatia
Jasenka Gojšic, Croatian Academic and Research Network, CARNet,
Croatia
Ten years of efforts in introducing the state-of-the-art information and communi-
cation technologies (ICT) and development of ICT infrastructure on the national level
are described in this case. The aim of the project was to build Internet in Croatia and to
foster its leverage in the broad range of activities of public interest in the society as a
whole. The prime target group was academic and research community, as a vehicle for
the overall development in the society.
Chapter XII
The Telecommuting Life: Managing Issues of Work, Home and Technology......... 196
Gigi G. Kelly, College of William and Mary, USA
Karen Locke, College of William and Mary, USA
This case introduces one company that has decided to experiment with the
telecommuting arrangement. Through the eyes of one teleworker, many of the benefits
and challenges of telecommuting are explored.
Chapter XIII
Application of an Object-Oriented Metasystem in University Information
System Development .................................................................................................210
Petr C. Smolik, Brno University of Technology, Czech Republic
Thomas Hruška, Brno University of Technology, Czech Republic
This case presents experience from design and implementation of a university
information system at the Brno University of Technology. The newly built system is
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expected to provide the students and staff with better tools for communication within
the university’s independent faculties, departments, and central administration. An
object-oriented metasystem approach was used by the IT Department to describe the
services offered by the university information system and to generate needed program
code for run-time operation of the system.
Chapter XIV
Integrating Information Technologies into Large Organizations...........................224
Gretchen L. Gottlich, NASA Langley Research Center, USA
John M. Meyer, NASA Langley Research Center, USA
Michael L. Nelson, NASA Langley Research Center, USA
David J. Bianco, Computer Sciences Corporation, USA
Methods for how information technology tools are currently cutting cost and
adding value for NASA Langley internal and external customers are presented in this
case. Three components from a larger strategic WWW framework are highlighted: Geo-
graphic Information Systems (GIS), Integrated Computing Environment (ICE), and LAN-
TERN (Langley’s intranet).
Chapter XV
Globe Telecom: Succeeding in the Philippine Telecommunications Economy........242
Ryan C. LaBrie, Arizona State University, USA
Ajay S. Vinzé, Arizona State University, USA
This case examines the role and implications of deregulation in the telecommuni-
cations sector on an IT-based services organization, Globe Telecom, in the Philippines.
Globe has continued to succeed despite the competition against the Philippine Long
Distance Telephone Company, which at one time controlled over 90% of the telephone
lines in the Philippines. Globe has been able to do this through strategic partnerships,
mergers, and acquisitions. Furthermore, Globe has developed into a leading wireless
provider by its effective use of modern information technology.
Chapter XVI
Implementing a Wide-Area Network at a Naval Air Station: A Stakeholder
Analysis.....................................................................................................................268
Susan Page Hocevar, Naval Postgraduate School, USA
Barry A. Frew, Naval Postgraduate School, USA
LCDR Virginia Callaghan Bayer, United States Navy, USA
This case study illustrates the use of a non-traditional approach to determine the
requirements for the Naval Air Systems Team Wide-Area Network (NAVWAN). It is
considered to be non-traditional because the case data enable the use of stakeholder
analysis and SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) assessments to
determine the requirements instead of asking functional proponents about function
and data requirements.
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Chapter XVII
Information Technology & FDA Compliance in the Pharmaceutical Industry........280
Raymond Papp, University of Tampa, USA
The impact of information technology on the pharmaceutical industry as it re-
sponds to new FDA guidelines is presented in this case. One such guideline is that all
New Drug Applications (NDA) be submitted in electronic (paperless) format. Pharma-
cies must now take steps to assure that its use of information technology will allow it to
not only meet FDA guidelines, but achieve its corporate goals of improved efficiency
and reduced operating costs.
Chapter XVIII
Norwel Equipment Co. Limited Partnership (L.P.) Internet Upgrade ......................292
Kenneth R. Walsh, Louisiana State University, USA
Norwel Equipment Co. Limited Partnership (L.P.) is a Louisiana business retailer
of construction equipment specializing in John Deere heavy-equipment and has se-
cured exclusive John Deere rights for most of the State of Louisiana. This case illus-
trates business and technology issues facing Norwel.
Chapter XIX
Integration of Third-Party Applications and Web Clients by Means of an
Enterprise Layer.......................................................................................................309
Wilfried Lemahieu, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
Monique Snoeck, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
Cindy Michiels, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
This case study presents an experience report on an enterprise modelling and
application integration project for a young company, starting in the telecommunica-
tions business area. The company positions itself as a broadband application provider
for the SME market. Whereas its original information infrastructure consisted of a
number of stand-alone business and operational support system (BSS/OSS) applica-
tions, the project’s aim was to define and implement an enterprise layer, serving as an
integration layer on top of which these existing BSS/OSSs would function indepen-
dently and in parallel.
Chapter XX
Shared Workspace for Collaborative Engineering.................................................. 331
Dirk Trossen, Nokia Research Center, USA
André Schüppen, Aachen University of Technology, Germany
Michael Wallbaum, Aachen University of Technology, Germany
The case study describes the design process for a collaborative engineering
workspace at the University of Technology Aachen, Germany, under development within
a research project considering distributed chemical engineering as an example. Current