Digital Equipment Corporation: The Internet Company
MIS 6386 Class Assignment
ASSIGNMENT:
Please come to class on Thursday March 7, 1996 prepared to discuss the Digital
Equipment Corporation: The Internet Company case. The paper version of the
case is in the blue readings book. The electronic version can be located DEC Internet Case
http://www.cox.smu.edu/mis/cases/dec/internet.html.
Between now and March 7 your should complete your evaluation of the web
pages for the four computer companies ( Computer Evaluation Assignment ).
Students at the University College Dublin will also be considering the
DEC case during the same time period. Be sure to make comments
and exchange them electronically with others around the world who are considering
the case.
OBJECTIVES:
The Internet is becoming a new marketing channel and is creating a new marketplace
or marketspace. This case explores this trend. It also gives us and opportunity
to discuss how the Internet can be used to streamline business processes
internally -- the so called Intranet -- as well
as processes which involve customers, vendors, and business partners. Beyond
this we can explore electronic shopping, distribution, publishing, marketing,
IT support for virtual groups, user friendly interfaces to legacy systems,
client-server technology, proprietary versus open-systems, hypercompetition,
and the Internet and Intranet in general.
BusinessWeek claims that the World Wide Web is an inexpensive yet powerful
alternative to other forms of communications, including conventional computer
setups. One of an Intranet's most obvious virtues is its ability to slash
the need for paper. Because Web browsers ren on any type of computer, the
same electeonic information can be viewed by any employee. That means that
all sorts of documents -- internal phone books, procedure manuals, training
materials, requisition forms -- can be converted to electronic form on the
Web and constantly updated for almost nothing. By presenting information
in the same way to every computer Intranets can pull all the computers,
software, and databases that dot the corporate landscape into a single system
that enables employees to find information wherever it resides. (See "Here
Comes the Intranet"
BusinessWeek
February 26, 1996)
STUDY QUESTIONS:
- How might the Intranet and the Internet help Digital transform and reengineer
its business processes?
- What are the commerical opportunities for Digital on the Internet?
- What barriers must Digital overcome in order to take full advantage
of the Internet?
- Should Digital go into the Internet Business? Why? Why, not?
Now Go to the Digital Equipment Corportation Case.