Chapter 10. ERP and Collaboration Systems{0}
Chapter 10. Enterprise Resource Planning and Collaboration Systems
I found this article that talks about the virtual world Second Life being used for business meetings and conferences. With companies traveling budgets being cut, they are looking for less expensive ways to hold conferences and meeting between employees at different locations. Many companies are turning to the virtual world. Employee’s can create virtual alter egos and conduct meeting with other virtual employees. These meeting can now take place on the companies secure network instead of the typical public network used by Second Life. Over a thousand companies currently use virtual networks to hold meetings and conduct training. Therefore, the ability to use virtual tools is becoming a more important skills in business world. IBM offers a similar program to Second Life called Sametime 3D that allows companies to share ideas and project outlines. They are even testing more advanced versions of Sametime 3D.
Not only do these types of programs help save on traveling cost and time but it provides an advantage when it comes to sharing ideas. Some employees say they would feel more comfortable stating their ideas or opinions in a virtual world rather than in a face-to-face or video chat meeting. This can be an advantage because a lot of good ideas or suggestion may never be heard because an employee is to embarrassed to speak up.
I think this article relates to the chapter because the chapter discussed video chat and IM’s, which are ways of communicating over the internet. These virtual worlds are just the next step in communication. I think these may even be useful when parents need to stay home with children or when employees themselves are sick. It will enable people to still attend meetings and conferences from their own homes.
Tutton, Mark. (2009). Virtual Businesses: Going to the office in Second Life. Retrieved November 7, 2009 from CNN.com
Web: www.CNN.com