Digital technology has come in handy for research, especially in collecting, stor- ing, and analyzing information. These include all electronic interactive media such as CD-ROM, the DVD, the browser, the Internet and the Intranet, and search engines. Computerized databases on compact disks are available, especially for research in the finance area.
The Internet
The Internet, which is a vast global network of computers connecting people and information, has opened up tremendous possibilities for advancing research and expanding the realm of business opportunities throughout the world.
Because the Internet connects us worldwide, any needed research data can be collected from any country through the Internet. For example, customer prefer- ences for packaging a product can be determined and pricing strategies devel- oped for each country, if so desired.
If we want industry information or published materials on any topic of inter- est, the Internet comes in handy. We can easily download secondary data and print them, for leisurely examination. We can also conduct computer-interactive surveys very efficiently with large global audiences, where the computer will
COMMONLY USED TECHNOLOGIES IN BUSINESS RESEARCH 43 sequence and personalize the questions as we would desire (skip questions and ask appropriate follow-up information). This will require that the respondent at the other end has access to a computer and is willing to respond. The repre- sentativeness of the sample will also be compromised, as we shall see in Chap- ter 11. Companies like SurveyOnLine offer specialized services to conduct Internet surveys for firms that need information of a confidential nature, as for example, the effectiveness of supervisors. Computer-assisted telephone inter- views can also be conducted to gather data, as we will see in a later chapter.
The marketing, finance, accounting, sales, and other departments of a com- pany can and do use the Internet frequently for their research. In the business environment, desktop computers can be connected to the local area network (LAN), which in turn, could be hooked to the Internet by a high-speed line. This would help several individual employees to gain simultaneous access to central information. The LAN enables employees with computers in close proximity to share information resources and files, and helps schedule, monitor, and process data from remote locations.
Business research can proceed using the Internet and search engines, even where sources of information on a particular topic are not readily known.
Search engines are software programs designed to help the search on the World Wide Web. By keying in the important (key) words that describe the topic in some fashion, the user can address the search engine to suggest the best possi- ble ―links‖ (sites with the requested information) and access them directly to review the needed data. Altavista and Google are two such search engines put to frequent use.
Electronic Mail
The Internet also permits the exchange of electronic mail (e-mail), which has increasingly become the primary mode of business communication both within and outside the company, especially in the wake of the anthrax scare following the post–September 2001 events. Prior to the pervasive reach of the Internet, e- mail was primarily used within large technically sophisticated corporations, in the academic environment, and in certain government defense sectors, but not between corporations or other entities. The easy global access to the Internet has enabled all organizations and many individuals to have access to e-mail. The external world comprises both national and global territories. E-mail is inexpen- sive, almost instantaneous, and has the added advantage of guaranteed delivery subject only to the correctness of the e-mail address. E-mail is a simple and effec- tive way of requesting and obtaining data on a variety of topics from both within and outside the organization. Short surveys could also be conducted via e-mail.
Several ―cyber cafes‖ offer access to the Internet for those who do not own or have ready access to a computer.
It should be noted that due to bioterrorism hazards attendant on postal com- munication, e-mail could well become a safer alternative. According to the San Francisco Chronicle (October 23, 2001, p. B1), the volume of e-mail has risen 25% since September 11, 2001. When very valuable and confidential information
44 TECHNOLOGY AND BUSINESS RESEARCH
such as company contracts is conveyed by e-mail, firms that provide encrypted e-mail, digital signatures, and other security features stand to benefit.
E-mail provider Critical Path will be selling a service called ―online registered mail,‖ which would allow sensitive documents to be sent online with an extra layer of security, and let the sender keep track of when the document is received and opened. With the increasing number of products in the market offering Inter- net security, transactions of business via e-mail is becoming simplified. Some companies like Schwab also resort to ordinary e-mails, alerting customers that their statement is ready on the company‘s secure web site.
Privacy of employees using the Internet is, however, not always assured. Some companies keep tabs on the use of Internet and e-mail facilities for private pur- poses. Companies like AOL have a declared policy of not reading customers‘ e- mail, not keeping tabs on web hits, and not seeking data from children without their parents‘ approval.
The Intranet
The Intranet is to the internal system of the organization what the Internet is to its external environment. That is, it links internal data networks of the com- pany, but prevents access to others outside the company. It also facilitates data gathering from within the company; for example, surveys can be easily con- ducted through the Intranet to assess employee morale or the popularity of benefit packages.
The Intranet can be creatively put to use. Cronin (1998) remarked that Ford‘s Intranet success is so spectacular that the automaker‘s in-house web site could save billions of dollars and fulfill a cherished dream of building cars on demand.
Cronin went on to explain how the carmaker‘s product development system doc- uments thousands of steps that go into manufacturing, assembling, and testing vehicles. By opening its Intranet to major suppliers, Ford customized every car and truck while reducing costs at the same time. For instance, suppliers could provide car seats in the sequence of colors needed, so that blue seats are ready just when the blue cars reach the seat installation station. By opening up its Intranet to suppliers and coordinating the delivery and assembly of thousands of components, some auto companies tried to move closer to ―manufacturing on demand.‖ Now automakers use private ―trading exchanges‖ like Covisint to work with suppliers.
Browsers
The wide use of the Internet will not have been rendered possible without the enabling features of the browser, which front-ends the web sites and web appli- cations. Browser software (like Microsoft‘s Explorer and Netscape) allows even the nontechnical user easy access to and navigation through the web. Without the browsers, the Internet would have continued to be relegated to the confines of a limited group of highly technical users. In a sense, browsers ignited the
―Internet revolution.‖