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Chapter 7 Running Case Solution
1. How could the various Internet tools help employees at Dirt Bikes? Create a matrix
showing what types of employees and business functions would benefit from using each type
of tool and why.
The Internet is far easier and less expensive to use for much of telecommunications
than more traditional technologies. In addition, the cost of installation and training for using
the Net is very low. Cost for using the Net is low enough that many smaller companies that
could not afford telecommunications earlier are now using it, which means they are able to
A SAMPLE MATRIX:
Tool
Department
Benefit
E-mail
Sales
Communicate and share documents with customers and dealers
Accounting
Exchanging orders, invoices, and other necessary documents
Usenet
Customer relations
A bulletin board for customers to exchange information and ideas
Design
Discuss scientific issues with non DB scientists, designers, producers.
Chatting
Sales
Salespersons on road discuss problems with home staff
Management
Production
Facing production problems, researching the experiences of others
Finance
Following the markets, interest rates and own investments
FTP
Design
Sharing large design files with distant colleagues
Supplies
Making large DB design documents available to suppliers
Wireless devices such as Internet-enabled cell phones or Wi-Fi enabled PCs can be useful
when employees need to be away from their home base and yet needing to use the Net. Instant
messaging can be an excellent tool for communicating with other employees and with
customers, suppliers and all the other non-employees the company will have to deal with.
Students may find other uses for Internet tools and services not covered here.
2. How could Dirt Bikes benefit from intranets for its sales and marketing, human resources,
and manufacturing and production departments? Select one of these departments and
describe the kind of information that could be provided by an intranet for that department.
How could this intranet increase efficiency and productivity for that department?
Again, there are a multitude of responses students can give. Students must realize that
handbooks and benefits information, not only making this rapidly available but also saving on
printing and distribution costs. Finance and accounting can integrate its information online for
One area where productivity can be increased and costs reduced through the use of an
intranet by production. The production unit can monitor possible design changes and even
offer input on ways to make the proposed changes that will be easier and cheaper to
Another example is for marketing to be successful, marketers need to both understand
what is successful in stimulating sales and to communicate to sales the information they need
(two-way communication). We mentioned human resources in answering the questions above.
Manufacturing needs close contact with designers, those managing their supply chain, and
even accounting. Sales must also communicate information that manufacturing needs so that
