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Welcome

to the Virtual Enterprise

IME420 The Virtual Enterprise

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Put simply, the class is about collaboration. Which is to say that a Virtual Enterprise is about collaboration.

The advent of new technologies has always had an impact on our species’ ability to collaborate, from the invention of paper and printed symbols, to the printing press, to the telephone, to the computer, and ultimately (at least for now) to the World Wide Web.

So the in 420 class this term, we will examine, play with, and evaluate the newest generation of collaboration tools, such as wikis, groupware and virtual worlds.

IME420 The Virtual Enterprise

WHAT THIS CLASS IS ABOUT

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A paper which evaluates the potential of virtual environments for business/education.

Plus your input on certain key issues we will identity during the next few weeks. For example: Should JSU purchase an island in SecondLife, There, or some other virtual environment in order to explore the virtual environment potential further?

Should future 420 classes continue in this VERY experimental vein?

IME420 The Virtual Enterprise

http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/cyberone/course-materials/second-life/

YOUR DELIVERABLES

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Some things you will need to own or have access to.- high-speed Internet connectivity- a headset with a microphone, or speakers and a microphone

IME420 The Virtual Enterprise

There were times in the history of the world where stability reigned for ages. Then came dramatic moments of change called paradigm shifts or a punctuated equilibrium.

Barring some world calamity, that era seems to be over and it seems to me we are in a time of perpetual and accelerating change. And you will constantly deal with new business paradigms.

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Even though it’s a relatively new term, (or perhaps because of it) the definition of a ‘virtual enterprise’ is changing/evolving.

The chief reason for this is the Web.

On the IME420 website, I describe it as a “a new organization for the 21st century, enabled by new information technologies and evolving

to compete in a global economy”

IME420 The Virtual Enterprise

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Categories of Virtual Enterprises

TRADITIONAL

IME420 The Virtual Enterprise

These are enterprises that use technology tools to collaborate across time and distance.

For example: between distant offices across multiple time zones; or between non-collocated employees

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Categories of Virtual Enterprises

CONTEMPORARY

IME420 The Virtual Enterprise

Enterprises which have a presence in a virtual environment.

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The Web is powering this change

Increased bandwidthGreater network capabilityAccess to billions of peopleAccess to new ideasAccess to new tools- tools to collaborate- tools to create- tools to manage

IME420 The Virtual Enterprise

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Web evolution from a user experience

IME420 The Virtual Enterprise

Initially – look and read – (Brochureware/green screen)

Then – participate – Shop, purchase, interact

Then (now) – participate in production, content development

Next – the immersive Web, full immersion into the Web environment

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To a large extent the workplace has always been about collaboration.

Today, the ability to integrate the talents of dispersed individuals and organizations is becoming the defining competency for managers and firms (Wikinomics, 2007).

IME420 The Virtual Enterprise

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Avatar: An Incarnation; An electronic image that both represents and is manipulated by a computer user.

IME420 The Virtual Enterprise

Definitions

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Content slide 1

IME420 The Virtual Enterprise