 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||
 |
||||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||
|
||||||||
|
 |
|
Insights
The technology of multiapplication smart cards allows a cardholder to consolidate a variety of applications—such as identification, debit/credit, loyalty programs, secure electronic and mobile commerce, transit fare, and physical access—on one easy-to-use credit-card-size medium. Although enthusiastic technologists and marketers have hailed the benefits of multiapplication smart cards, emerging issuer-centric business models have eclipsed the benefits of multiapplication smart cards. The most common early smart-card implementations involve multifunction smart cards whose benefits are predetermined and limited by the smart-card issuer. Financial, corporate security, and secure mobile commerce applications have been the focus of rekindled interest in smart cards, buttressed by respective financial, computer network, and mobile-phone industries. Privacy concerns and emerging issuer-centric business models are likely to prevent adoption of cardholder-centric multiapplication smart cards in the United States. Developments in open operating environment standards and hardware-card acceptance-device interoperability standards, however, offer opportunities for contained multifunction smart cards that companies can offer as a value-added service to employees or customers. For example, a company can offer corporate smart cards to employees to secure computer network and building access, offer rewards programs with partnering retail stores, enable remote access to the corporate server, and allow employees to transfer information stored on one mobile-phone standard to another when traveling abroad. Similarly, a company can issue smart cards to customers to offer value-added services, such as secure mobile commerce, and create new channels of access to the cardholder through selling "space" on the smart card or partnering with retail stores. Author: Margaret Pak. 11 pages. Index Keywords: Banking; Computer Security; Electronic Commerce; Internet Technologies.
The media and a variety of political organizations have stressed the concept of the digital divide for the past several years. And although it is certainly important to identify possibly problematic developments in society, an array of studies reveal improvements in the field. Additionally, a large number of initiatives and projects try to close the divide. Unfortunately, the discussion about causes and implications overlooks in most cases important aspects and fails to identify background and societal context on the one side and to address crucial factors for decision makers in the business environment on the other side. Surprisingly, more often than not, observers scrutinize the digital divide without regard to factors that at least contribute to it, if they do not trigger its existence in the first place. Failure to embed the phenomenon in a comprehensive model distorts the analysis and conceals important implications. The digital divide does not represent an isolated phenomenon that surfaced with the advent of the new economy. It is a symptom of deeply entrenched conditions that separate groups on a national and international level. People usually describe the digital divide in terms of user demographics. Although useful in framing the issue, demographics do not provide new product designers and marketers with enough insight to identify valid user targets and to develop actionable market plans. Companies need information about users' mind-sets and their use and purchase behaviors in order to make well-founded business decisions. This paper demystifies the digital divide and unveils factors that companies must take into account in order to prosper in a fast-paced, continually changing competitive environment. Author: Martin Schwirn. 12 pages. Index Keywords: Demographic Trends; Electronic Commerce; Forecasting; Internet; Marketing; Polarization.
Until recently, three-dimensional (3-D) immersive technology was within reach of only a few scientists and engineers who work for companies that could afford the expensive 3-D stereo displays. General Motors, Ford, Boeing, and NASA have been using them for more than a decade. But nowadays, 3-D technology is garnering attention from managers looking for a competitive edge. The base technologies for a future 3-D market have made considerable progress. Liquid-crystal technology is more affordable, operating systems and network connections are more powerful, and fancier graphics engines are starting to drive platform trends. As a result, companies are investing large amounts of money in 3-D visualization R&D. This study reports the emerging trends in 3-D displays and discusses their potential applications in several industries. It notes that display images are immersive and volumetric. It explores and finds companies and technologies that hold the most commercial promise for profit and fulfilling technological needs of the future. More specifically, this study looks at the key players in each segment of the industry and their chief products and applications, as well as prospective products. Author: Christina H. Lee. 11 pages. Index Keywords: Computer Hardware; Computer Software; Display Devices; Imaging Technology; Virtual Reality.
As commerce moves online, businesses need ways to secure their transactions. When choosing a security system, a business should consider what parts of its business it most needs to protect. Computer security and network security are based on different cryptosystems, and each has a different strength. Traditional systems, examples of which include RSA and DSA (both of which are kinds of digital signature algorithms) are older and relatively proven. Software and hardware often have RSA or DSA built into them, and therefore these programs can easily exchange security information about their users because they recognize each other. A slightly newer cryptosystem, ECC (elliptic curve cryptography), has similar security capabilities but can operate with much smaller key sizes, which means that running it takes less space and less time. Fewer enterprises have implemented ECC systems, however, which means that ECC is not currently an industry standard and may not interoperate with other systems. Identifying the best cryptosystem depends on the goals of the business. This study examines cryptosystem characteristics and shows that in light of the rapidly developing wireless demands of many companies, the new elliptic curve cryptosystems may be the better choice for many security systems. Author: Carolyn E. Sleeth. 15 pages. Index Keywords: Computer Security; Electronic Commerce; Security Industry.
In March 2001, staff members in SRI Consulting Business Intelligence's (SRIC-BI's) European office met to discuss signals of change that they had picked up in their reading and professional activities. The meeting was part of SRIC-BI's Scan process, which allows analysts, researchers, and marketers to brainstorm about the implications of emerging changes and look for unexpected patterns across industries and markets. European staff discussed what might lie ahead for the current gray workforce—employees older than age 50—as they approach the traditional ages of retirement. Increased life expectancy may mean that some workers opt to continue working. Inadequate pension investments could result in some workers' having to work. Might governments even reconsider the concept of age-based retirement? Another work-related issue surfaced during the European Scan meeting: office rage. The cost to a company of an incident of office rage could be high, given that an employer may be liable for attacks on staff. Improving the physical layout of an office or offering in-house relaxation facilities might reduce the expected rise in office rage. A further area of discussion centered on how brands are coming under increasing threat. Staff highlighted how ubiquitous connectivity means that companies will have to fight harder to protect against information that may damage their brand. This study develops the ideas that arose during the European Scan meeting and provides key implications for companies. Authors: Samantha Blighe and Rob Edmonds. 10 pages. Index Keywords: Advertising; Aging Population; Demographic Trends; Human Resources; Labor Force; Marketing. News The summaries below describe current activities and programs not included in the B-I-P membership but of potential interest to members. LoD's European Online Learning Conference SRI Consulting Business Intelligence's Learning-on-Demand (LoD) program held a conference in London on 12 to 14 February. It was the first European outing for the U.S.-based Online Learning conference. The European conference drew an international audience (with a strong European bias) of some 430 delegates and presenters from industry, government organizations, and academia. Through a series of presentations by both eLearning users and vendors—presenting jointly in a number of cases—as well as by industry analysts and academics, the conference covered a variety of issues and developments facing vendors and users of eLearning, both in Europe and in the United States. The most recent LoD Travel Report discusses the conference outcomes most relevant to the clients of the LoD program. For more information about LoD, telephone: +1 650 859 4600; e-mail: info@sric-bi.com. |
 |
|
||||||||||||
(Korean Inquiries)
(Japanese site)