Mobile Enterprise
Encyclopedia
Mobile enterprise is general term to describe a corporation or large organization that supports critical business functions and use of business applications via wireless
mobile devices. In a mobile enterprise, employees use mobile devices to do any or all of the following: access email, manage documents, provide customer relationship management
, conduct enterprise resource planning
, fill out invoices, work orders, purchase orders, etc. and manage a corporate calendar and address book. These are the most common applications though many other corporate mobile applications are also used by organizations around the world.
A mobile enterprise generally implies aggressive use of mobile technology facilitated by Internet-based data transmissions. As long as wireless network connectivity is available, enterprise databases can be remotely accessed and updated from anywhere in the world, at anytime, with any device equipped with a Web browser
and by anyone with permission to access such services. A mobile enterprise leverages existing Internet infrastructure and TCP/IP installations. In a mobile enterprise, mobile clients are at parity with other traditional clients such as laptop
and desktop computers. The emphasis is on expedient data interchange and communication; little or no emphasis is placed on the method of access.
According to an article in CRM Guidebooks:
or 2008 submarine cable disruption
in the Middle East that disrupted internet service between the Middle East and Europe.
Security concerns are a major impediment to mobile enterprise adoption. Because mobile devices are easily lost or stolen, companies must be proactive about creating and enforcing security technologies and policies to protect their data and networks from unauthorized access.
Wireless
Wireless telecommunications is the transfer of information between two or more points that are not physically connected. Distances can be short, such as a few meters for television remote control, or as far as thousands or even millions of kilometers for deep-space radio communications...
mobile devices. In a mobile enterprise, employees use mobile devices to do any or all of the following: access email, manage documents, provide customer relationship management
Customer relationship management
Customer relationship management is a widely implemented strategy for managing a company’s interactions with customers, clients and sales prospects. It involves using technology to organize, automate, and synchronize business processes—principally sales activities, but also those for marketing,...
, conduct enterprise resource planning
Enterprise resource planning
Enterprise resource planning systems integrate internal and external management information across an entire organization, embracing finance/accounting, manufacturing, sales and service, customer relationship management, etc. ERP systems automate this activity with an integrated software application...
, fill out invoices, work orders, purchase orders, etc. and manage a corporate calendar and address book. These are the most common applications though many other corporate mobile applications are also used by organizations around the world.
A mobile enterprise generally implies aggressive use of mobile technology facilitated by Internet-based data transmissions. As long as wireless network connectivity is available, enterprise databases can be remotely accessed and updated from anywhere in the world, at anytime, with any device equipped with a Web browser
Web browser
A web browser is a software application for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web. An information resource is identified by a Uniform Resource Identifier and may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content...
and by anyone with permission to access such services. A mobile enterprise leverages existing Internet infrastructure and TCP/IP installations. In a mobile enterprise, mobile clients are at parity with other traditional clients such as laptop
Laptop
A laptop, also called a notebook, is a personal computer for mobile use. A laptop integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device and speakers into a single unit...
and desktop computers. The emphasis is on expedient data interchange and communication; little or no emphasis is placed on the method of access.
Benefits
A mobile enterprise is generally accepted to confer benefits in the areas of higher workforce productivity and employee satisfaction. Faster decision-making is another often cited benefit that results from employees having access to real-time data at the point of action, for example, during a meeting. Use of mobile applications in the workplace can increase worker productivity by as much as 45 percent.According to an article in CRM Guidebooks:
A recent Yankee Group survey “Anywhere Enterprise–Large: U.S. Mobility and Applications Survey” identified that businesses can realize the following advantages from mobile business apps:
- Increased field selling time: 28 percent
- Eliminated redundant activities: 27 percent
- Increased win rates: 26 percent
- Reduced sales calls costs: 25 percent
- Increased forecast accuracy: 25 percent
- Decreased administrative time: 24 percent
- Decreased sales cycle: 23 percent
Disadvantages
The mobile enterprise depends entirely on the Internet as its infrastructure. The system breaks down when a user cannot connect to the Internet. The system does not work in places where Internet service is not available. The system is disrupted whenever the Internet suffers a disruption such as when underwater data cables are damaged by earthquakes as in the case of the 2006 Hengchun earthquake2006 Hengchun earthquake
The 2006 Hengchun earthquake occurred on Tuesday December 26, 2006 at 12:25 UTC , with an epicenter off the southwest coast of Taiwan, approximately 22.8 km west southwest of Hengchun, Pingtung County, Taiwan, with an exact hypocenter 21.9 km deep in the Luzon Strait , which connects the...
or 2008 submarine cable disruption
2008 submarine cable disruption
2008 submarine cable disruption refers to three separate incidents of major damage to submarine optical cables. The first incident caused damage involving up to five high-speed Internet submarine communications cables in the Mediterranean Sea and Middle East from 23 January to 4 February 2008,...
in the Middle East that disrupted internet service between the Middle East and Europe.
Security concerns are a major impediment to mobile enterprise adoption. Because mobile devices are easily lost or stolen, companies must be proactive about creating and enforcing security technologies and policies to protect their data and networks from unauthorized access.