Small organisations who decide to go after public sector contracts are often warned about the dangers involved. If you expand rapidly or win a large contract that you are not prepared for, could you over extend yourself? If you win one contract and do not go after more, could you become reliant on one source of income for your survival? There are no easy answers to these questions. No organisation can ever avoid risk; the key is to ensure that you have the proper information to hand to understand the environment in which you are operating. This will enable you to anticipate, understand and then manage any dangers.
For many organisations, winning and delivering the first contract can be the most problematic and expensive. But, once this has been overcome, the risks lessen with each new contract, as your systems become more refined and your overheads are reduced
Requirements
The directors of Greenwich Constructions mentioned “neither they nor their staffs have the skills needed to implement and operate such devices”. When new IT systems are introduced to your business, staff will need to learn how to use them and will require technical support should things go wrong. This is particularly important if IT is being introduced to the business for the first time. If staffs are not given adequate training in new IT systems, there may be a number of drawbacks such as business operations being disrupted and this may have adverse effect on their success in bidding for the Olympics contract. Efficiency and productivity falling and the business losing confidence in the new system. Appendix 1 shows the process of searching the internet search using flow chart format
There are many potential benefits if staff are adequately trained and supported, for example business operations will not be interrupted by the introduction of new systems and staff will be more confident in their use of IT, leading to improvements in their productivity and also staff can make full use of new systems as soon as they are installed. Having improved IT skills within the business will allow Greenwich Construction to introduce new technology as it becomes available. The more effort put into training and supporting the staff, the greater the rewards in the long run.
Also, there must be a portable device where by employees and employers will be able to share information between them on the go. A wireless local area network (LAN) will be needed whereby data can be transmitted to a server, which communicates with the company’s mainframe.
Firewall and encryption software must be install to prevent unauthorized users from accessing the network and also coding and scrambling of message to prevent unauthorized access to or understanding of the data being transmitted and an Internet Service Provider (ISP) for their emails, phone calls and their portable devices
Wireless networking is easy to set up, and it's convenient, especially if you are on the move without your portable computer while staying connected. But because they use the airwaves, wireless communications are more vulnerable to interception and attack than a wired connection.
Encryption is the number one security measure, but many wireless access points (WAPs) don't have encryption enabled by default. Although most WAPs support the Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) protocol, it's not enabled by default. WEP has a number of security flaws, and a knowledgeable hacker can crack it, but it's better than no encryption at all. Be sure to set the WEP authentication method for "shared key" rather than "open system". The latter does not encrypt the data; it only authenticates the client. Change the WEP key frequently and use 128-bit WEP rather than 40-bit.
Greenwich Construction can also isolate their wireless network from the rest of the LAN. To protect their wired internal network from threats coming over the wireless network, they must create a wireless DMZ or perimeter network that's isolated from the LAN. That means placing a firewall between the wireless network and the LAN. Then they can require that in order for any wireless client to access resources on the internal network, he or she will have to authenticate with a remote access server and/or use a VPN. This provides an extra layer of protection
Another security measure is to transmit on a different frequency. One way to "hide" from hackers who use the more common 802.11b/g wireless technology is to go with 802.11a instead. Since it operates on a different frequency (the 5 GHz range, as opposed to the 2.4 GHz range in which b/g operate), NICs made for the more common wireless technologies won't pick up its signals. Sure, this is a type of "security through obscurity" but it's perfectly valid when used in conjunction with other security measures
A drawback of 802.11a, and one of the reasons it's less popular than b/g, is that the range is shorter: about half the distance of b/g. It also has difficulty penetrating walls and obstacles. From a security standpoint, this "disadvantage" is actually an advantage, as it makes it more difficult for an outsider to intercept the signal even with equipment designed for the technology.
Possible Solutions
Laptop is a portable computer using rechargeable batteries and with an LCD screen, small enough to use on your lap. The main benefit of a laptop to Greenwich Construction is the portability. This can be a huge benefit, allowing you to use it on the move, and practically anywhere else. Along with this benefit comes a large drawback. It is just as easy for someone else to walk off with it as it is for you. Laptops are stolen at an alarming rate, because they are just so easy to steal. And when that computer is stolen, not only do you lose the value of the computer, but also all of your valuable data. Another major drawback of a laptop is that their parts are "proprietary" which means that if your laptop breaks, only the company that made it will be able to fix it and after the warranty expires they will be very happy to charge you an exorbitant price for that service.
Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) is small mobile hand held device that provides computing and information storage retrieval capabilities for personal or business use, often for keeping schedule calendars and address book information handy. The PDA format is ideal for business meetings - multimedia sales presentation can be taken with you anywhere. It can provide Greenwich Construction sales or marketing staff with PDA's pre-loaded with professional multimedia presentations. This is an excellent sales tool for travelling executives who require the best presentation technology available in a variety of corporate settings. Also, the interactive format provides employee and employers with choices - the opportunity to self-navigate the selection menu and instantly obtains the information desired. One of the PDAs major strength is that unlike a Laptop or Tablet PC, a PDA can be easily carried at all times. The drawback of PDA devices is that their screen resolution isn't sufficiently large so editing large documents, such as spreadsheets, is tiresome.
A Blackberry is a handheld wireless device providing e-mail, telephone, text messaging and web browsing and other wireless data access It can be use to Phone, email or text message your clients. With the Blackberry device, Greenwich Construction won’t need to carry a separate mobile phone, laptop, organizer or PDA. It is your all-in-one wireless solution. Users will be able to receive and send email from customers and employees quickly and easily. Users can easily access contact information with the address book and also set up meetings while at a conference.
A Tablet PC is a computer shaped in the form of a notebook or a slate with the capabilities of being written on through the use of digitizing tablet technology or a touch screen. A user can use a stylus and operate the computer without having to have a keyboard or mouse. The benefit of a Tablet PC is its PC's compact, convertible design allows users to comfortably use your computer in small spaces—even while standing up. Tablet PCs also include wireless Internet support and a long battery life. Due to its convertible design, you can sit across the table from someone and take notes without having your PC act as a dividing wall. It's perfect for sales meetings, or any meeting in which you don’t want technology to interfere with the personal dynamic.
Appendix 2 shows a complete decision table for all the mobile devices
Conclusion and Recommendation
I recommend PDA because Greenwich Construction Ltd is most likely to meet the requirements for the Olympic bid. As shown from the decision table in appendix 2, it has the highest weighting. PDA is ideal for business meetings - multimedia sales presentation can be taken with you anywhere. It can provide Greenwich Construction sales or marketing staff with PDA's pre-loaded with professional multimedia presentations.
APPENDIX 1: INTERNET SEARCH PROCESS
APPENDIX 2: DECISION TABLE
DECISION TABLE FOR FOUR (4) MOBILE DEVICES
APPENDIX 3: NETWORK FLOWCHART
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