Trends in MIS
For this paper you will look through the resources section, then choose an article that you feel
comfortable with read it and then respond to the two main questions , but you should not just limit to the
two main questions asked , you show also show your understanding of the topic by elaborating on the two
responses. Pay attention to proper grammer and also the use of 3rd person in this paper.
Trends in MIS
With the pace of technological innovation rapidly accelerating, thousands of potential new technologies
are waiting to be developed. Organizations must be able to discern which of these are likely to flourish
and have the greatest impact on their market space.
For this paper, you will read one article listed on the Resources below related to a topic that interests you,
then research that topic further on your own and online. Based upon your research, answer the following
questions:
� Identify several major trends in IT. What are the impacts of these trends on the organization and the
consumer?
� Which emerging technology did you choose to investigate? In what ways do you expect this
technology to alter or enhance business strategy and organization? Which types of businesses or
commerce might it impact?
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TRENDS IN MIS
Trends in MIS
There are several major trends in IT, and these trends have impacts not only on the
organization, but also the consumer. Some of these trends include (i) the development of new
technologies in various sectors and industries, for instance the much hyped Radio Frequency
Identification networks and its adoption across dissimilar end-user sectors. (ii) Embracing
electronic payment methods including web-based payments and phone-initiated bill payment;
and (iii) Improved and more secure payment processing as a result of advances in technology.
These trends have substantial impacts on the organization and the consumer alike. On the
organization, these trends promise many benefits such as improved operational efficiency,
enhanced inventory control, improved customer experiences, and decrease in costs. The impact
on the consumer include improved customer experiences, improved customer satisfaction, and
superior products and services in the market place for the consumer (Symonds & Parry, 2008).
The emerging technology that I selected to investigate is Radio Frequency Identification
(RFID) technology. Symonds and Parry (2008) pointed out that RFID devices are, in essence,
small memory storage devices which could be read and at times written to from a distance with
the use of radio waves through an apt interrogation device. RFID is essentially a smart label.
Radio frequency identification tags are intelligent bar codes which are able to talk to a networked
system in tracking all products that the shopper puts in his/her shopping cart. RFID uses a small
chip which is embedded in a tag. The chip could record and store data, for instance a purchase
record, price, or a serial number. The tag could be appended on many things such as vehicles,
shipping containers, or merchandise. An electronic scanner will then be able to utilize radio
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TRENDS IN MIS
signals in reading or tracking the ID tag (RFID Journal, 2013). Devices that use RFID have been
flaunted and hyped as a replacement for barcodes in supply-chain applications.
RFID technology may alter or enhance business strategy and organization in that
businesses may adopt RFID technology to solve the many problems which are associated with
the use of barcodes (RFID Journal, 2013). For instance, with the use of bar codes, a scanner must
see the bar code in order to read it, meaning that the bar code has to be oriented toward a scanner
so that it can be read. By contrast, RFID does not necessitate line-of-sight given that RFID tags
could be read provided they are within a range of a reader (Symonds & Parry, 2008). However,
the RFID technology is more expensive than barcodes. RFID will not replace bar codes. They
will coexist side by side for many years. Both have their respective cons and pros, and a business
organization will choose the one that will suit its specific needs.
The types of businesses or commerce that would be impacted by this new technology
include retailers, pharmaceutical companies, and airports. Retailers could obtain real-time
comprehensive information on their stock by using an on-going automatic scan system in their
stores and warehouses. This could be much more efficient compared to having a worker check
inventory on the shelves manually, and may ultimately reduce costs and improve experiences of
customers in stores through better supplies and stocking (Industry Canada, 2014). Retailers can
also use it to ensure one shot scanning of products at the cash whereby every item in the
consumer’s cart could be scanned at the same time whilst they are still inside the cart without
having to remove the goods for checkout, thereby speeding things up at the store. Besides
retailers, businesses in the pharmaceutical industry can use RFID tags to help in identifying
potentially harmful and fake medicines. Airports could also use RFID tags to detect luggage
loading errors automatically before bags get lost (Industry Canada, 2014).
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TRENDS IN MIS
References
Industry Canada. (2014). Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) in the Retail Marketplace.
