Table of Contents
Executive summary
1. Introduction
2. Main Body
2.1. First section of the report
· Context of use;
· Impact of the home page;
· Usability;
· Page layout and navigation;
· Information content.
· Legal and ethical considerations
2.2. Second Section of the report
· Business model of dell
· Source of competitive advantage
3. Summary
Executive Summary
Businesses undergo various changes depending on the situation in the industry and the demand for change by the internal and external environment. One change that happens to business is improvements in the technologies they use. Business improves their technologies so that they can create better products, improve their competitiveness against other firms and provide better service to clients. They also improve their technologies to correct any things not working well for the company’s operations. The improvements in the technologies can make the business and the employees perform better or it can create more problems for the company. It can also help the company reach its goals. One improvement in the technology is the use of the internet and E-commerce. With the onset of new technologies such as e-commerce, businesses have to consider how the new technology may affect their relationship with others and whether such technology contradicts with their ethical standards. E-commerce has continuously widened its range. E-commerce is the technology that is creating various changes in the environment. E-commerce provided a new way for business to improve on their service to clients. In e-commerce business can be transpired without personal meetings or conferences of the buyer and the seller. In e-commerce no personal relationship is needed for it to prosper. The paper will discuss about the appraisal of the key characteristics of Dell’s web site. The paper will also give recommendations on how the company can compete with Dell’s website. Moreover the paper will discuss about the business model and source of competitive advantage for the company.
Introduction
Although the history of the Internet itself can be traced to the 1960s or perhaps even earlier, the development of the international regime for the Internet began with the acceptance of the first Transmission Control Protocol/Internet work Protocol (TCP/IP) as a de facto worldwide standard in the 1980s and 1990s. In its earliest years before it became international the Internet was a single experimental network serving a dozen sites in the United States and a related set of innovative computer based communications techniques that made possible some networking experiments with advanced computer sites in Europe ( 2001). But the reach of the original Internet was limited because networks could initially be built only between specific and highly reliable computer systems. By the early 1970s computer networking capabilities had expanded to the point where many founders of the Internet could conceive of building a worldwide network of subsidiary computer networks and even individual computers ( 2001).
The major problems involved in building an overall international network had to do with, first, the lack of a practical design for a universal host protocol that would work on both reliable and unreliable networks and, second, methods of attaching specific networks to each other. Although communication by e-mail among computer users was becoming more common in the mid-1970s, a person could still only send a message to another person who was connected to a single discrete network. The key breakthrough in creating the possibility of connecting all networks and computers throughout the world occurred at a meeting organized at Stanford University in 1973 when all academic, government, military, and commercial groups with substantial interest in computer networking at that time were able to assemble in one place ( 2001).As new versions of Internet protocols were developed in subsequent years, gateways became increasingly easier to connect and could be located faster because they ran only IP and did not have to duplicate host functions. Both IP and TCP protocols have advanced considerably since 1978, but the goal of all advanced TCP/IP protocols has been to further the universality and decentralized nature of worldwide computer networking ( 2001).
The internet is a connection of network systems from all over the world. It started from a project of the US that intends to gain advantage over the Russian technology. This project created a program that aims to interconnect radar systems in the country. Those responsible in the program saw the potential of interconnecting systems as a unifying factor for human beings located in different places. After careful studies and advancements in technologies, the internets reach grew wider and wider. Its capacities and capabilities changed and its benefits to people grew more evident. The internet and websites provided not only an easier way to transact business, it created and alternative source of promotion for a firm and its products. Such capability of the internet is used by the company Dell to gain competitive advantage and increase its market to far and unexplored locations.
Main Body
First section
Context of use
The merger between the Internet, corporate and co-operative networks introduced changes in all three. This must be kept in mind when assessing the nature of cyberspace that develops with the Internet, as many find it easy to dismiss the Internet because of its origins in military funding. There are two main social forces that have driven the Internet to its present position. The first is the military-industrial complex, which has provided the main funding for some of the more grandiose projects that make up cyberspace and which provides an important cultural background to certain technological choices that have been made (1999). The second influence is a grassroots and populist attempt to create networks and computers that place the power of computers in the hands of individuals, precisely so that the establishment and elites can be undermined. Here can be found the enthusiasts who created the personal computer, the programmers who have created and shared free software and an ethic of free and open use of networks that still dominates many parts of cyberspace. It is impossible to predict precisely the future of the Internet and the cyberspace it supports (1999).
However, the success of a packet-switching distributed network of computers is undoubted and will form the basis of future networks. Those on the Internet use it extensively, usually at least once a day, and use it for a range of activities that include work and entertainment in equal measure. Internet and Web users are, then, not only from the most privileged sections of society; they are also committed to cyberspace and use it extensively. Its users have a clear and now largely stable demographic profile, with the sole exception of some uncertainty over whether gender equality lies in the future. This is a world not of disembodied consciousnesses having access to the sum total of human information, but of myriad acronyms, corporate rivalries and gradually growing sources of information and opportunities to communicate with other humans (1999).An enterprise might be very strongly affected by the Internet through other institutions even though it itself did not connect or utilize the technology. Institutions are seen as permeable. Each person participates in many institutions, and the experience with the Internet in one institutional role can affect other institutional roles ( 2000).
The internet and website has created an impact to almost everything in this world. It changed the way Dell operates; it also created changes in the way people do their work in the company. Although it is believed that internet and websites is being used by individuals to gain power and prestige, it cannot be ignored that the internet and websites made sure that services can be done on a faster time. Internet and the website also helped provide needed information with regards to the different branches of Dell located in more than one location. It also helped the company inform the clients who are located in a far place about their products and services and which branch they can go to so avail of the company’s products.
Impact of the home page
To prosper in today’s information age, an institution has the obligation to maintain a public presence capable of reaching out to and informing others interested in knowing about the true nature of the company. In the past Dell has done this through traditional channels of communication, such as television advertisements, brochures, mailers, and posters (2000). After some time the company began displaying its presence in the emerging public sphere of cyberspace using a homepage that can be read by anyone with access to the World Wide Web. Creating a homepage is a rhetorical endeavor, since it involves manipulating a unique textual form hypertext to produce a discourse that addresses an audience in an eloquent way and thereby makes a good showing of the institution it represents (2000).
The home page is considered to be the page at a Web site that serves as the starting point from which other pages at the site can be accessed. A home page serves a function similar to the table of contents of a book. A home page is to be distinguished from the welcome page found at some sites that serves as a gateway to the site but does not function as the table of contents. Most Web sites are designed with the expectation that a user will initially view a page containing background information such as that provided on a home page ( 1999). The homepage of Dell serves as the part where information about the overall contents of the site. It also contains different choices on what product is needed and different subcategories relating to each product groupings. The homepage of Dell can have either English or Chinese inscriptions. The user can just click a part of the site that will transform the site’s language and text capabilities. The homepage also contains the different services that the website can offer to the client. Moreover the homepage contains short descriptions of some of the products and what does a certain client think about the company’s product.
Usability
Usability is aimed for through logical dialogue using speech recognition, through grouping and color coding of buttons with related functions, through adding displays with an abundance of text and icons, and through writing logically structured manuals. Current efforts on improving usability focus on making things easier. However, there is more to usability than ease of use. A user may choose to work with a product despite it being difficult to use, because it is challenging, seductive, playful, surprising, memorable or rewarding, resulting in enjoyment of the experience. It could be argued that it is only when computers can recognize the frustration and irritation of the users that usability will truly be realized. The concept of usability is regarded by many as a milestone in the history of computer system design, specifically the design and evaluation of user interfaces (2001). Since the term entered common usage in the early 1980′s, the consideration of usability has greatly impacted on the way in which many interactive systems are developed. Usability compels designers to think from the very beginning about end-users. Therefore, it has contributed to the evolution, from the traditional top-down design approach to a more iterative-design approach. Despite the apparent current popularity of usability thinking, the acceptance of the user-centered metric has not been easy in a development world dominated by a previously unquestioned system-centered philosophy. Historically, the latter approach assumed that users could, and would, adapt to whatever was built. Training, support documentation and help functions were considered to be the most appropriate solution to serious interaction difficulties (2001).
Only within the usability framework has the end-user become the focus of the design process. The recognition that usability is a fundamental aspect of product quality as well as of marketing is a fairly recent reality. Nowadays, much usability research effort is devoted to the development and validation of cost-effective evaluation tools to encourage the integration of usability issues into design. Currently, the value of the usability framework is so well acknowledged that proposing major revisions will no doubt sound outlandish to many usability and human factors specialists (2001). Dell’s website is easy to use because of its simple design and understandable contents. It makes use of graphics and pictures that gives assistance to the user on what to click if they need certain information. The arrangement of each segment of the website is not complicated thus users can easily know what to click if they are looking for a certain product. The website features a support and help section which can guide the user in navigating the website.
Page layout and navigation
The Web has revolutionized how many people access information. Instead of picking up a telephone directory to look up a phone number, for example, many people prefer to simply do a quick lookup on the Web. Many students now turn to the Web instead of their dictionaries or encyclopedias. Given that the Web has become such an important source of information for so many people, the significance of presenting that information in a way that people can quickly and easily use it should be obvious. The layout of information on a computer screen clearly has a significant impact on its usability (2005).This has been shown many times in the pre-Web world of displays and there is every reason to believe it is just as important on the Web. With regard to page layout for the Web, some of the issues include how much information to put on individual pages, adopting a fixed versus fluid approach to page layout, the use of white space, what to put where on a Web page, and how users scan Web pages. A closely related question to overall page layout is whether the consistency of the layout of Web pages in a site actually makes a difference in terms of the usability of the site. Another question that has an impact on page layout is how to divide up the information in a site across pages (2005).
One of the often-debated issues in page design for the Web is whether to use a fixed layout or a fluid layout. From a technical standpoint, this typically means using fixed pixel widths for tables and other page elements versus percentage widths for those elements. A key decision in laying out a Web page is what pieces of information to put where. As Web development tools become more capable user interface issues already common to current graphical user interface design arise, such as the importance of a sound information architecture that supports users’ tasks and mental models of their work, the importance of good conceptual model design to communicate the information architecture, support and exploit user models, and facilitate effective navigation, the importance of context information to maintain a sense of place, both global and local, the importance of good page layout and design; the importance of effective feedback and the importance of user-centered design and usability testing (2005).
Effective page layout depends on differentiating the various elements on the page, which may include Page and section headings; navigation links; main content; related content links; advertising images or links and subsidiary content (2001). The page layout of Dell’s website is simple yet informative wherein all the needed information and related information can be a few clicks away. Dell’s website has managed to put various aspects of the web in appropriate places that can easily be noticed by those viewing the website. The navigation of the website is easy to find. Users can easily find the information they want without viewing the page entirely. Dell’s website has obvious section names wherein the user doesn’t have to use a dictionary to know what a certain section means. The website also makes sure that as the user clicks a certain section they are continuously reminded of what site they are visiting.
Information content
Dell’s website contains understandable information on certain aspects of the product. The website has needed information on each of the company’s product. It has easy to understand description of each product, what makes each product unique, the physical characteristics of each product, how many variants are there in terms of color and design and how much is the product with or without discounts. Dell’s website also features quotes about the product and information on why a client should buy the product.
Legal and ethical considerations
Dell’s website makes sure that it will not create legal and ethical issues. The website makes sure that the content of the website will not offend anybody and will not create any ethical problems due to racy contents or unacceptable information. Dell’s website makes sure that it followed any conditions set by the law with regards to websites. Any qualifications set by the law were carefully studied and followed as the website was made. Dell’s website also made sure that it does not violate any intellectual property laws.
Section 2
Business Model
The company offers product with the best quality and high reliability they make sure that the product offered to the consumer are of the best value. The quality of the products of the company is of the same standards as its competitors. Having a lower quality of standards can lead to unfavorable things happening to the company, this is what Dell and its competitors are trying to avoid by creating quality products. Dell makes use of technology that assist in creating the best products. The use of such technology would become uneventful if the business model of the company would not be followed. The business model of dell concentrates on minimum inventory but immediate response to customer’s needs. To accomplish such model the company coordinates customer orders and the suppliers so that the products can be produced on time.
Source of competitive advantage
Competitive advantage can be acquired by a company through proper implementation of strategy and a good relationship with the internal and external environment. The corporate competency of the firm is embedded on its quality of products and efficiency of service. The company makes sure that the products are made from the best materials; they also make sure that the clients will find the products enough for their taste. Dell’s methods, approaches, processes, and relationship create competitive advantage by making sure that the clients receive what they desire. The methods, approaches, processes, and relationship the company uses are designed to serve the clients and give them satisfaction. These things aim to help ease the consumer’s transaction with the company. These things give the company advantage against its rivals. Dell’s methods, approaches, processes, and relationship create competitive advantage by encouraging consumers to purchase products by the company. The methods, approaches, processes, and relationship dell uses are customer oriented thus because of this customers are encouraged to purchase the company’s products. When more consumers buy a company’s product it tends to bring competitive advantage the company and makes the competition struggling. Dell’s methods, approaches, processes, and relationship create competitive advantage by making itself unique among others. The methods, approaches, process, and relationship dell uses gives it distinction and uniqueness from its competitors. Being unique means standing out against others and innovating new things that others might emulate. This uniqueness helps the company gain competitive advantage against its rivals.
Summary
The homepage of Dell serves as the part where information about the overall contents of the site. It also contains different choices on what product is needed and different subcategories relating to each product groupings. Dell’s website is easy to use because of its simple design and understandable contents. It makes use of graphics and pictures that gives assistance to the user on what to click if they need certain information. The page layout of Dell’s website is simple yet informative wherein all the needed information and related information can be a few clicks away. The website has needed information on each of the company’s product. Dell’s website makes sure that it will not create legal and ethical issues. The website makes sure that the content of the website will not offend anybody and will not create any ethical problems due to racy contents or unacceptable information.
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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