Client/Server computing has become the model for new information architecture.
This technology will take enterprise wide computing into the 21st century.Computing power has rapidly become distributed and interconnected throughoutmany organizations through networks of all types of computers. Networkedcomputer systems are taking the form of client/server computing. Withclient/server computing, end users can handle a broad range of informationprocessing tasks.
This included data entry, inquiry response, updatingdatabases, and providing decision support. How do the client/server systems atHelene Curtis illustrate the benefits of client/server computing? Theclient/server system allows the sales reps the ability to tap into the databaseto retrieve data about product sales and promotions. The reps cans tap into thesystems with their palmpads. The palmpad are hand held computers linking thereps to the company's database system.
With the information retrieved, the repscan give store managers fact based advice on products, promotions, and fillorders. The immediate feedback informs the reps where and which products areselling best and the promotion used to sell. The palmpad is way to maintain goodrelations with retailers, who pass the service to the customers. "Client/Server computing allows many users to share common data resources,including files and databases as well as computer storage and printers.
Sharingdata and information eliminates the need for personal management of data and/orperipheral devices. Finally, client/server computing allows the integration ofgeographically distributed users and computing resources into a cohesivecomputer and communication environment (Senn, 1995, p. 404)." The palmpadslet the field sales reps visit, on average, one more store a day. How might thisbe a competitive advantage for Helene Curtis? Retailers require and expectspecial services from manufacturers.
The palmpad allows reps to visit the storeand act as consultants and account managers. The rep's palmpads, enable the repsto retrieve sales data, track inventory, and link stores. The information willaid the reps in determining manufacture discounts to retailers. Which enablesthe retailers to hold sales and price cut to pull in the price consciousconsumers. Specific information requested by the reps is made available."The server processes database requests and the client takes the resultsand works with them.
Thus, with client/server computing, as much of theprocessing as possible is performed on the server before the requested data andinformation are transmitted to the client. This means specific information, notcomplete files or large sections of databases, are transmitted to the client (Senn,1995, p. 404)." Many stock analysts feel that Helene Curtis is wellpositioned for future growth. As evidence, they cite the company's ongoingintroduction of new, higher-priced brands and its investment in the informationsystems needed to provide good retail service.
What might these predictions meanfor Helene Curtis's competitors? Helene Curtis competitors need to invest in aninformation system. Potential investors are looking not only for a good product,but also an information system that will aid in providing for retail service.The information system will allow companies to track of sales data of itscompetitors. Also, the system will increase productivity. Companies will be ableto compete with new products or price discounts, or whatever else theircompetitors are handing out. The information has to be easily accessible toemployees and provide quick feedback.
"All of this means faster access todata and information, better service for customers, quicker responses to changesin the business environment, more efficient business power, fewer errors, and ingeneral, higher levels of productivity (Senn, 1995, p. 404)." Client/Servertechnology promises many things to many people: to end users, easier access tocorporate and external data; to managers, dramatically lower costs forprocessing; to programmers, reduced maintenance; to corporate planners, andinfrastructure that enables business processes to be reengineered for strategicbenefits. Whether client/server lives up to these promises will depend in largepart on how carefully it is planned for, and how intelligently policies are putforth to manage it.
BibliographyClient/Server computing has become the model for new information architecture.This technology will take enterprise wide computing into the 21st century.Computing power has rapidly become distributed and interconnected throughoutmany organizations through networks of all types of computers. Networkedcomputer systems are taking the form of client/server computing. Withclient/server computing, end users can handle a broad range of informationprocessing tasks. This included data entry, inquiry response, updatingdatabases, and providing decision support.
How do the client/server systems atHelene Curtis illustrate the benefits of client/server computing? Theclient/server system allows the sales reps the ability to tap into the databaseto retrieve data about product sales and promotions. The reps cans tap into thesystems with their palmpads. The palmpad are hand held computers linking thereps to the company's database system. With the information retrieved, the repscan give store managers fact based advice on products, promotions, and fillorders. The immediate feedback informs the reps where and which products areselling best and the promotion used to sell. The palmpad is way to maintain goodrelations with retailers, who pass the service to the customers.
"Client/Server computing allows many users to share common data resources,including files and databases as well as computer storage and printers. Sharingdata and information eliminates the need for personal management of data and/orperipheral devices. Finally, client/server computing allows the integration ofgeographically distributed users and computing resources into a cohesivecomputer and communication environment (Senn, 1995, p. 404)." The palmpadslet the field sales reps visit, on average, one more store a day. How might thisbe a competitive advantage for Helene Curtis? Retailers require and expectspecial services from manufacturers.
The palmpad allows reps to visit the storeand act as consultants and account managers. The rep's palmpads, enable the repsto retrieve sales data, track inventory, and link stores. The information willaid the reps in determining manufacture discounts to retailers. Which enablesthe retailers to hold sales and price cut to pull in the price consciousconsumers. Specific information requested by the reps is made available.
"The server processes database requests and the client takes the resultsand works with them. Thus, with client/server computing, as much of theprocessing as possible is performed on the server before the requested data andinformation are transmitted to the client. This means specific information, notcomplete files or large sections of databases, are transmitted to the client (Senn,1995, p. 404)." Many stock analysts feel that Helene Curtis is wellpositioned for future growth.
As evidence, they cite the company's ongoingintroduction of new, higher-priced brands and its investment in the informationsystems needed to provide good retail service. What might these predictions meanfor Helene Curtis's competitors? Helene Curtis competitors need to invest in aninformation system. Potential investors are looking not only for a good product,but also an information system that will aid in providing for retail service.The information system will allow companies to track of sales data of itscompetitors. Also, the system will increase productivity. Companies will be ableto compete with new products or price discounts, or whatever else theircompetitors are handing out.
The information has to be easily accessible toemployees and provide quick feedback. "All of this means faster access todata and information, better service for customers, quicker responses to changesin the business environment, more efficient business power, fewer errors, and ingeneral, higher levels of productivity (Senn, 1995, p. 404)." Client/Servertechnology promises many things to many people: to end users, easier access tocorporate and external data; to managers, dramatically lower costs forprocessing; to programmers, reduced maintenance; to corporate planners, andinfrastructure that enables business processes to be reengineered for strategicbenefits.
Whether client/server lives up to these promises will depend in largepart on how carefully it is planned for, and how intelligently policies are putforth to manage it.
