Case Study 10.3

1. How important is mobile technology in Orbitz’s business strategy? Why?

     The mobile technology is very important for Orbitz's business strategy. This can be explaining by the beginning of Orbitz company established, Orbitz distinguished itself as a leader in mobile technology. With the mobile technology as their important business strategy, Orbitz can reduce significantly their cost thus it also brings a lot of benefits to their customers. The number of people who book the hotel with mobile devices is growing every day.
        Mobile booking nowadays, is a booking through special applications or mobile versions of the sites. Today that kind of reservation is especially in great demand among demand business traveler. Traveler very appreciate the mobility and the ability to solve problems "here and now". With mobile applications Orbitz.com and mobile version of the application, they can easily book a room, rent a car or buy an airplane ticket, regardless of location, and thus quickly adapt to changing circumstances or be able to change their schedule.

    Also in many conditions, it saves their time and provides maximum comfort and convenience when selecting destinations. Orbitz also can identify which is their consumer is constantly using the smartphones or tablets when travelling. By looking in this importance, Orbitz launched different apps for iPhone, Android, and Window.

2. What people, organization and technology issues did Orbitz need to address in its mobile strategy?

Individual users
Enable mobile users to view average wait times for airport security lines, locate available Wi-Fi services at airport, compute check in delays & taxi line wait times & new weather and traffic conditions. Users of any Website enable device could access capabilities similar to any full-screen e-commerce site.

Organizations

Orbitz m-commerce platform needed to be customized for each firm. For business mobile Website delivers the same set of tools enjoyed by the consumer market while incorporating features.

Technology 

Upgraded to respond to swiping gestures, expedite touch transactions and accommodate the small screen size of any Web-enabled mobile device. GPS and improved search capabilities enable consumers to locate nearby hotels and conduct price and distance.

3. Why are mobile phone users much more likely to book same-day hotel room or airline reservations? 

Orbitz enabled mobile users to view average wait times for airports security lines, locate available Wi-Fi services at airports, compute check-in delays and taxi line wait times and view weather and traffic conditions. The Orbitz also instituted mobile exclusive same-day deals, called Mobile Steals, available both on the e-commerce site and through the hotels by Orbitz app available for iPhone and Android service. Consumer save up to 50% of the standard rate. While only 12% to 14% or traditional e-commerce Website shoppers want to reserve a room for the day on which they are searching smartphone and other mobile users book for the same night between 50% to 60% of the time because they are more likely to be traveling and need a room at last minute.

4. What the role does Orbitz for business play in the company’s business strategy?

Chris Brown, Orbitz vice president, the ability to be a major player in the rapidly escalating e-commerce market will play off. Increased transaction speed provided by Orbitz mobile apps will attract new customer, especially those trying book same day reservations.

Orbitz went first-to-market with an e-commerce site designed specifically for business users. The opportunity was huge, since most business travelers carry smartphones or tablets. Corporate traveler typically must adhere to company rules specifying preferred vendors, cost limits, mandatory services, and expense documentation. The Orbitz for business mobile Website delivers the same set of tools enjoyed by the consumer market  while incorporating features that enable business travelers to adhere to company guideline. 

5. How successful is Orbitz’s mobile strategy? Explain your answer.

Orbitz made many enhancements to its mobile service. It enable mobile users to view averages wait time for airport security lines, locate available WiFi service at airports, compute check-in delays and taxi line wait times, and view weathers and traffic conditions. GPS and improved search capabilities enable consumers to locate nearby hotels and conducts price, distance, and rating comparisons, to compare flights and car rentals based on various customer reviews.ws.

Only Orbitz has a team of in-house travel expert, including former air-traffic controllers, who proactively monitor the conditions that affect traveler from wather and traffic disruptions to flight change and more. Besides that, expertise that helps program take flight likes get information and seasoned professionals with years of corporate travel industry experience whose mission is to provide superior service and expert insights. 

Next, business travel made smarter like count on our innovative business travel solutions to deliver the latest technology, intuitive interfaces and ultimate flexibility to power smarter choices that save time and money. Online, offline and on the go, Orbitz for business helps keep your travelers productive. 

But the other online travel players also believe consumers will increasingly move to mobile to make their travel plans, and they also have been making larges investment in mobile Websites, search tools, and apps. Priceline and TripAdvisor have rated highest in providing an engaging, enjoyable experienced on their sites and both continue to enjoy much stronger growth in unique visitors and visits than Expedia and Orbitz.

Case Study 5.0

1. What business benefits do cloud computing services provide? What problems do they solve?

- Amazon  

* provide subscribing company with flexible computing power and data storage, as well as data management, messanging, payment, and other services that can be used together or individually as the business requires.

* handle all of the maintenance and upkeep of IT infrastructure, leaving business to spend more times on high-value work.

- Cloud formation 

* help customer to determined the right amount of computing resource. Customer provide the amount of service space, bandwitch, storage and others service they requires, and AWS can automatically allocate those resources.

- Zynga (developer of Facebook application) 

* to released a new game, Zynga (developer of Facebook application) not only spend on computing resources of its own but also cost effectively used until it can predict the computing power.

- National Australia Bank (NAB)

* opted for an internal private cloud that hosts the bank's main production, environment, including its new oracle banking system,and will support short term computing intense projects such as marketing campaigns to overhaul business process and core banking system in other to increase its competitive edge and improve customer and banker experience.

- InterContinental hotel

* revamped its IT infrastructure to include both private and public cloud usage. To improve respond time for customer, InterContinental Hotel moved its core room reservation transaction system on to a private cloud within its ow data centre, but it move room availability and pricing website application on to public cloud data centre on the east and west coast. InterContinental Hotel hope to put all of its publicity accessible information in this public clouds so that customer receive faster result to site queries.

- Start up company and small company 

* used cloud infrastructure like Amazon to access to technical capability that was formally available only to much larger business.

2. What are the disadvantages of cloud computing? 

- The disadvantage is the financial benefit of cloud computing for large and mid-size organization are less apparent and they should pay more in monthly service fees for employees and cloud providers.

- A simple network configuration error caused a major multiday service outage in Amazon east cost region. Due to routine network adjustment made by human being, it cause the error spread and effecting many website.

3. How do the concepts of capacity planning, scalability, and TCO apply to this case? Apply these concepts both to Amazon and to subscriber of its services.

- Scalability. Amazon added an automate service called Cloud formation help customer to determined the right amount of computing resource. Customer provide the amount of service space, bandwitch, storage and others service they requires, and AWS can automatically allocate those resources.

- TFO. The Zynga will cost effectively used until it can predict the computing power.

- Capability. Start up company and small company used cloud infrastructure like Amazon to access to technical capability that was formally available only to much larger business.

4. What kinds of business are most likely to benefit from using cloud computing? Why?

E-commerce such as Amazon, e-bay, and e-gov get benefit from using cloud computing because flexible computing power and data storage, as well as data management, messanging, payment, and other services that can be used together or individually as the business requires.