Microsoft to (involuntarily) enter Medical Industry

Article link:

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2376070,00.asp

By: Roddy Chung

Summary and effect on business:

Motion capture technology has been around for years, but only in recent years has the technology become advanced enough in both software and hardware to be mass-produced for a larger audience. When technologies start adapting to the video gamer demographic, however, the video gamer demographic has had a tendency of adapting the technology back into the rest of the world.
 
          One such example is seen with a University of Washington student fiddling with his Xbox Kinect, the most recent gaming perhenphial addon that adapts video/motion sensing as a means of user interfacing.
 
 
          A recent story is how precise robotics controls were adapted (though 'hacked' seems the more accurate term) to to the Microsoft Xbox Kinect system. Consisting primarily as a two-sensor camera that plugs into the Xbox and uses the gaming console as a platform, users can use their movement on camera to interact with video games. It is not a new technology, as motion sensor technology has been adapted into the video game field for years now, the most recent additions being the Playstation Move system and the Nintendo Wii's basic control hardware.
 
          The technology is being explored and researched upon by the University of Washington as a control interface for surgical robotics, after a graduate student began tinkering with his own Xbox and began brainstorming on the possibilities of the technology. This isn't the only story of its kind, however - the Kinect has been explored for other possibilities in the medical field, such as a touchless user interface for surgeons in the operating theatre as well as virtual reality surgeries for training.
 
          Microsoft, though notoriously protective of their IP, have in recent years faced stiff competition from open-source development (notably in the form of the Linux operating system), and has since seen the benefit of web community contribution. Microsoft-based hardware and software have had new ideas and open-source applications added to the roster because of it, and as a result, pet projects like this have been possible.
 
          While tech magazines and websites have been focusing on the medical usages of the Kinect in the last five months, it's not a long shot to see other uses be developed from gaming hardware.

Customers Demand Four Things from Your Business Systems!

Article link:

http://www.boxtheorygold.com/blog/bid/24224/Customers-Demand-Four-Things-from-Your-Business-Systems

By: Tana Piotrowski

Summary:

·         This article is about the fact that some businesses do not efficiently listen to the voice of the customer to help make their business more efficient.

·         When a business tries to build their clientele looking at the customer’s needs and opinions are an essential part of making their customers stay as their customers.

·         There are customer expectations that can be listed into four categories:

-high quality: does what its supposed to do, better then the competition

-speed: on schedule, meets deadlines, never delayed

-low cost : good value, competitively priced, occasional bargains

-pleasurable: good buying experience, (clean store, knowledgeable sales people)

·         People in businesses need to abide by these criteria to make the business better then the competetors

Effect on business:

This article states ways that a business can improve their customer’s experience.  It was designed so that businesses can follow these guidelines to potentially build their clientele and bring in new customers.  The main effect this would have on business is that the competition in the industry would be much greater since everyone is listening to their customers.  This would make it potentially harder for new entrants into the industry to make it successfully since customers will already have their “go to” companies for their products and may be unwilling to try new things.  Overall, this criteria is good for existing companies to make it further and make a more productive business then they already have.       

Advantages and disadvantages of control systems in business management

Article link:

http://www.helium.com/items/1811312-advantages-and-disadvantages-of-control-systems-in-business-management

By: Stephanie Mayes

Summary:

·         Types of control systems are:

o    Bureaucratic control – uses rules, standards and authority. Specific tasks for different employees. Lots of businesses use this form of control.

§  Advantages – less confusion about making decisions, very clear management rules and standards

§  Disadvantages – no room for business to change and grow, employee morale, undervalued employees, strictness

o    Market control – uses prices and competition. Tangible control. Not a good choice because it causes security control issues.

§  Advantage – flexible

§  Disadvantages – too much value change because companies are bought and sold, employees are affected

o   Clan control – uses culture, standards, trust, and beliefs. This is good for innovations as each employee is a decision maker. There is no one that is strictly a decision maker

§  Advantages – more chances of innovation, ideas

§  Disadvantages – lack of standard control system and strictness means employees can slack

Impact on business:

                Each business needs to decide which type of control will work best for their processes. Management decision making is very important as well as choice of employees to implement the control systems. Control systems are very valuable and with an understanding of each type, a better choice can be chosen.