Friedman is discussing a few of the major software breakthrough's that have helped the world and businesses become more connected. In this essay I will discuss two types of software that he brings up: Workflow software and open source software. I will also review and add a couple thoughts on another point Friedman brings up - outsourcing.
Workflow software allows businesses
to communicate on the same platform within various parts of their company. In the past, companies had several different
kinds of software within their company and when they needed something sent from
one department to another they could not just send it, they had to print it
off, walk it over, and share it. I am
sure they hoped it was done well the first time so they did not have to repeat
the process several times. Workflow
software got rid of this inconvenience.
I work at FedEx Express. There we
have a great example of workflow software.
This software allows the individual shipping the package to get on the
internet and print off what is called an Astra Label. This label makes it easier to know where the
package is going, and speeds up the time it takes to get them on the plane and
shipped out. The Astra label prints off
a barcode with the airport, as well as the station code that it needs in order
to get to its destination overnight.
FedEx Express ships millions of packages to thousands of various places
throughout the world on a daily basis.
If we did not have that software which automatically figures out which
airport it is supposed to fly into and then which station to go to, it would be
nearly impossible and very overwhelming to look at each package individually,
and figure out which airport and station it would go to. This software allows the individual to simply
put in their address and the computer does the rest of the work making it easy
for every station and airport to become on the same page.
Open source software or sometimes referred to as
community developed software is, just as the name implies, software that is
developed by a community or group of individuals. This software can then be added upon by other
tech savvy individuals. Most communities
that initially develop the software have simple copyrights that ask for the
credit if you build on their base software.
An open source software example could be Wikipedia. The definitions on Wikipedia can be updated
by anyone who knows the definition more completely. I feel that the main reason open source software
is important is because it allows a more broad network of individuals who can
contribute to the initial idea. Whether
you have a brilliant individual who wants to test their skills, or you have
someone that simply wants you to know that they are a better coder than some of
the major tech companies; both can contribute to the furtherance of technology
in different, but important ways.
Friedman discusses outsourcing as another flattening
event. He mentions Y2K as a major event
that required outsourcing to India.
Outsourcing is an important part of business. As a business owner you know that you cannot
do everything by yourself, you just can’t.
Whether you outsource for specific products, or you outsource for help
with the more mundane time consuming tasks, it is an important tool to know
about. When you first begin your
adventure as a business owner there is a lot on your plate, to say the
least. You have various aspects of the
business to focus on including, inventory, advertising, payroll, shipping,
ordering, and many others. In most cases
business owners use outsourcing to India, China, or other International
countries. Why? The labor is cheaper there. They can work on your smaller tasks while you
focus on the more important parts of your business. Reasons that outsourcing is used is because
the products that you are looking for are either only found in another country
or the products or goods that you need are cheaper in India than in the United
States.
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