INMA_A01.QXD

incremental changes such as a new operating system; others, such as the introduction of

personalisation technology, are more significant in delivering value to customers and so

improving business performance. Line A is a company that is using innovative business

techniques, adopts technology early, or is even in advance of what the technology can

currently deliver. Curve C shows the conservative adopter whose use of technology lags

behind the available potential. Curve B, the middle ground, is probably the ideal situa-

tion where a company monitors new ideas as early adopters, trials them and then adopts

those that will positively impact the business.

Alternative digital technologies

In this section we introduce three alternative or complementary digital media access

platformsto PC-based fixed Internet access, which provide many similar advantages.

These access platforms or environments are mobile or wireless, interactive digital TV and

digital radio.

Mobile or wireless access devices

Mobile technologies are not new – it has been possible for many years to access the

Internet for e-mail using a laptop connected via a modem. However, the need for large

devices directly connected to the Internet was overcome with the development of per-

sonal digital assistants (PDAs) such as the PocketPC or RIM Blackberry and mobile

phones. These access the Internet using a wireless connection.

The characteristics that mobile or wireless connections offer to their users are ubiq-

uity (can be accessed from anywhere), reachability (their users can be reached when not

in their normal location) and convenience (it is not necessary to have access to a power

supply or fixed-line connection). In addition to these obvious benefits, there are addi-

tional benefits that are less obvious: they provide security – each user can be

authenticated since each wireless device has a unique identification code; their location

can be used to tailor content; and they provide a degree of privacy compared with a

desktop PC – looking for jobs on a wireless device might be better than under the gaze of

CHAPTER 3· THE INTERNET MACRO-ENVIRONMENT

Figure 3.6Alternative responses to changes in technology

Change

s in

strategy and technology

Time

A. Innovator

I. Technology changes

C. Laggard

B. Responder

Access platform
A method for
customers to access
digital media.