Handbook of Principles of Organizational Behavior - Soltanieh ...

USE INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY FOR ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE
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and constantly exploit new business models. Because Federal Express operates in an industry
with low profit margins and intense price competition, the company is very sensitive to
the costs incurred due to incorrect information, poor coordination, or inappropriate
incentives. Therefore, its use of information technology in the deployment of its core
operations has always been aggressive. Federal Express has always been an industry leader
in adopting new technological solutions.
As technology continues to develop, Federal Express is trying to transform itself once
again. Utilizing an increasingly powerful communication network, Federal Express is constantly
trying to push its intelligence toward the edge of the organization. The PowerPad
solution is Federal Express ’s next generation computer support for courier tasks and work
processes. It replaces and expands their current courier support technology that employs
the DADS (Digitally Assisted Dispatching System) and the SuperTracker handheld computer
that operates on an analog wireless network. The new PowerPad platform integrates
a specially built and designed handheld computer, a Bluetooth enabled Personal Area
Network (PAN) solution – which integrates DADS, a printer (called ASTRA), a smartphone
(running broadband wireless), a barcode scanner, and associated technologies (called Electronic
SuperTracker) – and a headset unit.
PowerPad is expected to influence couriers ’ operations on their customer premises,
while driving in the van, and also during their stay in the pick - up centers (stations). Federal
Express envisions that the introduction of the PowerPad technology will accomplish the
following: (1) reduce the time couriers need to perform package handling tasks; (2) enable
couriers to carry out expanded operations at the customers ’ premises; (3) reduce dependency
on manual tasks and other system entities during pick - up; and (4) reduce duplicate
data entry. The new system minimizes the couriers ’ need to return to their van during any
pick - up or delivery operation and gives near instantaneous connectivity, which allows the
completion of any initiated transaction on the spot. It enables almost real - time planning
of routes and load schedules across the whole Federal Express network. The systems also
embed much of the operational knowledge and intelligence required to allocate picked
packages to correct service categories, thereby reducing routine and data capture errors,
while also providing better feedback to customers about how their packages will be handled.
The PowerPad system is expected also to improve the couriers ’ mobility and service
within their routes by offering them nearly instantaneous and transparent access to different
information services at the station level (or higher), including communications with
other couriers. The system is also useful for other information sharing purposes such as
distributing and maintaining delivery guidelines, providing remote support for exceptional
situations, and so on.
The PowerPad system is a typical example of a new set of emerging applications that
draw upon multiple ubiquitous computing concepts and technologies that help embed
computing intelligence with a mobile workforce. All major logistic firms are currently rolling
out similar applications. Associated “ location - aware ” ubiquitous computing systems
will eventually become standard in organizations providing transportation, maintenance,
and support services. More generally, these systems can be expected to have a major
impact on the everyday tasks of a distributed workforce as they will be able in the future
to integrate flexibly with other ubiquitous computing technologies such as voice - activated
tasks, wearable components in uniforms, radio technologies that enable “ smart” environments
and packages, or Bluetooth - enabled glasses or heads - up screens.