Mobile Computing and Mobile Workforce for Lufthansa: a Case Study
Mobile Computing and Mobile Workforce for Lufthansa: A Case Study
Submitted by: Suneel Shah, &
1. Are many of the Lufthansa’s challenges identified in the case similar to those being experienced by other businesses in today’s global economy? Explain and provide some examples. 2. What other tangible and intangible benefits, beyond those identified by Lufthansa, might a mobile workforce enjoy as a result of deploying mobile technologies? Explain. 3. Lufthansa was clearly taking a big risk with their decision to deploy notebook computers to their pilots. What steps did they take to manage that risk, and what others might be needed in today’s business environment? Provide some examples.
Ans 1. The specific challenges that Lufthansa faced (as it is aircraft industry) and those that could be generalised with reference to challenges faced by global businesses or businesses working beyond borders, are: Regards workforce: - Mobile workforce needing to carry state of the art equipment that suffices their work needs (not only technical specifications like notebooks being light as in Lufthansa’s case, but also upgrades and updates, stability and security of data, etc i.e. meeting overall performance capabilities.) - Being able to constantly communicate, input in decision-making, provide training and other value-adding activities during off-home -site periods both to maximize efficiency and reduce downtime - Provide adequate support to mobile operations while keeping a tight lid on cost and being able to justify the investment Regards Customer: - In businesses that harbour passengers, or mobile customers, or even those which has ‘waiting time’ as an intrinsic part of doing business (like coffee shops, airports etc) it becomes essential in a highly ‘connected’ world that an array of competitive services be provided to these clients other that the essential purpose. The economics of ‘paid’ or being provided for free is a different
Submitted by: Suneel Shah, &
1. Are many of the Lufthansa’s challenges identified in the case similar to those being experienced by other businesses in today’s global economy? Explain and provide some examples. 2. What other tangible and intangible benefits, beyond those identified by Lufthansa, might a mobile workforce enjoy as a result of deploying mobile technologies? Explain. 3. Lufthansa was clearly taking a big risk with their decision to deploy notebook computers to their pilots. What steps did they take to manage that risk, and what others might be needed in today’s business environment? Provide some examples.
Ans 1. The specific challenges that Lufthansa faced (as it is aircraft industry) and those that could be generalised with reference to challenges faced by global businesses or businesses working beyond borders, are: Regards workforce: - Mobile workforce needing to carry state of the art equipment that suffices their work needs (not only technical specifications like notebooks being light as in Lufthansa’s case, but also upgrades and updates, stability and security of data, etc i.e. meeting overall performance capabilities.) - Being able to constantly communicate, input in decision-making, provide training and other value-adding activities during off-home -site periods both to maximize efficiency and reduce downtime - Provide adequate support to mobile operations while keeping a tight lid on cost and being able to justify the investment Regards Customer: - In businesses that harbour passengers, or mobile customers, or even those which has ‘waiting time’ as an intrinsic part of doing business (like coffee shops, airports etc) it becomes essential in a highly ‘connected’ world that an array of competitive services be provided to these clients other that the essential purpose. The economics of ‘paid’ or being provided for free is a different