Unit – 5

Modern Forms of Communicating

Q1) Discuss the various modern forms of communication.

A1) Fast changing technical developments have transformed the whole way of doing the business. Computer technical advances and telecommunication skills are bringing about revolutionary changes in the field of communication. The barriers of space and time have totally collapsed. Instant availability of information has influenced the social, political and economic events of the world. An era of new technology has resulted in a substantial increase in the availability and access to information that one can have. Not very long ago took days to communicate with someone through a letter but now-a-days, With the advent of STD and ISD, communication has become an instantaneous process. The world seems to have been squeezed in the small room, where, given certain facility, it is possible to communicate with anyone in any part of the world.

We get a glimpse of information technology of the future during the election period, when election results are carefully analyzed, swings in the voting pattern are visually presented and we are able to hear the views of the different people from different parts of the country. According to an estimate, more than $1 billion is transformed electronically and $ 300 billion by foreign exchange transactions.

Over the last two decades remarkable achievements have been made in the field of Communication Technology. They constitute an important and inevitable component of written and oral communication media network. Corporate sector has also realized the importance of the development taking place in the field of communication. That is why they are ready to forego their old methods in favour of the new technology. Financial institutions, Banks, Insurance, Companies, Production and Service Corporations have made significant strides in the application of new techniques of communication.

New technologies both in written and verbal media have a potential role distance communication which have emerged as an Important channel of disseminating the crucial information within a fraction of time used earlier.

"Modern Communication technologies have the potential to bye-pass several stages and sequences in the process of development encountered in earlier decades."

The application of new communication technology can tackle some of the basic problems namely, accuracy, cost, speed, quality, quantity in the light of wide corporate business operations. So, the search of modern methods communication has become imperative in the light of complex business.

MODERN FORM OF COMMUNICATION-

These modern techniques of communication include:

(1) Electronic mail or E-mail or Internet mail

(2) Video Conferencing

(3) File Transfer Protocol (FTP) 1

(4) The Network Terminal Protocol (TELNET)

(5) World Wide Web (WWW)

(6) Intranet

(7) Extranet

(8) Voice Mail

(9) Unified Messaging Services (UMS)

(10) Other means of International Communications

Q2) What do you mean by Internet?

A2) Internet-

That network which connects the computers all over the globe across International Territories.  Internet can be defined as international network of computers, i.e., it is One can even define Internet as a network of networks, i.e., it can be taken. Internet connects all open systems which are unrestricted for connectivity, So that they will be able to inter operate, share data, share resources etc. To be able to communicate with each other and exchange information, these different types of computers need to comply with a set of standard communication rules called protocol. All computers connected to the internet use IP Internet Protocol, which controls the break up of data messages into units called packets, and governs the routing of data from sender to receiver. IP is one of a suite of protocols known as Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, or TCP/IP, which was developed by the US Department of Defense to enable communication over different types of networks.

The Internet is very popular because a lot of services are available on it. It is a medium for international communication and the exchange of information. E-mail or electronic mail lets you send letters and other types of files. We can use it to buy things, find out about the latest information in the business, find a job seeker, or course information in different universities for students. as a network which connects networks across the world.

The Internet now has become unavoidable technology, as if you are not networked, you are out of the scene. Internet has become the largest and most important network, which is, on. a constant expansion, with more and more businesses, organisations, educational institutions, etc., are becoming part of internet, all over the world, Internet has now become a key platform for an ever changing information and other services. The internet is almost doubling itself in size every year.

Q3) What is an email? Discuss its advantages

A3)  Electronic mail or E-mail as it is generally referred to is a facility on computers to send your message to other persons, irrespective of their direct location or contract. The subscriber to an E-mail service can have access from any place, through computers to send and receive messages. A message refers to the actual information sent by one person to the other person. Every E-mail system describes the structure of the message known as protocol, It contains to, from, subject, text etc. Earlier this facility was available to the major universities with large computing services. Now due to decrease in the cost of computers and increased networking, E-mail has started to dominate the worldwide communication.

Advantages of E-mail-

(i) The jarring trin-trin of the telephone can be done away with the introduction of E-mail.

(ii) The user of the system can reach customer's branch office, distributors, vendors, 'suppliers, project team and sale officers, anywhere, anytime.

(ii) Services of this powerful message system gives an immediate access to worldwide contacts.

(iv) Pre-empt the competitiveness, the change in marketing tactics before they can react.

(v) Delays and insufficiencies in reporting systems can cripple effectiveness. E-mail improves report delivery and distribution both inside and outside the organization.

(vi) Serving and receiving the messages can be done at convenience without delay, liking international representative.

(vii) E-mail is far quicker correspondence than ordinary postage. A message can reach any part of the world in a fraction of a second. The message may cons1st of only a tew lines of text or of several hundred lines. Unlike the postal service, the message is not charged by weight. Nothing is charged for sending and receiving E-mail even though the message travels across the world.

(vii) Information on the business and services is placed in an assembled fashion in a common location

(ix) A mechanism for immediate feedback from consumers or business partners is provided.

(x) The cost of information delivery to internal and external sources is reduced.

Q4) What is Video Conferencing? Discuss its advantages.

A4) VIDEO CONFERENCING-

Before we go on and discuss what Video Conferencing is all about, it would be worthwhile to understand meaning of conference. Conference is nothing but a meeting of a few persons where the persons discuss a particular matter and exchange their views on that matter. This is what a conference is all about.

Video Conferencing is a tool, which uses Video cameras and microphone to capture picture and sound for transmission over networks. This is perhaps the most exciting innovation in the field of communication technology. Using this technology a meeting is conducted using television displays of theparticipants and with the sound of their voices. Thus, the participants can see one another on television monitor and can hear one another. They exchange their views. Of all the teleconferencing methods, Video Conferencing most

Advantages of Video Conferencing-

(i) Time is saved.

(i) Cost and Energy are saved.

i) Travelling to distances to attend the conference is avoided.

(iv) No monotony and fatigue.

(v) Conducive to highly efficient meeting.

(vi) Arrangements for conducting a meeting are avoided.

(vii) Cost of accommodation and other facilities are avoided.

(viii) Helps in fast decision-making.

Q5) What do you mean by E-Commerce? Explain its types.

A5) E-COMMERCE (ELECTRONIC COMMERCE)

Electronic Commerce or e-commerce is buying and selling online, usually the Internet. Typically, a web site will advertise goods and services and the buyer will fill in a form on the web site to select the items to be purchased and provide delivery and payment details. Information is electronically transferred from computer to computer, in an automated way. Broadly, it cannotes business activities conducted electronically. There has been tremendous increase in the speed of communication by the use of computers and communication technologies. Internet is being extensively used for transfer of information, reaching the customers, making payments, advertising the products, recruiting workers, buying and selling of goods etc. So, in simple words, carrying-out of business through electronic media. Is termed as E-Commerce. Electronic Commerce is not simply a concept but it has become a market force of reckon with. It involves the automation of a variety of business to business (B2B) and business to consumer (B2C) transactions through reliable and secure connectors. The transactions in e-commerce are carried at through Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) and other means. It, thus, has replaced the paper-based communication methods by electronic communication.

Types of E-Commerce-

The importance forms of e-commerce are as under-

1. Business to Business (B2B): It consists of business transactions between enterprises to each other. The biggest volume of trade on internet is business to business.

2. Business to Consumer (B2C): In this form of e-commerce, enterprises do business with various retail consumers via the internet

3. Consumer to Business (C2B): This term of e-commerce has developed from the transactions such as online auction of the goods.

4. Government to Business or Consumer (G2B, G2C): It is form of e-commerce where the government provides services to the business as well as consumers. These services may range from the on-line provision of information to filig of various forms and tax returns.

Q6) Discuss the use of internet in business.

A6) USES OFINTERNET IN BUSINESS-

The basic concept behind use of Internet in business is that it allows you to connect to your customers so that they can learn what is being done, receive information and technical support and can even buy products over the Internet. It also helps to have communication with the remote clients and you can find huge amount of information on almost any subject and from anywhere

The basic use is in following categories

1. Online Commerce

2.Customer Service

3. Organizational Support

4. Information.

(1) Online Commerce-

Almost all famous and large business companies have launched their Web Sites online. Even many small companies and local organization are using the power of Internet.

(2) Customer Service-

You can also use a web site to support your customers once they have purchased your product or service. Some things you can include in a customer support web site are

1) Product technical references.

2) Troubleshooting guide.

3) Tips, tricks and application notes.

4) Order and shipment tracking.

Only the last two kind of support page (order & shipment tracking) require sophisticated web-page creation skill.

(3) Organisational Support-

You can also create a web site that supports people inside of your organisation, rather than customers outside of it. An internal web site is often called an Internet. Sites that are intended for business partners and customers only and are not public are called Extranets

(4) Information-

 Another use for a web site is to collect information on a subject or discipline. An electronic engineering firm may collect a lot of data on devices and circuits and it may make that data available to the engineering community. Software firms may collect and distribute publicly available software tools.

Q7) What are the resources required for successful E-Commerce Implementation?

A7) Resources Required for Successful E-Commerce Implementation E-commerce is an electronic activity which facilitates sale and purchase of goods and services. The sources required for successfully implementing e-commerce are as follows:

1. Computer Hardware: A business unit is required to maintain an computer hardware for successfully implementing e-commerce. The computers should have necessary speed, memory and nodes etc. in order to handle the expected volume of business.

2. Internet Connection: Internet connection is the major resource for implementing e-commerce. The internet connection can be had from Internet Service Provider (ISP). These services are provided by companies like VSNL, GLIDE, SATYAM, etc.

3. Competent Workforce: The workforce should be capable of working with computer networks and internet efficiently. They should be trained enough to handle the sales enquiries, processing the orders etc. with ease. There should be a proper coordination, among receipt of orders, delivery of goods, receiving making of payments etc. so that the mistakes relating to transactions may be avoided.

4. Well-designed Website: A well-designed website should be developed in order to communicate with customers and business partners effectively. A business unit should provide exhaustive information of its activities on website. It should be supported by technical data, graphs and pictures etc. in order to make it reliable for the customers.

5. System of Receiving/Making Payments: It is a very important component e-commerce. A business unit should have a reliable and fool-proof system of receiving/making payments for goods sold/purchased. The customer should be provided with sufficient information so that they compute their payments accurately. Moreover, a business unit should make arrangements with banks, credit card agencies etc. in order to facilitate receipts and payments electronically.

6. Effective Telecommunication System E-commerce is not possible without the support of efficient telecommunication system. To make e-commerce successful, it is necessary to have a proper reach of telephone lines, optic fibre cables and internet technology capable of handling the traffic an internet effectively and efficiently. E-commerce is not possible where the telecommunication lines are disconnecting time and again. Thus, the success of e-commerce is directly linked with telecommunication system.

Q8) What is Fax on Demand?

A8) Fax on Demand (FOD)-

FOD is an automatic Fax retrieval system by which an organization can receive requests for information and respond to those requests automatically, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, without even touching the key board. Organizations which want to use this technique should have access to satellite links and organization" can create a variety of documents like a corporate file, information about the products, latest catalogues etc. These documents lie stored in computers with specific code number assigned to them. A customer can automatically have access to these documents via satellite links. On using the code number of the documents he will get them immediately faxed to him. If he is satisfied with the quality of product and also with price communicated to him and also if the organization has kept its order form ready, the customer readily can place his order. If he encloses his credit card number with the order so placed, the organization can even get the payment through the Fax FOD is a quick mode of communication needing high degree of sophistication.

Q9) Write short notes on voice mail.

A9) VOICE MAIL-

Voice mail is a computer-based system for receiving and delivering incoming telephone calls. In this system, in the absence of phone owner, a voice responds to the caller and invites a message and stores it. This message is delivered to the concerned person when the computer is instructed to do so. In voice mail system, telephone is attached with the computer through a software. The input from the telephone is sent to the computer and stores on a disk. The incoming call stored on the disk can be received by phone owner at his convenience The companies are now setting up voice mail system for dealing with the telephone calls of the employees in order to check wastage of time during working hours.

Q10) What are the tools available to protect Information?

A10) Tools Available to Protect Information-

The tools available for protection of information from misuse are as

i) Firewalls: It is a system which regulates and controls the flow of traffic between internet and firm's internal LANs and system.

(ii) Encryption: It is conversion of data into code so that it may not be ready by unauthorized user.

(iii) Site Blocking: It is system which checks the access to certain websites which the management considers inappropriate.

(iv) Digital Signature:   Digital signatures are used to authenticate the sender of the message and to check the integrity of the message.