Internet tools at Dirk Bike’s
Cynthia Messmer
Management of Information Systems/205
July 28, 2013
Cristina Oliver

Dirt Bike’s management has decided recently to take action in regards of how much money is invested in communicating with others inside and outside the organization, and how the organization can obtain information on the development in the motorcycle industry and global economy. However, the solution to the managements concern was not that difficult to figure out for the organization has access to the Internet, but some additional Internet tools and technology could help Dirt Bike’s employees to communicate and obtain information more effectively. A benefit Dirt Bike’s employees already have, is that employees who use a desktop computer already had access to the Internet. However, creating a private network off the organizations network connection and creating an intranet, can provide privacy, and secure an organizations information by preventing unauthorized users from entering the network (Laudon & Laudon, Ch.6, 2011). In addition, Dirt Bike’s employee’s can benefit from intranets in sales and marketing, human resources, and manufacturing and production. In addition, intranets will give the individuals in the sales and marketing department a much easier way to access information on products, sales reports, analysis’s, and research (Laudon & Laudon, Ch. 6, 2011). In addition, human resources are provided with extra security from intranets. However, the manufacturing and production departments benefit from intranets because it provides centralized publishing of manufacturing information. In addition, intranets can help identify product problems, incorporating design changes, enhancing productivity and having inventory control, which is the best advantage (Laudon & Laudon, Ch. 6, 2011). In addition, such benefits will result in a reduce cost in communicating with others, and higher margins. In addition to intranets, there are many Internet tools useful and will benefit the employees and organization. Virtual Private Network (VPN), is an Internet tool that could become some use to the Dirt Bike’s employees, and the organization, because it is a secure, encrypted, private network that is configured within a public network to benefit from the economies of scale and management companies of larger networks (Laudon & Laudon, p.212, 2011). However, the benefits of an organization having a Virtual Private Network are endless, but sending e-mails to each other without worrying about interception from unauthorized users to gather important information, is the most beneficial factor of having a VPN. In addition, Virtual Private Networks are lowering the communication cost, and secures e-mails sent to employees across the world. Another Internet tool that Dirt Bike’s employees and the organization can benefit from is Voice over IP (VoIP), which is technology that delivers voice information in digital form, by using packet switching, and avoiding the tolls charged by local and long distance telephone networks (Laudon & Laudon, p.209, 2011). In addition, VoIP’s reduce the cost in communication, and gives employees with desktop computer the ability to communicate through a microphone, and lowering the cost by 20 to 30 percent (Laudon & Laudon, p.209, 2011). However, many employees who travels may need wireless access to communicate through the organizations Virtual Private Network, and use Voice over IP communications. Unified communications are disparate channels to use voice communications, data communications, instant messaging, e-mail, and electronic conferencing and gives the employees the ability to switch back and forth between the different communication tools (Laudon & Laudon, p.211, 2011). However, before this organizations had to manage voice communication, and video conferences separately, but now firms have the ability to merge communications. In addition, now that