This paper examines five emerging computer and internet technologies shaping information systems within today's virtual organizations. Beginning with the concept of co-opetition — the development of complementary rather than competing technologies — the paper traces how this idea underlies integrated contact center applications, client management tools, identity management systems, and anti-phishing services. Drawing on examples from organizations such as CIBC, Microsoft, Cisco, and Yahoo, the paper argues that modern information systems are simultaneously consumer-centric and integrative, functioning not merely as new tools but as platforms for efficient data and information management in an increasingly technology-dependent society.
Today's leading business organizations are characterized primarily by their flexibility to provide products and services through both brick-and-mortar and virtual stores and offices. A business's survival depends mainly on the accessibility of the products or services it offers, and this only becomes possible when the business can reach its consumers through traditional media and the Internet. Indeed, Internet and computer-mediated technologies have become so pervasive and necessary that the creation and development of further technologies is actively encouraged, in order to widen the scope of accessibility and reach to a business's target market.
Because of the increased use of Internet- and computer-mediated technologies, information systems in business organizations are now developed to center on two important requirements: technologies must be consumer-oriented, and technologies must be integrative — that is, they must complement each other to make the information system more efficient.
This paper discusses recent technologies that demonstrate the consumer-centric and integrated systems approach adopted by virtual organizations today. Five emerging technologies and technological ideas are examined based on two criteria — consumer-centricity and integration with other technologies: (1) the technological idea of co-opetition; (2) IT intelligence correlative to customer service; (3) integrated client management systems; (4) identity management; and (5) anti-phishing services.
The first technology discussed is actually a technological idea — one that has profoundly influenced the integrative nature of emergent technologies developed today. Termed co-opetition, this concept was coined by Adam Brandenburger and Barry Nalebuff to refer to the creation and development of technologies that, rather than competing with each other, are actually complements of each other. Using the simple hardware-software relationship as an example, Brandenburger and Nalebuff explained that co-opetition occurs when "a complement to one product or service is any other product or service that makes the first one more attractive" (Nalebuff & Brandenburger, 1996).
Discussing co-opetition first is essential, since the remaining four technologies examined in this paper embody the thought expressed by this idea. Co-opetition is more than a relational description between products or services; it extends beyond one-to-one relationships to include many-to-one relations among products or services, until these products or services create an integrated system that makes work and operations easier, faster, more productive, and more efficient.
Despite being a technological idea rather than a technology per se, co-opetition is considered one of the most important developments in virtual organizations, business or otherwise. Its further development has primarily resulted in integrated systems technology, benefiting both the organization and its end-users — usually the consumers.
Tracing its development from the concept of co-opetition, the growth of contact center applications and management is the result of the increasing complexity that organizations encounter as they seek to improve and provide excellent 24-hour customer service. Contact or call centers have become a requirement for virtual organizations, since they help organizations maintain services and troubleshoot any problems in the product or service provided to clients or consumers.
An example of contact center management as an imperative tool among virtual organizations is demonstrated by the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC). CIBC felt the need to adopt contact center applications and management after encountering problems with its automatic call distribution (ACD) and interactive voice response (IVR) systems (Dubie, 2005). Contact center applications and management are used not only in banking, but by technology companies as well, driven by their need to identify and address problems with the software or hardware they manufacture for their clients and consumers.
"Microsoft's use of client management software"
"NAC tools and Yahoo's anti-phishing service"
Dubie, D. (2005). "Correlating customer service with IT intelligence." Network World. Available at
Dubie, D. (2006). "IBM, HP boost client management wares." Network World. Available at
Fontana, J. (2006). "Momentum building for identity management." Network World. Available at
Fontana, J. (2005). "Vendors give boost to Microsoft management tools." Network World. Available at
Nalebuff, B., & Brandenburger, A. (1996). "Co-opetition." Co-opetition Interactive Web Site. Available at
Perez, J. (2006). "Yahoo tests antiphishing service." IDG News Service. Available at
You’re 52% through this paper. Sign up to read the remaining 2 sections.
Sign Up Now — Instant Access Already a member? Log inAlways verify citation format against your institution’s current style guide requirements.