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Chapter 2 Global E-business and Collaboration 93

instant messaging systems allow users to engage in real-time conversations
with multiple participants simultaneously. In recent years, e-mail use has
declined, with messaging and social media becoming preferred channels of
communication.

Wikis
Wikis are a type of Web site that makes it easy for users to contribute and edit
text content and graphics without any knowledge of Web page development or
programming techniques. The most well-known wiki is Wikipedia, the largest
collaboratively edited reference project in the world. It relies on volunteers,
makes no money, and accepts no advertising.
Wikis are very useful tools for storing and sharing corporate knowledge and
insights. Enterprise software vendor SAP AG has a wiki that acts as a base of
information for people outside the company, such as customers and software
developers who build programs that interact with SAP software. In the past,
those people asked and sometimes answered questions in an informal way on
SAP online forums, but that was an inefficient system, with people asking and
answering the same questions over and over.

Virtual Worlds
Virtual worlds, such as Second Life, are online 3-D environments populated
by “residents” who have built graphical representations of themselves known
as avatars. Organizations such as IBM and Insead, an international business
school with campuses in France and Singapore, are using this virtual world
to house online meetings, training sessions, and “lounges.” Real-world people
represented by avatars meet, interact, and exchange ideas at these virtual
locations using gestures, chat box conversations, and voice communication
(which requires microphones).

Collaboration and Social Business Platforms
There are now suites of software products providing multi-function platforms for
collaboration and social business among teams of employees who work together
from many different locations. The most widely used are Internet-based audio
conferencing and videoconferencing systems, online software services such as
Google Apps/Google Sites, cyberlockers, corporate collaboration systems such
as Lotus Notes and Microsoft SharePoint, and enterprise social networking tools
such as Salesforce Chatter, Microsoft Yammer, Jive, and IBM Connections and
SmartCloud for Business.
Virtual Meeting Systems In an effort to reduce travel expenses, many
companies, both large and small, are adopting videoconferencing and Web
conferencing technologies. Companies such as Heinz, General Electric, Pepsico,
and Wachovia are using virtual meeting systems for product briefings, training
courses, strategy sessions, and even inspirational chats.
A videoconference allows individuals at two or more locations to communi-
cate simultaneously through two-way video and audio transmissions. High-end
videoconferencing systems feature telepresence technology, an integrated
audio and visual environment that allows a person to give the appearance of
being present at a location other than his or her true physical location. Free
or low-cost Internet-based systems such as Skype group videoconferencing,
Zoom.us, and ooVoo are of lower quality, but still useful for smaller companies.
Apple’s FaceTime and Google video chat tools are useful tools for one-to-one
videoconferencing.

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