Strategic Elements for the Mobile Enablement of Business

The Internet wave that swept through business is likely to be seen as a ripple in a pond compared to the changes that are predicted from the adoption of mobility into business. Irrespective of industry sector, the mobile enablement (wrapping business around mobility) of business is expected to bring many opportunities and rewards; and like the Web enablement (wrapping business around the Internet) of business, a few challenges as well. Across all business areas, mobile business will need to support a mobile workforce, the operation of call (service) centres, and transaction processing and collaboration of virtual teams. Mobile business will also impact product offerings, the management of consumer choice and the focusing of communications with a sticky message. Mobile business will drive changes in management, revisions of business operations and the alignment of Information Communication Technology (ICT). This chapter discusses some of the common but important strategic elements to the successful mobile enablement of business.