FINAL QUESTION #5

TOPIC: VIRTUAL OFFICE


1. Describe or define Virtual Office.

Virtual office is also a common term for an environment that enables a network of co-workers to run a business efficiently by using nothing other than online communication technologies.^[8]

In the TIC sector, a virtual office is a category of groupware gathering organization, communication and collaboration data centralized on a server. The user accesses data from any devices (PC, laptop, PDA, smartphone, etc..) equipped with a Web and a connection to Internet.

Features

• Universal access - The user can access data in the same way at work, at home, on the road, in a meeting room at the hotel, etc..
• Security - The data are no longer stored on the hard disk of a computer, which can be stolen, lost, be the target of a computer virus, etc.. In case of problems, the data are preserved.
• Opening - While traditional software focus on an organization, the virtual office allows the inter-organization collaboration.
• Location model - Instead of paying a license, the user pays a monthly or annual fee. Some publishers offer a free basic version.

2. Distinguish Virtual office from MIS.

As information technology becomes more pervasive, the structure of the traditional work environment is changing. A number of alternatives are emerging where work is performed at remote locations. Existing work practices and managerial strategies are often not appropriate in this environment. In particular, traditional office communication with coworkers and management, which is often dependent on physical proximity, is disrupted. In this study, individual satisfaction with office communication in the telecommuting and conventional work environments is compared through a study of telecommuters and a comparison group of non-telecommuters in nine firms. We investigate the influence of certain organizational factors, such as job characteristics, IT support, and coordination methods, on satisfaction with office communication in the two work environments. We find telecommuters report higher satisfaction with office communication. Our findings indicate that task predictability, IT support, and electronic coordination have similar influences for both groups. We discuss implications of these findings for research and practice.

3. Illustrate (give examples) how Virtual office can improve company's competitive advantage and organizational performance.

Self-employed indivduals operating as limited liability companies, or small businesses with only a few employees and little to no scope for having areceptionist or other customer service administrators, will often use this service - especially when starting up the business and wanting to create a presence as well as assure that all customer contact is captured. However some large Insurance businesses, with a high count of mobile employees, will have a sophisticated virtual office service that takes and routes calls and messages to employees - and may answer some initial inquiries on behalf of the business. In this latter sense, the virtual office complements working from home (aka "telecommuting") and other forms of remote working where having an office permanently available is not essential to operating a business.