Showing papers in "Information Systems Frontiers in 2004"
TL;DR: In this paper, much attention is paid to the measurement model of service quality in China's mobile communication market based on the well-known SERVQUAL model, but with reasonable modification on the basis of focus group discussions and expert opinions to reflect the specific industry attributes and the special culture of China.
Abstract: Service quality, customer satisfaction and customer value have become the priority of both manufacturers and service provider in the increasingly intensified competition for customers in today's customer-centered era. However, findings regarding service quality, customer satisfaction and customer value are rather divergent and related studies are fragmented, especially for the complicated interrelationships among them. Thus, less is known about the relative impacts of quality-related factors on customer value and customer satisfaction up to now and the moderating role of customer value in the relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction has been neglected. Further, it is very difficult to find related studies, supported by evidence, that focus on service quality, customer satisfaction and customer value, and their influences on customer behavior intentions in the telecommunication industry. In this paper, much attention is paid to the measurement model of service quality in China's mobile communication market based on the well-known SERVQUAL model, but with reasonable modification on the basis of focus group discussions and expert opinions to reflect the specific industry attributes and the special culture of China. By taking a disaggregated approach, the key drivers of service quality, customer value and customer satisfaction are first identified and the impact of customer perceived sacrifice on customer value is emphasized. Then attention is given to the systematic study of the dynamic relationships among them, especially the moderating effect of customer value on the relationship between service quality and customer satisfaction, which is followed by the examination of their influences on behavior intentions of customers. Results are based on the development of structural equation models using Partial Least Square technique.
451 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examined how service quality of the service providers and perceived value affect customer satisfaction and how customer satisfaction will affect their behavioural intention to continue to use SMS which in turn affects the extent of SMS usage in the local context.
Abstract: SMS, being an almost instantaneous communication medium that connects people, is now a phenomenon that has grown and spread around the globe at an amazing speed. Given the current trend of SMS usage and its potential growth, this paper will provide an insight of the extent to which how service quality and the value perceived by the SMS users have an impact on their extent of the SMS usage in the post SMS adoption phase. Specifically, this article will examine how service quality of the service providers and perceived value affect customer satisfaction and how customer satisfaction will affect their behavioural intention to continue to use SMS which in turn affects the extent of SMS usage in the local context. Using partial-least-squares, an analysis was conducted based on the 150 surveys collected to test for the proposed relationships. The results showed that the tangibles, empathy and assurance dimensions of service quality are antecedents of customer satisfaction and a positive relationship exists between customer satisfaction and customers' behavioural intentions to continue to use SMS. Additionally, the positive relationship between customers' behavioural intentions to continue to use SMS and the extent of SMS usage is also significant. These results were similar to the results shown by Cronin and Taylor (1992) studies. The perceived value/customer satisfaction relationship investigated in this research was in line with Fornell et al.(1996) and Cronin et al.(2000) where perceived value was one of the determinants of customer satisfaction. Specially, the results revealed that perceived value, together with tangibles, empathy and assurance aspects of the service quality, played an important role in determining customer satisfaction for SMS. Implications of the above results for research and practice are discussed.
252 citations
TL;DR: The results indicated that six different areas in the measurement tool are significantly related with level of the customer satisfaction in spite of their few problems in its validation and its application in the field will be helpful to identify their problems and make plans for advancement.
Abstract: This paper provides the newly developed IT consulting SERVQUAL measurement tool. In an attempt to measure the IS customers' perceived quality of the consulting services they received, the researchers developed a diagnostic tool of SERVQUAL based on the solid theoretical background, which can specifically be applied to the IT consulting service sector. It is composed of 6 dimensions of reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, process and education, and the former four are derived from IT SERVQUAL and the latter two are added to consider the characteristics of IT consulting service.
To develop IT consulting SERVQUAL, 7 consultants having over the 10 years careers, 3 customers having much experienced of consulting service, and 2 professors majoring in MIS have examined the constructs and the items of questionnaires. And this research had been applied to 86 respondents of 42 different organizations that had received IT consulting services over 2 past years to ensure the validation of this tool. The correlation and the factor analyses were conducted for validation of the measurement tool.
The results indicated that six different areas in the measurement tool are significantly related with level of the customer satisfaction in spite of their few problems in its validation and its application in the field will be helpful to identify their problems and make plans for advancement.
121 citations
TL;DR: Organizational readiness (IT sophistication, financial resources, and customer readiness), perceived benefits of Internet retailing, and environmental factors are proposed to be the key drivers of adoption of Internet Retailing for SMEs.
Abstract: Despite the proliferation of Internet retailing and the relative novelty and complexity of this phenomenon, very little theory-guided qualitative research has been conducted to improve our understanding of the adoption of Internet retailing project by SMEs. This study presents a theoretical framework for analyzing the adoption of Internet retailing for SMEs. Organizational readiness (IT sophistication, financial resources, and customer readiness), perceived benefits of Internet retailing, and environmental factors are proposed to be the key drivers of adoption of Internet retailing. This research was designed using a qualitative approach through in-depth case studies selected from firms in Hong Kong where there is a proliferation of SMEs. The contextual meaning and practical manifestation of the key adoption factors were captured through the case studies. Our findings provide preliminary support for the proposed research framework, and contribute towards a better conceptual and practical understanding of the main factors driving SMEs to adopt Internet retailing. Contrary to popular belief, customer readiness for Internet shopping was not found to be a significant factor influencing SMEs' decision to adopt Internet retailing.
108 citations
IBM1
TL;DR: This paper enhances the 3-tier architecture developed on adaptive workflow, wherein workflows meant to be “discovered” on the fly as workflow participants themselves define and execute the workflows, with some of the OpenWater ideas.
Abstract: Workflow management and support has always been a constant challenge for workflow administrators in industry. This is characterized by the need to balance two conflicting goals—the need for control, and the need to provide sufficient flexibility for workflows to adapt to constantly changing business conditions. The traditional centralized and rigid model of workflow no longer suffices provide this balance. What is needed is an approach that provides sufficient flexibility while simultaneously providing an assurance of control for workflow administrators.
In this paper, we present such an approach. Our approach is based on two bodies of research work. The first one is the OpenWater approach, wherein workflows meant to be “discovered” on the fly as workflow participants themselves define and execute the workflows. The second one is our earlier work on adaptive workflow, where we have developed a 3-tier architecture that supports adaptive workflow. In our paper, we enhance our 3-tier architecture with some of the OpenWater ideas, in order to develop what we have called a “flexible workflow support and management” architecture. We also demonstrate it on a real-life example in insurance claims processing.
41 citations
TL;DR: The relationship between state and federal law is explained, the various types of cybercrimes are noted, and the offenses that are created by state andFederal law in the United States are surveyed.
Abstract: In recent years, a new term has arisen—“cybercrime”—which essentially denotes the use of computer technology to commit or to facilitate the commission of unlawful acts, or “crimes.” This article explains why we treat cybercrime as a special class of “crime” and why we need special statutes to define cybercrime offenses. It explains the relationship between state and federal law, notes the various types of cybercrimes and surveys the offenses that are created by state and federal law in the United States.
36 citations
TL;DR: This article presents a ticket-based access model for mobile services that supports efficient authentication of users, services and service providers over different domains and the identity of misbehaving users can be revealed by a Trusted Centre.
Abstract: This article presents a ticket-based access model for mobile services. The model supports efficient authentication of users, services and service providers over different domains. Tickets are used to verify correctness of the requested service as well as to direct billing information to the appropriate user. The service providers can avoid roaming to multiple service domains, only contacting a Credential Centre to certify the user's ticket since tickets carry all authorization information needed for the requested services. The user can preserve anonymity and read a clear record of charges in the Credential Centre at anytime. Furthermore, the identity of misbehaving users can be revealed by a Trusted Centre.
24 citations
TL;DR: Organizational researchers are encouraged to use the directions embodied in this research to guide attempts at developing measures of organizational learning, in hopes of advancing the field beyond normal science.
Abstract: Despite the long tradition of research on organizational learning (OL), theoretically acceptable definitions and empirically derived measures of the concept have not been developed. This paper introduces theoretical proclamations and a methodological plan that can guide researchers towards the goal of operationalizing OL into a valid and reliable instrument. It includes (1) practical and scientific motivations for advancing and measuring the OL construct, (2) a suggested methodology for operationalization of definitions of OL, (3) theoretical and operational themes found in the literature, and (4) scale and subscale expectations. Organizational researchers are encouraged to use the directions embodied in this research to guide attempts at developing measures of organizational learning, in hopes of advancing the field beyond normal science.
18 citations
TL;DR: The present contribution presents object-oriented mediating service management platforms as a catalyst for making these demanding tasks feasible, identifies their desired functionality and provides an overview of such a distributed framework that is designed and prototyped.
Abstract: Traditionally, end customers have been offered different categories of communication, data and media services (e.g., fixed/mobile voice, fixed/mobile data, broadcasting) through vertically separated, rigidly integrated infrastructures. Major advances in a variety of technological fields, mainly in the area of mobile computing and networking, have created prospects for a fully converged environment, where ubiquitous access to an abundance of value-added services will be offered over a single, as perceived by the users, highly reconfigurable system. This vision can be enabled by the seamless “plugging” of diverse access networks to a high-speed IP backbones however the path to its realization poses a variety of additional challenges. The required support of complicated business models and service delivery over highly diverse contexts introduces significant complexity to service management and provision. The present contribution presents object-oriented mediating service management platforms as a catalyst for making these demanding tasks feasible, identifies their desired functionality and provides an overview of such a distributed framework that we have designed and prototyped. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the latter is able to be a critical enabler of flexible, adaptable service provision over future heterogeneous networks, while supporting advanced business paradigms.
14 citations
TL;DR: The process-centered IT ROI model for analysis discussed here consists of seven phases and is explained and verified with a case study of a finance company that the authors shall call “A”.
Abstract: In order to achieve a meaningful IT ROI (Returns of Investment) analysis while taking into account the unique business processes of each industry, we should conduct research into a system to evaluate the effect of investment In this paper, through careful consideration of the characteristics of the banking industry, a study on IT ROI is conducted from the perspective of business process The process-centered IT ROI model for analysis discussed here consists of seven phases The suggested model is explained and verified with a case study of a finance company that we shall call “A”
14 citations
TL;DR: How digital evidence differs from traditional “physical” evidence is explained and the current state of the law with regard to the processes of authentication, reliability and admissibility is reviewed.
Abstract: Today, documents and data are likely to be encountered in electronic form. This creates a challenge for the legal system since its rules of evidence evolved to deal with tangible (“physical”) evidence. Digital evidence differs from tangible evidence in various respects, which raise important issues as to how digital evidence is to be authenticated, ascertained to be reliable and determined to be admissible in criminal or civil proceedings. This article explains how digital evidence differs from traditional “physical” evidence and reviews the current state of the law with regard to the processes of authentication, reliability and admissibility.
TL;DR: This paper will examine all proposed solutions for firewall and NAT traversal to determine which solution will enable IP telephony traversal of firewalls and NATs most advantageously in an enterprise network.
Abstract: Recent advances in PBX architecture and multimedia communication protocols are pushing the current boundaries of IP telephony in enterprise networks Two key barriers to this evolution are firewalls and NATs While these devices play a pivotal role in protecting and managing network resources they also inhibit the sending and receiving of voice and video over the data network Many different solutions for firewall and NAT traversal either currently exist or are being proposed by standard bodies, vendors and research institutions Each initiative addresses different issues relating to security and interoperability within existing network infrastructures This paper will examine all proposed solutions and determine which solution will enable IP telephony traversal of firewalls and NATs most advantageously in an enterprise network
TL;DR: The motivation, architecture and design of the Mobile Application Server (MAS), a Java middleware prototype platform for mobile services which provides basic common building blocks required by mobile wireless applications, such as user profile management, location handling, device detection, content adaptation and e-wallet functions are described.
Abstract: There has been a surge of interest in developing advanced mobile voice and data services. One of the biggest challenges faced by service providers is to create new services efficiently and rapidly. We describe the motivation, architecture and design of the Mobile Application Server (MAS), a Java middleware prototype platform for mobile services which provides basic common building blocks required by mobile wireless applications, such as user profile management, location handling, device detection, content adaptation and e-wallet functions. The MAS is modular, flexible, and provides an open API for 3rd party service creation. Users can thus utilize a variety of access technologies (CDPD, cellular, 802.11, SMS, etc.) and delivery mechanisms (HTML, WML, VoiceXML, etc.) while application developers are spared the details of this heterogeneity. The MAS also interfaces to traditional telecommunications system (A/IN) elements such as SCPs as well as Next Generation Network (NGN) or converged-network elements such as Call Agents. We present application examples of the use of MAS, initial performance measurements and discuss some lessons learned from this experimental system. We conclude with directions for further work.
TL;DR: A comprehensive design methodology is discussed as an integrating framework that accounts for all categories of costs, including design, implementation, maintenance, and operation, to achieve a globally cost-minimizing solution.
Abstract: Information system design and sizing constitute a complex, top-down process that tailors the technology architecture to application requirements. Practitioners usually tackle this top-down process by focusing on individual design aspects, such as data or specific applications, and by relying on their previous experiences to compare alternative architectural solutions. Acquisition costs are usually accounted for, but related operating and maintenance costs are often neglected or underestimated. The complexity of optimizing individual design problems leads researchers to avoid a global optimization perspective and, thus, the IS architecture is usually a result of the juxtaposition of multiple local optima.
This paper takes an overall perspective on the cost minimization problem of information system design to achieve a better trade-off between cost and performance over the whole expected life of the technology architecture. A comprehensive design methodology is discussed as an integrating framework that accounts for all categories of costs, including design, implementation, maintenance, and operation, to achieve a globally cost-minimizing solution.
TL;DR: The formal processes that have been created to govern transnational evidence-gathering are cumbersome and ineffective in cybercrime investigations, which move quickly; officers therefore tend to rely on informal methods, which are idiosyncratic in nature.
Abstract: Cybercrime investigations often transcend national boundaries. This creates problems for investigators because the procedural laws that govern the conduct of criminal investigations are territorially-baseds that is, they apply only within the territory of the country which promulgated those laws. Cybercrime investigations often require that evidence be traced, preserved and collected in more than one country, which of course means that the process is governing by the laws of multiple nations. The formal processes that have been created to govern transnational evidence-gathering are cumbersome and ineffective in cybercrime investigations, which move quicklys officers therefore tend to rely on informal methods, which are idiosyncratic in nature.
TL;DR: The constraints imposed by the Fourth Amendment are reviewed and the complex array of statutory provisions that have arisen to supplement the protections it provides are surveyed.
Abstract: The prosecution of cybercriminals depends upon the collection of digital evidence. In the United States, a complicated system of constitutional and statutory provisions govern what law enforcement officers can, and cannot, do in collecting digital evidence, either by intercepting communications in transmission or by acquiring data stored on computers, computer servers or other storage media. This article reviews the constraints imposed by the Fourth Amendment and then surveys the complex array of statutory provisions that have arisen to supplement the protections it provides.
TL;DR: The proposed framework supports non-repudiation of service for a successful e-commerce transaction in terms of generation, delivery, retrieval, and verification of the evidence for resolving disputes.
Abstract: In this paper, we propose a secure and efficient software framework for non-repudiation service based on an adaptive secure methodology in e-commerce (electronic commerce). First, we introduce an explicit security framework of the e-commerce transaction called notary service. The proposed framework supports non-repudiation of service for a successful e-commerce transaction in terms of generation, delivery, retrieval, and verification of the evidence for resolving disputes. Second, we propose an adaptive secure methodology to support secure and efficient non-repudiation of service in the proposed framework. Our adaptive secure methodology dynamically adapts security classes based on the nature and sensitivity of interactions among participants. The security classes incorporate security levels of cryptographic techniques with a degree of information sensitivity. As Internet e-businesses exponentially grow, a need for high security level categories to identify a group of connections or individual transactions is manifest. Therefore, development of an efficient and secure methodology is in high demand. We have done extensive experiments on the performance of the proposed adaptive secure methodology. Experimental results show that the adaptive secure methodology provides e-commerce transactions with high quality of security services. Our software framework incorporating the adaptive secure methodology is compared with existing well-known e-commerce frameworks such as SSL (Secure Socket Layer) and SET (Secure Electronic Transaction).
TL;DR: A web object replacement algorithm is proposed with a divided scope that considered size reference characteristic and reduced size heterogeneity on web object and gets with 15–30% performance improvement of response speed with proposed system.
Abstract: Now that the number of electronic commerce (hereunder called e-commerce) users has been explosively increasing, the consequent heavy network traffic leads to the delayed service of the e-commerce systems. This paper focuses on operational efficiency and response speed of the e-commerce systems. An e-commerce system, with a hierarchical structure based on the local server, is designed. And we proposed a web object replacement algorithm with heterogeneity of a web object. The algorithm is designed with a divided scope that considered size reference characteristic and reduced size heterogeneity on web object. The performances of the system and algorithm are analyzed with an experiment. With the experiment results, the algorithm is compared with previous replacement algorithms, and we confirm with 10–20% performance improvement of object-hit ratio gain. And we get with 15–30% performance improvement of response speed with proposed system.
TL;DR: This work model the effects of reordering and derive conditions under which the performance of a TCP flow improves with the use of multiple paths and illustrates the applicability of the derived conditions to multiple flows.
Abstract: A TCP flow is expected to traverse over a single path. This is in order to avoid performance problems especially on account of reordering of packets and acknowledgements. Reordering can occur on account of the use of different paths with diverse bandwidth and delay characteristics. We argue that the present approach prevents us from getting the advantages associated with multiple paths. Specifically, use of multiple paths for a flow can be advantageous in improving the performance as well as the dependability of a flow. We model the effects of reordering and derive conditions under which the performance of a TCP flow improves with the use of multiple paths. We also provide recommendations for choosing amongst multiple paths. We then verify the conditions using simulations. We also illustrate the applicability of the derived conditions to multiple flows.
TL;DR: The concepts of separating the technology independent models from the technology specific models and externalizing the business process flows from the system components are shown to be of practical value.
Abstract: Survivable architectures are needed so that the current and future systems can tolerate the usual turbulences of technology and business climate. This paper, based on insights gained through practical experience with several architectural projects in the telecom industry and active participation in the standards bodies, highlights the work being done on survivable architectures. Instead of presenting theoretical models, this paper relies on best practices and explains the concepts through a detailed case study. In particular, the concepts of separating the technology independent models from the technology specific models and externalizing the business process flows from the system components are shown to be of practical value.
TL;DR: This paper discusses the concept of Intrusion Tolerance in distributed middleware, and discusses basic intrusion tolerance techniques such as Fragmentation-Redundancy-Scattering and Threshold Cryptography, and describes a generic architecture that builds upon these techniques to compensate for intrusion vulnerabilities in commercial middleware.
Abstract: Many existing and new applications rely on several layers of middleware services that must be able to withstand intrusions and attacks from a very wide range of players. In this paper we discuss the concept of Intrusion Tolerance in distributed middleware. We start by presenting a threat analysis of the current commercial middleware technologies. We then discuss basic intrusion tolerance techniques such as Fragmentation-Redundancy-Scattering (FRS) and Threshold Cryptography. Then follows a description of a generic architecture that builds upon these techniques to compensate for intrusion vulnerabilities in commercial middleware, and finally we briefly describe how this architecture can be generalized.
TL;DR: The article highlights some of the most highly visible current legal issues affecting information system operations and management, intended to provide technology professionals a basic understanding of today's prominent technology law issues.
Abstract: This article provides an overview of key legal issues currently affecting information technology professionals. An understanding of the current legal issues affecting information technology development, distribution, and use can enhance the ability of information technology professionals to perform their duties. This article highlights some of the most highly visible current legal issues affecting information system operations and management. It is intended to provide technology professionals a basic understanding of today's prominent technology law issues and to help the professionals recognize their connection with those issues.
TL;DR: The primitive results show that the novel voice-information sharing mechanism satisfactorily reaches the goal of proactive precise sharing of voice information between community members.
Abstract: Mobile commerce has been increasingly recognized as one of the most important prosperous areas for deploying information technology. This paper aims to advance the value of the information by providing a novel voice-information sharing mechanism that is a combination of a location-based information service (known as a Killer App) and a virtual community that consequently becomes a WCP (Wireless Content Provider). This community embodies context aware intelligence by analyzing the context-sensitive behavior of the community members and enabling proactive and precise context sensitive voice-information sharing; furthermore. This voice-information sharing mechanism is comprised of an IVR system, a location service, EPN (Euclidean distance with Positive and Negative Strength) Clustering, Naive Bayesian Prediction, and a set of metrics for monitoring the progression of the community. The primitive results show that our mechanism satisfactorily reaches the goal of proactive precise sharing of voice information between community members.
TL;DR: The design and implementation of a cross-search component for the CS-Engine (Cross-Search Engine) is presented, which allows the user to search heterogeneous, multiple databases with one command.
Abstract: As the popularity and complexity of Internet search engines increase, the design, development and maintenance of large, complex web-based Information Retrieval (WIR) systems become a challenge. The difficulty of designing a WIR system is compounded by information overload triggered from various different information sources. From a standpoint of the search engine users, it is more usable for the WIR to provide a single search point to multiple databases. To tackle this issue, we present the design and implementation of a cross-search component for the CS-Engine (Cross-Search Engine). The CS-Engine allows the user to search heterogeneous, multiple databases with one command. The CS-Engine is also distinguished from meta-search engines in that the CS-Engine does not need to trigger other search engines and translate a query for other search engines. Our performance benchmark tests show that the CS-Engine is scalable and usable. We also compare CS-engine with other search engines such as Google and AltaVista. The CS-Engine was developed with UML and design patterns including: (1) use case diagram, (2) class diagram, (3) package diagram, (4) interaction diagram, (5) Factory pattern, and (6) Strategy patterns. We conclude our paper with technical lessons learned as well as organizational issues encountered during the development phase.
TL;DR: The paper analyzes the role of a layered policy approach to telecommunications regulation at the local level and how interoperability serves as a mediating condition before market convergence is achieved and addresses public policy implications for encouraging adoption of fiber-IP based networks.
Abstract: Researchers have cogently presented the technical case for converged telecommunications systems. However, it is not clear how market-based telecommunications providers and local communities are embracing this technical argument as they design and adopt new telecommunication systems. This paper uses a case study approach to examine market and policy dynamics influencing converged network deployment in a mixed commercial and residential environment. Specifically, the article presents the overall telecommunications design and then analyzes several implementation alternatives proposed for a major urban redevelopment project in the greater Denver metropolitan area. These alternatives range from more traditional telecommunications solutions to fully converged networks. Based on this review, the paper analyzes the role of a layered policy approach to telecommunications regulation at the local level and how interoperability serves as a mediating condition before market convergence is achieved. Finally, the paper addresses public policy implications for encouraging adoption of fiber-IP based networks as well as research directions for assessing metropolitan adoption of converged systems.
TL;DR: This paper proposes an extension of the relational model to address some of the semantic limitations around the use of multi-face attributes in everyday activity and offers a higher-level expressiveness and will provide the user with increased flexibility in the input, output and storage of data, and the specification of queries.
Abstract: In recent years various proposals have been offered for increasing the richness of the relational data model by addressing specific user requirements, particularly with regard to structural and behavioral expressiveness. Although there have been some criticisms of the semantic limitations of the model, few proposals have emerged to address them. In this paper we propose an extension of the model to address some of the semantic limitations around the use of multi-face attributes in everyday activity. We present a formal discussion of multi-face attributes and suggest how they can be accommodated in the relational model and relational database software systems. The resulting model offers a higher-level expressiveness and will provide the user with increased flexibility in the input, output and storage of data, and the specification of queries. Finally we outline some of the implications for database design methods that emerge for the extension.
TL;DR: This special issue of Information Systems Frontier Journal discusses network convergence, the integration of several media applications onto a common packet-based platform provided by Internet Protocol (IP), which is now becoming a true multi-service infrastructure.
Abstract: Network convergence, as discussed in this special issue of Information Systems Frontier Journal, is the integration of several media applications (e.g., data, voice, video, images) onto a common packet-based platform provided by Internet Protocol (IP). The global Internet is now becoming a true multi-service infrastructure (Dunstan, 2001; De Serres and Hegarty, 2001). Voice services for businesses are still largely provided by the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) that is based on circuit-switching technology. It is reliable, robust and provides basic calling as well as some advanced services. These same businesses rely, on LANs and the TCP/IP protocol that are based on packet-switching technology for data communication and web services. And they use satellite and ISDN lines for limited video communication. Residences can, in addition to the above technologies, use video services supplied through cable network infrastructures. All of these different networks are optimized for specific services. With advances in Internet technology, it has become possible to combine various transmission services such as telephony (using Voice over IP (Schulzrinne and Rosenberg, 1999)) and video (conferencing and streaming (Wainhouse Research, 2001)). But combining services places demands on established business processes and the existing infrastructure, resulting in a more deliberate transition to the IP technology. Consequently, service providers and carriers have started upgrading their networks to carry voice and video along with data. The belief is that a connectionless IP network is cheaper to build and provision than a circuit-switched network and their ability to provide next-generation services would increase the revenue opportunities. The ramifications of upgrading legacy infrastructure into a converged infrastructure are not yet fully understood. What is the cost? What business case justifies the action? What value does it bring to the operation? What are some of the technical hurdles that Voice over IP still faces? What are the implications for regulatory bodies and policies on the adoption of these newer technologies? And most importantly,how does a converged network enhance strategic capabilities and help sustain competitive advantage?