When customers can get rate comparisons online, they are armed to try to get a better deal on a loan, say, from their own local banks. In response, the banks tailor specific kinds of loans to specific customers. It is the computerized system that takes over the work of middlemen, that directs workflow, asset management, and scheduling, while the producer of goods saves on costs and material and the customer gets specialized services. Allen's talk drew many questions from the audience. When processes are integrated in the virtual enterprise, Allen said, the systems that were formerly multiple and independent yield to a single model of flow.
Information management is another issue, as are adaptive systems.
Copyright 1997 SDSCwire.