Distributed Group Management Solution [DGMS] For Distributed Enterprises

Abstract

It a foregone conclusion that information systems has dramatically changed not only the way we do things but even they way we think. The advance of computer and especially the PC in the 1980s and data networks has heralded a new chapter in regard to information processing, storage, exchange and transfer. Organisations, Governments and individuals have injected huge sums of money in installing computers in the offices and networking them. This has effectively greatly improved on information processing and managements from the traditional methods. Data networks form LANs; to the Internet have provided a vehicle of data transfer that has not been known before. This has propelled organisation to become distributed by having multiple branches spread out within a campus, a city, between cities and all over the world the Internet- a change in the mode of doing business. Examples of such organisations include Retail business enterprises such as supermarkets, Banks, Governments departments, Educational institutions such as colleges and universities, Hospitals, Police stations, Pharmacy outlets etc. One of the challenges to this development is the fact that people have not changed from being themselves. Ideally people are social beings and need to interact whether they are in different locations or not. The interaction range from the usual formal meetings to the informal chat over a cup of tea or when people bump on each other along the hall way and corridors. However in distributed scenario the interaction becomes more complicated due to the distances involved. There are a host of technologies out there that attempt to address different interaction needs between people within organisations. There is a great need to carefully look into the market for existing interaction technologies, the interaction supported for workers and other players in an organisation. A substantial piece of work is designing and implementing a model that can support key interaction areas such as formal meetings within an organisation.