Video Conferencing

1. One consulting firm has predicted that video and Web conferencing will
makebusiness travel extinct. Do you agree? Why or why not? (Marissa)

We believe that video and web conferencing is a much more viable option for businesses in today’s
day and age and will in deed supersede business travel. Businesses that are finding that they are
spending a significant amount on unnecessary travel will soon be taking the video/ web conferencing
option to save money.

Case Study, Virtual Meetings: Smart Management states that “Videoconferencing is now growing at
an annual rate of 30 percent”. This confirms that videoconferencing is on the increase therefore we
can only assume that business travel must be decreasing and will eventually be non-existent.

Video/ web conferencing has become easily accessible for most businesses around the world and is
much more convenient than organising flights and accommodation to attend those important
meetings. There is less risk of not being able to attend a meeting due to flight delays or cancellations
and if a meeting has been cancelled at the last minute there will be no expenses due to flight or
accommodation cancellation charges.

There are a variety of video conferencing products in the market as well as web based programs
making this option readily available to businesses. Videoconferencing products can be a significant
expense incurred at the start but these costs will mean a large saving on travel expenses that will
either be reduced or no longer exist. Most web based conferencing products are free so this would
mean no initial out lay. These free programs are not always of the best quality but are a good option
to test out if video/ web conferencing is the best way forward for a business.

These options would take away the “face-to-face” factor of a meeting and the personal touch such as
a handshake that some clients, customers or suppliers desire when they are having business
dealings with a company but with the worlds advancing technology they can now make it feel like a
person on the other side of the world is actually right there in the room with you.

Benefits of Video and Web conferencing
*Travel and associated expenses will be reduced
*Increase in productivity as managers/employees will no longer be required to leave the office for
hours or even days at a time for meetings.
*The ability to communicate more often with others
*Informed decisions can be made faster
*Environmentally friendly, reducing the companies carbon footprint.
(Polycom Fact Sheet "The Top Five Benefits of Video Conferencing )
All of these benefits far outweigh the benefits of business travel. (WORD COUNT 411)

References:
Case Study, Virtual Meetings: Smart Management
Polycom Fact Sheet "The Top Five Benefits of Video Conferencing -
http://www.ivci.com/international_videoconferencing_news_whitepapers.html

2.What are the ways in which videoconferencing provides value to a business,
inparticular the business communication processes? Would you consider it
smartmanagement? Explain your answer. (Ray)

Key Points
 Up to 20% of business travel could be replaced by virtual meeting technology
 Video Conference allows individuals at 2 or more locations to communicate simultaneously
 Allows for better meetings and is easier to meet with partners , suppliers , subsidiaries and colleagues
in office or around the world
 Allows for meeting contacts that may have been inaccessible for various travel or budgetary
constraints
 Helps , designers , marketers and manufacturers collaborate on new products
 Companies that are financially able to use this technology report large savings in travel and
accommodation costs
 Helps companies meet its green environmental goals is necessary
 Especially helpful for training and sales presentations
 More employees may be able to work closer to home and balance work and personal lives more
efficiently

(Rough Draft)
The acceptance of videoconferencing as part of the normal business practice provides many
organizations the ability to provide its stakeholders with a more complete and concise way of
communicating within the internal environment of the business, it also allows the organization a
deliberate form of communication that is directly related to its external environment. By utilizing the full
potential of video conferencing facilities a business will be providing value to its organization in
several forms , most notably, the ability to allow for better meetings with partners , suppliers and work
colleagues either within the office or at various locations around the world. Video Conferencing also
provides a collaborative forum for designers , marketers and manufacturers when preparing for the
launch or pre design of new products and reduces the time to market for a new product by up to 24%
(Polycom 2009 ,Benchmarking the Benefits of Videoconferencing Deployments)

Video Conferencing also provides a clearer channel of communication that may be more accessible
for certain stakeholders of the organization dependent on location or budgetary constraints , this
allows for conducting meetings with other companies or employees that may be based in remote
areas. The ability of organizations now to dedicate video conferencing aimed at their sales
departments that can be used for training or presentations on various products or re-enforcement of
core values of the business. The effectiveness of video conferencing is also immediate as it provides
an opportunity of employees to interact with each other from various locations within the organization
that may not have been possible due to various factors of geographical or cost.

Video Conferencing can be considered smart management if it helps achieve the goals of the
organization in an efficient and effective manner , by utilizing this form of communication it aids in the
planning , organizing , leading and controlling of the organization whilst also nurturing a business that
is not constrained by geographical or regional conditions. Many organizations that have utilized this
type of communication have realized costs saving on travel and accommodation of up to 20% whilst
also reporting an increase in reaching customers and partners, so in effect providing an more
effective and efficient way of achieving the goals of the organization. (WORD COUNT 500)