Expandable Advertisements (Mar. 2009):
- Expandable ad is a new type of ad that can appear on the pages.
- Expandable ads are rich media ads that can expand beyond the original size of the ad unit, following a user-initiated action. This creates more real estate for the ad, allowing for more interaction from interested users. For instance, expandable ads may stream a movie trailer, show video game clips, or display various views of an item for sale.
- Expandable ads will be served as third-party ads and will be created by Google-certified rich media vendors for the top display advertisers in our network. And like other Google ads, you’ll earn based on whether the expandable ads on your site are priced on a cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-impression (CPM) basis. Keep in mind that you’ll generate earnings from CPC expandable ads when a user visits the advertiser’s landing page, and not when a user simply clicks to expand the ad.

AdSense For Domains (Dec. 2008):
- AdSense for domains allows publishers with unused domains to help users reach relevant information by presenting content on the domains.
- Only available for domain name registrars and domain name holders before.
- AdSense for domains program is available for all users now (from Dec. 2008).
- Users often type domains into their address bar or follow expired links leading to sites with no content. Instead of an “under construction” page or 404 error, AdSense for domains provides links, search results, advertisements and other content. To do this, we use semantic technology targeted to the domain name. You earn revenue when users interact with the ads on your site.
- If you have a site that has content on it (e.g., articles, reviews, forums, blog postings or other text), then your site should be used with AdSense for content. If you have a page with no content on it, then AdSense for domains can help your users. To get started with AdSense for domains, check out our set-up instructions, or search or browse our AdSense Help Forum for more information.

AdSense For Feeds (Oct. 2008):
What is a feed?
A feed is a format that allows your content to be delivered (and subscribed to) on the web, often as headlines, summaries or articles. Users subscribe to feeds, often through a feed aggregator such as Bloglines or FeedDemon, which gives them access to all desired feeds in one location. This allows users to preview your content wherever they go, making it easier for them to find out what’s new on your site and reminding them to come back.
- AdSense for feeds allows web publishers to earn by placing targeted Google ads in their feeds.
- AdSense for feeds works the way the rest of the AdSense program works: by delivering ads that are relevant to your content and your readers.

What Is Coming Soon? – AdSense For Games
- Google began offering a limited number of online game publishers the opportunity to earn ad revenue by participating in a beta test of its AdSense advertising program for games on October 2008.
- Why games? The Yankee Group last year said that global advertising in video games reached $77.7 million in 2006. It predicted that figure will reach $971.3 million by the end of 2011. Such numbers, however, seem optimistic in light of the current global financial crisis. 

Reference:

http://adsense.blogspot.com/search/label/AdSense%20features

http://www.informationweek.com/news/internet/google/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=210800514&cid=yahoo_search

“We have this amazing product called AdSense for content, where we’re monetizing the Web.” by Google CEO Eric Schmidt.

What Is Google AdSense?
- AdSense is an online advertising application developed by Google.
- Website owners can enroll in this program to enable text, image, and more recently, video advertisements on their websites.
- These advertisements are administered by Google and generate revenue on either a per-click or per-impression basis.
- Services: AdSense for Content, AdSense for feeds, AdSense for search, AdSense for mobile content, AdSense for domains, etc.

Business Plan?
AdSense has become a popular method of placing advertising on a website because the advertisements are less intrusive than most banners, and the content of the advertisements is often relevant to the website.
- For Google: Google uses the Internet search technology to serve advertisements based on website content, the user’s geographical location, and other factors.
- For advertisers: Those wanting to advertise with Google’s targeted advertisement system may enroll through AdWords.
- For webmasters: They use a wide range of traffic-generating techniques such as online advertising, SEO (Search Engine Optimization), etc, and they build valuable content on their websites that attracts AdSense advertisements, which pay out the most when they are clicked.

Google AdSense Growth?
Network growth indicates the revenue from Google AdSense. Blue color shows the revenue from the network. Base on the statistic, 80% of the network revenue is from Google AdSense. Even the Internet specialists predict that AdSense will be saturated in 2010 or 2011, we still can see around 6%-10% of the growth in the past two years.

How Does Google AdSense Work?
- The webmaster inserts the AdSense JavaScript code into a webpage.
- Each time this page is visited, the JavaScript code creates an IFrame with a src attribute set to the page’s URL.
- For contextual advertisements, Google’s servers use a cache of the page to determine a set of high-value keywords. If keywords have been cached already, advertisements are served for those keywords based on the AdWords bidding system.
- For site-targeted advertisements, the advertiser chooses the page(s) on which to display advertisements, and pays based on cost-per-mille (CPM), or the price advertisers choose to pay for every thousand advertisements displayed.
- Because the JavaScript is sent to the Web browser when the page is requested, it is possible for other website owners to copy the JavaScript code into their own webpages. To protect against this type of fraud, AdSense customers can specify the pages on which advertisements should be shown. AdSense then ignores clicks from pages other than those specified.

The Impact On E-Business?
- Google AdSense is a key element in Web2.0 service.
- Anyone can be the “broadcast” of AdSense.
- AdSense is the winner of network effect: 91.9% of search engine advertising market by Google and Yahoo!, and 75.6% by Google.
- AdSense’s partners brought 16.5 hundred million US dollars for Google in the first quarter of 2008 (37% of total revenue and 28% is from AdSense).
- Support new platforms with wireless service such as AdSense for mobile.
- Support multimedia content such as AdSense for YouTube

Conclusion
- Google AdSense brings the new fashion of life.
- Google AdSense generates extra income for SOHO.
- Keyword advertising (Google AdWords) and search engine marketing significantly change the old business model.
- They are Google, anything can happen.

Reference:

http://www.wikipedia.com/

http://www.nhu.edu.tw/~society/e-j/73/73-2.htm

CHAPTER 7 CONCLUSION

7.1 Monitoring and Continuous Improvement

Document Analysis for Starbucks:
The purpose of Green Tea’s project is to satisfy Starbucks needs in reaching a wider audience through changing the ways Starbucks put their product on the market. These gives customers a better Starbucks experience which in return raises their customer’s level of satisfaction – a desirable goal for any organization seeking to succeed. Through the Internet support, customers will be able to buy coffee of their choice at the comfort of their home or office or simply by getting their coffee without waiting in line, especially during rushing hours. To make that happen, we are doing our document gathering by focusing on the documentation analysis technique. This step allowed us to have an overview of the Starbucks page layout and recommend changes where necessary.

Some of the recommended changes that will help us in reaching our goal which is to broaden our customer base go as follows:
1. Search for the coffee menu
2. Placing an order of coffee desired
3. Kind of order: ( pickup/delivery)
Search for the coffee menu: Starbucks page layout does not have an option that allows their customers to search for coffee for pick up or delivery. Leaving out this option defeats the whole purpose; it should be corrected and streamed lined to suit the customer’s needs.
Placing an order of coffee desired: The current layout allows customers to order unprocessed coffee only. This is going to cause lots of confusion if not changed. Giving the customers the ability to order some coffee to be prepared and also allowing them choose their preferred ingredients will leave a lasting impression. Nothing gets a concerned customer more delighted as getting them involved when it comes to what they consume.
Kind of order: (pickup/delivery): When a customer places an order, they should be prompted to choose either to pick their order or have it delivered. Going with the current design, customers will not be able to do so. It should be made clear to customers how long it will take for their coffee to be ready. This allows them weigh their options and go with what’s best for them.
Giving what’s at stake and not knowing how well this project will be accepted by the customers, separating the business from the individual consumer account should be considered. Unlike the present design which lumped all in one account, the idea of separating the two will help Starbucks in structuring their business at the back end should the need to offer any kind of sales discounts emerges.
Finally, having a way to store customer’s information to avoid repetition will benefit both Starbucks and their customers. Time is of essence and will be saved if previous orders by customers are retained in their record. Those who prefer same kind of coffee will find this handy since they will be saved the trouble of picking and choosing what will be in their coffee.

7.2 Conclusion

Starbucks’ sales have been dropping since 2006. The Green tea project team is trying to increase the profit for the Starbucks. We are doing the System Analysis for the whole project to see if this online order system works or not. After research and data analysis, this project is worth to do because of the increase of sales. It can improve the service inside the stores and the reputation of Starbucks. This online order system also has the potential for the future development for the Starbucks.

CHAPTER 6: PROJECT AND STRUCTURAL MODELING

6.1 Activity Diagram

Since the primary process for Starbucks online service is the online order system, it is important to demonstrate the relationships between the objects in the system. The flow starts with getting order information. If the order comes from new customers, the system creates new customer accounts. There are two ways to make order payment. Customers could choose either pay online with credit cards or pay cash. The final procedure is to choose delivery methods. Two delivery methods, delivery and pickup are available for customers.

Activity diagram for Starbucks online order system:

6.2 Use Case Diagram

Use Case Deseription
Use Case Name: Place order ID: 2 Importance Level: High

Primary Actor: Customer Use Case Type: Detail, essential

Stakeholders and Interests:
Customer- wants to place, change, or cancel an order
Store- wants to ensure that the customers’ needs are met by accepting responsibility to prepare coffee for pickup or delivery

Brief Description: This use case describes how orders are placed as well as cancelling an order

Trigger: Customer calls and asked to place an order or even cancel an already pplaced order

Type: External
Relationships:
Associations: Customer
Include: Make arrangement ton how to receive order
Extend: Create New Customer Account
Generalization:

Normal Flow of Events:
1. The customer contacts the office via online regarding placing an order.
2. The customer enters her name, address and phone number.
3. The account database system validates the Customer exists in the customer database.
4. The order system accepts and executes the make arrangement (delivery/pickup) use case.
5. The customer is prompted to place a new order, cancel an existing order or change an existing order.
If the customer wants to place a new order,
the S-1: new order sub flow is performed.
If the patient wants to cancel an existing order,
the S-2: cancel order sub flow is performed.
If the customer wants to change an existing order,
the S-3: change order sub flow is performed.
6. The order system provides the results of the transaction to the customer.

Sub Flows:
S-1: New Order
1. The order system prompts the customer for the kind of coffee for their order.
2. The order system matches the customer’s type of order with customer’s info and then place the new order.
S-2: Cancel Order
1. The order system ask the customer for the order number.
2. The order system finds the order number in the system and then cancels it.
S-3: Change Order
1. The order system performs the S-2: Cancel Order sub flow.
2. The order system performs the S-1: New Order sub flow.

Extend and include relationships:

The class diagram contains the actions or the functions that class can perform the relationships between each object. The object diagrams are pulled out from the class diagram. The object diagrams are essentially an instantiation of all or part of a class diagram. For example, customer will place the order on the web application, then, the application will send the order to the store.

6.5 Class-Responsibility-Collaboration Cards

The set of CRC cards contains all the information necessary to build a logical structural model of the problem under investigation. This CRC card is the example for the customer. Inside the card, we have all the information of the customer. The front of the card allows the recording of the class’s name (customer), ID, type, description, list of associated use cases, responsibilities, and collaborators. The back of the CRC card contain the attributes and relationships of the class, such as the name of the customer, address, email.

CHAPTER 5
PROJECT ANALYSIS AND ASSESSMENT

5.1 Business Process Improvement

Green Tea’s strategic goals and purposes:
The purpose of Green Tea’s project is to satisfy Starbucks needs by reaching a wider audience, innovating Starbuck way to put their product on the market and giving customers a better Starbuck experience as well as improving their satisfaction and increase the Starbuck sales by 5% through the Internet support.

Duration Analysis:
After spending a day observing the StarBucks staff in one of the store in Atlanta area, we have seen the following observations. Usually it take no more than 5 minutes to pay and serve the coffee to the clients, but during rush hours the staff is constantly under pressure. They have to deal with unsatisfied clients. Clients complaint if they have to wait on line more than 10 minutes and some of them leave the store if it takes more than 10 minutes to take their order or if the line is too big. It implies that the store is losing money, customers and not fulfill the Starbucks experience to their clients due to the time the staff take to serve their clients.

Activity-Based Costing:
Each coffee cost at least 5$. During rush hours, impatient clients tend to leave the coffee shop because it takes too much time to serve. Green Tea staff has observed that during rush hours at an average of 60 people leave the store without buying anything which implies that the store have lost at least 300$ in that hour. This means that in a week Starbucks lose at least $2,100.

Informal Benchmarking:
Green Tea is expecting to increase sales and also speed the time at which Starbucks’s employees serve their customers and satisfy Starbucks experience goal by including an Internet support.
First of all, Starbucks is going to be the first in the coffee industry to make an online order for individuals. Therefore its competitors may follow the concept as soon as they will see that they idea bring a considerable amount of profits. Each store that will be willing to implement this program will increase their sales of 5%.
It is also going to improve the Starbucks experience of each customers and it will reach a bigger audience. Customers that are impatient will be tending to use this kind of service. Starbucks staff will receive less complaint from the customers and the level of tension for the staff during rush hours will considerably go down, which implies that the staff will continue to give a better job without the stress of the rush hours.
Finally, this concept will raise the image of Starbucks service, because Starbucks will show that they still be able to improve their service no matter what and it will show an image on a healthy and wealthy company where invest on is not a lost of money.

5.2 Data gathering techniques

For our project team we are going to use Document Analysis and Observation for the data gathering.

Depth of information for Document Analysis:
When we compare document analysis to other data gathering technique, document analysis is just a pile of data. The information about the data is not rich, but it is enough for the project team to analysis the information about how many cups of coffee does the Starbucks sell, and what kind of coffee does they sell. This is the reason why we chose the Document analysis for the data gathering technique. We can direct get the information from the Starbucks stores, and combine the data.

Depth of information for Observation:
Observation data gathering technique also does not give us lots of information when you compare to other techniques. The reason why we are using it is because it has the information that we need. For example, through observation, we can know information about what kind of coffee people are ordering today, or what reaction when they waiting in line for 5 minutes when need have to go to work during the rush hour. All the information that we get from the observation, we can extend it. From the emotional expression, we can know that what the customer wants. The information that we get is more helpful than the other techniques.

Breadth of Information for Document Analysis:
The breadth of information for Document Analysis is high. We can get all documents from all Starbucks stores, and it is easy and fast.

Breadth of Information for Observation:
The range of information and information sources for the observation is low. Therefore, we chose 5 stores from east, west, north, south, and center of Atlanta to be our observation targets.

Integration of Information for Document Analysis and Observation:
Document analysis has low integration of information. Simply, we just collect the information and combine it for the analysis. For the observation, it also has low integration of information. During the observation, we collect all the information and reactions for the analysis.

User Involvement for Document Analysis and Observation:
Document analysis and observation both have low user involvement because both of techniques are collecting the information. The Observation may involve more observation because it will contain customers’ reaction.

Cost for the Document Analysis and Observation:
Cost is an important element for us to choose these two techniques for the data gathering. Both techniques are low cost. Only the observation has the time consuming. We have only 5 stores to be observed, so the time consuming will not take too long.

Conclusion
After compare all techniques, our project team have chose Document analysis and observation to be our data gathering techniques. We base on what information that we need and the cost of the techniques to decided these two ways to gathering our information. We chose these two do not mean others are not good. For example, the interview is good for data gathering, but it contains too much information that we don’t need, and the cost is higher than those two we are chosen.

CHAPTER 3: PROJECT PLAN

3.1 Milestones

1. Project begins on Mar 10, 2008.
2. Receive the registered delivery vehicles with equipments installed on Jul 31, 2008.
3. Complete order system and database system installation on Oct 1, 2008.
4. Submit final delivery procedure and route on Dec 4, 2008.

3.2 Work Breakdown Structure

3.3 Project Charter

Project objective: The Online Order System project team will create an online ordering web-base system to sell Starbucks’ coffee to help customers save their time.

The Online Order System team members will:
1. Attend a staff meeting each Friday at 10 am to report on the status of assigned tasks.
2. Update the workplan with actual data each Friday by 2 pm.
3. Discuss all problems with manager as soon as they discover the problem.
4. Put all changes on the board in order to remind the team members that we have change something.
5. Helping each other when they needed in order to keep project on the schedule.

CHAPTER 4: ALTERNATIVE SOLUTIONS: AND RECOMMENDATIONS

They are always other sorts of ways to get into the company’s profit increasing, but Green Tea Company believe that our project is the one that you need. Not only the price is affordable and the timeline is relatively short and also we believe on its results.
There is the possibility to implement our new system to all the Starbucks stores, but we believe that only 20 stores will be necessary to prove on the efficacy of our system. By implementing the system in only 20 stores, you will be able to see its result in a small scale without expend an astronomic amount of money. This project can be seeing as a prototype and if Starbucks CEOs are satisfied; they can later on beneficiate on adding more store to this new project.

If the idea of buying new cars for the delivery service doesn’t please Starbucks managers; there is always the possibility to use the employee’s car, but seeing Starbuck as a growing and powerful company, we believe that the option of buying new delivery cars is necessary to promote an image of a wealthy company which it interest is giving the best service to their costumers. Therefore not only this project will increase sales, but it will raise the image of Starbuck service and also it will be one of the first coffee company to make this type of service.

CHAPTER 2: FEASIBILITY ANALYSIS

Green tea group have created the following feasibility analysis aimed at modifying the existing internet order system of Starbucks. The details of the feasibility analysis go as following sections.

2.1 Technical Feasibility

The system will be as is, but with some minor adjustment which may involve risk.
Starbucks risk in regards to the familiarity with an internet order based application is high:
• With the exception of business consumers , the IT department will be restructuring the already existing website to service individual consumers; this requires hiring more programmers and extensive training to make it happen
• Being the first one of chain coffee businesses, the marketing department has little experience in using a web-based medium to reach individual consumers.
• The competition if any that exist in this type of retail business is unknown

Starbucks risk in regards to the familiarity with an internet order application is medium:
• The acceptability and impact this project will have on consumers is yet unknown
• Restructuring of the system to include consumers may require increase in the man hours ; this can also mean hiring more people in the IT department
• Experience from managing and administering the existing website would help in maintaining the system once it comes on live.

Overall, the risk involved in this project is medium
• With an already existing team, only few will be hired in the IT department
• Through feed back , users would be involved in the final phase of the developmental process
• Length of project would be restricted to two months, to allow implementation before end of semester

The compatibility with Starbucks existing technical infrastructure should be good:
• The existing client-server which is based on open standard based solves the interoperability issues.
• A system ordering and maintaining of orders electronically will be installed

2.2 Economic Feasibility

The cost and benefit analysis is presented in the following figures. The return on investment (ROI) over two years (2009, 2010) will be 173%. Total benefit after two years is $8.2 million, and break-even occurs after 1.12 quarters. Also, intangible costs and benefits include improvement of customer satisfaction, reduction of intra-company costs, reduction of advertising costs, and enhancement of brand recognition.

Assign values to costs and benefits:
Cost and benefit analysis (13 weeks):

Assign values:

Benefits:
Increase sales 810,000 (Increase customer base)
Improve customer satisfaction 50,000 (reduce service time)
Reduce intra-company costs 20,000 (online surveys)
Reduce advertising costs 40,000 (online marketing)
Total benefits 920,000

Cost:
Development costs:
Development labor 80,000
Total development costs 80,000

Operational cost:
Operational labor 250,000
Delivery vehicles 200,000
Gas, mileage 70,000
Maintenance 15,000
Delivery phones 200
Monthly charge 3,200
Other hardware 20,000
Total operational costs 558,400

Total costs 638,400

Break-even graph:

2.3 Organizational Feasibility

From an organizational perspective, this project is low risk. The objective of the system is to increase the sales for the company. The company already has the online order system. The team can use the system and implement the new software. Creating the Internet Order System also aligns with Marketing’s goal to become more savvy in internet marketing and sales.
The project has a project champion, project manager, Vice President of Marketing. Project manager is an important role in this project. Their job is to make sure everything is on the schedule and educate others to help this project to be successful.
The users of the system, Internet consumers, are expected to appreciate the benefits of Starbucks’ online order system. Also, the store manager should be willing accept this system, given the possibility of increased sales at the store level.

Starbucks Online Order Feasibility Analysis Executive Summary

Green tea group have created the following feasibility analysis aimed at modifying the existing internet order system of starbucks. The details of the feasibility analysis go as follows:

Technical Feasibility
The system will be as is, but with some minor adjustment which may involve risk.
Starbucks risk in regards to the familiarity with an internet order based application is high
• With the exception of business consumers , the IT department will be restructuring the already existing website to service individual consumers; these requires hiring of more programmers and extensive training to make it happen
• Been first of its kind in the coffee business, the marketing department has little experience in using a web-based medium to reach individual consumers.
• The competition if any that exist in this type of retail business is unknown
Starbucks risk in regards to the familiarity with an internet order application is medium
• The acceptability and impact this project will have on consumers is yet unknown
• Restructuring of the system to include consumers may require increase in the man hours ; this can also mean hiring more people in the IT department
• Experience from managing and administering the existing website would help in maintaining the system once it comes on live.
Overall, the risk involved in this project is medium
• With an already existing team, only few will be hired in the IT department
• Through feed back , users would be involved in the final phase of the developmental process
• Length of project would be restricted to two months, to allow implementation before end of semester
The compatibility with Starbucks existing technical infrastructure should be good
• The existing client-server which is based on open standard based solves the interoperability issues.
• A system ordering and maintaining of orders electronically will be installed
Economic Feasibility
The cost benefit analysis has been done, see attached for details. The break down of the economics reveals the business value this project will be bringing to Starbucks.
ROI over two years (2009, 2010): 173%
Total benefit after two years: $8.2 million
Break-even occurs: after 1.12 quarter
Intangible costs and benefits:
• Improve customer satisfaction
• Reduce intra-company costs
• Reduce advertising costs
• Enhance brand recognition

Organizational Feasibility
In terms of organizational feasibility, this project has low risk. At heart of this project lies the common purpose of increasing sales. We are also hoping to improve our service time by increasing the speed the time at which we serve our customers.
The project will be over seared by the project champion, John Doe, Regional manager. John will be devoting his time and effort in educating and meeting with the top management when necessary till the anticipated end. We expect our customers would find the system very beneficial.

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Starbucks Coffee Company was founded in 1971 and their mission statement was to be “the premier purveyor of the finest coffee in the world.” Nowadays, they are considered as the world’s leading retailer, roaster and brand of specialty coffee with millions of customer visits per week at stores in North America, and around the world.

1.1 Starbucks Background and Current Situation

Their secret, as Howard Schultz, Starbucks chairman, president and chief executive officer stated, is The Starbucks Experience. Which consist on providing the finest coffee in a comfortable and upbeat meeting place and by building a personal relationship with each of their customers and the entrepreneurial risk-taking, innovation and creativity of the company? At the beginning, their products was consisting mainly on selling handcrafted beverages, fresh food and coffee, they have more than 30 blends and single-origin coffees. Then, they start to expand outside the United States and meanwhile new products start to appear on the U.S stores like the “Global Consumer Products”, which consist on providing drinks unknown to the American population. After, being establish internationally, they decided not only to deal with individual but also to open their market to business companies. They have started to sell assorted home espresso machines, coffee brewers and grinders, a line of premium chocolate, coffee mugs and coffee accessories, and a variety of gift items on the official website.

Nowadays, Starbucks have more than 7,087 Company-operated stores and 4,081 Licensed stores in the United States. Since 1992, the Company went public and enjoyed U.S. and international growth.

1.2 Description of Starbucks Problems

Lately, Starbucks have announced that they were closing a number of underperforming U.S stores locations in order to renew focus on its store-level units economics. According to the CEOs, they want to improve the current state of the U.S business by finding strategic ways to increase shareholders values, renewing focus on the customer experience in stores, and make a few new innovations on their products and store designs elements.

1.3 Project Scope

The purpose of Green Tea’s project is to satisfy Starbucks needs by reaching a wider audience, innovating Starbuck way to put their product on the market and giving customers a better Starbuck experience as well as improving their satisfaction. Through the Internet support, customers will be able to buy coffee of their choice at their comfort of their home or office or simply by getting their coffee without waiting online, especially on the rushing hours.

Overall Project Objective:
• To improve the current state of the U.S business
Strategic Objective:
• To reaching a wider audience and to give customers a better Starbuck experience by using a new way to order coffee through Internet

Target:
Increasing the Starbuck sales by 5%.
Description Of Project’s MOV And How It Is Ties To Goal And Strategy
One of the company approaches to remediate to their problems is to close U.S stores that are under performing. After analyzing this strategy will temporary approve the company’s action value. Meanwhile they are still trying to find a way to improve and reinvented their customers’ Starbucks experience.

Green Tea Company has found a way to improve and reinvented it at a little expend. Such project consists on:
• Modifying Starbucks actual system and database. We believe that a few people will be hired to work with IT department.
• A networking technician is needed to link the systems between the 20 stores in Atlanta. These 20 stores are individual licensed stores, not company contracted stores.
• Jim Donald, regional Starbuck manager, will be also there to guides the project process and fulfill the stores needs and motivate its personnel to become more open at the idea of this new project.
• The system and personnel are supposed to be operational in 10 months, relatively a short period of time.
• The first 6 months is to modify the system, create database and install the network, and three months to train Starbuck’s personnel.
• The project should start on Mar 10, 2008 and be ending on Jan 14, 2009.
• Every two weeks, a report will be sent to the CEO in order to inform them of the progress of the project.
• The project will cost $638,400, but it is expected to increase 5% of each store profit.

We are expecting to increase sales and also speed the time at which Starbuck’s employees serve their customers. We understand time to be of the essence to their customers and giving them that opportunity to utilize it, as they want instead of spending it waiting makes a paying customer happier fulfilling Starbuck’s mission.

1.4 Elements of the System Request Form

System Request — Online order system for Starbucks Coffee project

Program Sponsor: Glory Ikonne, Raquel Mendoza, Yuan-Chen Chin, Yen-Hsien Hwang

Business Needs: The purpose of this project is to reach a wider audience as well as improve on the expectation of our customers through internet support.

Business Requirements:
The internet allows our customers whether business or consumers to order for coffee of their choice at the comfort of their home or office. These cuts down hold times in ordering and paying for the coffee.
Since the focus is on 20 stores within the metro Atlanta, below are some of the functionalities that will be included:
• Search for the coffee menu
• Place an order of coffee desired
• Receive confirmation of order placed
• Kind of order: ( pickup/delivery)

Business Value: We are hoping to increase sales and also speed the time at which we serve our customers. We understand time to be of essence to our customers and giving them that opportunity to utilize it as they want instead of spending it waiting makes a paying customer happier fulfilling why we are in business. We expect the improved customer satisfaction will help spread the word and as such double our customer base.

Special Issues or Constraints:
• The marketing department finds this move very strategic. With so many people embracing the idea of e-business, we will not be left out its use to market our products.
• The System is expected to be operational by at the end of ten months

Element/Description/Examples
Project Sponsor/Primary Contacts on the business Side/Me
Business Need/The related reason for initiating the business/To reach a wider audience as well as improve on the expectation of our customers through internet support
Business Requirements/The capabilities the business will require/Allows our customers whether business or consumers to order for coffee of their choice at the comfort of their home or office; Search for the coffee menu; Place an order of coffee desired; Receive confirmation of order placed
Business Value/The benefits that the system will bring/5% increase in sales; 50,000 savings in improving customers satisfaction; 40,000 reduction in advertising
Special Issues or Constraints/Issues that are most vital to the implementation of the system/System needed to ready for installation within six months time

Network effect is a proper noun used in economy or business. The value of a product will depend on how many people use it. For example, if there is only one fax machine in the world, its value will be zero because there is no another fax machine can communicate with it. However, the value of fax machine will increase if more and more people start to use it. To apply in the e-business, network effect could infer the ability of the development of the Internet society. Network effect is just like rolling a snowball on the Internet. The people using the Internet have continued increase since 1990. The value of each Internet user depends on the total other Internet users. It means that other people will join an Internet community when critical mass of users are attracted by this community. In other words, a successful website requires techniques, marketing, and price strategy to attract customers so as to trigger network effect.

The interpersonal interaction is a big power to detain customers. Various types of hypothesized community help to affiliate the relationship between enterprises and customers, or customers and customers. The interaction between users may raise its centripetal force and their loyalty (Lu, 1997). The forum in Myspace and the blogsearch of Google’s blogspot are the examples why enterprises value network effect.

Once users confess themselves to belong to the network community, this network community may understand network effect more. It is helpful for a successful e-business to create the advantage of the original market occupying and increase market share. It makes competitors more difficult to vacillate our community members. Also, old members could use the network community to bring other new members and facilitate positive cycle in the community such as advertising companies. However, the success of enterprises will be decided by the ability to give the hypothesized social group trust and maintain users’ interaction continually.

Network in Digital Age

The biggest change of the digital age is the significant increase of broadband of the Internet. The Internet broadband is the foundation of network media. Several phenomena are worth us to observe:

1. Broadband enhance the network advertisement: the present websites strat to apply massive Flash animation and advertising banner because of the development of the Internet broadband. The increase of visual effects brings more customers comparing with traditional media like newspapers. People also believe that more brilliant network advertisement will appear in the future.
2. The specialized medium production team: The network market will have a flood of medium production teams who specialize in playing the dynamic medium techniques. Comparing with traditional industry, the network market will be getting more and more difficult to ask for cheap.
3. The development of wireless broadband: Broadband also brings the Internet the third generation of information transmission prospects such as wireless handset, telecommunication satellite.

The Impact on Economy

Another issue is the impact that network effect brings economy. The research of the new economy is called “Californian Ideology” (Barbrook and Cameron, 1996:53). The main idea is: the existing social, political, and legal structure will collapse and be replaced by the interaction between each individual freed from the shackles. The employers will become many scattered small Internet businesses. Service industry will also become more significant than manufacturing industry under such weightless economy. It indicates that products will no longer have entities and contain more information technology. Those products are called dematerialize products or intangibles such as online broadcast, computer software, advertising marketing, online banking, and even the Internet users’ writings, designs, trades, or conversations. Under the new information economy, people need to use more brain than user their physical strength. Therefore, novel idea and abundant information are the most important resources.

Conclusion

When I was doing this assignment, it remained me of a book which I just finished: Sweet Spot by Mr. 6. In this book, the author researched the key reason why some websites become famous in a very short period of time. He indicates that some website became famous because of some additional functions and the development of the Internet such as how Facebook extended its user database rapidly, how Wikipedia become the authority of online encyclopedia, and how Youtube creates large traffic. I have been looking for the trend of webpage developing for some time already. However, the key point is not the knowledge of web2.0 or to follow other successful websites’ steps. To become a successful website developer, I have to find out the fashion and the tread of design and programming so as to reach my sweet spot.

Reference

Lu, Hsi-Peng and Jyun-Yu Wang, “The Relationship between Management Styles, User Participation, and System Success over MIS Growth Stages,” Information & Management, 1997

Ping service is for you to tell the world automatically that your blog was updated. Here is the definition of Ping from Wikipedia:
In blogging, ping is an XML-RPC-based push mechanism by which a weblog notifies a server that its content has been updated. An XML-RPC signal is sent to one or more “ping servers,” which can then generate a list of blogs that have new material. Many blog authoring tools automatically ping one or more servers each time the blogger creates a new post or updates an old one.
This can bring more visitors to your blog without doing much job. If you’re using WordPress blog, all you have to do is to put the ping service website links into Update Services field(you can find this under Writing in Settings). Here is a list of Ping services I collected, you can copy it to your blog.

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http://1470.net/api/ping
http://a2b.cc/setloc/bp.a2b

http://api.feedster.com/ping
http://api.moreover.com/RPC2
http://api.moreover.com/ping
http://api.my.yahoo.com/RPC2
http://api.my.yahoo.com/rss/ping
http://bitacoles.net/ping.php
http://bitacoras.net/ping
http://blogdb.jp/xmlrpc
http://blogdigger.com/RPC2
http://blogmatcher.com/u.php
http://blogoole.com/ping
http://blogoon.net/ping
http://blogpeople.net/servlet/weblogUpdates
http://blogshares.com/rpc.php
http://blogsnow.com/ping
http://blogstreet.com/xrbin/xmlrpc.cgi
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/XMLRPC
http://bulkfeeds.net/rpc
http://coreblog.org/ping
http://lasermemory.com/lsrpc
http://mod-pubsub.org/kn_apps/blogchatter/ping.php

http://modpubsub.org/kn_apps/blogchatt
http://newsisfree.com/xmlrpctest.php
http://pinger.blogflux.com/rpc/
http://ping.amagle.com/
http://ping.bitacoras.com/
http://ping.blo.gs/
http://ping.bloggers.jp/rpc
http://ping.blogmura.jp/rpc
http://ping.cocolog-nifty.com/xmlrpc
http://ping.cocolognifty.com/xmlrpc

http://ping.exblog.jp/xmlrpc
http://ping.feedburner.com/
http://ping.myblog.jp/
http://ping.rootblog.com/rpc.php
http://ping.syndic8.com/xmlrpc.php
http://ping.weblogalot.com/rpc.php
http://ping.weblogs.se/
http://pingoat.com/goat/RPC2
http://rcs.datashed.net/RPC2
http://rpc.icerocket.com:10080/
http://rpc.tailrank.com/feedburner/RPC2
http://rpc.blogbuzzmachine.com/RPC2
http://rpc.blogrolling.com/pinger
http://rpc.pingomatic.com/

http://rpc.pingomatic.com/rpc2
http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping
http://rpc.weblogs.com/RPC2
http://snipsnap.org/RPC2
http://trackback.bakeinu.jp/bakeping.php
http://topicexchange.com/RPC2
http://weblogues.com/RPC
http://xping.pubsub.com/ping
http://xmlrpc.blogg.de/
http://bblog.com/ping.php
http://blogbot.dk/io/xml-rpc.php
http://catapings.com/ping.php
http://effbot.org/rpc/ping.cgi
http://thingamablog.sourceforge.net/ping.php
http://blogsearch.google.com/pingRPC2
http://rpc.newsgator.com/
http://newsisfree.com/RPCCloud
http://mod-pubsub.org/ping.php
http://pingqueue.com/rpc
http://rpc.britblog.com/
http://services.newsgator.com/ngws/xmlrpcping.aspx
http://holycowdude.com/rpc/ping
http://wasalive.com/ping
http://blogpeople.net/servlet/weblogUpdates
http://blogsearch.google.com/pingRPC2nd
http://api.my.yahoo.com/rpc2
http://pinger.blogflux.com/rpc
http://rpc.icerocket.com:10080/
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/xmlrpc
http://pingoat.com/goat/rpc2
http://rcs.datashed.net/rpc2
http://rpc.blogbuzzmachine.com/rpc2
http://newsisfree.com/rpccloud
http://queerfilter.com/ping
http://weblogues.com/rpc
http://api.mw.net.tw/RPC2
http://api.my.yahoo.com/ping
http://blogsdominicanos.com/ping
http://blogsearch.google.co.uk/pingRPC2
http://blogsearch.google.us/pingRPC2
http://feedsky.com/api/RPC2
http://fgiasson.com/pings/ping.php
http://focuslook.com/ping.php
http://holycowdude.com/rpc/ping
http://imblogs.net/ping
http://ping.blogg.de/
http://ping.blogs.yandex.ru/RPC2
http://ping.fakapster.com/rpc
http://ping.wordblog.de/
http://pinger.onejavastreet.com/
http://rpc.tailrank.com/feedburner/RPC2
http://rpc.wpkeys.com/
http://rssfeeds.com/suggest_wizzard.php
http://rssfwd.com/xmlrpc/api
http://signup.alerts.msn.com/alerts-PREP/submitPingExtended.doz
http://weblogalot.com/ping
http://xianguo.com/xmlrpc/ping.php
http://zhuaxia.com/rpc/server.php
http://focuslook.com/ping

http://www.a2b.cc/setloc/bp.a2b
http://www.blogdigger.com/RPC2
http://www.blogshares.com/rpc.php
http://www.blogsnow.com/ping
http://www.blogstreet.com/xrbin/xmlrpc.cgi
http://www.blogoon.net/ping/
http://www.blogpeople.net/servlet/weblogUpdates
http://www.blogroots.com/tb_populi.blog?id=1
http://www.blogcensus.net/census_server.pl
http://www.holycowdude.com/rpc/ping/
http://www.modpubsub.org/kn_apps/blogchatter/ping.php
http://www.newsisfree.com/xmlrpctest.php
http://www.popdex.com/addsite.php
http://www.weblogues.com/RPC/
http://www.feedsky.com/api/RPC2
http://www.zhuaxia.com/rpc/server.php
http://www.xianguo.com/xmlrpc/ping.php
http://blog.yodao.com/ping/rpc2
http://blog.iask.com/ping.php

http://blog.iask.com/RPC2
http://ping.blog.qikoo.com/rpc2.php

http://ping.blog.qikoo.com/rpc2.php
http://www.zhuaxia.com/rpc/server.php
http://www.bloglines.com/ping
http://services.newsgator.com/ngws/xmlrpcping.aspx