1. The explosion of the Internet in popular culture has in no small part been fueled by the chat-room and E-mail phenomenon, whereby multiple computer users can dial in to an online, onscreen conference call and do everything from talk about movies and current events to set up romantic encounters. A key aspect of this is the ability to move documents (computer files) over the wire as well--something that has facilitated transfer of text and database files on one hand and wire transfers of money on the other.
The next step is the employment--more exactly systematic deployment--of intranet technology over long distance for mission-critical applications (Gill 29). So-called groupware is the name given to applications that allow multiple users, whether connected by LAN or by telephone, to share information at the same time, for purposes of real-time remote conferencing (Miley 29), as well as "E-mail, messaging, and electronic calendaring and scheduling [and] . . . threaded discussion groups, chat rooms, and workflow and document management" (Gill 29). Miley (32) cites "the marriage of groupware and Internet technologies" as transforming the nature of workplace collaboration.
The principal benefit would be a saving of time and the increased potential for workers at headquarters and remote sites to understand policies and procedures at the same time--thus diminishing the negative impact of multiple information filters that are typical of corporate work environments, particulatly those with multiple work sites. A secondary benefit could be to exploit lower-cost remote facilities or structures of telecommuting our outsourcing, as opposed to possibly expensive facilities preparation and internal staffing. Miley cites use of an Intel Videoconferencing program by Flagstar Bank, Bloomfield Hills, Mich., to streamline real estate transactions, which are often time-sensitive, with some 600 mortgage brokers in 30 states, "linking borrowers with...