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INFOSYS.110 BUSINESS SYSTEMS:

DELIVERABLE 2: BUSINESS SECTION
2014

Name Eleanor Calder
NetID ecal134
Group Number: 382
Website Link: http://www.infosys1102014s1group382.blogspot.co.nz
Tutorial Details
Tutor: Day: Time:
Kushbu Tilvawala Thursday 12pm
Time Spent on
Assignment:
10 hours Word Count: 1516

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EMERGENCY COMMUNICATION SYSTEM
INTRODUCTION
Natural disasters and civil defence emergencies occur regularly on an international as well
as a local scale. In New Zealand, we are constantly faced with severe weather storms,
tsunami warnings and earthquakes such as those that have been ongoing in Christchurch
since 2011. It has become evident that communication during these emergencies is lacking,
with current systems in place requiring subscriptions and internet connections. This
business plan proposes the solution of automated text messages that are sent out on the
already established mobile networks in New Zealand, getting up-to-date information to all
New Zealanders without the need for a subscription or internet access.
3. BUSINESS SECTION
3.1 Vision
To ensure every New Zealander is kept up-to-date before, during and after natural disasters,
and to provide accurate, real-time information via an SMS medium.
3.2 Industry Analysis: Civil Defence Emergency Communication
Industry: Civil Defence Emergency Communication. The way in which the government and
civil defence agencies communicate with the general public before, during and after a
catastrophic event or natural disaster.
Force: High/Low: Justification:
Buyer power: Low The only other similar system offered in New
Zealand is the civil defence application for
smartphones, offering integration with their
website for updates and a text subscription
option as well. This system requires an internet
connection and/or subscription to receive the

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essential information. (NZ Herald, 2012).
Supplier power: High Suppliers include mobile network providers -
Telecom, Vodafone, Skinny and 2Degrees.
(Consumer, 2013).
Threat of new entrants: High It would be relatively simple and cost effective for
a software or application developer to write an
application that collates updating information
from news and civil defence websites, similar to
the current civil defence application. (NZ Herald,
2012).
Threat of substitutes: High The civil defence smart phone application
provides a communication medium, updating the
subscribed users on severe weather and
emergencies, integrating with the constant
updates on the civil defence website. (NZ Herald,
2012).
Rivalry among existing
competitors:
Low The only existing provider of emergency
communications services is Civil Defence New
Zealand, therefore there are no current
competitors to create a rivalry. (NZ Herald, 2012).
Overall attractiveness of the industry: This is an important industry and is essential to the
safety of every New Zealander because it provides vital information.
3.3 Customers and Thei r Needs
The target customers for this business communication system is the general public of New
Zealand. The general public of New Zealand require up-to-date and portable information

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about warnings before, during and after civil defence emergencies. The general public do
not have constant access to the internet on their cell phones, with only 2.5 million New
Zealanders using smart phones, leaving 1.5 million New Zealanders unable to make use of
the applications offered and therefore requiring other internet capabilities (National
Business Review, 2012) (Statistics New Zealand, 2014).
3.4 The Product and Service
This service provides on-the-go, automatic and portable information right to the cell phone
of every New Zealander, whether they have an internet connection or not. These messages
keep the customer constantly updated before, during and after an event or emergency.
An automated text messaging system not only removes the requirement for internet access
and therefore has the ability to reach the 1.5 million New Zealanders who do not own a
smartphone, but it also opens up the possibility of reaching different ethnic groups and New
Zealanders with English as a second language in their mother tongue, increasing overall
public awareness and safety.
3.5 Suppliers and Partners
Important suppliers for this business system are the government and civil defence. All the
funding for this process will come from the government as this process is to work as part of
civil defences operations. This funding will be part of the civil defence budget and therefore
initially from the tax payer.
Important partners for this communication system will be Vodafone and Telecom. As the
two biggest mobile network providers in New Zealand (Consumer, 2013), Vodafone and
Telecom will be essential in the automatic text messaging process. As partners of our
business, the use of their established networks will ensure that every New Zealander
receives the vital updates and ensures overall public safety.
3.6 Strategy: Cost Leadership

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The Porters Generic Strategy for this business system is cost leadership. The competitive
scope of this business is broad market as the automatic text messages will be sent out to the
general public of New Zealand.
The cost strategy is low cost as there is no cost to the general public of New Zealand who
benefit from the system, rather this system ensures their safety.
The overall strategy is therefore cost leadership.
3.7 Value Chain Activity: Deliver the product or service
The most important value chain activity for this civil defence emergency communication
system is the delivery of this product or service. The system works to gather up-to-date
information about emergency situations and communicate this information with the general
public, requiring fast delivery of accurate information.
The vision of this business is to keep every New Zealander up-to-date before, during and
after natural disasters, and to provide accurate, real-time information via an SMS medium.
Therefore, it is most important that the service, in this case the communication via text
message, is delivered effectively.
This value chain activity is also linked to the strategy of cost leadership through providing a
service that ensures the safety of the general public.
3.8 Business Processes
3.8.1. TEXT MESSAGE DELIVERY PROCESS The text message delivery process begins with the
gathering of information, including updates, from the civil defence website, weather
reports, and community-specific information. The text message is then composed from the
gathered information. This text message may be translated into different languages for
different ethnic groups, as requested by them. The text message is then sent out to the
general public via the mobile network partners.


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BUSINESS PROCESS 1 MODEL

3.8.2. CIVIL DEFENCE ALERT PROCESS The civil defence alert process begins with the alerts
already in place as part of the system. These alert the system to updates on the civil defence

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website as well as weather reports and community groups. This allows the text messages to
be specific to a particular geographical area or community group, as determined by the
position of the cell phone towers (different messages are sent through different cell phone
towers).
BUSINESS PROCESS 2 MODEL


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3.9 Functionalities
3.9.1. TEXT MESSAGE DELIVERY PROCESS
Deliver the text messages to the general public of New Zealand.
Deliver the translated text messages to the subscribed users.
3.9.2. CI VIL DEFENCE ALERT PROCESS
Receive alerts when the civil defence website is updated.
Receive alerts when the weather reports are updated.
3.10 Systems

3.10. 1. TEXT MESSAGE TRANSLATION SYSTEM Translators in the requested languages
translate the text messages before they are sent out to their language-specific databases.
3.10. 2. DURING-EMERGENCY UPDATE SYSTEM In the event of a civil defence emergency,
updated information is collected and an updated text message is sent every 3 hours, or
when urgent information comes to light.
3.10. 3. DATABASE SYSTEM All cell phone numbers are kept in the cell phone network
databases. Language specific databases are created from the subscribed numbers and
translated text messages are sent out according to database.

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3.11. Summary Table: Value Chain to Systems

Value Chain
Activity
Processes Functionalities Specific Information
System(s)
Broad Information
System(s)

Deliver the
product or
service
1. Text
messag
e
delivery
process
1. Deliver the text messages to the general public.

2. Deliver the translated text messages to the
subscribed users.
Database system

Text message translation
system
Enterprise Resource
Planning system

Customer relationship
management system
2. Civil
defence
alert
process
1. Receive alerts when the civil defence website is
updated.

2. Receive alerts when the weather reports are
updated.
During-emergency update
system
Collaboration system


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CONCLUSION
Information technology is essential to this business system because IT systems make it
possible to handle large amounts of data to assess the situation after a disaster has struck
(Tierney in Underwood, 2010). With the use of Information Technology and Information
Systems, this business system could be put in place and potentially save many lives in the
event of civil defence emergencies. This system provides essential information to New
Zealanders regardless of language, internet access or capability before, during and after an
emergency, and could result in reduced need for search and rescue during these events. Of
most importance is the safety of each and every New Zealander, and with this business
system every New Zealand can be more aware. If people are more aware, they are more
prepared!

REFERENCES

1. Lynch, H. (2012). Kiwis Smartphone Usage Tops 2.5 Million. Retrieved from
http://www.nbr.co.nz/article/kiwis-internet-smartphone-usage-tops-25-
million-bd-130738 accessed 22/5/14.

2. Statistics New Zealand. (2014). Population Clock. Retrieved from
http://www.stats.govt.nz/tools_and_services/population_clock.aspx accessed
22/5/14.

3. Consumer. (2013). Provider Details. Retrieved from
http://www.consumer.org.nz/reports/mobile-phones/provider-details accessed
22/5/14.

4. Thompson, W. (2012). Civil Defence App For Disaster Alerts Launched. Retrieved
from
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10835053
accessed 22/5/14.
5. Underwood, S. (2010). Improving Disaster Management. Communications Of The
ACM, 53(2), 18-20.