Essay Instructions: See resource file also.
In this first paper, the student is to research and summarize the communication requirements,
opportunities and challenges of a particular business or industry, using the concepts presented in class
sessions 1-4. The paper should identify any weaknesses, deficiencies, shortcomings, or unexploited
opportunities in the organization's or industry's current telecommunications arrangements. The paper will
be evaluated based on the depth and breadth of insights into the communications requirements and
context of the business or industry.
If researching a particular company (preferred) the student should interview one or more knowledgeable
employees of the subject company. If researching an industry or industry segment, the student will need
to consult business, trade, or academic journal articles, white papers, etc. to collect the required
information. Be sure to cite your source(s)!
As a starting point, the student should identify answers to those questions which every communications
system must address: (as identified in Lecture #1)
1. What type of information does the company/organization need to send? To receive? (e.g. text,
documents, images, video, sensor data, etc.)
2. Who is (are) the sender(s)? Who is (are) the receiver(s)?
3. What shared set of symbols are available to communicate the information? (e.g. language, file
formats, symbol set, data code or code set)
4. Where are the sender(s) and receiver(s) located relative to each other? (e.g same or different
floor, building, campus, city, state, country?)
5. Approximately how much information is sent? How much is received?
6. How frequently is the information sent? How quickly does it need to be received? Is it time
sensitive? What is the effect on the business purpose if the information is not received on time?
7. What kinds of signals are used to transmit the information? (e.g. analog, digital)
8. What is used to link the sender(s) and receiver(s)? (e.g. circuits, media, connections)
9. Does information flow in only one direction, or in both directions between sender(s) and
receiver(s)? If information flows in both directions, how do sender and receiver agree on who
transmits when? (simplex, half-duplex, full-duplex transmissions; flow control; media access
control, etc.)
10. How is receipt of the information confirmed? (acknowledgment; reliable service)
11. What kinds of obstacles or environmental conditions may impede the exchange of information?
(e.g. buildings, terrain, weather, walls, heavy machinery, electronic devices)
12. How are less-than-perfect environmental conditions dealt with? (congestion; noise; error control,
detection and correction)
In addition, please inquire about organizational issues that we will consider later in the course:
13. What communications infrastructure already exists?
14. How constrained is the communications budget?
15. How many employees are involved in the management of communications infrastructure?
16. How proprietary is the information the organization sends and/or receives? Is any of it subject to
legal or regulatory compliance?
17. Are there ways that information is used by the company to gain a competitive advantage?
There are faxes for this order.
Customer is requesting that (bolavens) completes this order.
