M.J.Warren, C.Alder, P.Hill, D. J.Loomes, H.Smith Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering University of Bradford Bradford BD7 1DP United Kingdom Email : M.J.Warren@bradford.ac.uk
This paper outlines a project to market and provide education in the use of multimedia networked world wide communication techniques. This was aimed at local Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and provided guidance on the latest low cost hardware, software and communication techniques.
The findings include a customer profile of the inaugural SMEs interested in having assistance in accessing external information. In addition conclusions are drawn concerning how commercial organisations, with limited Information Technology ( IT) expertise, can absorb and use multimedia network communications for competitive advantage together with the possible consequences to organisations who ignore its use.
A final section examines potential future methods of reaching and providing network literacy to businesses, together with the broader implications for training and education using interactive distance learning employing networks and multimedia techniques.
Currently working at the University of Bradford as a Project Development Officer for the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering. The project which forms the basis of the paper was to educate local small and meduim sized companies in how to access information from outside their businesses especially using the Internet.
Qualification include a Msc in Computer Communications and Networks, a Chartered Electronic Engineer and a Post Graduate Diploma in Management Studies.
Previous employment includes extensive industrial experience in Technical Management and design in the fields of Power Electronics, Industrial Control including CAD/CAM, flexible maching systems and Computer Networks.