Intranet Applications in Business Organizations

Intranet Applications in Business Organizations
An intranet is a network inside an organization that uses internet technologies (such as Web browsers and servers, TCP/IP network protocols, HTML hypermedia document publishing and databases, and so on) to provide an Internet like environment within the enterprise for information sharing, communications, collaboration, and the support business processes. An intranet is protected by security measures such as passwords, encryption, and fire walls, and thus can be accessed by authorized users through internet. A company’s intranet can also be accessed through the intranets of customers, suppliers and other business partners via extranet links.

Organizations of all kinds are implementing a broad range of intranets uses. One way that companies organize intranet applications is to group them conceptually into a few user services categories that reflect the basic services that intranets offer to their users. These services are provided by the intranet’s portal, browser, and server software, as well as by other system and application software and groupware that are part of a company’s intranet software environment.
Intranet Applications in Business Organizations

Intranet for Small Businesses

Intranet for Small Businesses
Intranet refers to an internal network of Web sites that are exclusively accessible to a company’s employees and management. Intranets are used by companies to make data management and access easier, since employees can access information they need from their console, instead of having to get in touch with the concerned department. Advantages of Intranet in Small Business:

1) Communication
Even if you run a small business, there must be some way for the staff to access information, find out about new company policies, and update their knowledge and skills. If your staff consists of part-time or telecommuting employees, having an intranet makes things easier for both you and your employees.

2) Building an Understanding
The employees must understand the objectives of your company. An intranet system helps you get your goals across to your company.

3) Building Employee Relationships
An intranet system is the virtual counterpart of the office water cooler, a place for employees to exchange the latest information and update each other on the latest policies. Having an intranet access helps employees build better interpersonal relationships.

4) Virtual Conferencing
An intranet system cuts down on the time you spend on business conferencing, leaving you free to oversee the implementation process. Instead of having to start from scratch at a business meeting, as you introduce the participants, brainstorm, and have protracted discussions on policy issues, you can take your time to discuss everything beforehand in a chat room or on a message board.

5) Paperwork
Form filling, filing, and requesting time off can be tedious and eat into company time. Streamline the process using intranet services.

6) File Sharing
One of the most useful features of the intranet system is the file sharing system. Instead of having to go repeatedly over to a colleague’s cubicle to work on a Power Point presentation, an employee can simply share the relevant documents by interaction through a chat room.

The distributed control, collaboration, personalization, and knowledge management services provided by a dedicated intranet system saves you not just money but also labor and time that you would otherwise spend on filing paperwork, holding endless conferences, and having your employees wander all over the office looking for information.
Intranet for Small Businesses
Written by Alexander Gordon
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com