When it comes to collaboration, videoconferenc ing is becoming a tool of choice for organizations of all sizes. In the past, videoconferencing was lim- ited to the very largest companies that could afford dedicated videoconference rooms and expensive networking and software for this purpose. Today, videoconferencing has been democratized. There's something for everyone. The cost of the technology has radically fallen; global Internet and desktop transmission of video and audio data is affordable. There are inexpensive mobile and desktop tools as well as high-end videoconferenc- ing and telepresence systems to manage business processes and to connect and collaborate with others- even customers-around the globe. The current genera-- tion of telepresence platforms provide much more than t video collaboration, with the ability to coordinate mul tiple rich data streams that integrate digital information from mobile, desktop, and video; create a collaborative environment, and move the information to where man- agers and professionals are making decisions. Zoom became the online meeting tool of choice for classrooms and offices all over the world that had to operate remotely from people's homes dur- ing the 2020 coronavirus shutdown. Zoom is a cloud platform for online video and audio conferencing, collaboration, chat, screen-sharing, and webinars across mobile devices, desktops, telephones, and room systems. Zoom allows you to conduct a video meeting or webinar directly from your computer, mobile device, or Zoom configured conference mom Zoom software is available in a number of different price and packaging models. There is a free Basic version for short personal meetings with a maximum of 100 participants, and more full-featured business versions ranging from $14.99 to $19.99 per month per online meeting host. Zoom can accommodate up to 1,000 video participants, 10,000 viewers, and as many as 49 HD videos on-screen simultaneously of hardware and software technology to power physi- cal conference rooms. Zoom Meetings can be acti- vated with just a tap of the button on tablet. All of the video and audio is integrated into the conference room equipment and calendar systems. Austin, Texas-based Nepris is a web-based service. that connects teachers with industry experts to make curriculum topics more relevant for students. Nepris uses Zoom for this purposel Employees in major cor- porations typically lack the time to visit many differ- ent classrooms personally. The Zoom videoconferenc- ing software is easy for teachers to use and to install, and can work on almost any device, including tablets, smartphones, or desktop computers. Industry experts can use Zoom to share what's on their screens, such as presentations or demonstrations of certain processes. Zoom can provide high quality video streaming. but it can also scale down to lower video resolutions if classrooms lack the transmission capacity for high- end video: Nepris also finds Zoom useful for connect- ing teachers, students, and experts in a way that com- pensates for their busy schedules Zoum allows up to 25 video streams to join a meeting, so that multiple classrooms can interact with an industry expert at the same time. Users can also record a Zoom meeting for later use. Industry experts do not need to stay all day or travel to different schools for their presentations. FCTI is a leading US ATM (automated teller ma- chine) network and service provider with headquarters. in Los Angeles and an office in Las Vegas. It also col- laborates with contractors in Guadalajara, Mexico. FCTI was recently acquired by Seven Bank in Japan, further increasing the need for long-distance communication and collaboration. FCTI believed videoconferencing would help employees collaborate more effectively. than email, text messaging, or phone calls. It had tried to host video conferences with an Internet video call service, but this required too many configurations to use the product. There were constant dropped connec The two core pieces of Zoom technology are Zoom Meetings and Zoom Rooms. Zoom Meetings supports online, video-hosted meetings that are free to join for users with Zoom video conferencing soft- ware installed on their computer or mobile device. Participants can join Zoom Meetings from different locations, regardless of whether they're joining the meeting from home, in a conference room in the office, or on their mobile phone. Zoom Rooms consist tions, and the quality of the video was quite FCTI adopted Zoom to make video conferencing more streamlined, easier, and affordable. Management especially appreciates the high-quality video Zoom de- livers. FCTI now hosts board meetings on Zoom every month from conference rooms built at a fraction of the cost of high-end, enterprise-class telepresence rooms. Zoom's tablet and smartphone compatibility enables participants to join conferences from remote locations. For instance, some FCTI employees at busy airports have joined Zoom conferences using their tablets and were able to collaborate in smooth, high-definition video. Board meetings can take place even if some par- ticipants' airline flights are delayed or cancelled. CASE STUDY QUESTIONS I. How do the videoconferencing tools described in this case promote collaboration and innovation? 2. How is videoconferencing related to the business models and business strategies of the organiza- tions described in this case? 3. Describe the specific ways in which video- conferencing technology helped each of the Chapter 2 Global E-business and Collaboration 61 Sources Ed Bott, "Best Video Conferencing Services for Business. Zoom, WebEx, AnyMeeting, Slack, and More." ZDNet, February 5, 2020, "Leading ATM Provider Builds Employee Relationships Through Video" and "Nepris Inspires Students Through Zoom." www.zoom.us.com accessed February 11, 2020. organizations in this case improve their operations and decision making, 4. If you were a small or medium-sized business, what criteria would you use to determine whether to use Zoom videoconferencing?