Business Forms Management on Corporate Intranets

Craig D. Burma

In Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Masters of Science

Telecommunications

Masters of Arts

Management

Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota

first draft 9/18/96

1st revision 1/5/97

2nd revision 3/27/97 (Chapter 2 added)

3rd revision 2/5/98 (Chapter 3 added, Chapter 2 changes)

4th Revision 5/9/98 (Chapter 4 & 5 added)

5th Revision 1/11/99 (All Chapters Completed)

6th Revision 6/12/99 (Final Changes Made)

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Table of Contents

Title Page 1

Colloquium Approval Form 2

Thesis Approval Form 3

Dedication 6

Abstract 7

Chapter 1 Introduction 8

Problem Statement 12

Thesis Objectives and Outcomes 12

Significance of Thesis 12

Assumptions 13

Limitations and Scope 13

Overview of Remaining Chapters 14

Definition of Terms 16

Chapter 2 Literature Review 18

History of the Internet 18

Movement Toward Intranets 24

History of Business Forms Management 31

Business Forms Management Functions 35

Convergence of Business Forms and Intranets 41

Technology Trends Affecting Convergence 45

Management Trends Affecting Convergence 54

Literature Review Summary 61

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Chapter 3 Methodology 62

Methodology Issues 63

Method1: Literature Review 63

Method2: Preliminary Interviews 64

Method3: Primer Publication 66

Chapter 4 Results 68

General Demographics 68

Experiences with Intranet Forms Integration 69

Success Factors Identified 71

Intranet Business Trends Identified 72

Educational Issues Identified 75

Chapter 5 Conclusions 79

References 82

Bibliography 88

Appendix 94

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Dedication

Foremost, I wish to thank God and Jesus Christ through whom all things are possible for

allowing me the great opportunity to achieve this goal. I dedicate this thesis to my three sons;

Jason, Brian and Scott. In their eyes I find the constant motivation to achieve great things on

their behalf. I also dedicate this thesis to my wife Brandi who demonstrates the steadfast

determination I wish I possessed. This is truly our accomplishment.

I wish to acknowledge my parents, Orvin and Nancy Burma, for their contribution in making

a college degree a prerequisite not an option. I thank my extended family in South Dakota

including my grandfather, Walter Dale Miller, for teaching me the value of hard work.

Finally, I wish to thank my brother, Lance Burma, for being an example for my academic

pursuits. Lance, when I get my degree, I’m hanging it on the refrigerator!

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Abstract

This research was founded on the premise there is a fundamental need for business forms

and information technology professional to work together to achieve corporate

communication and information processing goals. This thesis examines the origins of

business forms and information technology development and outlines the interdependence of

each discipline in the context of Intranet forms development. The primary research gathers

information for the formation of a primer to educate business forms professionals on key

technical aspects of Intranets and a separate primer to educate technology professionals on

the discipline of business forms management. It is hoped that through the use of these tools

business forms and technology professionals may reduce conflict and facilitate more

productive work to their mutual benefit and to that of their organizations.

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Chapter 1

Introduction

Information technology is advancing the integration of business functions at all levels

within and among organizations. Gleckman (1993) partially attributed recent advances in

productivity of the American workforce to a generation of advancement in information

technology. Historically, corporations require a generation or more to master new paradigms

in technology (Gleckman). For instance, Gleckman stated, U.S. manufacturers began using

electric motors in the 1890s, but productivity did not reflect rapid improvements until the

technology finally dominated factories nearly 30 years later. Now, 40 years after IBM sold

its first commercial mainframe, computer technology is penetrating nearly every part of the

U.S. economy (Gleckman).

This historical pattern of invention, adoption, and implementation is repeating in the

biggest paradigm shift in the use of information technology since the invention of the

personal computer: the Intranet (Erlanger, 1996). The foundation of an Intranet is built on

two key technologies derived from the creation of the Internet: Transmission Control

Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) (Currid,

1996). Gralla (1996) explained how TCP/IP was originally developed in the 1970s for use

with the Advanced Research Projects Administration Network (ARPAnet), a U.S. Defense

Department computer network designed to withstand partial outages in the event of a nuclear

war.

Kobielus (1997) explained the next major improvement that occurred in the use of

the Internet. Although the TCP/IP protocol provided the necessary flexibility to connect

many disparate computer systems, a complicated, text based user interface restricted the

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adoption of this new computer network. In the early 1990s, however, a new applications

layer interface appeared on the Internet called Hypertext. Kobielus described the creation of

Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP), developed by CERN The European Particle Physics

Laboratory, enabling text which could be linked to other lines of text through the use of

Hypertext Markup Language (HTML). Kobielus stated that this format, along with various

additions and extensions, has become the standard for communications on the World Wide

Web (WWW) (Kobielus, 1997).

As the Internet has grown in numbers of users and servers storing accessible HTML

files called home pages, information technology professionals have begun to discover the

value of this computer technology in providing information within their organizations,

according to Bradner (1995). Bradner, a research consultant with Harvard University’s

Office of Information Technology, first articulated the concept of an Intranet in the media.

Although no one has ever taken direct credit for the actual term Intranet, Bradner provided a

vivid description of “web-based systems used to access personnel records, configure routers,

update time cards, and look up phone numbers” (p. 25). Bradner concluded by stating his

belief that “web technology can be used productively within an organization for a wide range

of applications” (p. 25).

In less than two years, Intranets have evolved from an interesting idea to a multi-

billion dollar industry shaping the fundamental structure of corporate computing into the

next century (Heskett, 1996). Utilizing the open standards of HTTP and TCP/IP developed

for the Internet, Intranet development is projected to dominate the information technology

market at five times the rate of Internet investment, according to a study by Zona research

(Welch, 1996). Several companies have already achieved significant, quantifiable cost

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savings resulting from the adoption of Intranet technology. One example of this success is

Silicon Graphics, Inc. (SGI), in Mountain View California. According to a study

commissioned by Silicon Graphics and conducted by Claremont Technology Group, SGI’s

Intranet initiative saves the human resources division $16,500 per month on training and

$73,000 per year in employee benefit administration (Welch, 1996). This is only one

example from hundreds of cases of companies streamlining operations with Intranet

technology.

With the growth of Intranets, a definition of the word “Intranet” has been discussed

in many research studies and industry articles. Two basic definitions, however, seem to have

become common in the industry. The simple definition of an Intranet is: a local or wide area

TCP/IP private network supporting HTTP server based applications and information (Caron,

1996). A more descriptive definition by Claremont Research (1996) is stated as follows:

An Intranet is the integration of an organization’s information assets and

communications facilities into a single, widely accessible networked

environment using Internet-based technologies, such as e-mail, news groups,

file transfer protocol (FTP), and World Wide Web technologies. Web-based

technologies provide a common user interface across disparate platforms,

enabling the development of cross-platform applications, the integration of

existing legacy applications and databases, enhanced communications and

information sharing among the Intranet users. (p.1)

Both of these definitions emphasize the importance of the access to and integration of

information systems on the Intranet.

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In contrast to the chaotic evolution of new Intranet technologies, business forms

management is a science which has a long and regimented history. Forms management is

defined as the systematic process of increasing productivity and minimizing errors in

information capture, transmission, and recovery through the use of workflow analysis and

graphic design techniques; reducing the cost to procure, store, distribute, and manage forms

through standardization: and ensuring the business and legal adequacy, of all historical

business records (Welch, 1996).

Forms management as a discipline was first formulated shortly after World War II.

Since that time, the elements of forms and their effects on productivity in the workplace have

been extensively documented. Professionals and researchers in business forms management

identify critical patterns in the analysis, design, and editing of business forms. This research

enables corporations to use intelligent forms tailored to the thought processes unique to

human development. Business forms managers, however, report difficulty gaining the

respect of other managers for their function as a positive contributor to business operations

(Jacobs, 1991). Their ability to improve the communications process of individuals in and

among companies has been hindered by a lack of interest on the part of managers to analyze

the effectiveness of business forms. Some information technology managers have apparently

ignored the need to utilize business forms management practices in the development of forms

content for their company Intranets. This lack of consultation with business forms managers

has created numerous problems for Intranet managers caused by poor design of Intranet

forms. As corporate managers realize the benefits of Intranet based information, many also

have discovered the need for a comprehensive strategy for managing many business forms,

both electronic and paper.

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Problem Statement

For Intranets to succeed as an effective method for business communication and

collaboration, information technology managers need an understanding of the discipline of

business forms management. Likewise, for forms management professionals to maintain and

expand their input into the workflow process design of corporations, it is important for them

to understand the synergistic nature of corporate Intranets. Therefore, there is a need for

business forms and technology professionals to establish a mutually agreeable framework for

business forms management on corporate Intranets.

Thesis Objectives and Outcomes

The first objective of this thesis is to describe the current trends in Intranet

technology and business forms development through a literature review. This review

provides a base of knowledge from which readers can understand the research. The second

objective is presented in two pieces. The first piece is to provide a short primer introducing

the discipline of modern business forms management to information technology managers.

The second piece will be the creation of a primer introducing business forms professionals to

the technology factors affecting the implementation of business forms management on

Intranets.

Significance of the Thesis

One of the unique benefits of Intranet technology is the low cost of implementation

(Callahan, 1996). Technology managers often cite this benefit as their main motivation for

implementation. Unfortunately, this low-cost barrier to entry is also the main reason

technology managers do not develop the comprehensive implementation strategies normally

associated with more expensive client/server installations (Gralla, 1996). This same low-cost

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mentality is associated with a decline in traditional business forms analysis and design for

forms distributed on corporate Intranets (Baker, 1996). This thesis focuses on combining the

disciplined structure of business forms management to the synergy of Intranet technology.

Assumptions

Readers of this thesis are assumed to have a basic understanding of information

technology infrastructure including personal computer networking concepts, Internet

technology, and server implementations in a Local Area Network (LAN) environment. It is

assumed readers understand the basic concepts of business forms and the use of forms in

corporate workflow. Readers may be business managers, currently using paper forms,

interested in understanding the benefits of Intranet technology in their workflow.

Conversely, readers may be technology managers interested in learning the discipline of

business forms management in business communications. Although readers are not expected

to have primary knowledge of the process of business forms analysis and design or computer

network configuration, they are assumed to understand the process of these systems in

organizational development.

Limitations and Scope

The scope of this thesis is limited to the business benefits of Intranet deployment in

corporations having 30 or more computer workstations at locations in the United States. This

research is limited to the analysis of concepts and decisions made in the formation of policies

for business forms management on corporate Intranets. Business forms are considered to

include all generic documents completed by employees, customers or suppliers of a

corporation to communicate common information in the normal course of business

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operations. These forms may be contained on paper, in digital files created in computer

based information systems, as well those forms digitized from paper.

Overview of the Remaining Chapters

The research includes a review of related magazine and journal articles and books on

the subject of business forms management and Intranets in general. The few articles written

on the specific subject of business forms management on Intranets were also reviewed. This

information is provided in Chapter Two as an overview of current developments in business

forms management and Intranet technologies. This review includes emphasis on a few

dominant business and technology trends necessary to understand the implications of the

convergence of Intranet technology and business forms management.

Chapter Three describes the methodology used for this research. The research was

conducted in two phases. The first phase involved information gathering through interviews

with professionals in both business forms management and information technology

development. These professionals were identified by their active involvement in business

forms management or Intranet technology development. Interviews were used to identify the

necessary components to be included in two primers, one for each group, to educate these

professionals on the issues surrounding the formation and implementation of business forms

on corporate Intranets.

During the second phase, two individuals participated in reviewing the draft

guidebook. After a 15 day review period, these professionals were again interviewed, to gain

their input on revisions to the primers to more accurately represent their respective concerns.

In Chapter Four, the results of the interviews are compared and contrasted with the

initial recommendations of the professionals and information from the literature review.

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From this data, a primer for the formation and implementation of an Intranet based business

forms management policies was revised. It is presented in the appendix as the final outcome

of the research.

In Chapter Five, the results of this research is interpreted and synthesized. The

writer’s opinions are expressed and conclusions are stated in the course of discussing

recommendations for the reader and for further research. The final section of the chapter

examines the initial objectives and outcomes of this research and the relevance of the

research in future business development.

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Definitions of Terms

The applications layer is the top layer of the Open Systems Interconnection model. It

provides the interface to end user processes and standard services to applications.

Business forms management is the process of controlling the creation, distribution

and revision of standard documents used by companies to communicate common

information.

Client/Server is a strategy in information technology involving the use of applications

installed on a server and accessed by personal computers through a local area network

utilizing client software.

A Common Gateway Interface (CGI) is a linking mechanism for connecting database

information to Web pages on an Internet or Intranet server.

Content is the raw information, applications, and forms which are formatted and

placed on corporate Intranets.

Dynamic Host Control Protocol (DHCP) is a unique network addressing scheme

which dynamically assigns addresses to workstations requesting access to services.

Document management is the process of capturing, editing, indexing, and retrieving

business information in various forms including paper, digital, audio, video, and

photographic.

A firewall is a barrier set up to contain designated local area network traffic within a

specified area and to deny access to unauthorized users.

HyperText Markup Language (HTML) is software that allows users to explore and

create their own paths through written, visual, and audio information. Capabilities include

being able to jump from topic to topic at any time and follow cross references easily.

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HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is the standard session protocol used in Web

communications to transfer HTML based information.

The Internet is a public computer network which joins many government, university,

and private computers together communicating by a common protocol (TCP/IP) over a

variety of telecommunications services.

Interoperatability is the ability to operate software and exchange information in a

heterogeneous network.

An Intranet is a local or wide area TCP/IP network supporting HTTP server based

applications, information, and communications.

A Local Area Network (LAN) is a short distance data communications network used

to link computers and peripheral devices under some sort of standard control protocol.

Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) is Microsoft’s strategic interface for accessing

data in a heterogeneous environment of relational and non-relational database management

systems.

Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) is the only internationally accepted framework

of standards for communication among different systems made by different vendors.

A server is a shared computer on the local area network that can be used for a variety

of centralized services such as file storage and retrieval.

The World Wide Web (WWW) is a network of computers utilizing hypertext pages,

enabling users to browse information graphically when using the Internet and Intranets.

A web browser is a generic term describing the user interface software used by

personal computer users to view pages of hypertext markup language.

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Chapter 2

Literature Review

In order to understand the environment surrounding the integration of business forms

on Intranets, the reader needs to have a basic understanding of the enabling technologies and

trends affecting each area of expertise. The literature review begins with a discussion of the

technologies of the Internet and the factors which led to the rapid acceptance of these

technologies by corporations. This section explains how this acceptance created an overload

of the Internet. This section contrasts Intranets and the Internet concluding with an

exploration of Intranet growth trends in statistics and technologies.

The literature review also presents a thorough description of the history of business

forms management. The chapter points out the importance of business forms management in

statistics and trends. The methods of business forms management are also explained as they

relate to traditional, desktop and electronic forms. The final section of this literature review

explores the effects of convergence on these two information processing systems. The

obstacles to the acceptance of business forms are described along with the effects Intranet

technologies have on those obstacles. Current technological and management trends are

defined as to their impact on this convergence.

History of the Internet

Any discussion of Intranet development must begin with a brief history of enabling

technologies leading to the growth of the Internet. Although the Internet supports hundreds

of standards and protocols, there are four basic technological advances, which define the

modern Internet: Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), HyperText

Markup Language (HTML), HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP), and browser clients.

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TCP/IP. In the late 1960s, Garner (1997) stated, the U.S. Department of Defense

feared the effects of a nuclear strike on the nation’s communications systems. To safeguard

against a complete collapse of military communications, Feit (1993) explained, the

Advanced Research Projects Administration (ARPA) began a relationship with universities

and other research facilities in the United States to investigate new data communications

technologies. Together the participants invented ARPANET, the first packet switching

network in 1968. Garner (1997) described a packet switching network as a system using a

myriad of routes for getting messages through, so that if a particular center is offline, many

alternate routes can be used to deliver the information. An experimental four-node version of

ARPANET went into operation in 1969 (p. 20). Gralla (1996) stated Vinton G. Cerf and

Robert Kahn proposed the design for a new more reliable set of protocols in an academic

publication. These new protocols were named Transmission Control Protocol/Internet

Protocol (TCP/IP). These two protocols were at the center of all future developments of the

Internet and Intranets.

The TCP/IP protocols were designed to be independent of host hardware or operating

system (Feit, 1993). Feit described the protocols as robust in nature, surviving high network

error rates and supporting many routing alternatives from delivering information to the

destination (p. 6). As Gralla (1996) pointed out, however, TCP/IP are separate protocols

although they are tightly integrated to allow for the most efficient communications. These

two protocols perform complex functions in a way that appears deceptively easy (p. 9).

TCP/IP breaks data down into sections called packets, delivers those packets to the proper

destinations on the Internet, and after they have been delivered, the same protocol

reassembles the packets into their original form so that they can be viewed and used by the

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recipient (p. 9). Transmission Control Protocol, Feit continued, performs the work of

separating the data into packets and reassembling it, while Internet Protocol is responsible

for making sure that the packets are sent to the right destination (p. 10).

Bernard (1996) described how, using TCP/IP, communications reliability improved

and the model of an “internetwork” of links between computers was invented. The invention

of the World Wide Web (WWW), however, did not occur until 1989. Then Tim Berners-

Lee, an unknown researcher at the European Particle Research Center (CERN) was writing

proposals about a new method people could use to transform information between computers

using “HyperText” (p. 54). Garner (1997) pointed out that, at the same time in 1990, the

federal government removed a long-standing ban on commercial and public use of the

Internet. This event empowered businesses and information technology specialists to begin

setting up servers to provide email and message services using the publicly accessible

Internet.

HTML. As messaging developed on the Internet, at the application level, two

fundamental components for Internet growth were being invented: HyperText Markup

Language (HTML) and HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP). Siwicki (1997) defined

HTML as an interpretive computer language that tells a computer how to display material

inside a document, or page. HTML is a language that codes and arranges text, pictures,

sounds and video so a web browser software client can integrate and display them on a

screen (p. 53). Bernard (1996) claimed HTML, first proposed by Ted Nelson at Xerox

PARC in 1965, was appropriately named because it is a good way of dealing with

“hyperactive” readers. It can be read in a linear fashion like a book, or readers can “jump

around reading it in bits and pieces like a puzzle” (p. 54). Key concepts are highlighted in

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such a way that when the reader clicks on the highlighted concept, it automatically jumps to

another document where the concept is discussed in greater detail.

Singh (1996) described the history of HTML dating back to 1990. At first, HTML

existed as a set of informally documented capabilities that mainly addressed control of

character formatting, headings, lists, links, and image elements. HTML continued to evolve,

eventually coalescing into version 2.0. HTML 2.0 clarified and formalized HTML features

and added commands for menus and interactive programs (p. 120). Welch (1996) described

HTML 2.0 as the basic component found in every server on the World Wide Web. HTML

“pages” are simple text files, which contain tags that control formatting, image display, and

links to programs that perform specialized functions. Word processors, spreadsheets, and

databases can be adapted to create HTML-tagged files from existing data. Links to external

databases and other systems can be created using a range of programming languages (P. 25).

HTTP. HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is an application layer protocol

employed when HTML files are transferred between host and client (Stanszak, 1996).

Although a simple request/response protocol, HTTP has become the largest consumer of

bandwidth on the World Wide Web (p. 3). Siwicki (1996) described how, at the lowest level

of the Internet communications model, TCP/IP creates a common language between

computers. Based on that language, HTTP requests and builds a link by which files are

transferred back and forth. HTTP protocols work in conjunction with other protocols to

transfer HTML information from a host computer, the server, to a workstation or personal

computer, the client (p. 53).

Browsers. Even with HTML and HTTP technology, until 1993, the Internet was used

almost exclusively for email according to Garner (1997). Then a group of students at the

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University of Illinois invented something called a “browser” (Bernard, 1996). This new

technology enabled the Internet client to “browse” the information found on disparate

servers on the Internet, which used Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) to publish its

information (p.1). The World Wide Web quickly adopted this client/server architecture

(Gralla, 1996). The browser allows users access to pages coded in HTML on HTTP-based

servers communicating using TCP/IP (p. 33). A browser, Siwicki (1997) noted, works in

conjunction with a web server to request and display HTML-coded documents from the

Internet. Gralla (1996) added, a browser is programmed to communicate in HTTP and

recognize and interpret HTML. The browser software resides on the client computer. A

browser initiates a “discussion” with a web server located somewhere on the Internet.

Siwicki (1997) summarized the process explaining the two computers, client and server,

make a connection using the combination of HTTP and TCP/IP to communicate, passing

digital information between each other until the client disconnects from the server.

Internet growth leads to problems. Bernard (1996) described how soon after the

invention of advanced graphical browsers like Mosaic and Netscape in 1994, businesses and

their customers started moving information onto the Internet. The early web servers,

however, were quite basic; the only function the servers could perform was serving text in

limited formats (p. 6). Still, the Internet grew at a startling pace. The number of users

jumped 700% in 1995 and by the same amount in 1996 (Coy, 1996). Bernard (1996)

attributed this growth to the advent of these new technologies along with the removal of the

commercial restrictions. This combination of factors, Bernard claimed, created massive

growth in the Internet server market as well. Registered Internet sites grew from 17,000 in

1994 to more than 70,000 in 1995 and currently advance at the rate of 150 new sites per day

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(p. 8). Garner (1997) identified one of the unique characteristics of a web browser that fueled

this rapid growth was the relative ease of use. Anyone with a personal computer, a modem

and a telephone can browse the Internet anywhere at anytime.

The Internet it seems is a victim of its success (Cortese, 1996). The volume of

information on the World Wide Web is staggering, and search engines and other devices

bring little order to the chaos (p. 97). As for web sites, slow response times to browser

requests cripple the effectiveness of using the web. As reality sets in, hundreds of sites are

attempting to limit access to better serve the requests of qualified users. At this rate the Web

could collapse under its own weight (p. 95). Garner (1996) found three startling facts to

exemplify the magnitude of this hyper growth. First, the total number of e-mail messages

now exceeds the number of U.S. Postal service mail deliveries every day. Second, the

telephone bandwidth dedicated to data communications now exceeds that for voice

communications. Third, the number of computers dedicated to data communications now

exceeds those used for computation (p. 6).

Dvorak (1996) showed the result of this rapid growth has been the increasing

frequency of major disruptions of Internet access for thousands of individuals and

organizations. In July 1996, there were two major Internet breakdowns. A single line of

faulty code in a computer program crashed Net-com On-Line Communications, the nation's

biggest Internet direct-access network. Some 400,000 homes and businesses were unable to

access the Internet for an entire evening. Meanwhile, 5.5 million users of America Online

(AOL) were unable to transmit E-mail for one hour on a week-day afternoon because of a

software glitch (Brown, 1996). Coy (1996) described how, for 19 hours on August 7, 1996,

the world’s biggest online company and its 6 million customers were unable to access the

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Internet. Technicians tracked down what they described as two crippling problems: a faulty

roadmap of Internet addresses and a problem in the software of a powerful switching

computer called a router.

Coy (1996) attributed these and other examples of problems in accessing the Internet,

for hindering the acceptance of the Internet by executives in corporations. Bernard (1996)

echoed information technology executive’s three issues, which are slowing the usage of the

Internet by businesses: 1) connection speed 2) security of information and 3) service outages

and breakdowns. Internet skeptics are redirecting their money away from the Internet and

toward private Intranets, where they see a clearer path to cost savings and improved

communications. Coy (1996) described these Intranets as internal networks working like the

Internet and communicating with it but are built for a company’s own employees, big

customers, and suppliers.

Move Toward Intranets

Many authors have attempted to define the Intranet and its components. Caron

(1996), however, presented the most widely accepted of these definitions. An Intranet, Caron

stated, is a local or wide area TCP/IP network supporting Hyper Text Transfer Protocol

(HTTP) server-based applications utilizing Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTML) for

presentation of information (p. 8). This definition mentions each of the enabling technologies

which pioneers utilized in the early growth of the Internet. Siwicki (1997) shortened the

definition stating the following: Intranets use Internet protocols and Internet-derived

technologies to communicate information inside a company’s local or wide-area network.

Just as an individual uses a web browser to request and display information stored on Web

servers on the public Internet, Siwicki continued, an Intranet user uses a web browser to

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request and display information stored on web servers on their organization’s private

network(p. 54).

One of the reasons for the “grassroots” nature of Intranet growth is the web

technology which uses open standards and inexpensive tools that are not proprietary property

of a particular company (Coy, 1996). Bernard (1996) characterized this growth as coming

from the “bottom up” not the “top down” in organizational development. Welch (1996)

echoed this unique characteristic of Intranets in attributing the growth of these systems to

their “relative ease in the installation and implementation of web-based services utilizing

shareware and freeware software for relatively little capital outlay” (p. 23).

One early adopter of Intranet development was Ron Griffen, information technology

director for Geffin records. As Barsook (1995) reported, Griffen saw the power of bringing

the technology used to communicate on the Internet inside the organization in early 1995.

Griffen set up a web server with a shareware software program designed to serve files and

data to web browsers such as Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Internet Explorer (Bernard,

1996). Griffen developed applications on the web server, which enabled Geffen employees

to access employee benefit information, lookup internal phone numbers, and marketing

information (Borsook, 1995). When Borsook asked Griffen about his Internet strategy

Griffen defiantly rejected the rush to move information onto the Internet (p. 28). Instead

Griffen stated his intention to “bring cyberspace to the company” (p. 29).

In November of 1995, Scott Bradner wrote one of the first articles in Network World

describing the as yet unnamed concept of an Intranet. Bradner described his encounter with

an Intranet this way:

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I have seen and heard about Web-based systems used to access personnel

records, configure routers, update time cards, register IP addresses look up

phone numbers. It does look like Web technology can be used productively

within an organization for a range of applications. (p. 25)

Erlanger (1995) also identified this emerging trend of setting up internal corporate web sites

to give employees easy access to large amounts of corporate information. In the corporate

Intranet, Erlanger stated, the familiar web browser becomes something close to a universal

client: it can access a variety of files and databases via the internal web server. The following

section highlights the role of the browser as universal client as well as firewalls, LAN and

WAN speeds as unique characteristics defining an Intranet.

The browser as universal client. The usage of a web browser as a universal client is

the critical concept leading to the most important paradigm shift in information technology

since the creation of the personal computer (PC): true thin client computing over the Intranet

(Ziechick, 1996). Before the Intranet, Ziechick explained, the prevailing information

technology strategy was called “Client/Server.” Client/Server development uses application

servers containing the majority of applications functions and stored information. These

servers are accessed by application-specific pieces of software called “clients” (p. 10). Client

software is loaded onto PCs which then use the software in conjunction with the LAN access

to the applications server to perform the function of information input, manipulation and

retrieval (p. 10).

Caldwell (1996) contended, although this computing model is widely accepted in

information technology, its success in terms of return on investment has not been proven in

the many cases. The average desktop PC today has seven to 15 applications – 50 to 100

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software components – each of which have different versions (p. 37). Nye (1996) explained,

with the single universal web client, users do not have to worry which of the 20,000 PCs in a

large organization are configured with the proper driver software for a particular application.

Nye, a long time advocate of Client/Server development openly declared the technology

standard of the early 1990s, “a glaring disappointment” (p. 21). The Standish Group recently

found only 16% of information systems managers said their client-server projects were on

time and on budget (Caldwell, 1996).

Franklin (1997) stated while many consider Web-based applications to be an

extension of the client/server model, in one crucial way they are a dramatic departure:

Virtually all applications and business-rules processing occurs on the server, not the client.

The client systems do all the display work, providing the universal graphic user interface

(GUI) that has become crucial for the acceptance of new computer applications. But the

database, Franklin continued, query engines and business process servers sit at the center of

the enterprise rather than being distributed to the desktop (p. 76). In the classic Client/Server

model, developers have to concern themselves with separate pieces of application software at

the client and at the server (p. 76). In the web based-world, however, the client displays

whatever is sent to it over the network. To change what the user sees, one need simply

change the Web page file. Developers, Franklin concluded, do not have to worry about

keeping versions of client and server software synchronized or wonder if a new version of

client software can communicate properly with the server.

Firewalls. Although many of the technologies found on the public Internet and

private Intranet are identical, the key difference between the two entities is found in the

configuration of the firewall (Gralla, 1996). Siwicki (1997) defined a firewall as a

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combination of hardware and software that separates a company’s internal Local Area

Networks (LAN) and Wide-Area Networks (WAN) from the Internet. Anyone can access

Internet-based data with a web browser, while only authorized individuals can pass through

the security precautions to access Intranet-based information. Bernard (1996) added Intranet

web servers are commonly shielded by the firewall away from the Internet making the

information accessible only to users on the LAN inside an organization or WAN connecting

networks separated by a physical distance.

LANs. In addition to firewalls and browser-based applications, Gralla (1996),

identified another unique characteristic separating the Internet and Intranets: HTTP

transaction and HTML pages delivered at the higher transmission speeds of the company

Local Area Network (LAN) and (Wide Area Networks (WAN). Derfler (1996) defined the

term LAN as a group of computers typically connected by no more than 1,000 feet of cable,

which inter-operate and allow people to share resources. Verity (1996) described LANs as a

natural extension of the early days of computing when “dumb” terminals, consisting of a

screen and keyboard, connected users to powerful processing computers called mainframes.

The invention of the PC caused a revolution in computing power but isolated people from

large pools of data from users. LANs enabled individuals to share information and resources

such as printers and hard disk space (p. 119).

Bernard (1996) estimated the bandwidth of the average LAN is 300 to 700 greater

than the typical modem connection to the Internet. A standard connection by a user to the

Internet is usually made via analog modem operating at 33.6 kilobits per second (Kbps)

(Korzeniowski, 1996). Using a digital Integrated Switched Digital Network (ISDN), a user

can access the Internet at a maximum of 112 Kbps (p.13). Even this relatively high rate of

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transmission, Gralla (1996) contended, is slow in comparison to the standard LAN which

operates at 10 or 100 megabits per second (Mbps). Inside the Intranet, pages and information

requests can be delivered at much higher speeds than those found on the Internet. Ford

(1996) summarized the relationship between LANs and Intranet technology saying LANs are

evolving into enterprise internetworks (small subsets of the Internet). Ford predicted these

internetworks, populated by Intranet servers, will become the communications backbones of

most modern organizations.

WANs. The LAN is a convenient way to connect machines on a single floor, or in a

building. But the need to connect the computer networks in large organization, occupying

several buildings in the same location or across the country led to invention of the Wide-

Area Network (WAN) (Bernard, 1996). Derfler (1993) asserted the importance of WANs in

the growth of computer networks in general. WANs, Derfler stated, provide the linkage

mechanisms necessary to connect the multitude of computer networks typically found in the

large organization (p. 156). This ability to link disparate networks has enabled organizations

to realize the business benefits of Intranet computing in bridging the communications gap

created by multiple locations.

Kingsley (1996) provided a concise overview of WANs in separating them into two

distinct categories; those based on dedicated services or those using switched services.

Kingsley described a dedicated service (sometimes called a leased line) as providing direct

and limited connectivity between two or more sites, such as a main office and branch offices.

It is a closed, dedicated circuit, meaning it has a pre-configured destination point, and cannot

be dynamically changed to an address outside the network. Since dedicated environments are

reliable, they are secure and offer the predictability of a fixed monthly cost (p. 70). Kingsley

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also described the characteristics of WANs utilizing switched services. Switched possess

some of the characteristics of a standard phone line: the network systems can dial anyone

else with access to the public switched network for that service (p. 71). Verity (1996)

identified leased lines as the dominant method of dedicated access while the switched service

market is fragmented with several products including frame relay, integrated switched digital

network (ISDN) and asynchronous transfer mode (ATM).

Growth trends. The use of browsers as universal clients, firewalls, and LAN and

WAN transmission speeds have each contributed to the rapid acceptance of Intranet

technology in the information technology plans of the majority of corporations. Magid

(1996) characterized the ascension of Intranets by posing the question: “Who would have

thought only a year ago the Internet – an uncharted and uncontrolled jungle of information –

would serve as the model for the future of corporate information systems.” Bernard (1996)

attributed this growth to the nature of Intranet technology. The inexpensive tools of Intranet

development, Bernard claimed, empowers individuals outside of the traditional disciplines of

information technology to explore the benefits of Intranets. Magid (1996) emphasized this

point declaring Intranets are a paradigm shift led by a technology designed essentially for the

mass market having now found its way into the office.

Heskett (1996) showed this growth curve is shown in a summary of a research study

by Zona Research showed the rapid growth in Intranet software markets in comparison to

Internet software. Stewart (1996) contended these growth statistics underestimate the market

based on the research of opinions of information technology executives at Fortune 1000

companies. Stewart cited research showing 62% of these companies are either currently

using web servers for internal applications or are considering using them within the next

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year. Stewart also pointed out that fully 66% of surveyed organizations report either

currently operating an Intranet or as having intentions to build one within 6 months. Sullivan

(1996), however, noted a word of caution in the rush to utilize Intranet applications to

replace currently installed systems. Sullivan stated: “Using the web to duplicate the features

of collaboration applications –including document management, replication, and

sophisticated security- would easily cost more than these applications do currently (p. 5).

Business Forms Management

History. Jacobs (1991) chronicled the history of business forms dating back to the

late 19th century. Early forms, according to Jacobs, were created to process the large influx of

immigrants coming into the United States. Early forms were created for purchase orders,

sales orders, receipts and shipping forms, bills and other forms necessary to control the flow

of business activity in the rapidly growing United States. Before WWI, Jacobs continued,

courts would not recognize a simple carbon copy form as a legal record. During WWI, the

United States government took over control of the railroads and began using fanfold

continuous forms recognizing the validity of a copied form as legal (p. 8). These advances

formed the foundation upon which the discipline of business forms management was built (p.

12). Punch cards, Jacobs continued, were invented by Herman Hollerith to speed up

processing of the 1890 census. In the 1930's American businesses used punched cards in

tabulating machines to print reports and documents on continuous forms (p. 12).

Jacobs also detailed the growth of computer-based business forms. Computers,

Jacobs wrote, replaced tabulating machines in the 1950s. These computers, unlike tabulating

machines, read punched cards and printed on continuous forms. Barnett (1996) reported the

paper forms business, including the design, printing, distribution and storage of paper forms,

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exceeded $6 billion annually in the United States in the late 1980s. These pre-printed paper

forms became the dominant method of business communication until the advent of desktop

computing. Barnett reported that real desktop forms appeared in the 1980s, in a crude form.

In their simplest form, they consisted of a form that could be called up from a computer

library and printed out. Barnett defined other desktop forms as those downloaded data from a

mainframe or other database and merge it with variable data for printing on local or

networked computers. This early growth has led to some 600 million desktop forms being

printed each day in the world, according to Karve (1996).

Impact of business forms on corporate productivity. The slow acceptance of

professional business forms in corporate America stands in sharp contrast to the rapid

acceptance of Intranet technology. Jordan (1996) described the long struggle of business

forms professionals to prove the benefits of their expertise. McGovern charged this disparity

of acceptance has led to conflict between management of information systems (MIS)

departments and business forms managers (McGovern, 1997). McGovern cynically described

initiatives by MIS that are “calculated to eliminate all paper forms within the company” (p.

1). Craine (1997) echoed the tension between information technology and business forms

departments warning, “in this information technology age, the danger is that we will get lost

in a wonderland of gadgetry and forget the fundamental function that plain old paper forms

serve.” Craine defiantly added that, although uncertainties accompany technology, one thing

is certain: information in the form of paper is still the predominant form of business

communications. Craine concluded by asserting “while technophiles preach the wonders of

the World Wide Web, bottom-line thinkers will continue to recognize the vital role that

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paper documents play in business. We must certainly attend to advances in information

technology, but not at the risk of neglecting plain old paper.” (p. 4).

Numerous facts from a variety of sources show businesses are not neglecting the use

of paper or their investment in paper-based information systems. Linsky (1996) reported in

the early days of computer technology, it was predicted that the paperless office would

someday be a given. Linsky cited an American Forest and Paper Association report showing

85.7 million tons of paper was consumed in 1988. In 1994 Linsky continued, 95.9 million

tons of paper was consumed. The Gartner Group estimated that 83% of all business

documents are forms (p.8). An estimated $6 billion is spent every year on buying pre-printed

forms and potentially as much as $360 billion is spent on processing the forms (Jordan,

1996). Booher (1986) showed the effect of this paper in presenting three startling facts: (a)

Companies spend $25,000 to print and process the forms in a four drawer file cabinet of

18,000 pages. (b) Companies spend $2,160 annually to maintain an active four-drawer file of

18,000 pages. (c) Companies maintain one four drawer file cabinet for each white-collar

employee.

As the Gartner Group statistic showed, the cost to process business forms far exceeds

the cost to produce the form. Jacobs (1991) identified this indicating that for every dollar

spent to design and purchase a form, it requires from $20-$100 in labor to fill in, process and

store the form. Booher (1986) showed the importance of efficient paper forms by pointing

out the lack of productivity improvement in the “white-collar” workforce. Blue-collar

productivity, Booher said, has increased 90 percent during the last two decades, while white-

collar productivity has increased only 4 percent (p. 1). Studies of American business indicate

that 50-70 percent of all working hours are spent on paperwork. The paperwork includes

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preparing, reading, recording, interpreting, filing, and maintaining information (p.1). Gralla

(1996) expounded on the hidden costs of paper forms including mailing costs, costs for

storage, retrieval and filing. There is, according to Gralla, a more pernicious cost; the cost of

handling inefficient forms. These inefficient forms, Gralla said, lead to a slow down in

business operations which can put the company at a competitive disadvantage.

The importance of forms and intelligent forms analysis, design and distribution

cannot be overstressed. Baker (1996) identified forms processing and having the right form

as a critical part of any business today. Paper forms are the standard method of collecting

and providing information to and between corporations Baker continued. Jacobs (1991)

described the risk of operating without proper business forms. Business forms, Jacobs

claimed, provide the primary mode of transactional business communications. If there were

no business forms, he warned, many instructions and communications would have to be

given verbally or by specialized memo. Business forms, Jacobs continued, provide an

organized checklist of information. It asks the proper questions in an organized manner.

Business forms provide an efficient, economical way to write instructions and control actions

in business (p. 5).

Johnson (1996) expressed his concern that although forms represent the backbone of

most organizations, companies lacking a standard forms management policy often create as

many forms as they have employees adding up to a major expense. Booher (1986) pointed

out most organizations are “astounded” to find out how many forms they have floating

around the company. Records management experts, she continued, say it is not unusual to

find twice as many forms being used as those that are known to the company. They also

estimate that at least 20 percent of the forms used in a company are completely unnecessary

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(p. 93). Poorly designed forms, Jacobs (1991) said, are found in organizations where

management has not provided forms design training. Despite education attempts by forms

manufacturers, forms management departments, forms associations and forms professionals,

many organizations work with inefficient forms. Jacobs warned many forms in use today do

not take advantage of the proven forms design techniques that eliminate expensive

inefficiencies. Improperly designed forms subject the office worker to confusion, eyestrain

and fatigue. They encourage clerical errors and undermine employee morale in addition to

the dollars lost in filling out and processing them (p. 5).

Business Forms Management Functions

In an attempt to find common ground between Intranet development and business

forms management, a thorough understanding of business forms management by information

technology and MIS professionals is required. This section includes the description of the

three main strategies of business forms development: (a) Traditional analysis and design, (b)

Desktop-based development, and (c) Electronic business forms development. Barnett (1996)

cited the Business Forms Management Association’s (BFMA) definition of a form as a basis

business tool (whether printed or electronic) for collecting and transmitting structured

information. The BFMA definition goes on to describe forms as both a catalyst for getting

things done as well as a record of what was done. Jacobs (1991) defined the paper form more

precisely as a piece of paper containing printed information and blank spaces for the entry of

data in a predetermined format.

Traditional analysis and design . Jacobs (1991), considered the authority in the

discipline of business forms management, contended the development of a form, regardless

of whether it is paper, desktop or electronic, is segmented into two distinct processes: forms

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analysis and forms design. Forms analysis, Jacobs said, is the first step in a forms

development process. This step determines if the form is actually necessary. If so, then it is

further determined what data it should contain, what of form it should be and how it should

be designed (p. 65). Forms are part of workflow in an information system. Therefore, forms

analysis involves an investigation of the individual form’s role in the workflow, not just an

investigation of the individual form (p. 65). The BFMA definition of forms analysis adds

five objectives to the process: (a) Productivity is increased in preparation, use, filing, and

retrieval (b) The total number of forms within the system is minimized (c) Data element

relationships are apparent through consistency and adherence to standards (d) The

effectiveness of the entire system, as well as the individual form, is enhanced and (e) The

resulting business tool communicates the intended message. Jacobs (1991) concurred with

these objectives but added the analysis process should also strive to enhance the

corporation’s image.

Jacobs continued by describing the investigative nature of forms analysis. After the

facts are gathered, Jacobs said, the analyst continues by investigating the possibility of

eliminating the form or combining parts of the proposed form with another similar form. If it

cannot be eliminated, the analyst studies the form and the information system to determine if

and how the form can be improved (p. 77). Jacobs summarized the activities of forms

analysis involving the following forms activities: forms writing, extracting and using data,

forms transmittal, processing, disposition.

After the analysis process is completed, the forms design process begins. Jacobs

(1991) warned that the untrained person usually designs forms that are difficult to fill in,

read and process (p. 5). The uneducated designer, Jacobs continued, may not leave enough

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space to capture information, the may design them in non-standard sizes, or they may design

forms which do not fit into the information systems requirements. The proper design of

paper forms, Booher (1986) added, considers all these issues in the preparation of a form that

is easy to read, understand and complete.

After pointing out the obvious benefits of forms design, Jacobs (1991) drew many

parallels between the design of paper and electronic forms. The forms vary significantly in

content, appearance and construction, Jacobs claimed. They can be paper printouts or

electronic through the design, completion and archival processes. Yet, certain forms design

principles apply to all types of forms. These principles are the basis for efficient forms

design. The principles are valid whether the designer is designing with a pencil or computer,

Jacobs said. The proper application of proven forms design principles will help to ensure the

efficiency of forms (p. 116). Jacobs reminded designers that a form is an information

systems tool. The value of the form, Jacobs pointed out, is in the efficiency with which it

facilitates workflow in the information system (p. 100). Designing a form as part of an

information system includes six major principles: (a) Be an efficient information systems

tool (b) Simple to understand (c) Grouped logically (d) Spacing compatible with the fill in

method (e) Promote efficiency for both fill in and processing (f) Appearance creates

favorable responses.

For traditional printed forms, Jacobs wrote, the result of professional forms design is

a pencil drawing on forms design layout paper. This design is used to receive approval for

the printing of the form and to serve as a guide in its production. For desktop forms, the end

product of forms design is a form stored on a computer that is made available on a computer

or printed out when needed (p. 13). He stated the advantage of traditional paper forms design

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is that it is a two-step operation (p. 14). The hand design is performed by a trained forms

designer who starts with forms analysis and who then incorporates professional design

principles to create the form.

The advent of desktop forms. Desktop forms began to emerge in the late 1980s as the

result of the invention of laser printers and desktop publishing programs allowing the

onscreen design of type and lines (Baker, 1996). Baker described how this access to

inexpensive design tools and high quality typesetting output created a new industry called

“desktop publishing.” Unfortunately, Jacobs said, many desktop publishers, graphic

designers and others designing forms are not aware of the basic forms design principles. An

inefficient form, often created by untrained designers, disrupts the efficiency of the

information system and may jeopardize the accuracy of the data collected. Despite the

obvious acceptance of desktop forms in American corporations, Jacobs, continued in his

negative assessment of the value of desktop forms stating his belief that the worst forms are

produced internally on desktop publishing equipment, copiers and duplicators (p. 6).

Jacobs, however, did describe a few benefits of desktop forms design including

combining the design and typesetting in a single operation. The advantage is the ease of

“drawing” on the monitor and easily making corrections and alterations (p. 14). Karve

(1996) advanced the opinion that the shift has gone from the traditional “print-and-

distribute” model, where documents were printed and then routed through traditional mail or

interoffice mail, to the more efficient “distribute-and-print” model, in which digital

documents are circulated over networks and printed locally as needed (p. 67). Linskey

(1996) added that now business forms management companies are helping clients

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significantly decrease the amount of paper they use by reengineering the many forms and

documents toward computerized design and completion.

The emergence of electronic forms. The advent of desktop forms enabled designers

to create, store and print forms directly from a personal computer (Baker, 1996). Barnett

(1996) reported by the early 1990s, software was available to allow the user to fill in the

form on screen and send it electronically to someone else without the need for paper at all.

These are true “electronic forms.” Jacobs (1991) defined an electronic form as a “template in

an electronic format which assigns space in data fields for input of variable information and

also assigns definitions, formulas and restrictions to the data fields in preparation for

electronic forms processing.” Jacobs contrasted desktop forms versus electronic forms by

remarking that a form that is only designed on the computer to be printed out for use is not

an electronic form –that is a desktop form (p. 43). Barnett (1996), however, included

printable forms in defining an electronic form as a form template resident in a library on a

computer network available to authorized users for viewing and/or printing.

Oullette (1996) discussed the dynamic of the conflict found between paper and

electronic forms. Traditional business forms providers must compete with electronic forms

imaging and software technology as the industry booms and paper prices increase. Paper

forms companies, with $84 million in sales in 1994, Oulette contended, have the invaluable

resource of customer relationships spanning decades. But software startups are approaching

the development of business forms without any of the traditional constraints held by

traditional forms managers (p. 28). Until recently, Baker (1996) pointed out, electronic

forms technology has been an expensive solutions to implement. The market on electronic

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forms runtime packages, however, is currently less than $100 per seat. At this price, it’s a

technology ready to be deployed enterprise-wide (p. 86).

Statistics show this deployment is occurring at a rapid rate. Stahl (1996) cited Steve

Weissman, president of Kinetic Information, a consulting firm in Waltham MA, who

estimated the electronic forms market at about $115 million in 1995, up from $50 million

three years ago. Baker (1996) showed how insurance agents are now using electronic forms

to electronically complete the information necessary to start the underwriting process and

instantaneously submit the application form to the home office for processing. Rules built

into the electronic form prevent errors and ensure the form is completely filled out (p. 86).

Electronic forms, Baker continued, are also being used today by individuals to improve the

process of completing the IRS's 1040 tax form. These e-forms, as they are commonly called,

prompt you for the information upon which it applies the IRS business rules to minimize

errors. When you’ve completed the form, you can print it on a laser printer and submit it

directly to the IRS (p. 86).

Several authors pointed out the factors which lead to these dramatic reductions in

cost to corporations using e-forms. Johnson (1996) stated that switching from paper to

electronic forms makes obvious sense: Not only does it save trees, it saves money. But if the

process is not handled properly, it can create more problems than it solves, he warned. Paper

is a slow way to move information, one that creates storage and duplication problems (p. 45).

Jacobs (1991) added converting from paper to electronic forms can reduce the costs of

printing, sorting, managing, filling in and distributing forms. This is achieved through

increased productivity, saving time, gaining office and warehouse space and saving money

previously lost in destroying forms that required revisions or became obsolete. Baker (1996)

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expounded on the factors by adding the cost savings found in supporting multiple sites with

business forms. Electronic forms, Baker said, also solve the problem of replacing outdated

forms and distributing them to field sites. Keeping multiple sites stocked with current

versions of forms takes a tremendous effort. And, as forms are revised, the old copies are

still being used creating incompatibilities with new workflows. If the form has legal

requirement changes, the latest copy must be sent to the field office. By distributing the form

electronically, everyone has the latest version of every form (p. 86).

Jacobs and Baker agreed electronic forms also create cost savings in linking form

completion to databases. In the back office, Baker (1996) said, use of electronic forms can

automate the processing of service requests. Keying of data is reduced through the use of

“pre-fill” capabilities typically built into electronic forms packages. The end result, is fast

accurate professional forms for processing and a significant reduction in the amount of time

necessary to complete business transactions (p.6). Jacobs (1991) concurred saying electronic

forms are advantageous by being created on electronic media for subsequent fill-in and

processing directly by databases. Unlike paper forms, they are not printed and stocked. They

are created once and used via computer. The data entry is transmitted and processed

immediately by a database application (p. 43). Feibus (1996), described how forms

professionals can control the collection of information and transmission to databases via

input masks such as combo boxes, lookup tables, command buttons, check boxes, radio

buttons, tables in the form of mini-spreadsheets.

Convergence of Business Forms and Intranets.

The emerging technology of Intranets appears poised to intersect with the rich history

of business forms management. Gralla contended while the paperless office has been talked

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about and pursued for at least a decade, the advent of Intranets will finally bring it to reality.

A combination of communications technologies, web publishing tools, workgroup

applications, and e-mail is cutting down on paper costs, slashing mailing costs, helping to

eliminate administrative and clerical overhead, and allowing businesses to react more quickly

to business changes to deliver goods and services more quickly to their customers (Baker,

1996). This convergence of business forms and Intranets is best shown by examining the

obstacles to electronic forms acceptance in corporations and the impact Intranets are having

on these obstacles.

Obstacles to electronic forms acceptance. Despite all technological advances, Bernard

(1996) says, business leaders face the same problem they did 10 years ago: how to

communicate and manage the vast streams of data and information created daily by millions

of office workers, manufacturing facilities, design teams, dealers, sales reps, customers, and

suppliers on a world wide scale. Jordan (1996) described how paper forms go through many

stages in an organization. Because each stage in the process costs money, automation

provides savings at every step. However, when the business case for electronic forms was

built, due to the technology constraints of the day, it concentrated on automating only limited

parts of the paper process. Jordan (1996) added that electronic forms provided significant

costs savings even when they were applied to only part of the process. RJR Nabisco, for

instance, estimated that processing a single paper PO costed $70. The cost for processing the

same PO electronically was estimated to be .93 cents (p. 4).

Given these potential savings, Jordan (1996) continued, suppliers of electronic forms

should be having trouble meeting the demand for their products. After over ten years of

growth, however, the electronic forms market remains small with total sales estimated at

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only $100 million in 1997 (p.4). Jordan contended the high cost of computer systems

upgrades necessary to implement electronic forms is the reason for this relative lack of

acceptance. Callahan (1996) stated the computer components often requiring significant

upgrades at great cost for the introduction of electronic forms. These components, Callahan

stated, include: LAN infrastructure and terminal investments required to provide access to

those not currently using PCs, investment in electronic mail systems, installation of graphical

user interfaces such as Windows 95, and the installation of specialized client software on

each user’s workstation. Jacobs (1991) identified training and cultural issues as the major

factor hindering the acceptance of electronic forms. Uninformed, untrained and employees

resisting change make many more mistakes with electronic forms thus reducing the cost

savings opportunities inherent in electronic forms (p.238).

Impact of Intranet technology on electronic forms acceptance. Barnett (1996) claimed

from the time Gutenberg printed the first forms to the present, form design has been more

often than not been driven by the technology of the day. Electronic forms distributed through

the Intranet, Barnett continued, demonstrates the longevity of business forms in transcending

paradigms as a business communications tool. Jordan (1996) announced the coming

convergence of business forms and Intranets saying: “Two software industries that have

existed separately are about to be joined. The traditional world of electronic forms and the

rapidly growing world of the Internet are quickly coming together” (p.1). The rapid ascent of

HTML and the Intranet, Van Name (1996) claimed, has given the world of electronic forms

only the second ubiquitous format standard (after ASCII text) that the industry has ever

known. Garner (1997) concurred with Van Name and Jordan stating his belief that forms will

play a significant role in capitalizing on the Internet and Intranets. Although the medium is

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new, he said, the need for capturing and recording information to process a business

transaction is not. Business forms already do that function Garner concluded and the

manufacturers of forms should strive to become recognized source for Intranet-based

business forms (p.5).

The key factor differentiating Intranet-based business forms, commonly referred to as

“I-forms,” from traditional electronic forms is their ability to deploy within existing

technological investments in web technology instead of introducing new costs and

constraints to network resources Callahan (1996). To understand how electronic forms

leverage web technology, Callahan said, it is necessary to understand what underlying

technologies electronic forms require. If an organization already has this technological

infrastructure in place, electronic forms represent potentially high payoff applications (p.5).

Jordan (1996) praised web technology as providing a powerful infrastructure upon which

business forms can be developed. Electronic forms packages, Jordan stated, become minor

upgrades to an existing Intranet, not a completely new client/server software system. Bernard

(1996) described the static user interface which programmers spend hours designing

thousands of lines of computer code to present a user interface on a standard client server

application. Bernard contrasted this with HTML form tags which let anyone with a little

knowledge of HTML create a dialog-like interfaces and business forms in minutes.

Nolie (1996), introduced the concept of “service overlays” to describe business forms

technologies on Intranets. The central problem with client/server deployment, Nolie asserted,

and network management in general is its dependence on a particular standard down to the

desktop level. Intranets, on the other hand, are defined by routers, servers and LAN

topologies but have limited requirements at the level of the PC. Because the routers, servers

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and LAN topologies have been in place for several years, most companies are overlaying

their Intranets on the existing infrastructure without making major investments in technology

(p. 5). Intranets, Nolie contended, represent an entirely new situation for information

technology managers – a type network without significant hardware resources attached to its

development. Callahan (1996) extended this service overlay concept to I-forms. I-forms,

Callahan wrote, provide an opportunity to leverage the investments that organizations have

made in information processing and communications technologies for a relatively small cost.

Callahan claimed the costs of the underlying technologies required for I-forms

implementation to be “sunk” costs (costs part of the basic overhead of the organization such

as phones and lights). These costs therefore, need not be considered in justifying an I-forms

project or the payoff (p.5).

Bickel (1996) presented a dramatic example of the synergy of business forms and

Intranets. A large engineering firm, Bickel wrote, had been trying to implement a time-sheet

submission and reporting forms system across its network for 6 months. Failing to

accomplish the task, the company began using Web technology. In two weeks, it had an

application up and running fully linked to a database at the corporate headquarters. Garner

said forms will always be required to transact business and record information, but many of

the forms that are now on paper will also be posted on Intranets. At the very least, Tellas

(1996) added Intranets are going to hasten the trend toward viewing business forms as a

component in broader strategies for automating business processes. Jordan foreshadowed this

acceptance stating as Intranets push down the barriers to electronic forms, organizations can

expect to see a tremendous increase in the number of electronic forms systems being

implemented in the next five years.

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Technology trends Affecting Intranet/Business Forms Convergence

The chaotic beginnings of Intranets in American corporations has been driven by

technology advancements in the marketplace (Bradner, 1995). “Net time” is the term used by

developers to describe the rapid product development cycle times for Internet/Intranet

software (Cortese, 1996). Caldwell (1996) described how standards for directory structures,

email delivery and applications programming interfaces have suffered through dozens of

announcements, alliances and bickering between a multitude of software vendors competing

for segments of this multi-billion dollar industry. Although this competition continues in

many areas of development, there are five areas which directly contribute to the convergence

of Intranets and business forms. These five areas include: (a) Extranets, (b) Electronic data

interchange (EDI) over the Internet and on Intranets, (c) Access to host/mainframe

information from a web browser, (d) Collaboration tools in the form of groupware, and (e)

Advancement in web programming languages like HTML, ActiveX and Java.

Extranets. First, companies established web sites to craft a corporate visage. Next,

companies figured out that this same technology could work as well in-house on an Intranet.

Now internal sites at a growing number of companies are becoming something less than

private. Companies allow selected outsiders -- partners, vendors, distributors, contractors,

customers and others to slip past the firewall and share a corner of their Intranet space

(Stuart, 1996). This is known as an “extranet.” Although many claim credit for inventing the

term, Angwin (1997) contends the term was first used by Bob Metcalfe, 3com founder and a

columnist for Info World Magazine. Zeichick (1996) defined the extranet as an network

based on TCP/IP protocols and web architecture using various security mechanisms to allow

only select customers and vendors access to internal company information (p.102).

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Stuart (1996) asserted the adoption of extranets in corporations is rivaling the

adoption rate of Internet web sites. Stuart cited Financial Services Corporation (FSC) as an

example of this trend. FSC, Stuart said, has abandoned several Internet-specific endeavors in

favor of Intranet/Extranet projects. These projects have already opened up the companies’

intranet to 1400 independent field associates and some 200 preferred business partners at 60

companies in 48 states. The main benefit of an extranet, Stuart continued, is the ability to

develop closer links with customers and suppliers there by reducing costs and improving

production processes. A few companies consider the nurturing of these relationships so

important, they've placed a greater emphasis on expanded Intranets then on Internet

development (p.30).

The extranet communications model streamlines many of the request, delivery,

analysis and action steps required in business transactions between vendors and clients

(Tebbe, 1996). One of the most exciting applications today, Tebbe said, is enhanced ordering

systems. These systems tie suppliers more tightly to their customers, benefiting both parties.

As the cost of corporate purchase order processes continue to climb, the need for integration

is clear, he added. From letting customers check billing information to sharing sensitive

correspondence with partners, companies are using extranets with increasing openness

(Maddox, 1996). Using an extranet, Stuart (1996) continued, customers can log in, answer

their own questions, place orders, and even pay electronically - on their own scehdules, from

anywhere in the world and at little cost to the company. The use of extranets, according to

Wilder (1996), is expected to grow dramatically in the next 18 months. In a Forrester survey

of 35 Fortune 500 companies with Intranets, 46% of respondents said they currently give

access to selected outsiders, and 28% said they plan to do so.

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Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) over the Internet. Wilder (1997) described the

viewpoint of economists who realized long ago that trade performs most efficiently and

grows most rapidly when the friction of trade is reduced or eliminated. Many businesses,

Wilder continued, utilize EDI to reduce transaction delays from days to minutes. With EDI

over the Internet, electronic forms enable companies to reduce the transaction to the point of

nearly “frictionless commerce,” (p. 33).

Jacobs (1991) provided a concise definition of EDI. EDI, Jacobs wrote, is the

computer to computer exchange of business information in a standard format. It allows

organizations to conduct business without paper documents and human intervention.

Radosevich (1996) added the technical components of this definition. EDI, she said, works

by allowing different companies’ computers to exchange transactions using standard formats,

namely the American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) X12 series. X12 specifies

standard fields for purchase orders, shipping documents, invoices, payments, and hundreds

more data transactions. Typically, Radosevich continued, EDI software extracts information

from mainframes and formats the information using standard forms for transmittal to a

value-added network (VAN). VANs serve as a clearing house which centralizes the

connections and processing of thousands of vendors and clients (p. 68).

Despite the obvious benefits of implementing EDI, the benefits of the technology

have only been realized by 5% of the world’s corporations (Curtis 1996). Curtis stated

companies wanting to participate in EDI have traditionally faced several challenges: the high

cost of value-added networks (VANs), integrating with existing computer systems,

maintenance and overhead and reegineering their business processes. Curtis detailed the high

costs of using VANs. A small VAN customer working with 25,000 messages a month is

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often paying between $14,000 and $25,000 a month. TSI International estimated the same

number of messages per month using internet-based EDI could cost as little as $1,920 (p.

59).

Gralla (1996) said the Internet and Intranets are challenging the dominance of VANs

in EDI transactions. EDI, Gralla contended, was created to enable mainframes from one

company to talk to the mainframe at another company. On the Internet and on Intranets,

however, the same standards can be employed to perform secured transactions between

individual employees of different companies through their desktop computer using a

standard web browser. Radosevich agreed with Gralla claiming “traditional proprietary EDI

is dead in 24 months,” (p. 68). Chin (1997) contradicted Gralla and Radesovich, claiming

VANs will continue to play a valuable role because they provide the reliability, security and

ability to track transactions that the Internet lacks.

Many companies are conducting a significant amount of EDI over the Internet.

Wilder (1997) reported on Dell Computers. After just six months of selling over the Internet,

Dell now sells more than $1 million worth of PCs a day over the Internet. Dell uses

specialized HTML-based forms tailored to corporate customers. These forms simplify the

order entry, confirmation and delivery scheduling which had previously been communicated

through lengthy phone conversations with customer service representatives. Cisco Inc., a

large manufacturer of computer networking equipment, is about to become the first

organization to achieve an annual run-rate of $1 billion worth of products sold through its

extranet links with distributors and large end-users.

Recent research by Forrester suggests EDI over the Internet and other electronic

commerce initiatives accounted for $350 million in revenue for 1996 (Seymour 1997). The

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market, according to Wilder (1997), is forecasted to grow to $66 billion by the year 2000.

Radosevich attributed this growth to the ability to use forms on the Internet and Intranets.

The Internet and Intranets offer a way to reach thousands of new suppliers and buyers who

have nothing more complicated than an Internet connection and a web browser. Also the use

of Internet/Intranet forms can go far beyond EDI in terms of business communications.

Companies can use forms on the Internet and Intranets to coordinate the entire purchasing

cycle - from product information to customer support - as well as carry out the low-level

transaction such as purchase orders (p 38).

Access to host/mainframe information via Intranet forms. In most large corporations,

at least 80% of corporate data is still sitting on a mainframe. Users of these systems have

come to expect security, capacity, integrity, and reliability from a mainframe system (Whan

1997). Umar (1997) pointed out most corporations serious about using web technologies for

enterprise computing, also have a large embedded base of legacy applications on

mainframes. In linking mainframe applications to Intranet forms workers are allowed access

to essential customer data without having to build new desktop applications. In this scenario,

business forms on Intranets are used as the intermediary between the user and the data

structures on the mainframe. There are several architectural approaches used to unite web

and mainframe resources and dozens of products to help build these links (p. 10).

Software that converts mainframe data streams to HTML output is growing at an

astronomical rate, according to Slater (1997). In this scenario, information remains on the

mainframe, maintaining a high degree of predictability and performance but also high

usability and customization using HTML or JAVA, a web-based programming language.

Cox (1996) described several approaches to linking mainframe data to business forms on

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Intranets. One approach to merging mainframes with Web-based forms and servers is to

write server-based programs that use CGI, a web standard for accessing external programs. A

second approach is using a more efficient and flexible, but proprietary, web server

applications programming interface (API), such as Microsoft's Information Server API

(ISAPI) or Netscape Communication's Netscape Server API (NSAPI) with Open Database

Connectivity (ODBC) to access the remote database. Finally, forms developers can, in effect,

eliminate the Web server entirely and use a third party middleware product that itself may

implement some of these interfaces (p. 36). Done properly, these interfaces can present

intelligent features of field lookups, required fields and point and click interactions. Done

poorly, the new interfaces cause a variety of problems including communications

breakdowns and corrupt data on the mainframe.

Groupware collaboration tools. During the mid 1980s, a group of manufacturers

started a movement toward what are called open protocols (Derfler, 1996). At the same time,

network operating systems were created to share printer and disk resources. In the 1990s,

Derfler said, developers introduced new categories of software called workgroup software.

These programs made it easy to search for, organize, and link data from documents,

spreadsheets, and databases so that it can be shared. The use of electronic forms and

workflow routing was introduced in later versions of these programs. Gralla (1996)

described how the first major workgroup software for personal computers, called Lotus

Notes, was installed in thousands of corporations including half of the fortune 100

companies.

The competition for fully functional groupware platforms is currently dominated by

three players according to Roberts (1997): Lotus Domino/Notes, Microsoft's Active Platform

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with Exchange 5.0 as the messaging and groupware engine, and Netscape's Communicator

client suite and attendant server. Roberts described, in detail, the advantages of each solution.

If a form or document needs routing, sign off or workflow functions, Lotus Domino is the

obvious choice according to Roberts. The advantage of Microsoft groupware is tight

integration of all the necessary pieces, including Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel and

Microsoft Access. All of these applications share information with exchange with relative

ease. The advantage of Netscape is found in its utilization of purely open non-proprietary

standards. This allows functionality improvements from third party software developers

without risking incompatibility with proprietary standards.

Several authors, including Fontana (1996), Gralla (1996) and Roberts (1997) agreed

that the implementation and adoption of groupware in corporations has proven successful in

a limited number of cases. In a study sponsored by UCLA and Arthur Anderson in Nov.

1996, 65% of organizations surveyed still use groupware for its most basic communication

function; sending and receiving e-mail (Cox 1996).

According to the same study, only an average 12% used groupware for the functions

it is created for: scheduling, process workflow and knowledge management. According to

Cox (1996), the majority of companies using groupware are clearly failing to tap the full

potential of collaborative computing including the use of electronic forms and workflow

management.

Despite the current problems identified with the adoption of groupware functions, all

authors stated a firm belief in the growth of collaborative computing in the near future.

Cortese (1996) claimed in five years, the term Web groupware will be redundant. These

sophisticated, according to Cortese, Intranet applications will let employees fill out electronic

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forms, query corporate database, or hold virtual conferences over private webs. Roberts

(1997) concurred claiming Intranets, by nature, create environments in which workers want

to collaborate. Roberts quoted Harry Fenik, a groupware analyst at Zona Research saying

“Collaborative computing is simply going to become the way we all work, inculcated into a

lot of different products. It won't be a discrete thing you buy. The Intranet will consume this

philopsophy” (p 9).

Advancements in web programming. Any review of technological trends affecting

the implmentation of business forms on Intranets would not be complete without a summary

of the current trends in programming and coding of information on web servers. This

summary includes a discussion of the following components used in web publishing: JAVA

programming language, Active X from Microsoft, and Common Gateway Interface (CGI)

scripting.

Wilder (1996) spotlighted a fundamental change in the development of web servers

and HTML pages. “We’re past the crawling and the walking stage,” Wilder said “but the

running stage is mission critical applications and those require the use of advanced

programming languages that are designed for web development” (p. 20). Dragon (1997)

described JAVA as a programming language like C++, not a page description language such

as HTML. According to Dragon, the programming language, originally developed by Sun

Microsystems, has evolved from a tool for improving the appearance of web sites, to the next

great platform for Internet/Intranet computing (p. 100). Currently, Dragon continues, the

most widespread use of Java is on corporate Intranets, where developers have employed it

for creating applets. Applets are interactive page elements or basic applications viewed

within a browser.

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ActiveX, as Rahmat (1996) explained, is a group of object-oriented components that

form a layer of programming between the API and the actual application. An ActiveX

component is described as a control, which represents an interactive template for how an

object acts. An object within ActiveX can be almost anything: a JAVA applet, a C++

program, a piece of animation. The ActiveX control, Rahmat continued, sets up the object as

an interactive entity within a web page. These controls enable forms developers to utilize

existing forms created in everything from word processing programs, desktop publishing

programs and proprietary forms design packages. Given the proper ActiveX control, all of

this content can easily be published to the web site complete with links to back end databases

for the capturing of input information.

It's been almost two years since Sun Microsystems introduced JAVA programming

language, and one year since Microsoft introduced ActiveX - but it appears that developers

have yet to widely deploy either technology in web development (Levin, 1996). The

dominant development method of Intranets is the Common Gateway Interface (CGI).

Developers write CGI scripts to connect web-based forms with back-end databases. As Levin

reported, a research study by Jeff Winchell, a software architect at Application Methods,

found of the 30 million web pages searched, 33% are using CGI scripts. Less than 0.1% are

using JAVA. Less than 400 pages total were found to contain ActiveX controls.

Management Trends Affecting Intranet/Business Forms Convergence

The most common mistake of many information technology professionals is their

tendency to consider only the technological factors involved in the introduction of new

systems into an organization. This oversight of the management and workflow factors

involved in systems implementation has contributed to the friction between information

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technology and business forms professionals (McGovern, 1997). The examination of current

management trends pertinent to Intranet/Business Forms convergence helps to clarify the

process for implementation. The trends considered relevant include: (a) Change management

(b) Growth of virtual organizations and (c) Advancements in telecommuting.

Change management. Change is the business environment of the 1990s according to

Fishman (1997). Change management is the process of realigning business processes,

including marketing, production and distribution, to meet the rapidly changing needs of the

business markets (p. 66). Change, Fishman asserted, is the business equivalent of a

professional baseball learning to play professional football one week and ping pong the next.

Fishman attributed the advances in the speed of change to the increasing pressures of the

growing world economy. He also attributed increasing change to developments in global

telecommunications technologies (p. 66). Sheff (1997) concurred with these assertions in

describing the characteristics of change. Sheff stated change is no longer a “program”

instituted by organizations but an everyday way of survival. Instead of an external program,

Sheff argued, change is intrinsic to business, an integral expression of how any successful

business operates. It has transcended any particular corporate department and become the

responsibility of every employee in the organization. The successful management of change

is dependent on three factors: the capabilities and characteristics of change agents, the

resistance of people and systems to change and the tactics employed by change agents to

minimize resistance and facilitate change.

Within any healthy organization there are those individuals who make change a part

of their every day responsibilities, Fishman (1997) said. They are change agents - but only as

a way of working, not as an actual job title. Creating change is a skill. But getting things

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done and moving the business is the passion (p.67). Change agents, Davenport (1997)

asserted are inherently focused on a vision of how the organization will look when the

changes are complete. Hildebrand (1997) added an external focus to the list of requirements

for change agents. Peter Drucker, quoted in Hildebrand’s article, reminded change agents

that business results from change functions are only visible outside the organization.

Fishman (1997) concluded his list of requirements by stating change agents must be willing

to be subjected to a higher level of scrutiny and a tougher standard of judgement from those

above and below them in the company structure.

Sheff (1997) said, when people hear that someone is going to "change them," they

have an instinctive reaction: resistance. Fishman described three general rules to the

inevitable development of resistance in the organization. The first is to expect resistance to

change. Second is for the change agent to not take resistance personally. And third,

understand that resistance is rarely communicated overtly. Fishman quoted Bob Knowling, a

US West executive and change management specialist, relating the announcement of change

initiatives to “painting a target on your chest” (p.66). Fishman went on to describe

Knowling’s acknowledgement of resistance and tactics used to reduce this resistance.

Change management asks employees to examine the value they bring to the

organization. Involving the employee in improving their value to the organization through

change helps reduce the fear employees often associate with change (Fishman, 1997). Sheff

echoed Fishman saying successful change management is dependent on preparing people for

change Using a collection of resources including videos, seminars and training on new

procedures, change agents create opportunities for people to change without forcing it on

them. For change management to take hold in an organization, Fishman said, change must

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also be linked explicitly to real performance goals, and it has to be entrusted to people who

understand the business first and change second. Along with securing the support of senior

executives, all authors agreed that the most important tactic in change management is the

creation and cultivation of an informal, self-organizing communications network within the

corporate hierarchy.

Growth of virtual organizations. The virtual corporation involves multiple

organizations acting as a single entity (Dickey, 1996). It is an organization without

boundaries - between its own divisions, between organizations in similar or related fields,

between an organization and its suppliers or customers, and even between the organization

and its competitors (p. 21). For the first time, Maloff (1995) claimed, employees located in

different parts of the world can communicate with one another in a timely and cost-effective

manner. Customers in New York can view products sold in Toronto, Oslo or San Paolo and

can purchase them online. Sales personnel can log on to a proprietary computer system

thousands of miles away, conduct a real-time demonstration or enter an order for a client

immediately. Bernard (1996) agreed stating many of the technological obstacles to virtual

corporations have been overcome. What remains, Bernard continued, are the cultural

obstacles. Bernard pointed out that it may seem frightening for employees to share

proprietary information. But once the opportunities that are offered by the virtual corporation

are understood, he added, organizations of all sizes will be eager to embrace this concept.

The technology framework required for the virtual organization includes familiar

elements like E-mail, videoconferencing, workgroup and forms-based workflow applications

(Dickey, 1996). All of these systems must be extended outside the local area network to

companies linked through dedicated telecommunications channels. Increasingly, these

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capabilities must also be accessible on Intranets and over the Internet (p. 21). These

technologies provides the foundation for the virtual corporation to act independently of

locations and time zones, both within the company and with alliance partners, with all

participants working together to achieve a particular goal.

In the virtual corporation, Dickey continued, managers think in terms of projects that

accomplish corporate goals, not in terms of what jobs people have or what departments they

are in. Projects are staffed by competent people, regardless of whether they are part of the

corporation or come to the project from an outside organization. Most important in today's

business world, Currid (1996) added, the virtual organization can reorganize itself quickly to

meet the needs of a changing marketplace. Outsourcing everything that is not part of the

organization’s core competency is something people have been talking about for years. The

higher costs of “renting” production and management capacity as opposed to buying must be

weighed against the benefits of agility in responding to increases and decreases in market

demand.

Sandler (1997) spotlighted Trufish, a frozen fish distribution company, as one

example of a truly virtual organization. They have no headquarters and a small sales staff

telecommuting from across the United States. Their products are manufactured in a

subleased sardine factory in Lubec, Maryland, warehouse space is leased in Tewksbury, MA,

and distribution functions are performed in a rented office in New York City (p. 8). Having a

virtual corporate structure allows a company, like Trufish, to focus on each business unit

individually without being encumbered with improving underperforming units. If production

is a problem, a virtual company can shop for better facilities and workforces without the

responsibilities of traditional real estate and payroll. Warehouse space rates can be evaluated

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on an annual basis. And the virtual structure inherently allows for the quick implementation

of changes to organizational structure (p. 10).

Currid (1996) noted, some observers believe that supply chain integration will be

extended a step further. To really operate as a virtual enterprise, the organization needs to

push beyond supply integration and into demand chain integration. Demand chain integration

extends the supply chain all the way out to the end consumer. In effect, the consumer

becomes part of the virtual enterprise. The Internet, Sandler (1997) added, will be the key to

expanding future demand chains to include customers. For example, a vendor could

download product configuration and order entry applications over the Internet to a

customer's PC. The customer would then have the same capability that any of the vendor's

customer service representatives have to select a product and enter an order. This level of

interactivity inherently involves an advanced strategy for business forms development on

web servers (p. 9).

Advancement in Telecommuting. Caldwell (1996) defined telecommuting as

connecting to a company network from a variety of loosely coupled workplaces, including

the home office, remote offices not possessing WAN capabilities, client locations, and hotel

rooms. Caldwell added the impact of telecommuting is more cultural then technical. The

technical components of telecommuting, Caldwell (1996) claimed, include the physical

connection between remote systems and access to advanced collaboration and

communications tools. Caldwell accentuated the need for collaboration tools to include

access to electronic business forms to communicate with home offices. The cultural

acceptance of telecommuting has changed the definition of “work.” Work is becoming

something a person does not a place the person goes to. Sheparco (1996) agreed with

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Caldwell adding that telecommuting programs can provide a competitive edge in attracting

workers. In many cases, companies participate in telecommuting to retain workers who

might otherwise leave.

One impetus for telecommuting, Shaperco (1996) said, has been environmental laws

such as the Federal Clean Air Act, which are encouraging and, in some cases, forcing

corporations to create telecommuting plans. Companies, however, have other reasons to

embrace telecommuting: it enables them to reduce overhead and to mobilize their work

forces quickly and efficiently. Many find that employees are more likely to work extra hours

and on weekends if they don't have to drive to work. Caldwell (1996) said employees

working out of their homes gain flexibility in their schedules and avoid time-consuming and

aggravating commutes. A recent example, Sheparco continued, of an alternative work

scenario occurred during the 1996 Summer Olympics, when many people setup remote

offices in Atlanta. According to pollsters for Symantec Corporation, 70% of those polled

said they were more productive telecommuting during the Olympics than if they had been in

the office. Sixty percent of these individuals said they focused better and 98% said they

would try telecommuting again.

Wreden (1996) cited the example of Georgia Power company. When 15 employees

at Georgia Power set up shop at home, the company reduced that office’s leasing

requirements by two-thirds, which resulted in a $100,000 annual savings. When the

employees are in the office they are given temporary offices complete with a computer,

phone, desk and chair. These workers also maintain access to full secretarial support and a

conference room. This concept of office “hoteling” is gaining acceptance as an integral

component of the telecommuting workstyle. The benefits of telecommunication initiatives at

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Georgia Power, Wreden summarized, are substantial. Employee productivity has increased

10 percent, according to company studies and fewer sick days are being reported. Employees

are saving an average 1.5 hours in commute time, while saving 3,200 commuter miles every

day.

Literature Review Summary

This extensive literature review exemplifies the complexity of issues surrounding the

integration of business forms on corporate Intranets. The range of knowledge required to

successfully merge paper forms and Intranets is clearly beyond the capacity of any one

person. This fact further demonstrates the need for business forms and information

technology professionals to work together to achieve business forms and Intranet integration.

To this end, the following chapters identify the critical pieces of knowledge that must be

shared by business forms and information technology professionals for them to successfully

communicate and achieve corporate communication and information processing goals.

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Chapter 3

Methodology

This research was conducted for business forms and technology managers who are

interested in implementing business forms management on corporate Intranets. This thesis

was written to help business forms and information technology managers better understand

each other’s area of expertise. With this understanding, perhaps the two areas could work

more closely together to implement effective intranet-based business forms management

solutions.

The research methodology was completed in three steps. The first method was the

research and writing of a literature review. The results of this method are contained in

Chapter Two. The second method was the formation of questions and interviews with

business forms and technology managers involved in projects implementing business forms

on Intranets. These questions centered on the identification of issues and factors to be

included in a primer for each group.

The third method involved the formation of two primers. One primer describes the

discipline of modern business forms management using terms technology managers can

understand. The other primer describes the technology factors involved with Intranets using

terms business forms managers can understand. These factors were limited to only those

which pertain to the implementation of business forms on Intranets. These interviews along

with the information in Chapter Two provided the foundation for the development of the

primers for each group. Each of these primers was presented to two respondents, one from

each group who participated in the interview method. These individuals provided feedback

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on the content of the primers. The primers were then revised with their suggestions and are

included in the Appendices.

Methodology Issues

The thesis problem statement in Chapter One described the need for business forms

and information technology managers to establish a common framework of understanding

between their respective disciplines. To meet this need, a series of interviews were conducted

with both business forms managers and information technology managers who are currently

involved in implementing business forms with Intranet technology. These interviews were

structured to identify the methods used by business forms and technology managers to

communicate their requirements for the implementation of business forms on Intranets.

These interviews were also used to identify the information each group feels the other group

should understand to effectively collaborate on Intranet forms projects. The structure of these

interviews is described in the next section.

The interview respondents identified several key areas of business forms management

and intranet technology for inclusion in each primer. The information from the interviews

precipitated further research into areas identified by each group as necessary for inclusion in

the primers. Each primer was written in the same format. The primers were presented

together to the selected respondents for their input on both primers. The accuracy of these

primers was further strengthened by asking a representative from each group to review both

primers. This allowed for adjustments based on the perception of the intended audiences.

Method 1: Literature Review

This method included an extensive review of current information found in books,

magazines, and newspapers. This information was gathered by reviewing thirty-seven

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weekly, monthly and quarterly publications. Most of the information was gathered from

current industry trade magazines focusing on information technology, information

processing and business forms management. The literature provided the historical context

from which the current trends in business forms management and Intranet technologies

developed. The literature review also described the tension which can arise between

information technology and business forms professionals due to their overlapping

responsibilities and lack of understanding of each other’s area of expertise.

Beyond the historical context, future trends affecting Intranet and business forms

development were also reviewed. Discussing the convergence trends of these industries

demonstrates the need for business forms and technology managers to collaborate effectively

in Intranet forms development. This method identified the issues that may be addressed in

the formation of interview questions for business forms and technology managers.

Method 2: Preliminary Interview

The minimal criterion for the prospective participants in the interview group was

some experience with business forms and Intranets. Since the existence of advanced

implementations of Intranet-based business forms is severely limited, the initial requirement

that the participants have fully functioning Intranet business forms experience was

abandoned in favor of applicants having both business forms departments and Intranets. The

prospective participants were further narrowed based on their involvement in the strategic

management of their respective departments.

The main goal of the interviews was to identify the issues business forms and

technology managers felt were important in the implementation of business forms on

Intranets. The interview questions explored areas of agreement and disagreement between

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business forms and technology managers. The researcher used open ended interview

questions in an attempt to find issues, not addressed in the literature review, which required

inclusion in the primers. The interviewer allowed the managers the opportunity to describe

and discuss their experiences in the implementation of business forms on Intranets.

Additional explanation or closed ended questions were employed when the managers lacked

an understanding of a question or the interviewer was needed to clarify a particular response.

The questions covered four separate areas. The first group of questions were intended

to provide the interviewees an opportunity to discuss their experiences with business forms

on Intranets within their organizations. The second group of questions explored the factors

surrounding the implementation of business forms on Intranets. Business forms managers

were asked to help identify the management characteristics which ensure the success of an

electronic forms implementation. Technology managers were asked to help identify the

critical technological factors which enable the growth of business forms on Intranets. The

third area evaluated the respondents views on current business and technological trends

affecting the implementation of business forms on Intranets. The final group of questions

asked these individuals to help develop a list of issues to educate each department on the

fundamentals of their area of expertise. Finally, both groups were provided the opportunity

to list any remaining concerns or considerations not asked in the interview questions.

All the interviews were structured identically for each of the two groups. Each took

place in one meeting lasting approximately 30 minutes. The interviewees were each asked a

series of demographic questions before commencing with the open ended interview

questions. Profiles of all participants are listed in Chapter Four. All participants were offered

anonymity for themselves and/or their organizations.

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Method 3: Primer Publication

In the process of the literature review it became clear that tension often exists

between business forms and Intranet managers. This tension is magnified in the

implementation of business forms management on Intranets. During this implementation,

these two groups are dependent on each other for the successful integration of Intranet

technologies and business forms processes. Their ability to communicate is often hampered

by their lack of understanding of each other’s area of expertise. In many cases these factors

have led to conflict and power struggles thus decreasing the ability of a company to

effectively implement Intranet forms. The goal of this method is the development of two

primers; each designed to educate business forms and Intranet managers on the requirements,

processes and benefits of each discipline.

These primers each have three elements: (a) an introduction describing the rest of the

guide (b) basic information on the technologies and trends affecting business forms and

Intranets (c) a list of issues to consider in the implementation of business forms and

Intranets.

The introduction of each primer defines the goal of each and the intended target

audience. The primer developed for business forms managers was developed from the input

of information technology professionals. The primer is intended to educate business forms

managers on the technical, workflow and organizational considerations of business forms

management on Intranets from the viewpoint of information technology professionals.

Likewise, The primer developed for information technology professionals is intended to

educate information technology professionals on the technical, workflow and organizational

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considerations of business forms management on Intranets from the viewpoint of business

forms professionals.

As a confirmation component for each primer, one interviewee from each group was

chosen to review both primers. By reviewing both primers, each individual was provided the

opportunity to review the information. The primers were both written in the same format and

were distributed together to each of the original respondents for their review and

consideration. After reviewing the draft primers, each professional provided feedback to

identify areas of improvement in the primers.

The final stage of the methodology consisted of summarizing the research. In Chapter

Four, the information obtained during the research methodologies is summarized and

analyzed in the presentation of the final primers which appear in the Appendices.

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Chapter 4

Results

The objective of this thesis was to introduce the discipline of modern business forms

management to information technology managers and conversely introduce business forms

professionals to the technology factors affecting the implementation of business forms

management on Intranets. To achieve this objective the interview method was utilized at a

conference of business forms and information technology professionals in Washington, D.C.

September 7-9th 1997. Basic demographic information of each respondent is listed in

Appendices.

General Demographics. In order to classify the respondents as representational of the general

population of business forms and information technology professionals, a series of six demographics

questions were posed to each respondent. The data from these responses is summarized in the table below.

The full responses are listed in Appendices.

Area of Expertise Business Forms Info Technology8 6

# of Employees <10,000 10,000-50,000 >100,0005 5 4

Years Using E-Forms 1-3 years 4-7 years 7+ years5 6 3

Years Using Intranet 1-3 years 4-7 years 7+ years14 0 0

# of Business Forms 0-2,000 forms 2,001-5,000 forms 5,001+ forms7 5 2

% with Intranet Access 0-30% 31-60% 61-100%11 2 1

Table 1: Respondent Demographic Information

The number of business forms managers was greater due to one respondent asking to

be reclassified from the information technology group to the business forms group after the

interviews were completed. The number of employees, a general indicator of the size of an

organization, was evenly distributed between the author’s definition of small business

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(<10,000 employees), medium (10,000-50,000 employees) and large corporations (>100,000

employees). Although the number of years respondents had been utilizing electronic forms

was spread evenly between 1 year to 7 years or more, no respondent has been using Intranet

forms technology for more than three years. This was underscored the immaturity of this

technology as compared to the long history of electronic forms software. The number of

business forms in an organization increased directly and predictably with the size of the

organization.

Perhaps the most interesting statistics in the demographics, is shown in the

percentage of employees with access to the company Intranet. No company reported 100%

access to the corporate Intranet. The respondent with the highest percentage reported 90%

access by employees. Most (11) reported less than 30% of employees have access to the

company Intranet including 7 stating 10% or less employees have access. Many respondents

stated their companies are working diligently to increase this percentage as the use of the

Intranet grows.

Experiences with Intranet forms integration. As described in Chapter 3, the remainder

of the interview questions were separated into four sections: experiences, success factors,

trends, and education. The first of the experience questions asked respondents to describe

how the implementation of business forms on Intranets has either improved or strained the

relationship of information technology and business forms professionals. The responses to

this question are best represented by separating them in to positive and negative quotations as

shown in the Table 2 below. These quotations summarize the general comments of all

respondents.

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Positive Negative“IT is so tied up with other things, they are happy to see business forms people come in to help.”

“The IT department continues to overlook the value of business forms in the scope of business process design.”

“Business Forms Managers want to get the greatest number of electronic forms to the greatest number of people; the thin client nature of an Intranet makes that possible.”

“We have hundreds of HTML forms managed by the individual process owners. IT managers are not consulting with business forms managers for the design or administration of these forms.”

“Our IT department realizes the value of gaining the input of business forms managers to structure their forms properly.”

“The Intranet forms business case if routinely being made by IT without the input of business forms department.”

“Our IT department is working hand in hand with business forms to publish and make all forms available on our Intranet through an FTP server located in the business forms department.”

“There is a concerted effort on the part of information technology to fold the business forms managers under their department but culturally the two operate more effectively as a separate unit.”

The essence of workflow is the synergy of traditional process design including the form as one medium of communication, with technology which is opening up new methods for this communications.”

“Business forms has lost credibility due to a heavy need for infrastructure upgrades to support their initiatives. We are preceding with our workflow initiatives independently of their needs.”

Table 2: Respondent Quotations

Although the responses ranged from confrontational to synergistic, the majority of

respondents agreed the future of business forms is dependent on the interactions between the

two groups. The majority of respondents were also positive on the future interactions of

business forms and information technology managers. The majority of negative experiences

appeared to be centered on the control of Intranet-based business initiatives.

The second interview question asked the respondents to expound upon these

experiences by describing their goals for Intranet-based business forms. Three goals

appeared in the majority of responses. Six respondents mentioned the need to maximize the

thin client architecture of Intranets by developing browser based forms. Seven respondents

cited a need for significant infrastructure upgrades to extend access to the Intranet to all

employees. The third goal of most respondents was to identify a software platform for

Intranet-based forms development. Three information technology professionals voiced a

preference to keep Intranet-based business forms design independent of a specific software

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platform. These respondents emphasized their desire to use standard HTML to connect

Intranet forms to backend databases using common gateway interface (CGI) or other

database connectivity solutions. Business forms managers, however, justified the use of a

standard business forms design software by citing a need to build upon current investments

in electronic forms initiatives and manage version control of existing forms.

Success factors identified. Questions 3 and 4 of the interviews assessed the factors

making Intranet-based business forms successful. Question 3 asked respondents to name a

form particularly well-suited for use on an Intranet. The most common response, named by

seven respondents, indicated expense reports to be the most suitable form for use on an

Intranet. Five respondents said any form used throughout the organization was well-suited

for the Intranet. Interestingly, these five respondents’ companies average less than 15%

employee access to the Intranet. The other two respondents said only forms not requiring

security measures or signatures could be used on the Intranet.

Security measures and signature requirements were mentioned more frequently in the

next question which asked respondents to identify the characteristics to consider when using

a business form on the Intranet. Assessing all responses, a polarity developed between

respondents considering the particular business form independent of the business process and

those who considered the business form as one component of that process. More importantly,

this division appeared to be indicative of differing perspectives between business forms and

information technology professionals. Six business forms professionals stressed the need to

consider the entire business process being served by the business form. Conversely, four

information technology professionals described the technical considerations of individual

forms. These considerations included access to the Intranet of necessary users of the business

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form. Other considerations included security, signature and routing characteristics of a

particular form.

Business forms professionals responded to the characteristics question by describing

the characteristics of the business process utilizing the form. These respondents discussed

those forms which are used in conjunction with other forms in a process which could be

combined when used on an Intranet eliminating steps in a process. One business forms

professional described a process for completing a transaction requiring the use of two

separate forms with many common elements between the two forms. The form was

converted to an Intranet-based form. The Intranet form, therefore, enabled a reduction of two

business days in the process.

Intranet business forms trends identified. The next set of questions identified the

trends affecting the development of business forms on Intranets. Due to the rapidly evolving

nature of business forms development on Intranets, each respondent was asked to estimate

the percentage of business forms which will be integrated into the Intranet one year from

today. The responses to this question varied greatly as did the interpretation of the word

“integrated.” Some respondents indicated that a simple forms library did not constitute

“integration” of business forms into the Intranet. This attitude appeared more prevalent in the

business forms managers. Four Information technology managers, conversely, asserted any

method of accessing a form on an Intranet qualified as integration.

Information technology professionals, in general, qualified their estimates based on

the underlying technology factors of providing access to the Intranet. Business forms

managers qualified their estimates in terms of training and business process reengineering as

the facilitating factors of business forms integration into Intranets. Analyzing all responses

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using the percentage of Intranet access as a variable, those reporting a low percentage of

Intranet access in their respective organizations predictable reported a lower probability of

business forms conversion (See Figure 1 below). Five respondents with 10% or less Intranet

access, estimated less than 20% of their forms will be accessible on the Intranet in 1 year.

Figure 1: Correlation of Business forms integration with Intranet Access

Building on the respondents estimation of business forms integration on Intranets,

each respondent was asked to identify the management or technology trends affecting the

development of business forms on Intranets. The management issues echoed current trends in

organizations development. Six respondents cited trends in business process redesign. Terms

including process automation, reengineering and benchmarking were used by both business

forms and information technology professionals as having a great impact on the integration

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of business forms on Intranets. One respondent described how information technology staff

is being distributed to work directly in the business units to interject technology into the

design of every business process. Competition, changes in regulation, business mergers were

also cited by multiple respondents as motivating a move to business forms on Intranets.

The cost of infrastructure upgrades and a shortage of staff were most often cited as

technology trends affecting the development of business forms on Intranets. Infrastructure

upgrades include the upgrade of existing PCs to support Intranet access and providing new

access to employees currently using only paper-based forms solutions. While some

respondents described infrastructure upgrades as an inhibiting factor to business forms on

Intranets, other respondents described how the thin client architecture of the web browser is

streamlining the deployment of business forms on Intranets over traditional client/server

solutions. One business forms professional described a situation where information

technology deployed their Intranet business forms project in 1 business day. The same

project had previously taken three months when the form was produced in a proprietary

business forms design package requiring the installation of client software on over 300

desktops.

Three additional technology trends were mentioned by multiple respondents. The

emergence of the JAVA development language was cited by respondents as providing a

robust programming language independent of a specific computer platform or operating

system. The emergence of new incarnations of HTML scripting was described by two

respondents as providing forms designers the ability to design templates for forms that can

be utilized in multiple forms. Lastly, the issue of network, workstation and personal security

were reported to be an important part of business forms development on Intranets. Four

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respondents stated any forms requiring a signature will never be converted to a full Intranet

workflow.

Educational issues of intranet business forms identified. The final set two questions

were designed to compile information to educate business forms and information technology

professionals in their respective disciplines. The first of the two education questions asked

respondents to supply their definition of an electronic form on an Intranet. In following the

previously established pattern, business forms professionals’ answers emphasized business

process and workflow. Information technology professionals also followed their pattern

referring to the technology components of the electronic forms.

Although these responses covered a wide spectrum, four points were reiterated by

several respondents. First was the characteristic of an electronic form as a digital tool for

data collection. The six respondents citing this definition explained the importance of

defining the form in terms of its purpose in an business process. Building on this

characteristic, three respondents defined a second characteristic of business forms on

Intranets as a communications tool in a coordinated workflow process. One respondent

described how the digital nature of these forms enables the workflow to not only be

streamlined but altered to include suppliers and customers in the workflow for greater

efficiencies.

A third characteristic, cited by four respondents in the definition of business forms on

Intranets, is their function as a container of information to be stored and archived as an

individual set of data. This was an important distinction for both business forms and

information technology professionals. Business forms professionals stated the need for

business forms on Intranets to be indexed and archived according to the rigid legal and

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business requirements currently placed on paper forms. For information technology

professionals the container concept of business forms on the Intranets draws in important

distinction between business forms and interfaces to databases. It is important to note that

while five respondents included this distinction in their definition, three respondents defined

business forms specifically as interfaces to databases of information. One respondent

described business forms on Intranets as the front end application to databases as the backend

application.

The fourth defining characteristic of business forms on Intranets concerns the format

and conditions under which a form is printed. This was perhaps the most contentious for the

respondents and for development of business forms on Intranets in general. Seven

respondents cited the issue of printing in their definition of a business form on an Intranet.

Their responses varied based on the functionality spectrum of business forms on Intranets.

One respondent described a point in this spectrum at which they “bail out” in publishing

business forms on Intranets. One respondent, for example, limited his definition to blank

copies of forms available on the Intranet for printing and completion by hand. At the other

end of the spectrum, one respondent defined a business form on an Intranet as any form she

“never has to go to a filing cabinet to get.” One respondent appeared to balance the

competing viewpoints with her definition being any form that is not previously printed on

paper for completion.

The final question intended to directly assess the issues which information

technology and business forms professionals need to understand to successfully implement

business forms on Intranets. All respondents were asked to place themselves in the position

of training representatives from the other group. They were then asked to talk about what

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would be the major points of their training. All respondents answered this question at great

length. The responses were then synthesized into five themes for each group.

Examining the responses from the business forms professionals, every response

included mention of the need to understand the form in the context of the entire business

process. One respondent summarized the responses of the group asking information

technology professionals to realize that the value of business forms on Intranets is not in the

elimination of paper but rather the streamlining of the entire business process. The second

consideration cited by business forms professionals is to help technology professionals

understand forms on Intranets are still the property of the business unit sponsoring the

creation and continued usage of the form. Too many times, one forms professional stated,

information technology ignorantly change the variables of an Intranet form without

consulting the business unit using that form on a daily basis.

A third consideration cited by forms professionals is a need for information

technology professionals to understand the basic components of forms management

including replication, storage and versioning. Building on this point is the fourth

consideration of technology professionals to understand the business, security and legal

requirements of a business forms. One respondent cited cases where IT has developed a

forms application, published it and had users actively populating it with data before a

realization was made that the legal reproduction of an original of the form required the form

to be paper-based. She stated automating a form on the Intranet does not circumnavigate the

legal requirements. The final consideration stated by business forms managers is that

information technology professionals understand human nature’s resistance to change.

“People,” one respondent noted, “are used to using paper.” “When you can give people an

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electronic representation of something they are used to seeing on paper,” she said “they’re

resistance to change is significantly reduced.” Furthermore, the consistency of the web

interface of Intranets further reduces that resistance.

Information technology professionals cited the understanding of web technology as

the biggest need of business forms professionals. One respondent described the use of

HTML, JAVA and browser development as analogous to learning a common language which

both groups can utilize to bridge the gap in communications. Second to this need,

information technology professionals stated the need for an understanding of basic desktop

applications. Some respondents communicated their frustration in dealing with business

forms professionals who do not see the difference between a form created in a word

processing program from one created in a spreadsheet application.

A third consideration for business forms managers is the understanding of normalized

data structures in database development. Respondents expressed a lack of understanding on

the part of business forms professionals in the technical possibilities and constraints in

connecting a business form on an Intranet to a backend database. A fourth need for business

forms professionals is to understand the benefits of intelligence features of forms on

Intranets. These features include drop down list, auto-entered information and limits and

integrity checking on user entered values. The final consideration for business forms

professionals is the need to understand the technical components of workflow automation on

Intranets. Using email routing features and business rules to automate and streamline the

flow of communications throughout an organization is one long understood by technology

professionals but often times not used in business forms development.

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Chapter 5

Conclusions

Throughout this research and completion of this thesis, both information technology

and business forms professionals have described in great detail the importance of their role in

streamlining and automating businesses processes in an organization. If their goal is mutually

shared then why are their efforts and interaction often so negative? Unfortunately, in the

author’s opinion, these two camps are joined in a death struggle for the information

processing soul of the organization. Their conflict is often confusingly immature given the

enormous potential for synergy in working together. The sincere hope of the author is that

this thesis will provide a teaching tool for each to understand the importance of the talents

and expertise of the other. Also, it is my hope that the primers on business forms

development and Intranets will compel members of these groups to embark upon an earnest

examination and study of the other’s discipline.

The most enlightening conclusion of this research has been the amount of

commonality of purpose between information technology and business forms professionals.

This commonality, however, is in sharp contrast to their background and cultures.

Information technology professionals, and Intranet content developers in particular, are the

“new kids” on the block. They have little experience in the terms of precedents or established

standards. Likewise they are considered a part of every business department and function

due to the ubiquitous nature of corporate Intranets. Still, Intranet development is rarely held

to the vigorous return on investment standards normally considered for other process

changes. The pressures placed on IT professionals to produce, however, is real. Operation

managers, often referencing anecdotal evidence of incredible automation improvements in

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other companies, expect information technology professionals to generate vast improvements

within incredibly short development cycles. The vast potential contained in an array of high

power applications is limited by their relative inexperience in examining the intricate

interrelationships of the business processes of an organization.

This examination of interrelated business processes is the strongest characteristic of

the business forms professional. Their ability to parse business functions and design a

communications tool to process information is steeped in traditions dating back to World

War II. Their work is influenced heavily by their ability to justify each initiative in its return

on investment to the company. Although their work is utilized in all areas of an organization,

they are often relegated to the status of operational overhead instead of a strategic advantage.

Their skill and ability to improve business processes through the use of electronic business

forms has been hindered by the difficulties in deploying traditional client/server based

electronic forms: a problem made obsolete by the introduction of Intranets.

The interdependence of business forms and technology professionals is evident and

inevitable. One recommendation for readers of this thesis is the formation of cross functional

teams of information technology and business forms managers charged with the common

purpose of designing information processing systems for the entire organization. This forced

combination of the two departments may alleviate some if the competition and duplication of

effort. At a minimum, however, it is recommended that departments use the two primers to

become informed as to the nature and functions of each department and work to implement

them in their department.

As for recommendations on future research, the author is interested in seeing research

on organizations combining these two departments in a single department. The research

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could compare the development time and relative efficiency information processing and

compare and contrast that to companies who maintain separate information and business

forms departments.

While automating forms, records and workflow on Intranets, technology and business

forms professionals must realize that none are ends in themselves. They are part of an

ongoing process whose ultimate goal is to provide clients with the data and information they

need to function effectively in an ever-changing business environment. In the forseeable

future it is inconceivable that organizations will be able to so away completely with the use

of paper. Consequently, both information technology and forms people must apply their

unique talents, as members of the same team that includes their business client. And to the

extent that this integration of business forms on Intranets is successful so to will be the

organization.

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Appendix 1: Research Questions

Viewpoints on the Implementation ofBusiness Forms on Intranets:

In-depth Interviews of Information Technology

& Business Forms Professionals

by

Craig D. Burma

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for St. Mary’s University of Minnesota

School of Graduate StudiesMaster’s of Science Degree in Telecommunications

Master’s of Arts Degree in Management8/11/97

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August 11, 1997

Thank you for agreeing to participate in this study of the implementation of business forms on Intranets. You have been asked to share your experiences and involvement in business forms and Intranets in the hope of advancing the successful integration of these two important disciplines. Attached you will find a list of general questions I will be asking in my interview with you.

The output of this research and thesis will be two educational guidebooks. The first will be prepared with the input of technology professionals to educate business forms managers on Intranet technologies as they apply to business forms management. The second primer will be prepared with the help of business forms professionals to educate technology professionals on the issues and requirements of integrating business forms and Intranets.

The main goal of the interview questions is to identify the issues business forms and technology professionals feel are important in cross-training each other in their area of expertise. Specifically, your interview will focus on four areas:

1) The extent of your current experiences with business forms and Intranets2) The critical management and technology factors necessary for the successful

integration of business forms and Intranets3) Current trends affecting business forms and Intranets and4) Issues involving the education of business forms and information technology

managers in these areas.

Again, thank you for sharing your knowledge in this research process. A copy of the final thesis and research responses will be provided to you upon request.

Sincerely,

Craig D. Burma

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Business Forms/IT Questions DemographicsWhat is your Name? Who is your employer? What is your job title?How many employees are employed at your organization?How long has your organization been using electronic forms?How many business forms does you company use?

What percentage of your employees have access to the company Intranet?

Experiences

How has the development of electronic forms and Intranets improved or strained the relationship of business forms and IT professionals. Describe any examples.

Describe your goals for the development of electronic forms on the Intranet.

Success FactorsWhat business forms are best suited for use on What factors determine your answer?

Identify the business forms characteristics you feel are most important in the successful implementation of electronic forms on the Intranet.

TrendsTo what extent do you feel business forms be integrated into your Intranet in 1 year? What management or technology trends are affecting the integration of business forms and Intranets? I.e JAVA, mainframe access, knowledge management, empowerment, teams

EducationHow do you define an electronic form? Is that definition changing?If you were training business forms and information technology professionals on the basics of business forms management, tell me which areas would be most important for them to understand.

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Appendix 2: Respondent Demographics

Contact ID

Area of Expertise # of Employees

Yrs Using E-Forms

Yrs Using Intranet

# of Business Forms

% with Intranet Access

1 Business Forms 50,000 2 2 5,000 5%

2 Information Technology

3,000 5 1 500 20%

3 Business Forms 25,000 1 1 750 10%

4 Business Forms 40,000 1 1 3,500 8%

5 Information Technology

220,000 7 2 5,000 40%

6 Business Forms 4,000 3 1 500 8%

7 Business Forms 60,000 3 2 2,250 5%8 Information

Technology98,000 12 1 500 5%

9 Business Forms 1,000 6 1 50 25%11 Information

Technology1,400 1 1 500 30%

12 Information Technology

100,000 5 1 10,000 10%

13 Business Forms 90,000 8 3 7,600 15%14 Information

Technology30,000 13 1 3,000 90%

15 Business Forms 8,000 4 2 700 50%

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Appendix 3: Primer for Information Technology Professionals

PRIMER FOR TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONALS

INTEGRATING BUSINESS FORMS ON INTRANETS

The drive toward the use of corporate Intranets in the standard course of business functions is inevitable. An integral part of this use is the integration of Business Forms on Corporate Intranets. As technology professionals, you possess a wide range of technical expertise in software and hardware systems. A thorough understanding of business forms management is another valuable skill to add to that experience. This primer provides the basis for that understanding.

This primer is presented in 4 sections:

1) An introduction to Business Forms Management

2) Basic concepts and definitions in Business Forms Management

3) Forms Design 101: 7 essential steps to great forms on Intranets

4) 5 Things IT professionals need to know about Business Forms Management

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Introduction to Business Forms Management.

Business forms management is a science which has a long and regimented history. Business forms management is defined as:

“The systematic process of increasing productivity and minimizing errors in information, capture, transmission, and recovery through the use of workflow analysis and graphic design techniques; reducing the cost to procure, store, distribute, and manage forms through standardization: and ensuring the business and legal adequacy, of all historical business records” (Business Forms Management Association, 1986).

A few facts demonstrating the need for business forms management:

Approximately 5O.to 60 percent of an employee's time is expended processing paperwork.

The National Business Forms Association (NBFA), an association of independent forms distributors, conducted a study of business forms which concluded that "for every $1.00 spent to purchase business forms, at least $35 to $40 was spent to process those same forms". In perspective, if a company spends $500,000 annually to purchase business forms, $17,500,000 is spent processing those forms.

Typically forms are involved in three-fourths of an organization's total paperwork.

The paperless society is a myth. The more computers and other automation devices we have, the more paper is generated in business operations.

Studies indicate American businesses currently generate 72 billion documents annually - with the average internal document being copied 19 times. Each of these 19 copies are eventually filled with less than 5% being referred to again.

Xerox predicts that in seven years, each information worker will use an average of 24,000 pages of paper a year.

From the time when Guttenberg printed the first form to the present, form design has more often than not been driven by the technology of the day. The potential of the Intranet is to let user need drive the development, format and use of business forms.

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BUSINESS FORMS MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION, INC. STANDARD DEFINITIONS

FORM

The basic business tool (whether printed or electronic) for collecting and transmitting information;

the catalyst for getting things done; and the record of what was done.

FORMS ANALYSIS

The systematic execution of those steps necessary to assure that:

productivity is increased in preparation, use, filing, and retrieval; the total number of forms within the system minimized; data element relationships are apparent through consistency and adherence to standards; the effectiveness of the entire system, as well as, the individual form is enhanced; and the resulting business tool communicates.

DESIGN ANALYSIS

In addition to, and resulting in the design layout:

increases productivity by creating a basic business tool which is self instructive; encourages cooperative response; provides for easy entry of data; reduces the potential for error; facilitates use of the information; and enhances the organization's image.

FORMS MANAGEMENT

The systematic process of:

increasing productivity and minimizing errors in information capture, transmission, and recovery through the use of workflow analysis and graphic design techniques;

providing administrative control; reducing procurement, storage, distribution, and use costs through standardization; and ensuring the adequacy (business, as well as, legal) of all historical records.

BFMA Standards and Techniques Task Force, October, 1986

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Forms Design 101: Crash Course On Designing Intranet Forms

The primary ingredient in good form design is planning. People often create their form last, after the rest of the web site is developed. This means the form is allotted only minimal consideration in its design. Given the form is the primary source of communication of information between individuals involved in a business process, it deserves your full attention in its design and implementation.

Think about the information you want to collect on your form. Decide how much space each item of information may need. Think about the relationships between various pieces of information and group related items. Finally, any form which will be used by individuals outside your company should show the company name, logo and contact information for help in completing the form.

Seven Steps to Designing Forms

1. Make a list of all the information you want to gather.2. Estimate how much space and what formats each entry will require.3. Working out a sample form on grid paper can be helpful. The grid forces you into a

consistent modular structure, and it promotes proportional structures which will give the form a visually pleasing quality.

4. Take into account how the form will be filled out: by hand, typewriter, or by computer. Forms to be completed by hand need a lot more space than those done by other methods.

5. The information from your grid paper can be easily transferred to a word processor or desktop publishing program by using its table function

6. Give your proposed form the “use test”: Have others use it. Chances are they will discover any illogical or unclear elements before the form is put into actual use.

7. Evaluate how simple or difficult it is to harvest information from the form. Your design should make the information compiler’s job as easy and quick as possible.

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FIVE THINGS IT PROFESSIONALS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BUSINESS FORMS MANAGEMENT

1) Business Forms are part of an entire workflow process; not just a piece of paper. Work to identify the role of the business form within the entire business process. Use the integration of the business form onto the Intranet to examine the entire business process. Utilize the input of the individuals involved in that process to automate, combine and streamline the functions involved in that process.

2) The process owner is the owner of the form. The business unit involved in the business process is the entity most affected by changes to the business form. Understand the value of consulting the business unit when making changes to a Intranet business form. Even subtle changes like where the form is found on the Intranet can have repercussions to the business units using the forms.

3) Understand the basic building blocks of business forms. Learn the difference between forms analysis, design analysis, and forms management. Use traditional components of revision control and feedback from forms users to modify and improve Intranet business forms.

4) Have a healthy respect for the demands of forms security and replication. This is more a legal consideration than the proper performance of business functions. Understand the role of each business form in protecting the legal interests of the organization. Make provisions for the replication of necessary business forms in their entirety. Authentication of origination is imperative to the acceptance of Intranet business forms requiring signatures.

5) People are inherently resistant to change. The level of resistance to change is inversely proportional to the amount of communication provided to individuals affected by the change. Communicate the need to integrate the business form onto the Intranet and the benefits to the user of that implementation.

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Appendix 4: Primer for Business Forms Professionals

PRIMER FOR BUSINESS FORMS PROFESSIONALS

INTEGRATING BUSINESS FORMS ON INTRANETS

The drive toward the use of corporate Intranets in the standard course of business functions is inevitable. An integral part of this use is the integration of Business Forms on Corporate Intranets. As business forms professionals, you possess an extensive knowledge of the business processes that make your organization successful. A thorough understanding of Intranet technology is another valuable skill to add to that experience. This primer provides the basis for that understanding.

This primer is presented in 5 sections:

1) An introduction to Intranet technology

2) Basic definitions of Intranet terms

3) HTML 101: an introduction to using HTML on Intranets

4) 5 Things Business Forms Professionals need to know about Intranet Technology

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Introduction to Intranet Technology

In less than two years, Intranets have evolved from an interesting idea to a multi-billion dollar industry shaping the fundamental structure of corporate computing into the next century (Heskett, 1996). Utilizing the open standards of HTTP and TCP/IP developed for the Internet, Intranet development is projected to dominate information technology market at five times the rate of Internet investment, according to a study by Zona research (Leach, 1996). A simple definition of an Intranet is:

“An Intranet is the integration of an organization’s information assets and communications facilities into a single, widely accessible networked environment using Internet-based technologies, such as e-mail, news groups, file transfer protocol (FTP), and World Wide Web technologies. Web-based technologies provide a common user interface across disparate platforms, enabling the development of cross-platform applications, the integration of existing legacy applications and databases, enhanced communications and information sharing among the Intranet users.” (Claremont Research, 1996).

A Call to Action for Business Forms Professionals

Intranets are a swift kick to the existing ant hills of traditional information technology development. The inexpensive tools and ubiquitous standards can empower any individual in an organization to explore their application to their business. The key secret here is that you, as a business forms professional, are no longer beholden to the information technology to implement electronic business forms.

The advent of the Intranet is having an effect on IT analogous to the impact desktop publishing had on the control of business forms. Web page generation is at least as easy if not easier than designing a form in Microsoft Word. Launching an Intranet is nearly as easy and can be completed in an afternoon.

Intranet development is being undertaken in several areas of an organization other than IT. Web servers are popping up in places like human resources and marketing. Intranets are a technology for the mass media and business forms managers should make it a priority to personally develop Intranet web pages for publishing electronic forms on the company Intranet. Taking this initiative will educate you on the specifics and problems of web page design and promote the enlightened respect of Information Technology Professionals.

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Definition of Important Terms

Client/Server is a strategy in information technology involving the use of applications installed on a server and accessed by personal computers through a local area network utilizing client software.

A Common Gateway Interface (CGI) is a linking mechanism for connecting database information to Web pages on an Internet or Intranet server.

A firewall is a barrier set up to contain designated local area network traffic within a specified area and to deny access to unauthorized users.

HyperText Markup Language (HTML) is software that allows users to explore and create their own paths through written, visual, and audio information. Capabilities include being able to jump from topic to topic at any time and follow cross references easily.

HyperText Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is the standard session protocol used in Web communications to transfer HTML based information.

An Intranet is a local or wide area TCP/IP network supporting HTTP server based applications, information, and communications.

A Local Area Network (LAN) is a short distance data communications network used to link computers and peripheral devices under some sort of standard control protocol.

Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) is Microsoft’s strategic interface for accessing data in a heterogeneous environment of relational and non-relational database management systems.

The World Wide Web (WWW) is a network of computers utilizing hypertext pages, enabling users to browse information graphically when using the Internet and Intranets.

A web browser is a generic term describing the user interface software used by personal computer users to view pages of hypertext markup language.

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HTML 101: An Introduction to Using HTML on Intranets

The computer language of the Internet and Intranets is HyperText Markup Language (HTML). HTML is suited to Intranets for two reasons. First, its creators designed it to be inherently cross-platform, so that many computers and operating systems can view it. Second, a simple text file, that is easy to transmit and edit, contains the code. A web page, therefor transfers quickly to the users computer as a small stream of text and is then reassemble and formatted in the viewers browser.

For forms professional this is the central point: HTML code is nothing more than plain ASCII text and therefore can be created using any text editor that can save a file in the ASCII format. To test this type the following verbiage in a Microsoft word and save it on your C drive as “test.html” with a document type of “text only:”

<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>A basic web page</TITLE></HEAD><P>My web page</P></BODY></HTML>

Now open your web browser and type in the following address: c:\test.html and hit enter. Congratulations, you just created your first web page!

Now that we have shown anyone can make a simple web page, there are many other issues to consider in the implementation of business forms on Intranets. While HTML formatting has come a long way in hiding many of the archaic commands early programmers had to use to produce pages (as shown above), it is necessary for beginning Intranet forms designers to understand four principal elements of HTML coding:

1) Variables in text wrapping

2) Using Images in a web page

3) Integrating Tables in HTML

4) Database and Web Links

Text Wrapping

When the inventors of HTML first started they decided to let each user’s browser format the page in order to adjust to the many different types of computers. When you open your browser to your company Intranet notice what happens if you resize your window in half from left to right. The text does not disappear or become ultra condensed, it simply reflows into more lines of text with less characters on each line. The challenge here for forms

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designers is in creating forms which will flow and adjust to different browsers on different workstations on your LAN. Having several different browsers looks requires you adjust your formatting to the lowest common denominator.

Using Images in a web Page

A web page reads all information in a stream of data as it travels the LAN. Graphics are not inherently encodded into a web page. Instead, the page displays a separate graphic file, usually saved in JPEG or GIF format. While this concept of separate components often confuses traditional applications developers, business forms professionals have dealt with separate graphics, image and page elemenets files for years (how many times have you taken your form to the printer only to be called because a logo is missing!). Having a library of commonly used graphics on your web server is important.

Integrating Tables in HTML

A good way to control the presentation of information on a web page to a user is by using tables. Tables are boxes that divide up the page into distinct areas. Each table is divided up into cells. Text and graphics in each cell can be aligned top, bottom, left and right. Two interesting characterisitcs of HTML tables are that they are measured in terms of pixels instead of any standard measurement and second in presenting information to users they will also reformat and flow based on the size of the browser window of the user. This fluid nature of tables will also frustrate beginning Intranet forms designers.

Database and Web Links

HTML is perhaps best identified with it’s ability to provide links to other information. To reach other pages on your Intranet, you simply create a link with text that will take you to that particular page. This is most often achieved using the standard functions found in any web publishing program but to show the simply of a linkable text is created, see the below formatting example on how to script a link to microsoft.com on the web

<A HREF=http://www.microsoft.com> the big cheese </A>

If we were to view this text in a web browser we could click on text called “the big cheese” and we would be taken to Micorsoft’s home page.

Linking databases, however is more complicated and mostly falls outside the scope of a basic primer. It is worth noting, however that there are two central ways to connect database information to a web form. The first is with the use of a common gateway interface (CGI) script. Using CGI, the web server, in response to a user request for information, runs a program to search for that information and returns the results to the user. The second method for linking a web page to a database is through the use of Microsoft’s Active Server Pages. This method allows the forms designer the capability to link dynamic information to a page so that each time the page is viewed it displays database driven information. This can be a useful tool in assigning unique identification numbers to specific forms.

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Conclusion

This information only scratches the surface of the possible functions of a web page. At a minimum you now have some insight into the complexities of designing usable forms for your corporate Intranets. The best way for me to describe this period in web development is to remind you of the early days of desktop publishing; it can only get better, easier and more stable in the future.

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FIVE THINGS BUSINESS FORMS PROFESSIONALS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BUSINESS INTRANETS

1) Understand the building blocks of web development. Begin with HTML (see short introduction above) and move on to learn about Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), Extensible Markup Language (XML), Internet Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) implementations, and Virtual Private Networks (VPN).

2) Know the difference between a LAN and a WAN and the role of firewalls in Intranet development. The design of your company’s computer network (or “topology” to use the vernacular) has a direct impact in how access to information on your corporate Intranet is configured. Understanding the function of LANs, WANs and firewalls empowers forms professionals to provide input in network design instead of accepting whatever becomes the mandate of Information Technology.

3) Understand the technological options available for securing access to and processing of information on an Intranet. There are basically 4 areas of security:

1. Employ a set of validations allowing different users from different departments to have access to parts of an Intranet

2. Secure the information as it travels from point to point3. Validate the sender or receiver of the information as a specific individual through

the use of an electronic signature4. Implement policies as to the replication, transmission and storage of specific data

4) Learn about the intelligent components available to constrain and qualify data. While generally found in commercial forms design packages, advanced web formatting has introduced new form features such as: check boxes, drop-down lists, formatting constraints such as date and time, and radio buttons. Working with IT to understand the options available in your development environment will improve the data being propagated in each form and ease the transition of information from the form into company databases.

5) Realize the constraints of technology based workflows. This encompasses but is not limited to all of the above components. Constraints on technology workflows can go beyond firewalls and security to include bandwidth issues on the network, compliance issues with industry standards and the need to give priority to mission critical systems that the use of the forms support.

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