University Assignment: ICT in Courier Business Operations

This discussion post analyzes the impact of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) on the operations of courier services. It begins with an overview of courier services, highlighting their evolution from traditional mail systems and the value-added services they provide. The discussion explores how ICT, encompassing technologies like robotics, drones, big data, and the Internet of Things, has revolutionized the courier industry, enhancing efficiency and customer satisfaction. The use of e-commerce platforms for courier services is also examined, emphasizing the shift towards online payments and home delivery options. The post concludes that ICT has significantly empowered consumers and transformed the courier market, suggesting that technology will continue to play a crucial role in the future of courier services, offering even greater benefits for consumers. References to relevant research papers are included to support the arguments made.

Running head: USE OF ICT IN BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Use of Information and Communication Technology in Business Operations
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s note:

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USE OF ICT IN BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Executive Summary
The aim of this discussion is to provide a brief summary of the recent technological
advancements in the business operations of courier companies. The discussion also accesses the
future impact of the several technologies and other innovations in the market. The discussion
also considers the various issues that may arise for the protection of the consumers related too
delivery services.

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USE OF ICT IN BUSINESS OPERATIONS
Table of Contents
1. Introduction..................................................................................................................................3
2. Discussion....................................................................................................................................3
2.1 Overview of Courier Services...............................................................................................3
2.2 Information and Communication Technology in Business Operations.................................3
2.3 The Growing Impact of ICT on the Courier Services...........................................................3
2.4 Use of E-Commerce for Services in Courier.........................................................................4
3. Conclusion...................................................................................................................................4
4. References....................................................................................................................................6

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USE OF ICT IN BUSINESS OPERATIONS
1. Introduction
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has become useful within the
organizations of business all over the world. With the advancement of technology and more
solutions for communication, different companies are discovering that their levels of production
have increased. The efficiency of business is being benefited and the satisfaction of the
customers have improved rapidly (Vaishnavi & Kuechler, 2015).
2. Discussion
2.1 Overview of Courier Services
The system of couriers could be distinguished from ordinary mail services. The courier
services can provide many additional services such as security, speed, signature, specialization,
tracking and many others. Courier services are usually expensive than normal mail services.
Their use is generally limited to packages. The trend of courier services have been introduced to
override the existing problems of the manual system of delivering packages, letters and many
other items (Ducret & Delaitre, 2013).
2.2 Information and Communication Technology in Business Operations
ICT refers to all kinds of technology that are used to handle broadcast media,
telecommunications, audiovisual processing, smart building management systems and functions
of monitoring. Recently, ICT has been used to describe the combination of several kinds of
technologies. It also implies the use of common lines of transmission.
2.3 The Growing Impact of ICT on the Courier Services
The growth in the emerging technologies in ICT networks, has massively changed the
effectiveness and the role of the postal sector. As compared to the manual system of delivering

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USE OF ICT IN BUSINESS OPERATIONS
letters and packages, the trend of courier services has increased the effectiveness of the business
operations in the courier sector. The most important innovations in the field of technology that
have impacted the postal sector are robotics, drones, big data, the Internet of Things and many
others.
The ever increasing struggle and the rapid demand from customers have been a major
forcing factor for the parcel and the postal operators to use advanced technologies for several
purposes of delivery. The use of ICT in courier services should ensure the improvement in the
efficiency of operations so as to provide newer and efficient services (Visser, Nemoto &
Browne, 2014).
The centralism of parcel operations and automated sorting of packages are the foremost
developments in the sector. In the business operations of parcels, the system of delivery have
been improved with new technologies such as PDAs. They are used for the purpose of scanning
of signatures, which have also been added for the security of the customers.
2.4 Use of E-Commerce for Services in Courier
ICT has changed the change in the services of the courier industry. The home delivery of
packages and letters have been the most preferable option for the delivery companies. The
demand for postal services have shown a major rise in the recent time. Thus several companies
in the parcel industry are moving towards better systems of online payment in order to reduce the
costs of burden (Chiu et al., 2014).
3. Conclusion
The above discussion comes with a conclusion that the impact of ICT on the consumers
of courier services have been massive. Information and Communication Technology has

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empowered consumers. This has transformed the market of courier services. ICT has acted as a
better driving force for the betterment of the consumers. In the future, technology would become
much more important for the courier services, which would provide positive benefits for the
consumers.

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4. References
Chiu, C. M., Wang, E. T., Fang, Y. H., & Huang, H. Y. (2014). Understanding customers' repeat
purchase intentions in B2C e‐commerce: the roles of utilitarian value, hedonic value and
perceived risk. Information Systems Journal, 24(1), 85-114.
Ducret, R., & Delaître, L. (2013). Parcel delivery and urban logistics-changes in urban courier,
express and parcel services: the French case. In 13th World Conference on Transport
Research, July 15-18, 2013-Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Vaishnavi, V. K., & Kuechler, W. (2015). Design science research methods and patterns:
innovating information and communication technology. Crc Press.
Visser, J., Nemoto, T., & Browne, M. (2014). Home delivery and the impacts on urban freight
transport: A review. Procedia-social and behavioral sciences, 125, 15-27.