Report on Integrated Professional Skills in the Digital Age

This report delves into the significance of digital skills in the contemporary workplace, emphasizing their importance alongside traditional professional qualifications. It provides a comparative analysis of various web conferencing tools, specifically focusing on Skype and Viber, evaluating their features, business applications, and user-friendliness. The report also explores the crucial skills required for conducting effective online research, including technical, evaluation, and data collection skills, while also addressing the challenges encountered in this process, such as inappropriate data and internet privacy concerns. The conclusion highlights the necessity of digital professional skills and summarizes the key findings regarding the tools and skills discussed. This analysis is crucial for individuals aiming to enhance their professional capabilities in the digital era, providing insights into leveraging technology for improved efficiency and success in the workplace. The report also offers a comparative analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of Skype and Viber.

Integrated Professional Skills in The
Digital Age

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Web Conferencing Tools.............................................................................................................1
Skills needed to conduct online research and challenges being faced.........................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Digital skills of a person can be considered as the skills that are related to being digitally
literate. On the modern work place digital skills of employees are same important as the
educational and professional skills. Cause the modern work place need the person who
technically and digitally sound for higher efficiency of organization (Jackson, 2015). This report
is explaining about different web conferencing sites and providing their comparison that is based
in the features and functions of each web conferencing tool. This tools are explained with
context of professional digital skills of individuals person. The application and suitability of web
conferencing tools is explained in report.
MAIN BODY
Web Conferencing Tools
There are different types of web conference tools are used by different organization to
reduce the extra expenses of company. Thi tools are used for different operations which are
mostly related to business and personal purpose. Organizations use these tools for recruitment,
professional meetings and communicating with the employees and clients of organization. Most
preferred tools that are used by different organization are Skype and Viber. This both tools
provides different features to organizations to make their business meetings more effective.
Skype
Skype is computer and mobile application that is used by people for online calls, live chat
and video and audio conferencing (Gribble, Blackmore and Rahimi, 2015). This tool was
initially released in year 2003 and in year 2011 it was purchased by Microsoft Corporation and
currently all the operation and services of Skype are provided by Microsoft corporation.
Feature of Skype
The different features that are provided by Skype are instant messaging and chat history,
calls between landlines and Skype, Skype premium, Voicemail, video calls and screen sharing,
short message service and text messaging and wireless hotspot network access. This different
features of Skype are very helpful for companies to complete their business goals without
spending too much money on meetings and interviews.
Business Application of Skype
the different The feature of instant messaging and chat history provide better option to the
employees of different organizations to make fast communication with each other. This tools is
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also can be also used to make communication to local and international land line contacts. Innthe
service of Skype Premium companies provided with high definition calling and video
conferencing function and other features are al;so provided to consumer. In the other features
like voice mail, video calling can be used by organization to make communication with business
clients, employees, business partners and recruiting candidates on long physical distance.
Viber : It is the cross platform voice IP (VoIP) that provides the service of doing the instant
messages and the voice calls (Sobkowiak, 2018). This application is being operated by the
Japanese multinational company that provides the freeware for android, iOS, Microsoft windows
and Linux programmes. It also allows the users to exchange the media such as voice records,
messaging, sharing of images and many other functions.
Features of Viber
It is the popular feature of the Viber as the users can make the groups for their team.
Group chat is one of the best way to keep in touch. Anyone can set up the group and invite the
connections to join the group. In this the users receive the every single notification that is being
sent on the id, if the user finds it annoying and distracting than one can turn on smart notification
feature so that the Viber will combine this notification in one single notification.
Business Application of Viber
Viber is one of the powerful solution for the companies as their chat features are one of the great
tools for the customer care. Viber gives the services of HD voice call and video calls at the same
having the ability to send the texts, photos,stickers etc. Business conversations are being looked
as personalised look and feel.This is one of the useful application in context of business as the
business are in the need of functional managing system by reducing the extra cost. Viber give the
facility to its subscribers to do the call and message to one another by having the connectivity via
Wi-Fi and the 3 G networks. It enables the business to grow at next level by giving the flexibility
and functionality. As the Viber can be use on the cellphones by downloading the application or
can operate in any digital device that get the signal of WiFi and helps the users to do work from
anywhere.
Skype and Viber
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On the basis of ease of use the both tools are easy to use and provide higher mobility to
user. To use the services provided by Skype user must have a user name and password. To get a
use=r name password the person have to provide information of personal mail id, phone number
and personal information. This provide high security to user and Skype can track the unusual
behaviour or person (Oliver, 2015). In Viber web conferencing tool user only have to provide
mobile number as user id and this number is used for the identification of person. Here this
facility of Viber get competitive edge over Skype cause Skype need more details of user. To
provide services to consumer Viber charge cost in return of services but features of Skype are
more cost effective for the user because most of the features are free of cost on Skype. So Skype
is cost effective for personal and professional use. According to popularity the Skype is more
famous in world for personal and professional use. Viber provide higher mobility to the user but
the Skype needs continuousness and constant connection to make connection. Skype is a heavy
application that consumes high amount of data and speed. Viber consumes fewer data of user
during the video and audio chat. As per perspective of call quality and vast network Skype has
winning edge over Viber. In terms of features Skype provide more features to user. This
comparison shows that the Skype provide better features to the user at low cost so Skype is better
option for business applications.
Skills needed to conduct online research and challenges being faced
Online research is of the best method that help to gather information about chosen topic
and collect more data via using internet. If anyone is at home and required to accomplish their
work they can use internet and search online things which is very beneficial for them as well as
saves time (Bratianu and Vatamanescu, 2017). Online research is beneficial for business and also
to its workers that help to deal with competitors or ideal customers. It improves company profits
and clients conversion effectively rather than before.
There are the several skills required to conduct research online-
Technical skills- Technical or technological skills is must have needed for people if they
conduct online research and wants to gather any information based on their work. It is often
relate to information technology, scientific tasks and mechanical and other technology related
practices. If employees have better technical skills they can be able to search any sources which
is relevant and appropriate for completing given tasks. For example, marketing department team
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members should have the online research skills that is required to conduct investigation about
people preferences and market trends.
Evaluation skills- Evaluation abilities is used to assess credibility of claims individual
post or make. Employees with evaluation skill are able to conduct research online and find out
the best and suitable source for gathering information. They can interpretate data and find its
effectiveness and benefits for company. If marketing team evaluate effectiveness of marketing
plan within marketplace via online they must measure it effectively and appropriately because it
directly impacts on business growth and success.
Data collection skills- Data gathering skills for online research is essential for personal
and professional career growth. It refers to abilities that the people requires to curate data and
effectively gather information for research procedure. If the person have data collection skill,
they can be able to gather accurate information and find the best results that is useful and
effective for success of company and progress of business within market.
Challenges being faced in online research-
Inappropriate data- there are many problems has been faced by employees or people
during conducting research online (Cegielski and Jones‐Farmer, 2016). One of the main barriers
is inappropriate data, if the data is not relevant with project is may be difficult for workers to
accomplish tasks on time that impact on business and its market reputation as well as position.
Internet Privacy- Internet privacy is one of the second challenge being faced by people
in many times within company which bring many issues as to complete project or given work by
high management. It includes mandate or right of personal privacy concern storing, provision to
third parties, repurposing and displaying of data pertaining to oneself via internet. In online
research process there are several sites is block and due to some reasons it makes privacy on
them which is difficult to break and if someone need information on it they must take permission
for it.
CONCLUSION
This report is concluding the need of digital professional skills for the workplace.
Different web conferencing tools are analysed on basis of their features and applications. Skype
and Viber compared on the basis of features and application to analyse and evaluate better option
for organizational purpose. Individual skills of a person are analysed which are required to face
different challenges with in the organization.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bratianu, C. and Vatamanescu, E.M., 2017. Students’ perception on developing conceptual
generic skills for business: a knowledge-based approach. VINE Journal of Information
and Knowledge Management Systems. 47(4). pp.490-505.
Cegielski, C.G. and Jones‐Farmer, L.A., 2016. Knowledge, skills, and abilities for entry‐level
business analytics positions: A multi‐method study. Decision Sciences Journal of
Innovative Education. 14(1). pp.91-118.
Gribble, C., Blackmore, J. and Rahimi, M., 2015. Challenges to providing work integrated
learning to international business students at Australian universities. Higher education,
skills and work-based learning. 5(4). pp.401-416.
Jackson, D., 2015. Employability skill development in work-integrated learning: Barriers and
best practice. Studies in Higher Education. 40(2). pp.350-367.
Oliver, B., 2015. Redefining graduate employability and work-integrated learning: Proposals for
effective higher education in disrupted economies. Journal of Teaching and Learning
for Graduate Employability. 6(1). p.56.
Sobkowiak, P., 2018. Toward an Integrated Model of Teaching Business English in Tertiary
Education. In Challenges of Second and Foreign Language Education in a Globalized
World (pp. 117-130). Springer, Cham.
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