MIS500 Foundations of Information Systems Report: Uber/Taxi Paradigm

This report delves into the future paradigm of companies like Uber, Lyft, and Ola, examining the transformative impact of information systems on the taxi industry. It explores the advantages of cab booking systems, such as enhanced business processes, increased return on investment, and eco-friendly practices. The report then analyzes the potential of autonomous vehicles, highlighting their ability to reduce accidents, traffic congestion, and pollution, while also considering their integration into the logistics sector. The study further discusses the potential for these companies to expand into logistics by utilizing larger, potentially unmanned vehicles for product transportation. The paper concludes by emphasizing the revolutionary potential of information systems in the transport sector and the viability of automation in cars, particularly in the context of logistics. Overall, the report argues that integrating information systems into different sectors has benefited society.

Running head: INFORMATION SYSTEMS
INFORMATION SYSTEMS
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Introduction
The technological advances in the realms of information technology have brought in
drastic changes in the competition environment of various markets. Companies such as Uber,
Lyft and Ola are capturing the market thus disrupting the traditional taxi services. The main
issue is that these companies are affecting the traditional taxi industry and this need to be
analyzed from different perspectives (Yin, Ansari & Akhtar, 2017). The emergence of these
online cab booking companies has brought in transformations in the ways how people used to
commute previously. These services are being used globally and people prefer these to the
traditional taxis. In this paper, the next paradigm of companies like Uber, Lyft and Ola will
be discussed. Technology has a lot of influence on this industry and can be said to be as the
backbone of the development. Thus, it is required that this industry be evaluated for its future
aspects and influence on other sectors.
Advantages of cab booking systems
As per the research done by Rauch & Schleicher, (2015), online cab booking services
enhance business processes. This can be said from that fact that this technology has projected
the rental company to global world and thus it has been not left limited to the local domain
only. This in turn increases the Return on Investment. The registration of users by updating
their details, monitoring transactions and using the same for offering better and improvised
services is one of the major advantages of the system. The cab companies have come up with
provisions such as rental and many other different options that help users when they want to
go for outstation tours. The cab booking systems are eco-friendly that is using these includes
least amount of paper work (Attias, 2016). These cab booking applications acts as office that
work round the clock and these are user friendly. The users can book these cabs whenever

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they want to and on it can be said that just on a button click they can hire a car of their
choice.
Future paradigm of Uber/Taxi
According to the research done by Tomassetti, (2016), the next paradigm of these
companies will be autonomous cars. These companies can go for the new technology as there
have been instances where partially automated cars have been running on the streets of
different countries. There are many advantages of autonomous cars and thus it can replace the
traditional cars. Self-driving cars keep the potential for bringing in reduction in deaths and
injuries caused due to car accidents. As per the House Energy and Commerce website self
driving cars can bring in reductions in the death toll by traffic accidents by 90% thus saving
almost 30,000 lives in a year. These autonomous vehicles bring in reductions in traffic
congestion which has been a matter of concern in developing countries. The autonomous
vehicles can reduce congestion by decreasing the number of accidents as per the researches it
can be said that almost 25 percent of congestion is due to the traffic incidents (Bonnefon,
Shariff & Rahwan, 2016). The reduction in congestion will bring in reductions in CO2
emissions thus it can be said to be eco-friendly. All around the world, people are concerned
about pollution and environment and thus getting an eco-friendly option to commute they
will certainly go for it. As it is in cities there is a problem related to space, these autonomous
vehicles can be a solution to some extent as these take up to 15 percent less space to be
parked. These autonomous cars will increase in safety as these are backed by artificial
intelligence. Thus it can be said that in near future, these companies can go for autonomous
cars. Automation can give these companies competitive advantages and at the same time be
an issue for the traditional systems (Fagnant & Kockelman, 2015). At the present scenario,
automations are considered to be as the key to bringing in improvisations in efficiency.

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The technology includes various attributes that involve location, information
processing, information distribution, information usage, and communication and information
acquisition. This can be a part of the logistics industry as this industry includes inbound as
well as outbound transportation management, warehousing and many more things. These
applications have not been introduced in the logistics sector but the application developers
can certainly consider including this under their purview (James & Lam, 2017). Logistics is a
vital part of every organization and can be said to be as a separate industry altogether. Thus it
can be said that if these companies introduce autonomous vehicles and carry out their
operations in the logistics sector then it will be advantageous to many companies. The
logistics companies still are not able to meet the increasing growth rate of the e-commerce
businesses (Van Meldert & De Boeck, 2016). Thus even today, online retailers lack options
for transporting their products. In this case they can opt for vehicles booked online but for
this purpose the cab companies need to bring in bigger vehicles and come up with new
options for the same. Suppose for example at present, Uber gives its users car options like
Prime Sedan, Indigo CS for four people to travel in ease and models of Force for a larger
group of people (Bergvall & Gustavson, 2017). Similarly it can happen that bigger vehicles
are kept in hand and users mainly companies book these for the purpose of transportation of
their products. These can be unmanned as well that will reduce the risk of fraud.

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Conclusion
According to me information systems have the potential to revolutionize the transport
sector and in days to come, automation in these cars will be one of the most important
achievements of humankind. As per the future paradigm it can be said that this technology
certainly has great potential in it to bring in drastic changes in industries such as the one that
has been given above. The link of the online cab booking companies, automation in these and
contributing to logistics industry is appropriate and viable as per my views. The technology
has the capability of revolutionizing different sectors that includes sectors like logistics. Thus,
integration of information system to different sectors has been beneficial for the society.

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References
Attias, D. (Ed.). (2016). The automobile revolution: Towards a new electro-mobility
paradigm. Springer.
Bergvall, J., & Gustavson, C. (2017). The economic impact of autonomous vehicles in the
logistics industry.
Bonnefon, J. F., Shariff, A., & Rahwan, I. (2016). The social dilemma of autonomous
vehicles. Science, 352(6293), 1573-1576.
Fagnant, D. J., & Kockelman, K. (2015). Preparing a nation for autonomous vehicles:
opportunities, barriers and policy recommendations. Transportation Research Part A:
Policy and Practice, 77, 167-181.
James, J. Q., & Lam, A. Y. (2017). Autonomous vehicle logistic system: Joint routing and
charging strategy. IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems, 19(7),
2175-2187.
Rauch, D. E., & Schleicher, D. (2015). Like Uber, but for local government law: The future
of local regulation of the sharing economy. Ohio St. LJ, 76, 901.
Tomassetti, J. (2016). Does Uber redefine the firm: the postindustrial corporation and
advanced information technology. Hofstra Lab. & Emp. LJ, 34, 1.
Van Meldert, B., & De Boeck, L. (2016). Introducing autonomous vehicles in logistics: a
review from a broad perspective. FEB Research Report KBI_1618.
Yin, E., Ansari, S., & Akhtar, N. (2017). Radical Innovation, Paradigm Shift and
Incumbent’s Dilemma The Case of the Auto Industry. Future Studies Research
Journal: Trends and Strategies, 9(1), 138-148.