A framework for mobile business applications 1 Introduction Agility is the key to success in a competitive business environment and an agile organisation needs the capability to deliver vital business information from any where and at anytime to its constituents. It is this imperative that is prompting many organisations to implement mobile systems in support of mission critical activities and processes. Additional drivers for the acceptance of wireless technology-based systems by firms include the proliferation of handheld wireless devices, advances in wireless communication technologies, and the integration of web-based systems with back-end legacy systems. In the popular press, wireless systems that support business functions are referred to as mobile business(m-business)or m-commerce. Leung and Antypas [1] define m-business as"content delivery (notification and reporting)and transaction (purchasing and data entry)on mobile devices wor Organisations that have successfully implemented m-business applications for their kforce have demonstrated that these applications contribute to the organisations operational efficiency and productivity. According to Glass [2 the wireless business "removes costly and time-intensive delays from traditional business processe For example, by using a new kitchen control system operating on Palm devices in its 500 company-owned restaurants, Burger King restaurants reduced the time it took a manager to program product-holding cabinets from 30 minutes to 4-5 seconds. Such a dramatic reduction in a delay in the business process allowed Burger King restaurants to efficiently adjust kitchen operations and equipment for new advertising campaigns [3]. In another example, John Hopkins Hospital is achieving a saving of $1,000 a day per pharmacist by delivering timely information to the pharmacists'handheld devices [4] European and Asian countries have lead many developments in m-business. Notable among these countries are Finland, UK, Japan, and South Korea [5]. However, the USA is not too far behind in exploiting the potential of wireless technologies to enhance the efficiency of information distribution and increase channels of interaction with customers, employees, and business partners. It is predicted that m-business will grow to S200 billion worldwide by 2004 and the number of US m-business users will grow to :9 million [6]. As elucidated above, the factors driving the m-business include the followins Mobile devices such as internet-enabled mobile phones and personal digital assistants(PDAs)are gaining popularity among business users and consumers. The growing number of travelling employees who demand access to critical business information from anywhere at any time. The old ways of communication are no longer suitable for today's fast-paced business environment. M-business offers businesses new ways to improve operational efficiency. Both corporate and individual customers are demanding more channels for interaction and services. M-business can offer convenient immediate and personalised services to these customers. The wireless infrastructure and support are constantly being upgraded by vendors in order to provide seamless and affordable accessA framework for mobile business applications 369 1 Introduction Agility is the key to success in a competitive business environment and an agile organisation needs the capability to deliver vital business information from anywhere and at anytime to its constituents. It is this imperative that is prompting many organisations to implement mobile systems in support of mission critical activities and processes. Additional drivers for the acceptance of wireless technology-based systems by firms include the proliferation of handheld wireless devices, advances in wireless communication technologies, and the integration of web-based systems with back-end legacy systems. In the popular press, wireless systems that support business functions are referred to as mobile business (m-business) or m-commerce. Leung and Antypas [1] define m-business as “content delivery (notification and reporting) and transactions (purchasing and data entry) on mobile devices”. Organisations that have successfully implemented m-business applications for their workforce have demonstrated that these applications contribute to the organisations’ operational efficiency and productivity. According to Glass [2], the wireless business “removes costly and time-intensive delays from traditional business processes”. For example, by using a new kitchen control system operating on Palm devices in its 500 company-owned restaurants, Burger King restaurants reduced the time it took a manager to program product-holding cabinets from 30 minutes to 4–5 seconds. Such a dramatic reduction in a delay in the business process allowed Burger King restaurants to efficiently adjust kitchen operations and equipment for new advertising campaigns [3]. In another example, John Hopkins Hospital is achieving a saving of $1,000 a day per pharmacist by delivering timely information to the pharmacists’ handheld devices [4]. European and Asian countries have lead many developments in m-business. Notable among these countries are Finland, UK, Japan, and South Korea [5]. However, the USA is not too far behind in exploiting the potential of wireless technologies to enhance the efficiency of information distribution and increase channels of interaction with customers, employees, and business partners. It is predicted that m-business will grow to $200 billion worldwide by 2004 and the number of US m-business users will grow to 29 million [6]. As elucidated above, the factors driving the m-business include the following: • Mobile devices such as internet-enabled mobile phones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) are gaining popularity among business users and consumers. • The growing number of travelling employees who demand access to critical business information from anywhere at any time. The old ways of communication are no longer suitable for today’s fast-paced business environment. M-business offers businesses new ways to improve operational efficiency. • Both corporate and individual customers are demanding more channels for interaction and services. M-business can offer convenient, immediate, and personalised services to these customers. • The wireless infrastructure and support are constantly being upgraded by vendors in order to provide seamless and affordable access