Connectedness: Changing What's Possible

Networks have always been among the most powerful of market forces. From the earliest roads and shipping lanes to today’s hyper-connected world, companies that live on the innovative edge of networks have prospered. Providing next generation connectivity inside and out of your enterprise is now a critical success factor. Find out how FedEx is pushing the edge of both physical and digital connections globally.

Speaker: Robert B. (Rob) Carter, is Executive Vice President - FedEx Information Services & Chief Information Officer at FedEx Corporation.

My Notes:

Commerce has always been about networks. First was the distribution networks, the silk road, etc,. Next was the electricity distribution network. Then the telecommunication networks spread. Communication was moving faster than we could.

In 1994, FedEx.com has a simple blank to fill in a tracking number. It was one of the first transactional sites. You could interact and do things with the site.

Rob still sees an expansion of the network. There are still lots of people that are not on the internet.

FedEx started a way to quickly connect. He showed a fantastic graphic of the FedEx air traffic in and out of the Memphis airport.

Rob sees a mixing of the digital and physical networks. The widespread use of handheld scanners to track packages. The online tracking of packages is very important. Changing the supply chain so you know where your stuff is.

Digital connections arte important to connect. There is value creation in eBay. A fan at a yard sale can get a greater interest and a great sale place on eBay. Digital can add value.

FedEx is exposing services so that you do not need FedEx.com. ( It sounds like they are opening their API). They are expanding the FedEx Kinkos. THey are expanding the ability for mobile devices to connect and interact. They are deploying an application for Adobe AIR. They are pushing tracking information out to the desktop. They have a Facebook application. "Launch a Package". Although it is toy and not an interaction for packages.