Information Creates Value and Utility for Pizza Hut, Inc.

Abstract:

Purpose

This paper proposes to examine the value and utility of information delivered via Internet. The aim of the paper is to provide a comprehensive approach of how data turns into information and how this information becomes of great value and utility both for online business organisations and consumers of ebusiness products and services.

Methodology

The study analysis is based on the practical approach. The paper examines the first stage of collecting data and information, meaning consumer’s first impact with the ecommerce website (organisation’s homepage). The reader will find a SWOT analysis and a framework on the quality of information.

Findings

The findings of the study suggest that information can be easily collected and becomes useful and valuable when it is evaluated intelligently and delivered using innovative methods.

Limitations

This paper deliberately focuses only on the first part of the user experience when getting in contact with the company's website, namely the site entering. For reasons of length limitation, the study will only briefly mention the other part of ecommerce user experience, i.e. the other stages of user experience such as catalogue browsing, product selection and personalization, ordering management and sign out process.

Practical Implication

This study has practical implications in the terms of the method used. The practical approach applied to the study case Pizza Hut is relevant for assessing the value of information for other similar online businesses.

Originality

The originality of the paper consists of the method used to evaluate the usefulness of information for the study case Pizza Hut. No research has been found on the content quality of Pizza Hut’s website.

1. Introduction

This conference paper critically analyses the utility and value of information for undertaking online business in the profit-making organisation Pizza Hut, both from organisation’s and consumer’s perspective. This study discusses how information creates values for the organisation/consumer and how these values are used efficiently for the growth of the organisation.

The paper consists of eight sections. The first four sections talk in depth about the study case. The first one covers the introduction to the subject of the paper, stating the importance of information within an organisation. The second outlines the organisation’s foundation and business sector. The third reviews pertinent literature on ecommerce impact and information quality. The forth part demonstrates the value and utility of information for the study case using a set of guidelines and the SWOT analysis. The last four sections of the paper are structured to cover the conclusions, recommendations for further research and reflection, references and finally appendices, respectively. The appendices section consists of three pictures of Pizza Hut’s website.

Within an organisation information is classified as one of the most important resources along with physical resources such as material, capital, people, culture. Unlike these resources, information is reusable and it cannot be lost as the raw material is after a technological process or the financial capital after an acquisition or the employee after demission or retirement. Lucey (1997) argued that information has no value in itself. However the possibility of constant reuse transforms the information into an asset of greater value. Its quality is vital and its value increases when information is reused (e.g., the more customers use and need the same information, the more important it becomes).

The electronic means of delivering information has quickly attracted the attention of all kinds of sellers. Apart from being a useful way of reaching new, wider markets, the “e” environment enables traders to build “virtual stores”. A website site can be used as a “shopfront” where customers can browse for information about products or services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. One such organisation that could not overlook the benefits of performing business with anyone, anywhere and anytime is Pizza Hut.