E-Skills Group Assignments

Here on this page you will find my group assignments for my E-Skills course. I took this course at Artevelde University of Applied Sciences during my student exchange program in Belgium. The assignment consisted of topics such as Websites surveying, creating an Infographic, Collaborating on a set topic and that of Augmented Reality in a chosen industry.

1.1 Websites task 1

For this task we had to search real life examples of 9 e-commerce websites. This means an example of a B2C, B2B, B2G, C2C, C2B, C2G, G2C, G2B ,G2G website respectively. We chose to display our "grid" on Prezi as we could not download the presentation itself. I made a recording of myself presenting the topic. My group member were not available to participate in the recording, unfortunately. Please find the recording of the presentation below. The recording exceeded the 10 minute free limit, so I separated the recording into two parts that can be viewed below.

1.2 Websites task 2

In this assignment we had to discuss 12 other sites from our home countries respectively (which was that of South Africa, Belgium, Haiti and Turkey), and evaluate their content, functionality, authority and attractiveness or any other criteria you think necessary. Furthermore we had to base our evaluation on articles found on the internet, i.e. define our criteria based on these articles, then apply the criteria to the 12 sites and draw a conclusion from our findings.

You can find the report below in text form and a link to the report in PDF format, if you wish to download it as well as a recording of a presentation done by the group members on the websites surveyed.

The recording exceeded the 10 minute limit, therefore this too will be divided into two parts which will be visible at the end of the report.

Written Report

Abstract

This report assessed twelve websites in total against criteria chosen by the authors. The workload was divided, and each author had to select three websites from their country of origin. The criteria used to assess the websites consisted of five distinct categories, namely, that of its visual design, usability, security, search engine optimization and speed. The findings indicated that all the websites had high Google search rankings, which shows that they invested in search engine optimization tactics. Furthermore, two of the websites assessed did not have practical visual design elements in terms of the criteria set (83% did have a professional appearance and included elements of their corporate brand identity). In terms of speed, all the websites opened within less than three seconds of clicking on each link, however, some could improve their overall speed as go from one page to the next within the website took some time loading. Finally, all the websites were user-friendly and easy to navigate, and they all had an SSL encryption and protected user data.

Table of Contents

Abstract ...................................................................................................................................

Introduction ...........................................................................................................................

Methodology ..........................................................................................................................

Findings ..................................................................................................................................

Discussion ...............................................................................................................................

Conclusion .............................................................................................................................

Bibliography ..........................................................................................................................

Introduction

The business must have strong online presence, especially a website, because it is critical for generating higher revenues (Council, 2020). The criteria we used was separated into five categories. The first was the usability aspect, each website had to be user-friendly and easy to navigate upon the first time visiting the site. The following criteria was that of its visual design, each site was assessed according to it professional aesthetic and the visuals and graphics visible had to align with the company’s corporate brand identity (its logo, slogan, colour of the brand and so forth). Thereafter, the security stipulation required the websites to have an SSL encryption with the website link starting with “https”. The search engine optimization (SEO) criteria, websites should be optimized for search engines to increase its visibility and attract more traffic. The website should preferably be one of the first three options when searched for on Google, for example. The speed of each website should load quickly, the website should load within roughly 3 seconds of visiting the site.

Methodology
The research method consisted of primary research data by visiting the site first-hand.
Quantitative and qualitative methods were combined to see if there was a statistically how
many of the websites fit the qualitative criteria outlined in the introduction. Quantitative
research methods also involved timing the speed of each website respectively. The use of this
mixed methodology allowed the authors understand their research topic better and collect
more information. The research methods resulted in improved validity and reliability of the
report findings by mixing data from various sources produced more accurate results. The
authors were able to adjust their approach based on the research criteria and resources
available through the chosen methodology.

Findings
The report found that two of the websites’ visual designs could improve, namely the Turkish
website Yemeksepeti and the Belgian news website Het Laatste Nieuws. The Yemeksepeti
website did have the logo of the delivery man figure and the visuals are of food on the
homepage, but upon the initial visit it was not clear that it was an online restaurant delivery
website. The Het Laatste Nieuws website’s visual design was a little less structured compared
to the other countries’ online news publications as the news stories were all together instead
of separating the different categories on the homepage. This means that 83% of the websites
assessed did have a professional appearance and included elements of their corporate brand
identity. The report also found that 100% of the websites met the speed requirements set of
loading less than three seconds upon clicking on the link. However, it was evident that the Het
Laatste Nieuws could improve upon its overall speed of switching between different news
stories on the site itself. The report concluded that 100% of the websites had a high Google
search ranking, which means they invested in SEO marketing tactics. The report found that
83% of the websites assessed asked permission for collecting cookies, but the two websites
that did not ask, namely, BusinessTech and Arte, does not track users’ activities on the site.
However, in terms of the security criteria, all websites (100%) are SSL certified which means
the sites are secure.

Discussion
The South African websites sought were that of Woolworths South Africa, The South African
and BusinessTech.
The first website of Woolworths South Africa is a public holding company that originated in
Australia but has become a stable store in South Africa for customers looking for quality
products. The usability of this website was easy to navigate through as the tabs on top are
easy to understand and when you scroll down you find the different categories. The visual
design presented a professional look with the black all caps text logo visible and consistent
with the brand identity. The website loaded within 3 seconds of clicking on the link, which
means it met the speed criteria set. Website begins with "https" as stipulated in the criteria to
show it is secure, few pop-up ads - user data more protected. This means that the website is
SSL certified, and users can opt to accept or reject the cookies and still be able to shop or view
the products offered on the site. The authors Googled Woolworths and their site is the first
website that pops up - high ranking and invested in SEO tactics.

The second South African website visited and selected by the authors was The South African. The online news publication provides the latest breaking news updates, from South Africa and the African continent. In terms of usability, the website is user-friendly, simple, and easy to navigate. The tabs and search bar found at the top that separate different news topics. The visual design of the website is not overwhelming or busy but precise and simple appearance. It was clear upon the initial visitation that this was an online news distributor publication. The plain black with white text logo visible with black background, so the overall design is consistent. The website had impeccable speed and loaded within about a second of clicking on the link and no long loading times switching between the different pages and sections of news available. The website is secure as had an SSL encryption and has a privacy tab on the right side to change or confirm your cookies choices – users’ data are protected. It is clear that the news publication invested in SEO marketing tactics – high Google ranking –first website that pops up on Google, the government sites appear after.

The third South African website assessed and analysed was BusinessTech. BusinessTech is South Africa's largest business news website with over 8 million monthly users. BusinessTech reports mostly on news related to businesses and finance. The website is both easy to use and navigate. At the top you find different – focuses on different business and finance related news. The visual design has a corporate appearance with the logo with black and blue all caps text visible. The colour blue has become a symbol of cutting-edge technology and a popular choice for technology companies and black is a safe choice that stands out on the white background of the website. The website met the speed criteria set loaded within about two seconds of clicking on the link and the overall speed switching between tabs also met the criteria set. The website is secure as had an SSL encryption and starts with "https" on the link. It does not ask for permission to collect cookies, so users’ behaviour is not tracked by the site and user data protected. The website has a high Google ranking, the publication invested in SEO tactics, and it is the first website that appears when searching "Business Tech".

The Belgian websites sought were that oh Het Laatste Nieuws, Vanden Borre and Arte Antwerp.

The first Belgian website discussed was Het Laatse Nieuws. It is one of the most famous news websites in Belgium. You will get within 3 seconds in the website after clicking the link. This is positive regarding the speed criteria set. In terms of security is the website overall safe. The link start with “https” which makes it secure. Yet, it will ask you to approve cookies with no ‘decline’ option available. The visual design is clean and modern with an appealing look by the use of many images. The logo is also visible on the frontpage. However, it looks a bit messy by all of the different topics gathered on the first page. This is for sure a point of improvement when looking at other Belgian news websites. By implementing a search bar on the front page, it is easy to navigate in different news regions and categories. As for the Search Engine Optimization, the new publication really invested in it as it is the first website that pops up on Google. Therefore, it has a high Google ranking.

The second Belgian website that was assessed based on the provided criteria was Vanden Borre. It is a well-known Belgian retailer that specialises in consumer electronics and household appliances. The loading speed of the website was good, as it loaded within 3 seconds. Yet, the overall speed of the website could still use some improvement. By the means of a very modern aesthetic design and the use of a lot of images, the visual design criteria were certainly met. The logo and name are clearly visible on the front page by using the company’s colour red and a large bold font. For the usability part, the website is super user-friendly. 2 of the 3 official languages are available as language option, sadly the 3rd one, German, is not. Neither is there an option for English. Some areas could still be improved to enhance the overall user engagement. At the top you will find a search bar where you can easily find any product you want with a clear overview. Vanden Borre eCommerce website has met the security criteria set. The link does start with ‘https’ and it asks to accept or decline cookies. Therefore, the user-data is secured. The site also has a high Google ranking as it appears first when searching ‘vandenborre.be’.

The third and last website discussed for Belgium was Arte Antwerp. Arte Antwerp is an ecommerce website that focuses on fashion and clothing. It is a popular online destination for individuals who appreciate contemporary and minimalist styles. You can find a range of clothing items, including shirts, pants, outerwear, and accessories on the website. The speed criteria set was immediately met, as the page loaded within 3 seconds when clicking on the link. The use-data is secure, as the website does ask for cookies, but a decline option is available. The link starts with ‘https’. When looking at the visual design of the website, we could only think about good features. The minimalist style of the clothing is clearly conveyed on the website’s design. It proudly represents the brand’s style and identity. Arte Antwerp will be the first site popping up when searching on google ‘arte-antwerp.com’. Therefore, it has a high Google ranking. When talking about the overall usability of the website, we can tell that it is well thought-out and user-friendly. On the left side you will find a search bar and other necessities when searching for them. As for the languages, Dutch and German are not an option. Only French and English are. That is a pity as Dutch and German are both official languages of Belgium.

The Haitian websites assessed were that of Ayitian Analytics, The Haitian Times, and Haiti Design Co. The first Haitian website assessed based on the criteria was Ayitian Analytics. Ayiti Analytics is commonly recognized as a noteworthy website, with several advantages in terms of security, speed, and search engine optimization... Ayiti Analytics focuses on user safety when it comes to security by establishing comprehensive safeguards to protect critical information and ensure a secure surfing experience. This involves the use of SSL certificates, encrypted communications, and adherence to data security best practices. Ayiti Analytics excels in terms of speed by applying efficient coding standards, optimizing image sizes, and utilizing content delivery networks to improve page loading times. Ayiti Analytics's fast-loading website not only increases user experience but also helps with search engine rankings. Furthermore, Ayiti Analytics places a high value on search engine optimization. Ayiti Analytics boosts its presence on search engine result pages by following SEO best practices such as using proper meta tags, improving website structure and content, and using relevant keywords. This makes it easier for people to locate and use the website's useful information and services. Overall, Ayiti Analytics has established itself as a reliable website by prioritizing security measures, providing a fast-surfing experience, and optimizing its content for a better search engine presence. These elements add to its reputation as an admirable website in terms of security, speed, and SEO.

The second Haitian website we analyzed was The Haitian Times. The Haitian Times is considered a solid website when it comes to security, speed, and search engine optimization (SEO). While it may not be exceptional in these areas, it still maintains a commendable performance overall. In terms of security, The Haitian Times takes adequate measures to ensure the protection of user information and maintain a secure browsing experience. It implements standard security protocols such as SSL encryption. While it may not have advanced security features, it still prioritizes user privacy and takes reasonable precautions. When it comes to speed, The Haitian Times delivers a satisfactory browsing experience. Although it may not be the fastest website, it takes care to optimize page loading times by implementing image optimization and efficient coding. so that users can access the content without big delays which helps in a smooth browsing experience. Regarding SEO, The Haitian Times demonstrates a reasonable level of optimization. It employs a well-structured website architecture, and keyword optimization to improve its ranking in search engines. it might not be the most dominant player in search results, but still makes a considerable effort to ensure that its content is visible and accessible to a broader audience. All in all, The Haitian Times can be seen as a okay or medium website in terms of the criteria that we picked out.

The Third and last Haitian website I picked is Haiti Design Co. Haiti Design Co is a website that stresses security, speed, and search engine optimization to deliver a positive user experience. While it is not spectacular in these areas, it nonetheless provides adequate performance. Haiti Design Co takes reasonable security precautions to protect user information and create a secure surfing environment. While specifics regarding its security methods are not public, the website shows a reasonable effort to protect user privacy. Haiti Design Co strives to deliver a responsive browsing experience in terms of speed. While it is not the quickest website, attempts are made to reduce needless delays and optimize page loading speeds. When viewing material on the website, users can typically expect a decent degree of performance. Haiti Design Co aims to enhance its online presence in order to boost search engine exposure. While it does not use sophisticated tactics, it does use fundamental SEO principles. In short it is a decent website that does everything good but not great.

The Turkish websites assessed were that of Hepsiburada, Yemeksepeti , and Turkish governmental website, Turkiye.gov .

The first discussed Turkey website was Hepsiburada.com. The website is located as the 2nd largest e-commerce site in Turkey. The website opens in 3 seconds, and this provides a fast experience. In addition, during periods of heavy traffic, website speed feedback is positive according to experience. The design was made focused on the color of the website. A minimalist design has been used to bring the products to the forefront. Although all product categories appear on the first page, the desired product can be easily found with filtering. The connection is used with “https”, which is a security indicator. At the same time, the site offers a secure use by using SSL encryption method. When the site is searched on google, it is in the first place and shows that the SEO content of this website is used correctly.

Turkey's second analyzed website was yemeksepeti.com. Its website is the 2nd largest B2C distribution company in the food sector in Turkey. The website opens in seconds. The website cannot be used without a member, so we cannot show it as a user-friendly website. Turkish English and English are offered in two different language options, but we can say that it is insufficient considering the linguistic diversity of Turkey. A minimalist design has been used to highlight menus and restaurants on the first page of the website. The connection is used with “https”, which is a security indicator. At the same time, the site offers a secure use by using the SSL encryption method. however, since the order is not placed without sharing the Location, a security problem may be seen. The site ranks first when searched on google and shows that this site uses SEO tactics.

The third Turkish website assessed based on the criteria was E-devlet.com. This website can be given as an example of a G2C, where it will establish all kinds of connections between Turkish citizens and Turkish Government Deceptions. The website requires user login. To enter, you are required to obtain entry permits from an official institution of the state. This is how you join the website's database. It seems that various options such as ID number, SMS confirmation, bank approval and Mobile signature are provided for the user by providing convenience for login. After logging in, you can see a list of the services provided to you in a category, or you can choose which area you want to get services by searching for them yourself. For example, you can see and use the services offered to you from the Population directorate category or the Ministry of Health categories. We can say that it is a website with a user-friendly interface because it is organized and easy to find data. The website was opened within seconds in accordance with the criteria. The connection is used with “https”, which is a security indicator. It appears as the first website found when a Google search is made, and we see that SEO tactics are used correctly.

Conclusion

Based on the evaluation of several websites from various nations, it can be said that having a strong online presence, especially a website that is attractive and useful, is essential for producing more income. Usability, graphic design, security, search engine optimisation (SEO), and loading speed were among the evaluation factors considered in this study.

The results show that most of the evaluated websites had an expert appearance and were consistent with their unique business brand identities. A few websites, such Yemeksepeti and Het Laatste Nieuws, however, might improve their graphic designs to better communicate their goals or improve the organisation of how their material was presented.

All of the websites loaded within the allotted amount of time, meeting the speed criteria. Some websites, nevertheless, like Het Laatste Nieuws, could improve the overall speed of switching between different sections or news stories.

All of the websites that were evaluated for security have SSL certification, guaranteeing safe browsing. With the exception of BusinessTech and Arte, most websites requested users' consent before storing cookies on their computers.

The report's conclusion about SEO was that all websites had good Google search rankings, which suggested an investment in SEO marketing strategies. This helps the websites become more visible and draw in more visitors.

Insights regarding specific websites from South Africa, Belgium, Haiti, and Turkey were shared in the discussion area. Overall, the South African websites that were examined (Woolworths South Africa, The South African, and BusinessTech) showed strong SEO, usability, and graphic design techniques.

The Belgian websites (Het Laatste Nieuws, Vanden Borre, and Arte Antwerp) shown strengths in a variety of categories, but there was also opportunity for development in a number of areas, including content organisation, language choices, and overall speed.

Although certain areas might be improved, the Haitian websites (Ayitian Analytics, The Haitian Times, and Haiti Design Co.) generally fared well in terms of security, speed, and SEO.

The Turkish websites (Hepsiburada.com, yemeksepeti.com, and E-devlet.com) displayed noteworthy characteristics including quick load times, secure connections, and efficient SEO.

In conclusion, having a strong online presence is essential for businesses and organisations to survive in today's digital world. This includes having a user-friendly website with a professional visual design, excellent security measures, quick loading times, and efficient SEO practises.

Bibliography

Arte Antwerp. (n.d.). Arte Antwerp - Official Online Shop. Retrieved on May 20, 2023, from https://arte-antwerp.com/

Ayiti Analytics – Using technology to improve human life. (n.d.). https://ayitianalytics.com/ BusinessTech. (n.d.). BusinessTech. Retrieved May 20, 2023, from https://businesstech.co.za/news/ Council, Y. (2020, February 3). Why Every Business Needs A Website. Forbes. Retrieved May 20, 2023, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/theyec/2020/02/03/why-every-business-needs-a-website/

DPG Media Privacy Gate. (n.d.). Retrieved on May 20, 2023, from https://www.hln.be/

E-Devlet - Privacy, Usage and Copyright Statement ( n.d.) https://www.turkiye.gov.tr/bilgilendirme?konu=privacyterms

Hepsiburada - Information security policy ( n.d.) https://www.hepsiburada.com/staticpage/662670399601409

The South African. (2021, March 4). South African. The South African. Retrieved May 20, 2023, from https://www.thesouthafrican.com/

Vanden Borre Nv, F. (n.d.). Vanden Borre | Vanden Borre | Audio, Tv, Multimedia, Elektro, Telefonie. Vanden Borre. Retrieved on May 20, 2023, from https://www.vandenborre.be/ Waters, M. C. (1994). Ethnic and Racial Identities of Second-Generation Black Immigrants in New York City. International Migration Review, 28(4), 795. https://doi.org/10.2307/2547158

Woolworths Online Shopping. (n.d.). Woolworths.co.za. Retrieved May 20, 2023, from https://www.woolworths.co.za/

Yates, D., & Paquette, S. (2011). Emergency knowledge management and social media technologies: A case study of the 2010 Haitian earthquake. International Journal of Information Management, 31(1), 6–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2010.10.001

Yemek Sepeti - Protection, Processing and Privacy Policy of Personal Data (2016, April 7) https://www.yemeksepeti.com/contents/privacy.htm

Explore My Work

Explore My Work

4.1 Infographic (GA)

For this assignment, we were tasked to need to create our own infographic. The subject and the data we used was completely our own choice, but it had to be a group effort. We choose to do Trompenaars' Cultural Dimensions as our topic because all group members are enrolled in Intercultural Communication Skills course.

Please find an image of our Infographic and screenshots of working together on the it during a Teams meeting. For further reference, there is a link for the PDF attachment, if visitors wish to download it as a PDF document instead.

Infographic:

Proof of working together on Infographic

6.1 Collaborating (GA)

For this assignment we had to start off with an online meeting to discuss 3 critical questions about important aspects of the impact of Artificial Intelligence related to businesses.

Our three critical questions:

1. What are the potential positive and negative impacts of AI on businesses?

2. How can businesses ensure the security and privacy of their data when using AI?

3. What are the ethical implications of AI in a business context?

We made use of Microsoft Teams to have an online meeting and recorded it on this platform. The online meeting can be found below, since it exceeded the 10 minutes limit it is also divided into two parts. This can be viewed at the bottom of this section.

Thereafter, users can read our written document and a screenshot of the document being available on our MS Teams group. Therefore, it is proof that it was a shared Microsoft Word document that all team members collaborated on.

The presentation of the assignment was made on Prezi and a short recording of the presentation can be found at the end of this section as well

Online Meeting (Discussion)

Written Document

Our three questions:

1. What are some potential positive and negative impacts of AI on businesses?

2. How can businesses ensure the security and privacy of their data when using AI?

3. What are the ethical implications of AI in a business context?

Why these 3 questions?

We chose these questions as these sparked our interest. These are factors that we may be required to face when we enter the working world after graduating. The answers to these questions are somewhat interrelated as some negative impacts, such as bias and discrimination integrated in some AI, are also serious ethical implications of utilising AI in your business relations. We also used a generative AI to come up with a few questions and from that, we derived our three critical questions as mentioned above. It is important issues in business as it can aid businesses in risk management, knowing what the negative aspects of AI entails. The information gathered from these questions will enable existing and future business leaders make more informed decisions about where to invest their resources and capabilities and stay ahead of the trends by capitalising on the future skills that will be in demand. Finally, when aware and more educated on the he potential advantages and disadvantages of AI can help organisations develop an effective strategy for implementing AI technologies into their operations.

What answers did we come up with?

What are some potential positive and negative impacts of AI on businesses?

In terms of some positive impacts on businesses. Zapanta (2023) stated in an article published on Microsourcing, these positive impacts included automation, predictive analysis, fraud detection, improved customer service and experience, personalisation, new product development. The integration of AI can automate routine and manual tasks and jobs, allowing employees to focus on more complex and creative tasks. This leads to increased productivity and efficiency within the workplace. Another advantage is that AI analyses big data which identifies patterns and makes predictions. This improves the accuracy of future marketing campaigns (as a marketing student, important to capture the desires of the target audience), leads to more informed decisions. The AI has the ability to detect fraud by spotting patterns and anomalies in data, and by identifying fraud it gives businesses the potential to block and prevent fraudulent activities. This could save the business millions in losses. Through AIpowered chatbots and virtual assistance available 24/7, it improves the customer service and experience by reducing wait times and the number of complaints issued. The ability to personalise interactions and providing more tailored recommendations. This makes the product or service more attractive for the target market, which can lead to increased sales and revenue. AI technology and software can identify new opportunities by examining consumer data and market trends, which facilitates growth and innovation and new product development.

In addition to the advantages of artificial intelligence found in business life, there are also many disadvantages. According to our research, the artificial intelligence algorithm was first created with data selected by humans. It is easy for a data full of unconscious biases to enter into a machine learning model. Then artificial intelligence maintains these models by automating them. As an example, one study found that various mortgage algorithms at financial services companies consistently charge Latino and Black borrowers higher interest rates. Another important disadvantage that we have found in our research is that Artificial intelligence-supported business automation poses a great danger in the workforce due to its adoption in sectors such as marketing, manufacturing and health services. With some of the research conducted below, we can understand the negative impact of artificial intelligence on employment with data. first, according to a study by the company Finances Online, automation will replace 85 million jobs worldwide by 2025. according to automation statistics for the year 2022, the jobs lost indicate that the world will lose 85 million positions. This will be in the wake of companies adopting intelligent machines, which will take over a large part of the roles. According to data from Business Insider in our second survey, manufacturing jobs have decreased by 3% since 1980, while production has increased by almost 20%. With these statistics, we can see that the number of manufacturing roles stagnated between 1970 and 2000, and then began to Decelerate steadily. During this time, we can understand that production has increased, and automation has increased productivity. Third, according to a Forbes study, the number of jobs lost to automation in the United States will reach 73 million by 2030. Some European countries will be less affected, such as Germany, where only 17 million jobs will be lost. In contrast, China will be the most affected country with the loss of 236 million jobs. As the last example disadvantage of artificial intelligence in business life is that it cannot learn to think outside the box. Artificial intelligence has the ability to learn over time with pre-attached data and past experiences, but it cannot be creative in its approach. As an example, we can give the bot Quill, which can write Forbes earnings reports. These reports contain only the data and facts provided to the bot. While it's impressive that a robot can write an article on its own, it lacks the human touch found in other Forbes articles. As we saw in this example, artificial intelligence-supported programs only reproduce previously given data, and we can understand that this is not useful for innovation.

How can businesses ensure the security and privacy of their data when using AI?

This was the second question we discussed as a group. As we discussed, we found that according to the Booz Allen and user centric website in 2022, businesses should use good data hygiene. Meaning, companies should only gather necessary information by AI, which has to be kicked secure. When the data is collected, the company has to comply with the data protection regulations.

By doing some research, we discovered that all companies in Belgium, and the European Union in general, must comply with the GDPR rule. Which is a data protection regulation, a law that protects the privacy of personal data of people. Businesses also get regulated by it, in the sense that they must handle the personal data they collect in a good way.

We had to conduct some further research about this topic to fully understand it.

General users of internet etc. in the European Union have the right to access, correct or delete the personal data collected from them. They also have the right to restrict or object to the processing of their personal data.

Companies must comply with the GDPR rule very seriously as there are a lot of sanctions given on the non-compliance. For example, a 20 million fine or a fine of 4% of the company’s global annual revenue.

Secondly, we learned that education on these data security practises by the businesses and organizations for their employees is very important. Hence, employees know how to correctly make use of it.

Lastly, we discovered that is crucial for companies who make use of high AI adaptive systems to hire one or two AI experts, as they are very familiar with general AI knowledge, security, privacy policies, practises and requirements. Sometimes these things become so difficult and complicated that it is beyond the ordinary knowledge of the company’s employees. Then, hiring such AI experts is highly recommended. Your business or organization could only gain advantages from the use of these experts.

Afterwards, we looked at some charts. One chart, published on Marketingcharts.com in November 2017, could tell us that Comsumers’ biggest concern with AI is the protection of their personal information. Another chart, published on Satista.com in 2023, could tell us that only 51% of Belgium’s small business is compliant with GDPR in 2022. For the Netherlands that is 66%, for Spain that is 50%, for the UK that is 73%, for Germany that is 58% and lastly France, who scores the worst, that is 47%.

What are the ethical implications of AI in a business context?

The last question we discussed was what the ethical implication were of AI in a business context. These were our findings. Job Displacement and its Effect on the Workforce: The incorporation of artificial intelligence into corporate operations has the potential to automate some jobs and services that were previously done by people. While this increases efficiency and production, it also raises worries about job displacement and its impact on the workforce. As AI systems take over normal and repetitive work, it is possible that certain employment types could become obsolete. This can lead to unemployment and the necessity for people to learn new skills in order to stay relevant in a changing labour environment. To guarantee a smooth transition for employees, businesses must proactively address this problem by introducing measures such as reskilling and upskilling programs. It is crucial to identify methods to maximise AI's potential while simultaneously creating possibilities for human employees in new professions that demand creativity, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence. Privacy & Data Protection: In order to learn and make educated judgements, AI systems rely on massive volumes of data. This raises ethical concerns about privacy and data security. Businesses must guarantee that data collection, storage, and use adhere to legal and ethical guidelines. It is critical to be open and honest with people about the data being gathered and how it will be used. Furthermore, precautions should be made to protect sensitive information and prevent unauthorised access or exploitation. To preserve individuals' privacy rights and sustain public trust in AIdriven technology, companies must implement robust data governance policies, undertake frequent privacy assessments, and comply to rules. Bias: AI algorithms are trained on big datasets, and if those datasets contain biases or missing information, the AI system could magnify such biases, causing unfair or discriminating outcomes. This can have an influence on hiring processes, loan approvals, and criminal justice systems, among other things. Businesses must prioritise data quality and diversity in their training datasets to ensure they are representative and free of biases. AI systems should be continuously monitored and evaluated in order to discover and prevent any unexpected biases. Using diverse teams and incorporating ethicists and social scientists in AI development processes can aid in the discovery of potential biases and the creation of fair and equitable AI systems.

What articles did we find about these 3 questions?

4 Ways to Preserve Privacy in Artificial Intelligence. (2019, September 26). Booz Allen. https://www.boozallen.com/s/solution/four-ways-to-preserve-privacy-in-ai.html

Pratt, M. K. (2023, January 24). 7 Key Benefits of AI for Business. Enterprise AI. https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/feature/6-key-benefits-of-AI-for-business

Usercentrics. (2022, April 12). Artificial intelligence (AI) And Data Privacy For Companies. Consent Management Platform (CMP) Usercentrics. https://usercentrics.com/knowledge-hub/dataprivacy-artificial-intelligence/

Uzialko, A. (2023, February 21). How Artificial Intelligence Is Transforming Business - businessnewsdaily.com. Business News Daily. https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/9402- artificial-intelligence-business-trends.html

Zapanta, T. (2023, February 28). The impact of AI on business. Outsourcing Philippines | MicroSourcing. https://www.microsourcing.com/learn/blog/the-impact-of-ai-on-business/

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AR (GA)

For this assignment we had to pick an industry of our choice and detail how they implement various applications of Augmented Reality within this industry. I completed this Assignment on my own and I chose the Marketing Industry as this is my major. I find the industry fascinating and knew that they implement AR in many marketing campaigns and was eager to find out what other applications they use AR in.

Please find the written document below with the various links at the bottom of each example as well as in the Bibliography at the end.

Written Document

Augmented Reality (GA)

The industry that I chose to delve into is the Marketing industry as this is my major. I am passionate about this industry as it is the industry that I plan to join after graduation and hopefully further specialize in. Management guru Peter Drucker once said, "Because its purpose is to create a customer, the enterprise has two -- and only these two -- basic functions: Marketing and Innovation." (Yohn, 2019). The article goes on to state that with the emergence of artificial intelligence generative tools that can now write blog posts and other content, and AI assistants expected to use algorithms to give information, goods and services to customers, thus reducing marketing's impact (Yohn, 2019). However, I would argue that in marketing it is about connecting with the customers’ wants and needs, and what can improve their experience, so there is an important human element that an AI cannot capture or relate to in that sense.

The first application that I discovered of AR in the marketing industry is that of Interactive Experiences in the realm of events marketing. This was successfully demonstrated by a collaboration of Snapchat and Vogue for a virtual fashion show called "Good Morning Vogue" in 2021. They did it on Snapchat's "Mini" platform and people could view the show and try on virtual outfits using augmented reality technology. You could buy the clothes you tried on right through the app. This made the experience easy and convenient for consumers. This online event showed how using augmented reality can revolutionise the fashion industry and events marketing (Miller, 2023).

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Mht_T6I_Jc

The second application of AR in this industry is that of Interactive Packaging. The utilization of augmented reality by brands has permitted the creation of interactive packaging that facilitates the provision of additional information about the product they are offering. This was illustrated by The Jack Daniel's AR Experience displays the distillery journey through virtual dioramas. Consumers download The Jack Daniel Distillery app AR and point it at the bottle of whiskey to access a virtual tour of the distillery, allowing users to get a closer look at the whiskey-making process and hear stories about the man himself - Mr. Jack Daniel (Stenina, 2022).

Link: https://thedieline.com/blog/2019/4/17/jack-daniels-launches-ar-experience

The third application of AR in the marketing industry is that of Product Visualization. Augmented reality technology allows customers to visualize products in their homes before committing to a final purchase. This feature is demonstrated by IKEA that offers several tools to meet customer needs, such as the IKEA Place app, which displays scale models of furniture in real rooms, and the IKEA Home Planner, which lets people put together furniture sets such as kitchen cabinets to make sure they're satisfied before placing an order. Furthermore, in 2015, Home Depot released an app called Project Color that lets you choose a colour and see how it looks in your house using patented technology. The AR technology takes into account the lighting, objects, and shadows in a room to show you how a yellow shade will look in real life (Forsey, 2022).

Link: https://www.ikea.com/au/en/customer-service/mobile-apps/say-hej-to-ikea-place-pub1f8af050

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVo6hRW-xCI

The fourth application discovered was that of AR-powered advertising in marketing. AR advertising is an emerging strategy that leverages AR technology to provide viewers with a more immersive experience and deliver more information about a brand. An illustration of this application is the Toys "R" Us Canada which used Snapchat's Portal Lens technology to create a virtual store where toys come to life in their 2019 AR campaign. Users swipe up to buy favorite toy on Toys "R" Us website without leaving app, streamlining sales funnel (EmodoInc, 2023). Furthermore, Pepsi Max used augmented reality to turn the wall of a bus shelter, in London, into a fake window that appeared to show flying saucers, an attacking robot and a free-roaming tiger - among other unlikely subjects - making their way through the street (Kastrenakes, 2014).

Link: https://musebycl.io/advertising/toys-r-us-debuts-imaginary-friends-campaign-memorable-one-indeed

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5bC4hnrPkg

The final application that I found of AR in marketing for this assignment is that of Virtual tryons. The first and most common option is that users can use the camera of their smart devices to access the fitting function. Furthermore, users can try on clothes virtually at stores using special mirrors called AR mirrors. These smart mirrors take a picture of people and overlay it with digital wearable products and show how they would look like in these clothes, makeup, jewellery, and furniture, etc (Hridja, 2023). There are a few demonstrations of this application as the trend has become especially popular post Covid-19. These examples include, Michael Kors, used Facebook’s AR ads to virtually try-on of sunglasses, several big brands such as H&M, Zara, Ralph Lauren, Lacoste, and Burberry are making use of ARpowered smart mirrors. L’Oréal Paris with ModiFace (an AR and AI company acquired by the cosmetics brand in 2018) provides virtual makeup try-ons on Amazon. Finally, Diamond Hedge allows shoppers to take a picture or upload one and view themselves in rings decorated with different shapes, cuts, and colours of diamonds (Kwiecień, 2021).

Link: https://shortyawards.com/11th/michael-kors-facebooks-first-augmented-reality-advertiser

Link: https://www.loreal.com/en/beauty-science-and-technology/beauty-tech/discovering-modiface/

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvZQXqcX1Do

There are a few factors that need to be considered when implementing these different applications in the marketing industry:

Website SWOT Analysis Chart- website posted .png

To delve a little into the more into the SWOT analysis above:

Strengths:

Intellectual property rights – AR field has secured various patents and copyrights by coming up with new ideas and by buying rights from creators. Using AR Augmented can help companies beat their competitors in areas like customer service, online media presence, and social media (all very significant areas of the marketing field).
Diverse Product Portfolio – AR technology's product and brand portfolio allows the company to target different segments of the domestic market simultaneously. This has enabled AR field to build various revenue streams and profit combinations.
Improved Customer Experience – it creates a more immersive experience and tailored to your needs specifically, in other words, the AR technology overlays products on your body type, facial features, etc. This can improve the overall customer satisfaction, loyalty, and experience.

Weaknesses:

Limited Access and Geographical Reach – The accessibility of AR-enabled devices or platforms presents a potential barrier to maximizing the reach and effectiveness of AR marketing campaigns, as it restricts access for certain customers. This particularly applies to customers from developing countries, where this technology is not accessible or as prevalent.
AR Requires a Level of Technical Ability and Understanding – from the previous weakness, there are also technological barriers. The implementation of augmented reality (AR) may require specific technical competencies and resources, thereby rendering it difficult for smaller entities or those constrained by limited budgets. A certain subset of consumers may exhibit ill-inform or less proficiency in using Augmented Reality (AR) technology, potentially leading to reduced acceptance and limited involvement in AR marketing initiatives.
Business Model can easily be replicated – this is evident with the several big brands such as H&M, Zara, Ralph Lauren, Lacoste, and Burberry all making use of ARpowered smart mirrors. IKEA’s Place app, similar business models or similar apps using product visualization Amazon’s “View in Your Room” option, and The "See It in Your Space" feature in Target's mobile app AR allows users to visualize products in 3D.

Opportunities:

International Markets – Globalization creates international market opportunities. AR is poised to grow and expand its market share, so this is a potential lucrative opportunity.
Innovative Marketing Campaigns – AR can be used to develop new and innovative marketing campaigns that attract customer attention and create buzz. As AR technology becomes more prevalent, companies that incorporate it into their marketing strategies can be seen as forward-thinking and innovative.
Statistical Analysis – AR can offer useful insights and analytics on customer behaviour, enabling marketers to adjust campaigns based on feedback received in real-time for better engagement.

Threats:

Privacy and Data Security concerns – AR applications might require your personal information or need to access user personal details, which increases concerns regarding users’ privacy and how secure their personal data is and what it being used for.
High Execution Costs – The act of crafting and executing marketing campaigns augmented by AR technology requires significant financial expenditures and investment in technological infrastructure, content generation and employee training sessions.
International Geo-Political Factors – macro environmental factors such as political changes, e.g., Trump’s election, other developments like Brexit, Russian sanctions, the currency crisis and inflation in Venezuela, lower oil prices, etc. are impacting the international business environment. Marketers should be well-informed on the policies and regulations in the countries they plan on internalising in or creating marketing campaigns abroad – how this will impact the implementation of AR.

Bibliography

EmodoInc. (2023, February 17). The Growing Trend of AR Advertising. Emodo. Retrieved May 24, 2023, from https://www.emodoinc.com/blog/the-growing-trend-of-ar-advertising/

Forsey, C. (2022, October 18). 8 Innovative & Inspiring Examples of Augmented Reality in Marketing. HubSpot. Retrieved May 24, 2023, from https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/augmented-reality-examples

Hridja. (2023, January 18). Virtual Try-On: What is it? Types & Benefit it holds for Businesses. Queppelin. Retrieved May 24, 2023, from https://www.queppelin.com/virtual-try-on-a-detailed-guide/#:~:text=Another%20way%20of%20experiencing%20virtual,home%20appliances%2C% 20furniture%2C%20etc.

Kastrenakes, J. (2014, March 25). Pepsi's bus stop ad in London might be the best use of augmented reality yet. The Verge. Retrieved May 24, 2023, from https://www.theverge.com/2014/3/25/5545842/pepsi-bus-stop-ad-augmented-reality

Kwiecień, A. (2021, April 28). Examples of AR-powered virtual try ons in the fashion industry. Divante. Retrieved May 24, 2023, from https://www.divante.com/blog/examples-of-ar-powered-virtual-try-ons-in-the-fashion-industry

Miller, S. (2023, March 1). Leveraging AR and VR for Event Marketing: The Rise of Virtual and Hybrid Events. LinkedIn . Retrieved May 24, 2023, from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/leveraging-ar-vr-event-marketing-rise-virtual-hybrid-events-miller/

Stenina, M. (2022, May 17). 6 Innovative Augmented Reality Product Packaging Use Cases. Wikitude. Retrieved May 24, 2023, from https://www.wikitude.com/blog-6-augmented-reality-product-packaging-use-cases/

Yohn, D. L. (2019, January 8). Marketing Matters Now More Than Ever. Forbes. Retrieved May 24, 2023, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/deniselyohn/2019/01/08/marketing-matters-now-more-than-ever/?sh=5ab758d1117