<s>
The	B-Application
Digital	I-Application
Firm	I-Application
is	O
a	O
kind	O
of	O
organization	O
that	O
has	O
enabled	O
core	O
business	O
relationships	O
through	O
digital	O
networks	O
In	O
these	O
digital	O
networks	O
are	O
supported	O
by	O
enterprise	O
class	O
technology	O
platforms	O
that	O
have	O
been	O
leveraged	O
within	O
an	O
organization	O
to	O
support	O
critical	O
business	O
functions	O
and	O
services	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Some	O
examples	O
of	O
these	O
technology	O
platforms	O
are	O
Customer	O
Relationship	O
Management	O
(	O
CRM	O
)	O
,	O
Supply	O
Chain	O
Management	O
(	O
SCM	O
)	O
,	O
Enterprise	O
Resource	O
Planning	O
(	O
ERP	O
)	O
,	O
Knowledge	O
Management	O
System	O
(	O
KMS	O
)	O
,	O
Enterprise	B-Application
Content	I-Application
Management	I-Application
(	O
ECM	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
Warehouse	B-Device
Management	I-Device
System	I-Device
(	O
WMS	O
)	O
among	O
others	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
term	O
"	O
Digital	B-Application
Firm	I-Application
"	O
originated	O
,	O
as	O
a	O
concept	O
in	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
Management	B-Application
Information	I-Application
Systems	I-Application
(	O
MIS	O
)	O
books	O
authored	O
by	O
Kenneth	O
C	O
.	O
Laudon	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Digital	B-Application
firms	I-Application
place	O
an	O
emphasis	O
on	O
the	O
digitization	O
of	O
business	O
processes	O
and	O
services	O
through	O
sophisticated	O
technology	O
and	O
information	O
systems	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
information	O
systems	O
create	O
opportunities	O
for	O
digital	B-Application
firms	I-Application
to	O
decentralize	O
operations	O
,	O
accelerate	O
market	O
readiness	O
and	O
responsiveness	O
,	O
enhance	O
customer	O
interactions	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
increase	O
efficiencies	O
across	O
a	O
variety	O
of	O
business	O
functions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Technology	O
adoption	O
has	O
been	O
increasing	O
as	O
digital	B-Application
firms	I-Application
continually	O
look	O
to	O
achieve	O
greater	O
levels	O
cost	O
savings	O
,	O
competitive	O
advantage	O
,	O
and	O
operational	O
performance	O
optimization	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
acceleration	O
of	O
technology	O
adoption	O
by	O
digital	B-Application
firms	I-Application
creates	O
a	O
"	O
digital	O
divide	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Through	O
digital	O
networks	O
and	O
information	O
systems	O
,	O
the	B-Application
digital	I-Application
firm	I-Application
is	O
able	O
to	O
operate	O
core	O
business	O
services	O
and	O
functions	O
continuously	O
and	O
more	O
efficiently	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Technology	O
and	O
information	O
systems	O
serve	O
many	O
critical	O
roles	O
in	O
a	O
digital	B-Application
firm	I-Application
by	O
providing	O
technology-driven	O
capabilities	O
that	O
increase	O
operational	O
performance	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Another	O
example	O
of	O
an	O
information	O
system	O
that	O
can	O
increase	O
an	O
organization	O
's	O
performance	O
awareness	O
and	O
management	O
capabilities	O
is	O
a	O
Real-Time	B-General_Concept
Business	I-General_Concept
Intelligence	I-General_Concept
(	O
RTBI	O
)	O
system	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
CRM	O
systems	O
operate	O
as	O
enterprise	O
platforms	O
that	O
provide	O
digital	B-Application
firms	I-Application
with	O
opportunities	O
to	O
closely	O
manage	O
all	O
aspects	O
of	O
interactions	O
with	O
customers	O
through	O
customer-oriented	O
business	O
processes	O
.	O
</s>
