Industry Use of Time and Space (Lany, Shin, Wayne, Carmen)

Explicit time / Implicit space

1) Higher Education Industry

The higher education industry, which includes undergraduate / postgraduate / certificate programs has traditionally been in the classroom setting. Education seekers are subjected to complete their degrees or certification within a certain standard period of time say three years for a degree program (explicit time). On other hand, the number of students in a class is often determined by the school depending on the teacher-to-students ratio and external factors like popularity of the course which affects the amount of quality time a student time (implicit space). The school may allow a large class per instructor, or it may introduce additional instructor(s) to maintain quality teaching hours per student. Similarly, a class with smaller enrollment may have the class continued or cancelled.
The advent of technology as well as increasing pressure on education institutions to attract busy executives have changed the higher education landscape significantly that redefines the explicit time / implicit space model. The major change is the move from explicit to implicit time. Space is almost eliminated in many of the examples due to e-learning management system.

eCornell: eCornell is an online professional and executive development portal set up by Cornell University. It allows participants to log on from any part of the world at any time. Courses are structured flexibly, with new courses starting every month, 24 hr unlimited access to course materials. Participants have the flexibility to complete the course according to their schedule (implicit time). There are no constraints in the number of participants, since courses are voice recorded (unlimited access). This removes the typical space constraints in the form of lecturer although online instructor(s) still exist but responsible for facilitating discussion boards instead.
http://www.ecornell.com/

U21 global: U21 is an online graduate school backed by 21 world-class universities to provide online courses. It offers masters degrees and post-grad certification for education seekers. All courses are conducted online, and the program provides an ‘open time’ for participants to complete their courses in a longer timeframe based on their schedules.
http://www.u21global.edu.sg/

SIM Open University: SIM, Singapore’s fourth university is targeted at working professionals seeking further education. SIM prides itself at offering flexibility in their courses. Students may choose to graduate as soon as three years or take up to eight years to complete an undergraduate degree. They offer multiple progression paths, which means students may enter at any level depending on your qualifications and study your way up to graduate qualifications.
http://www.unisim.edu.sg/uni/pub/gen/uni_pub_gen_group.cfm?mnuid=27&id=250

E-learning SCPD Course: The Supply Chain Professional Development program is offered by the Chartered Institute of Logistics Singapore. The Diploma and Advanced Diploma are conducted online, similar to eCornell’s approach, except there is a half-day face-to-face component at end of the one month course and physical appearance for examination. There are four modules for each Diploma, and each module takes one month to complete and the same module is offered a few times a year so it is entirely up to the candidate to decide when they are ready to start a course.
http://www.cilt.org.sg/page.asp?catid=9&subid=32&sub2id=98&tbl=subcat2&id=Supply+Chain+Professional+Development+%28SCPD%29+Programme

2) Amusement Parks

The services of the amusement parks are tending to be pre-defined in time and space by the parks. However, we can find many parks which offer more flexible types of services.

Singapore Night Safari: As one of the most famous tourist attraction in Singapore, the number of visitors for the Singapore Night Safari is around 1.1 million people every year. As you can guess from the name of the park, this Singapore Night Safari operates from 7:30 pm to 12:00 am. It is up to the guests to decide when to come and to leave, however, the operation hour is clearly set as it is, so the service time at this facility is Explicit.
When it comes to the space, it is highly up to the guests themselves to where they go. In the Night Safari, there are two main facilities, the zoo and the bird park. The Night Safari itself has eight geographical zones and guests can exploit any of these zones by their own interest. In this point, this park is implicit in Space.
http://www.nightsafari.com.sg/

Six Flags: Six Flags, Inc. is the world's largest regional theme park company with 21 parks across the United States, Mexico and Canada. There are two big different entertainments in Six Flags; Rides and Safari tour. Season ticket, daily ticket, general admission, group, packages, VIP tour, and Flash pass are available for rides. All ride tickets can be purchased in different price structure if customers only get a general admission.
Within Six Flags, the prices between the Ride Park and Safari tour are different. Daily ticket and VIP tour ticket are available.
http://www.sixflags.com/greatAdventure/tickets/index.aspx

Everland: Everland is the biggest amusement park with museums, zoo, safari, and swimming pool in Korea. Everland is owned and operated by Samsung. General admission, daily ticket, and membership are available. All rides in the park are prices differently if customers get a general admission. Also daily ticket does not include tickets for museums, safari tour, and swimming pool. Those tickets should be purchased separately in the park. The swimming pool named Caribbean Bay requires different tickets with different prices in the morning and evening.
http://www.everland.com/information/fare/everland/everland.html

Tokyo Disney Resort: In all Disney Resort Parks, the Tokyo Disney Land and Tokyo Disney Sea has been the best performer in terms of revenue and the number of guests visited. The Tokyo Disney Resort offers many different types of tickets to fit many different guest needs. For example, the Tokyo Disney Land Park has following types of tickets, 1-Day Passport, Starlight Passport, Night-Passport, Multi-Day Passport, Group Passport and the Annual Passport. All those passports has different valid time of use, (in this context, this is Explicit) however, since the guest can choose any of those according to their needs, the services offered at the Tokyo Disney Resort is explicit in time, but has some implicit characters.
In terms of the space, the guests have more discretion to where to visit in the park. For example, the Tokyo Disney Land has 7 different zones (called Kingdom) and the customers can visit any of those, there is no need to visit all of those. In this context, the service space (attractions) in the Tokyo Disney Land is implicit.
http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/index_e.html


Implicit Time / Implicit Space

1) Business or Internet Café

Business Café is a place that accommodates necessary business-enable services. A traditional business café provides printing, copying, and binding services. The updated business café also offers video conferencing facilities or high-tech services. The primary clientele consists of small business and home office clients.
An internet café is a place where one can use a computer with Internet access, most for a fee, usually per hour or minute; sometimes one can have un-metered access with a pass for a day or month, etc. Also based on types of services customer is looking for customer is needed to seat on different spots with different service functions.
The services fees in the industry are different according to how long a customer uses services and spaces. Customers are asked to pay based on the time the use computers or other additional services. Also customers are required to move in order to use additional services so that the service fees can be variable.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_cafe

FedEx Kinko’s: FedEx Kinko's offers a wide variety of production and finishing services, as well as FedEx shipping. Most centers have three distinct sections: self-service, shipping, and production. According to types of services (space type) and usage time, the service fees are variable. FedEx Kinko's also offers conference rooms to customers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinkos

Monami Station: Monami Station is the first Business Café which opened its first shop on Feb 17, 2008 in Korea. Just like FedEx Kinko’s Monami Station provide a wide type of the business service. Uniquely, Monami Station introduces “High-Tech Zone” for customers who need to use unusual high-tech business services. The fee at the zone is related to the usage time (minutes). Every spot at Monami Station has different business functions so that customers can select where they like to go in order to get right services. Also Monami Station offers shipping services so that it can be considered as the total business service center.
http://www.monamistation.com
http://blog.naver.com/ljheeman?Redirect=Log&logNo=140048036837
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Web2zone: Web2zone is not only an Internet café but a premium specialty retail destination that operates in three segments of the technology marketplace located in New York. There are 3 distinct centers in the café; Entertainment Center, Internet Access Point, and Small Business Center. web2zone offers customers a private, yet social environment that combines convenience and speed. The center is an easy access point for checking e-mail, surfing the Internet, instant messaging, VoIP telephony and online shopping. Customers looking for cost-effective resources for their small business or individual needs find web2zone more economical when they need to access professional software, digital printing, data CD burning, faxing, image scanning, private conference room space and/or private shared office cubicle space. Depending on services, usage fees and spaces are provided differently.
http://www.web2zone.com/index.html

Head 2 Head Games: Head 2 Head Games is a Cyber cafe located in Canada. Head 2 Head offers customers the opportunity to utilize computers in a social setting. Multiplayer games can be played both within the store and over the internet. The fees are various according to the types of platform, services, party packages and LAN rooms. There are 4 party packages in Head 2 Head Games and fees are relevant to number of party participants, room types, game hours, and snack or beverage provided. The LAN room will hold 30 - 35 people and is available for rental from 8 pm to 11 am most days.
http://head2headgames.com/pages/prices.asp

2) Commercial Banking Industry

The services of the Commercial Banking Industry have been regarded as highly standardized and offered at limited time (operation hours of bank, ex: 9:00-17:00) at limited place (branch offices of the bank). Because it has been regarded that the daily transactions like deposit, withdrawal and loan consultation services have almost no difference across the customers. However, as the needs of the customers has become more personalized and more demanding, the services offered at the commercial banks have many varieties of their service duration (Time) and of their service location (Place).

Lately, the commercial banks design their services to show their appreciation towards their loyal customers by differentiating their available service time and place by using their e-banking (internet banking) system, the customers have an access to the bank at any time and place. In addition, the customers who have high customer status (the amount of the deposit above certain level) may carry out many of the services offered at the branch of the banks.
With these points, it can be said that the services of the commercial banks are now in the quadrant of Implicit Time / Implicit Space.

HSBC Bank: HSBC Bank is the commercial banking arm of the HSBC holdings. As the one of the largest banking institution, it offers varieties of services onsite (branches) and offsite (internet banking).
Their internet banking system gives customers access to their accounts and enable them to carry daily transactions out with ease. The customers can access to their account as long as they want at any time of the day. In this point, their banking services are implicit in time.
For the space, again, their internet banking services offer the points of access anywhere. As long as the customers have an internet access, they can complete any kinds of banking services that used to offer at the counter of the bank’s branches. In this point, their banking services are implicit in space.
According to their web site, it is possible for their customers to do the followings. (Loan and Mortgage application / Credit card application / Investing services)
http://www.hsbcusa.com/

Bank of America: The bank of America is another example of the commercial bank that offers their services by non-traditional way. Their services are implicit in Time and Space. As they boast themselves as the #1 online bank, their online services are highly differentiated. If the customer of their bank opened the account with them, there’s no need to pay any deposit as it used to, neither the customers required to keep the minimum balance in their account.
Their online service covers basic deposit / money transfers / paying bills. The customer also can have an access to their balance of the account and their usage history of the credit cards.
All those transactions are used to be carried out only at the counters of the banks and the customers had to spend relatively long time to do that. Because the required time for transactions will be vary according to the number of the teller at the counter or the number of the customers waiting. However, with their online banking system, it is possible for the customers to choose time at their own will almost at any time and on any day of the week. In this sense, it can be said that their service time is implicit.
When it comes to the place, the services mentioned above are not necessary to be done at the specific places (like the customer counter at the branch or the place where there are internet access), because the Bank of America now offers the Mobile Banking Service. Their mobile banking service is free, and the customers can do whatever the services they want at any place, as long as the services offered via Mobile Banking Services. In this point, the service of Bank of America is implicit in Space, too.
https://www.bankofamerica.com/index.jsp

Wachovia Bank: As one of the largest commercial bank in the east coast, Wachovia bank also offers comprehensive services in varieties of channels to service customers.
Same as its competitors, Wachovia bank offers web based and mobile based services to make their customers access to their banking related services across the time and the space.
The one feature of their service is online retirement services. The customer can change their investment decision at any time of the day by logging in to the web. There is no losing point in this web based service, when it compared to the services at the branches, the web system is highly streamlined with the bank itself and the changes made on the web site will be carried out at the same business day. (same as the counter at the branch) There is no need to their guests to visit the bank’s branch during the time of the bank’s operation. Wachovia’s banking services offered are implicit in Time and Space in this point.
http://wachovia.com/personal

Seven Bank: Seven Bank is the one of the latest established Japanese commercial bank mainly operates on the web site. After the deregulation of the banking business license, the Seven and Ai holdings company (The largest retailer in Japan (Like Wal * Mart in the U.S.)) started their on-line banking business. This holding company has their retail shops in almost any place in Japan and most of them operate 24 / 7. Seven Bank located their ATM in every retail shops of their holding company to offer their banking services. So, once the customer opened an account with Seven Bank, it is possible for them to fulfill their banking needs at any places at any time as long as they can go to those retail shops. Since their ATMs located in their company related retail shops, the customers do not have to pay any kind of commissions by any kinds of transactions.
Seven Bank offers new service system of the commercial bank and its services are highly implicit in the Time and the Space.
http://www.sevenbank.co.jp/intlcard/index2.html


Explicit time/Explicit space

1) Internet Information Providers

Internet information providers are websites that provide general information to the users. The general information may be specialized (Expedia) or remain broad (search engines such as Google). The examples below are specifically advertising companies within internet information providers. Although not directly classified as ad agencies, they perform the same duties of traditional ad agencies – they work with advertisers to design and implement marketing campaigns. Up until recently, advertising has been defined as an explicit time/explicit space model. The advertiser selects a specific time frame and space combination from an ad agency which is priced according to the length of time and size of the advertisement. For example, in television, the advertisement is played for a certain number of seconds and possibly across many different stations. However, companies today are discovering new ways to package and sell advertising space that redefines the traditional explicit time/ explicit space model.
Advertising Industry Information: http://mi.compustat.com/cgi-mi-doc/docserver.cgi?keytype=INDSUR&keyval=ADV&doctype=IS&docformat=pdf&date=200708&ie=.pdf

Google: Many people advertise on Google using AdWords. AdWords allows the customer to create an ad and then choose the keywords that are associated with the advertisement. This allows the customer to redefine the way space is traditionally used. Rather than explicitly selling space, the customer now has the ability to choose how much space they want to use on the internet by choosing how many search words they will associate with their advertisement. This allows for a more focused audience. This is analogous to an individual advertising in a special interests magazine rather than every magazine in circulation. Using the internet though, AdWords allows the advertisement audience to be more clearly defined.
https://adwords.google.com/select/Login

TravelClick: Using TravelClick, a company advertises on a pay per click basis. This ensures that the right price is given to each company. Essentially, it puts the element of space within the advertiser’s control. Another way to think of it is with the following example; a company can either choose to advertise on one or two billboards. The company does not have control over how many billboards to advertise on because they have to pay for the billboards up front. On the internet, it is easy to see how many people actually view the advertisement because we can measure the times the ad has been clicked on so companies such as TravelClick can measure how many “billboards” are used after the fact and then charge accordingly. As mentioned previously, the traditional method of selling advertising space is to explicitly state the time and space to the advertiser. The internet allows companies such as TravelClick to become more flexible with their pricing strategies as they relate to space.
http://www.travelclick.net/index.cfm

Facebook: Facebook, a social utility tool, allows individuals or businesses to put up social ads. Advertisers can either choose the CPC (cost per click) or CPM (cost per thousand impressions) cost models. CPM is a recommended choice for advertisers who are concerned about where their ad shows up and how it looks like. The advertiser selects a daily maximum budget and a maximum CPC or CPM. The ‘space’ is defined by Facebook where they select the ‘best ad’ to run based on CPC or CPM and ad performance (an advertiser may end up having zero clicks or impressions). Facebook has a process in place that will automatically calculate the minimum price that the advertiser could pay and still have the highest cost per click or CPM ad, and the advertiser will only be billed that price (within their budget). The advertiser is able to select the day of advertisement, but not the hours of when the ad is shown. Therefore, both time and space controlled by Facebook, which may put the model in the implicit time/implicit space category.
http://www.facebook.com/ads/

Shopping.com: Shopping.com is an online comparison shopping engine. Advertisers ‘feed’ their products to the website according to selected categories; when shoppers shop for a type of products, their products links and appear in the search results. More prominence is given to advertisers who pay more (cost per click) although shoppers can still sort based on price. Advertisers can set different CPC for each product category. A deposit is set up with shopping.com; when a shopper clicks through the product link, the CPC is deducted from this deposit. Like other CPC model, the higher the CPC the advertiser sets, the higher the chance of being clicked. In shopping.com, the three highest bidder will appeared as ‘featured product’ which increase their chances to 50% of being clicked. Thus, space (where the link appear) tend to be implicit and so is time (‘advertising’ stops once the deposit runs out).
https://merchant.shopping.com/enroll/app?service=page/PartnerWelcome


2) Music & Video Stores

Specialty Stores Industry Information: http://mi.compustat.com/cgi-mi-doc/docserver.cgi?keytype=INDSUR&keyval=RES&doctype=IS&docformat=pdf&date=200803&ie=.pdf
According to the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) (a common classification standard for companies such as Standard and Poor’s) traditional video rental stores (Blockbuster) would fall into the “Specialty Stores” GICS sub-industry category. Specialty stores are simply defined as businesses that typically sell either a single category of merchandise or a few closely related products (Bed, Bath and Beyond). For a more complete review, see the link above. However, for our purposes, we will classify video rental companies into the less commonly known Music and Video Stores industry. This allows us to compare companies such as NetFlix and Blockbuster directly even though they are in fact separate GICS industries. Traditionally, Music and Video stores had an explicit time/explicit space industry. The customer rents a movie for a time determined by the company or the customer purchases music in a block of space (in the form of CDs) that are determined by the company. The examples below illustrate how some companies are redefining how space and time are delivered to the customer using new technology available to us.

NetFlix: NetFlix has to started offer movies online for people to rent. In traditional movie rental stores, each movie type (VHS, DVD) took up the same amount of space and was priced equally. Now that their movies are online, NetFlix can price each movie according to the amount of virtual space that each movie takes up. As of now, the online movie rentals are included in the monthly price plans, but when NetFlix or another company develops a larger inventory of online, rentable movies I see no reason why pricing by space allocation (Revenue per available gigabyte) would be unreasonable. Of course, it is likely that a typical customer will get confused with the variable pricing of online movies and become dissatisfied with the service. NetFlix has changed the traditional model of fixed space into one where the products are of variable virtual space.
http://www.netflix.com/Register
http://www.inc.com/magazine/20051201/qa-hastings.html

iTunes: Traditionally, music stores would sell blocks of explicit time in the form of CDs. This is analogous to hotels selling room nights. The customer generally has little control in how the definition of time is constructed. In recent years, iTunes has allowed customers to buy songs individually and has redefined who has control over the time element of the product. The time is still explicit, but now the customer can decide more specifically how they want to purchase time. Now, the customer can essentially buy one-eighth or one-half of a CD. In fact, some hotels do sell time in smaller blocks than one night but these are not the types of hotels that many travelers would enjoy staying in. What’s interesting about iTunes is that all of the songs are priced the same, regardless of demand for the song.
What I foresee in the future is the ability of cable companies to give the customer control over how much time they purchase. I presume many people do not purchase cable because they do not want all of the extra channels. I realize that you can eliminate channels, but the ultimate dream for the customer would be to have access only to their favorite shows. Purchasing shows is already a feature on iTunes, so it may make its way to the cable realm as well.
http://www.apple.com/itunes/overview/

Blockbuster: In traditional movie rental stores, the duration of the video rental was defined and controlled by the company. Blockbuster followed the NetFlix model and allowed customers to keep the movie for as long as they want for a monthly fee. This shifted the time of the service from explicit to implicit. The duration of service is now defined by the customer, and no longer the company. Although a monthly fee concept is not a new concept, it changed the way that videos were rented.
https://www.blockbuster.com/signup/s/plan/p.26722/

Digital Video Express: Digital Video Express, which no longer exists, devised a unique way to rent movies using a pay-per-view methodology. The customer would buy a Divx disc for around $4 and then after the movie was initially viewed, the movie disc would self-destruct in 48 hours. This was a balance between not worrying about late fees but still not being tied down to a monthly service such as those offered by NetFlix and Blockbuster. The duration of the video rental was now within the customers control but the product was priced in a traditional fashion (by title). However, its demise was attributed to a lack of interest by the public.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/1998/08/13/BU36940.DTL