3.3. Information sharing and collaboration
Information sharing and collaboration in the IoT can occur between people, between people and things, and between things. Sensing a predefined event is usually the first step for information sharing and collaboration. In the supply chain area, information sharing and collaboration enhance situational awareness and avoid information delay and distortion. For example, if sensors are placed throughout a retail store where refrigeration is necessary, alerts can be sent to the store manager's mobile device whenever the refrigerators malfunction. The manager can then check the employee status report to see who is available and send task assignments to that employee via his or her IoT-enabled mobile device.