The benefits of using technology in business
The major advances in Information Technology have had a major and significant impact in how an organization processes its information. Information can be collected, stored, and presented from the computer with the added benefits that data processing is much faster and more reliable than manual systems. In addition today it is possible to obtain instant feedback via the use of electronic mail, the Internet, and teleconferencing.
Application Software
Application software can handle most of the major activities within an organization. These include activities such as Project management; Document Management; Scheduling; and Data Management. Nowadays Information Technology can easily support all these activities with specific applications.
Some of the most popular applications that are adopted by business organization include word processing packages, data management, and spreadsheet packages.
Furthermore, the organization’s information can nowadays easily be stored on databases of information which introduces several benefits to the organization including the following:
- Information is stored at a central location eliminating duplication of information which can lead to inconsistent information.
- The data can be shared amongst a number of users.
- The data stored is consistent.
- The data is controlled and managed from one central location.
Telecommunications
Through the impressive developments of telecommunications and e-commerce organizations today are located in a global environment. The advances in telecommunication have facilitated interpersonal communication between managers located in different countries while making worldwide meetings much more accessible and cheaper for businesses.
Organizations can utilize several telecommunication technologies to meet their business needs including teleconferencing, computer conferencing, video conferencing and electronic mail.
Teleconferencing allows meetings amongst people located in different via the telephone or email.
Computer conferencing utilizes the concept of discussion boards on the Internet where everyone can post messages for the group to see and respond to.
Video conferencing allows face to face meetings with individuals that can be located in different countries facilitating corporate meeting and eliminating the need to travel.
E-mail has been revolutionary to every organization since messages can now be sent via the Internet and received in real time.
The use of email has practically taken over letters, telephone calls and fax since it presents several advantages to an organization.
Some of these advantages include the following:
- Email results in cost savings to the organization since the cost of an email is cheap and can be sent to any country for the same cost.
- The cost of printing and sending a letter by snail mail are also eliminated as well as the time wasted to physically have a letter delivered.
- Email has introduced the possibility to attach files to the content of an email where the recipient can review the files and easily provide feedback.