INTRODUCTION:

Businesses have been at the forefront of technology for ages. Whatever can speed production will draw in more business. As computers emerged in the 20th
century, they promised a new age of information technology. But in order to reap the benefits, businesses needed to adapt and change their infrastructure (McKenney).

Computers have tremendously improved the way businesses operate
in their respective industries. Technology has advanced so remarkably that those who are
not using computers in their business are at a major disadvantage against their competitors.
In particular, there are several important advantages that computers can provide to small
business

Almost every business uses computers to complete daily tasks. From
making contact with clients to inputting data for reports, computers allow businesses a more
efficient way to manage affairs when compared to traditional paper and manila folders.
Businesses use a variety of different types of computers such as desktops, laptops, servers,
smartphones and tablets, depending on their needs. With computers, employees are able to
work anytime, anywhere.

As information travels faster and faster and more reliably, barriers of
distance disappear, and businesses are realizing how easy it is to outsource jobs overseas.
Outsourcing refers to the practice of hiring employees who work outside the company or
remotely -- and even halfway across the world. Companies can outsource duties such as
computer programming and telephone customer service. They can even outsource fast-food
restuarant service -- dont be surprised if youre putting in your hamburger order with a
fast-food employee working in a different country entirely. Outsourcing is a controversial
practice, and many believe that U.S. companies who take part are hurting the job market in
their own country. Nonetheless, from a business perspective, it seems like the wisest route,
saving companies between 30 and 70 percent [source: Otterman].

Finding computer applications for various aspects of a companys
operations has, in recent years, become an increasingly vital task of many small business
owners. Indeed, computers are an integral part of the business landscape today, in part
because they can be an effective tool in so many different aspects of a businesss daily
operations. Computer systems are now relied on for a broad spectrum of duties, including
bookkeeping, business communications, product design, manufacturing, inventory control,
and marketing. Indeed, a 1997 survey conducted by Sales & Management magazine indicated that 85 percent of respondents felt that technology was increasing the efficiency of
their sales force, while another 62 percent concluded that it was helping them increase their
sales.

I think it is very necessary to make understand about the influence of
the computer in the business as a business student.From the very beginning of the business
the usage of the computer is used and it make more easier to everyone to make the business
very easy and apt. Some how by the expansion of the business world the tasks behind the
business became very huge in size. So that by the help of the most advanced computer technology it is easy to makethis massive workload to complete in seconds by the use of extra
powerful machines that usually called as the computer. By this assignment I would like to
know more about the infulence of the computer field in the business administration field.

CONTENT:
(1) THE IMPACT OF COMPUTER UTILIZATION IN BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS
Among the electronic devices, we have radios, televisions, computers, typewriters, and
mobile phones to mention but a few. In the first place, a computer is an electronic device,
which accepts or receives, stores, processes data for output information. A computer has
been preferred to other electronic devices because of its speed, efficiency, being adaptable and flexible.
One of the reasons why a computer has made greater impact on the society is its wider use in the business environment. Very many businesses have realised the benefits of
computers. For instance, in most money markets (stock exchange) you only need to sit in
front of your computer, whether in your office or at home and trade shares with various
centres worldwide without going to those particular centres physically. Today E commerce has been more visible to computers.

Recent advancement in scientific research have been possible
mainly to the use of computers for example new drugs have been introduced for example
ARVS; exploration into space is possible and in places where human beings cannot survive; machines equipped with various computers are sent into space and data transmitted
back to. Earth

In addition to the above, architectural construction has greatly
improved through the use of computers. Its possible to have a look to a house you are
planning to build both on the outside and inside, furnish and paint it all manipulated on
a computer top. This enables one to furnish his according to his taste.Computers have a
great impact on society in the field of advertising. Many companies prefer to advertise
on the Internet than to use other electronic devices like television, radios mobiles and
many other electronic devices. This extensive and persuasive advertising of companies
and their products on the computer Internet has a great impact on widening of the market
that greatly leads to development of the advertising companies. With the development of
computers, the Internet has emerged. Today, one can purchase goods using Internet technology(e-business), which eases commerce and business in general if it comes to electronic procurement. This reduces on the costs involved in acquiring the goods or services
and saves time leading to increased profits of the purchasing individuals.Computers can
do near to impossible jobs. They can be used to perform tasks which can be impossible
without them for example welding delicate parts, working in radio active environments,
handling airtime reservations, weather forecasts to enable farmers to plan properly.

Another reason why a computer has made greater impact on society is that, it can store huge amounts of data in very small space and stored information
is also very easy to organise, manipulate and retrieve as compared to other electronic
devices and which eases commerce.Compared to other electronic devices computers are
greatly preferred for their speed; they are extremely fast. They may carry out millions
of calculations per second, which eases the work of accountants and auditors.This has
stimulated the business environment today.Computers are known to be so accurate that
they hardly make any mistakes if correctly used. In fact they are capable of detecting and
correcting any mistakes made, hence if a computer is given the right information it will
always produce the right output. This introduces the computer jargon garbage in garbage
out. Its for this reason therefore that accountants prefer to use a computer compared to
any other electronic device , hence its greater impact on society.
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Computers are artificially intelligent. They can respond to requests
given to them and provide solutions. This is accomplished by the power of the programmes installed in them. Evidence of this is given in industrial robotics. Due to wide
spread of computer technology, there has been increased efficiency in communication to
business sectors for example in banks like Stanbic which connects with its other branches using computer technology. This reduces costs of movement and saves time.On the
other hand, computers have a negative impact on society in a way that; They bring about
unemployment for example in super markets a computer only does a job that can be done
by more than two persons. This discourages investment and savings to some people who
are not exposed to computer technology

Computer technology has induced a lot of pornography to the society where most people are more attracted to leisure and neglect work where most of the
time is spent on watching pornography on computers, which has limited creativity in the
business environment.Compared to other electronic devices, computers are very expensive in terms of purchasing, setting up trained personnel compared to other electronic devices.Computers get outdated/ depreciated and its costs of proper maintenance are high.
In addition, very few people are equipped with skills of preparing computers compared to
other electronic devices.

Failure problems may arise when computers cannot be used in
case they are damaged. This can bring an organisation to a halt if no back-ups exist. This
greatly leads to collapse of business.Through computers, organisational information is
being misused or abused. Information of one organisation can easily be exposed to another especially in perfect competing organisations where the reaction may be negative.
The issue of hacking makes the use of computers unreliable.Computers react negatively
on human health where by some diseases like eye defects, laziness, which may develop
into pressure because of lack of exercises and it,Can affect the business as some workers
(experts) may be meant to leave jobs.In some instances a computer may create errors in
case it gets a virus, which may give wrong results to people like accountants.
(2) SMALL BUSINESS AND COMPUTER USE:
Entrepreneurs and other small business owners utilize todays rapidly changing computer
technology in many different realms of operation:
BOOKKEEPING: Computer systems are heavily utilized for a variety of accounting
functions, including employee payroll; cash flow analysis; job costing; tracking of vendor
and customer payments and debts; federal, state, and local taxes; and other expenses and
revenues that impact on the businesss fiscal health. Small business owners use computers for bookkeeping more than for any other purpose, and software programs designed to
help even inexperienced business owners with their bookkeeping have proliferated on the
marketplace in recent years as a result.
BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS: The introduction of computer faxes and especially
electronic mail systems has revolutionized the way that businesses communicate with
one another. Moreover, e-mail has significantly altered how employees within the same
company interact with one another. The savings, both in time and money, that have been
realized through the use of this computer technology have been considerable. E-mail, for
instance, not only enables users to save significant sums of money that would otherwise
go to long-distance telephone and delivery charges, but also speeds up the process of
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information delivery. Computer faxes, meanwhile, also enable businesses to save, labor,
office supplies, and long-distance phone charges that are associated with regular fax machines, noted Sandi Smith in the Journal of Accountancy. The savings: You dont have
to make a paper copy, go to the fax machine, wait to be sure the pages dont jamand if
they do, resend. The cost of sending a fax via computer is a fraction of the cost of sending
a machine fax.
PRODUCT DESIGN: Product design is one of the most popular computer applications
in the business world today. Computer-aided design (CAD) involves creating computer
models of products that are ultimately transformed into reality. CAD systems enable designers to view objects under a wide variety of representations and to test these objects by
simulating real-world conditions.
MANUFACTURING: Computer-aided manufacturing (CAM), meanwhile, uses geometrical design data to control automated machinery and other production processes.
Since both CAD and CAM use computer based methods for encoding geometrical data, it
is possible for the processes of design and manufacture to be highly integrated. Computer-aided design and manufacturing systems are commonly referred to as CAD/CAM.

In recent years, technological advances have triggered fundamental changes in many CAD/CAM systems. Whereas CAD/CAM applications used to be
limited to older mainframe and workstation-based systems, advances in personal computers and software programs have spurred a dramatic upsurge in their use among small
business owners, who are now better able to afford the technology. The greater viability
of personal computers for CAD/CAM applications results from their ever-increasing
processing power. An important trend is toward the standardization of software, so that
different packages can readily share data. Standards have been in place for some time
regarding data exchange and graphics; user interfaces are rapidly going the same route. In
the realm of electronic design automation software, a similar trend toward standardization
has also been underway. Other improvements in software include greater sophistication
of visual representation and greater integration of modeling and testing applications.
INVENTORY CONTROL: Small businesses are increasingly using computers to track
all aspects of their inventory, including warehousing, ordering, receiving, and distribution. In addition, many computer systems maintain programs that integrate inventory
control needs with other aspects of the businesss operations, which helps the company
perform in a cohesive and intelligent manner as it negotiates the various obstacles of the
business world.
MARKETING: Computer applications for marketing have surged in recent years.
Whereas computer applications for other business needs have been a part of the picture
for a decade or two now, the widespread use of computers to shape a companys marketing strategies and campaigns is a relatively new development. Firms are gathering
tremendous amounts of information about customers, markets, and industries by using
an array of relatively inexpensive software and computerized databases, wrote Tim
Mc-Collum in Nations Business. These resources can help entrepreneurs increase their
effectiveness in targeting markets, cultivating leads, and closing sales.Whether its
called database marketing, smart marketing, or target selling, it boils down to using tech-

nology to delivery information that can boost sales.

Many consultants and business experts contend that it is particularly important for small
business enterprises to make maximum use of this still-developing computer technology.
Small business entities typically have fewer clients than do larger firms, which makes the
search for new customers an essential component of future success. As analyst Martha
Rogers noted in Nations Business, information technologies like business and customer
databases and sales force automation systems can be effective tools for small business
owners looking to develop profitable and lasting relationships with customers. Indeed,
smaller firms often need good customer information simply to keep pace with larger competitors.

Of course, reliable customer information is a major key to any
effective marketing campaign. Consequently, database service providers such as Dun &
Bradstreet Information Services (DBIS) and American Business Information Inc. (ABI)
have become enormously popular with businesses of varying shapes and sizes. These
businesses, wrote McCollum, have accumulated vast amounts of data on companies
throughout the United States and Canada. Customers can buy the records on firms in
specific locations or industries or of certain sizes or sales volumes. The databases make it
easy to generate lists of potential customers for direct mail or telemarketing campaigns.
In addition, DBIS, ABI, and other companies that provide similar services have made
their information available via CD-ROMs (with regular updates). Another favorite site for
finding business leads is the expanding group of CD-ROM products that provide business
and residential telephone listings for various geographic regions of the United States.

Ultimately, however, Nations Business magazine noted that although computers can be a valuable marketing resource for small firms, technology itself
wont boost sales. For sales to climb, information must be carefully integrated into a
total marketing strategy. The magazine thus made the following recommendations to
companies looking to apply computer resources to marketing efforts:
Build a database of customers and prospective customers, and update it regularly.
Decide what marketing information is needed, and establish a plan to obtain it.
Use demographic and geographic data to put together a profile of current customer
base, which can then be used to identify potential new markets.
Use data to identify long-term interests and buying habits of clients.
Involve sales force (if any) in introduction of new technologies; If salespeople dont
think the automated system will benefit them, they wont use it.
Share information throughout the company.
Use computer resources to personalize and coordinate direct mailings and other campaigns.
Arrange so that pertinent customer information is available to those who need it.

CONCLUSION:

Todays business field can be done only by the help of the computer. Therefore, for a better and profitable business it is essential to make sure that the business is working by the
help of the computer. Most of the outfashioned business get more profitable only after by
the implimentation of the computer technology. Long accounts and clarifications of those
accounts can be done quickly only by the use of computer. Now the use of E-commerce
getting more and more wider in the society. It is the easiest task to make purchases, cash
transfer, Bill payment without going to market or to the center. Here I conclude that there
is a huge relation between the computer technology along with the business world.
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REFERENCES:

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/advantages-computers-business-473.html
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/uses-computers-business-56844.html
http://mwesigyes.blogspot.in/2006/09/impact-of-computer-utilization-in.html
http://money.howstuffworks.com/technology-changed-business1.htm
Read more: http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/small/Co-Di/Computer-Applications.html#ixzz4DB6Jajwh