How Does IT Influence Business - Essay Example

Information Technology is playing a role in improving the efficiency in the performance of businessorganizations. Companies and business organizations are taking advantage on the available opportunities and tools that are presented to them by IT (Rowland & Kohl, 2012). This is for purposes of helping them to achieve a competitive advantage over their rivals. The use of information technology for purposes of conducting business is an essential requirement for any business organization. This is in case the business under consideration seeks to achieve a competitive advantage over its rivals. Laudon &Traver (2002) therefore explains that information technology plays a role in the manner which companies and business organizations are able to communicate market and accomplish their objectives. Specialized information technologies normally plays a role in shaping the best business practices that an organization needs to pursue, and hence plays a role in shaping the face of business on a daily basis. It is important to understand that information technology has played a role in improving the quality of business operations. Information technology increases the productivity of an organization, because of the use of computers and other tools of IT. The use of computers has played a great role in transforming the work environment. It has played a role in driving the costs of processing data, and improving the capability of an organization to store and disseminate large volumes of data, which are of great importance to the company (Laudon &Traver, 2002). The internet enables an organization to transfer these information from one department to another, and to customers. Take for example the electronic health registers that are implemented by hospital organizations in the United States. Electronic health registers have improved the manner which business organizations are able to store and disseminate the information under their possession (Laudon &Traver, 2002). This information can include the name of the patient, his or her medical condition, and their medical history. Private hospital organizations have achieved in the use of electronic health registers to treat their patients. This is because they are able to share this information with doctors, and other people responsible for handling the patient (Tansey, 2003). This in turn leads to an accurate diagnosis and a reduction in the readmission cases. Furthermore, information technology has played a role in improving the internal operations of a business organization. This is because it facilitates a faster processing and management of information across the different departments of an organization. Take for instance the use of emailing, and the social media platforms. An organization has the capability of sending a large volume of information to various departments, through the use of emails, or its internal information technological networks (Tansey, 2003). All-most all major companies in the world are using emails to communicate with their employees and customers. Laudon &Traver (2002) further explains that personal computers are a necessity for major organizations and business enterprises. This is because a variety of jobs that these organizations engage in requires the use of computers and other electronic gadgets. Take for instance jobs such as bank cashiers. The use of computers and other aspects of information technology is very important for this type of work. It makes it easy for the bank cashiers or tellers to reconcile the amount of money they have added, to view the banking records of customers, and to record any transactions that they have carried out during the day (Laudon &Traver, 2002). Without the use of information technology, the work of bank tellers and cashiers would be very difficult. Furthermore, in the recruitment of employees, most of companies normally use the internet for purposes of advertising and carrying out an interview. Skype is one of the tools of information technology that is used for purposes of conducting an interview. Take for instance web 2.0 technology (Rowland & Kohl, 2012). It enables companies to develop their own websites which can make it possible for an organization to interact with its employees. Furthermore, effective use of the advances in communication technology plays a role in making a business to compete efficiently with its rivals. For instance, an improvement in cellular phone technology has managed to revolutionize the manner which business personalities are able to communicate with their employees, customers, strategic partners and suppliers (Rowland & Kohl, 2012). The emergences of modern smart phones are able to enable business personalities to access innovative platforms that can help them monitor the performance of their companies, even when they are not in the offices. For instance, because of the ability of smart phones to access the internet, business executives can monitor the performance of their shares in the stock exchange, and even use these phones to trade. It is important to explain that the evolution of laptops, smart phones, and tablets has not limited business executives geographically. This means that business personalities are able to transact their businesses across any geographical location (Rowland & Kohl, 2012). Furthermore, the evolution of the internet, with search engines such as Google has made it possible for business executives to look for information, regarding their target market, and competitors. This is an aspect referred to as market research. It is virtually impossible for any business organization to succeed in a given market without having knowledge on the various needs of its customers, and the rates of competition that the organization under consideration would face. This helps a company to come up with a better strategy on how to win its target market, and beat off competition. Furthermore, the internet is a useful marketing tool for companies. With the emergence of the social media, and information technological innovations, business organizations are now using the internet for purposes of marketing. Take for instance, face book, twitter and other social media sites (Rowland & Kohl, 2012). It is estimated that these social media sites have more than one billion members. Companies normally take advantage of these memberships, to advertise their products. Companies such as Virgin Atlantic, Boeing and other multinational companies normally have a face book page, where they advertise their products. Google Adsense is also another important information technology innovation that has revolutionalized the manner which companies are able to advertise their products. Under this technological platform, companies are able to advertise their products through a link that directs customers to its websites (Rowland & Kohl, 2012). These links are managed by Google, which places it on various websites, and companies would only pay, if these links are clicked, and a prospective customer is able to access the web page or advertisement (Rowland & Kohl, 2012). Websites are also another method that companies can advertise their products. Organizations normally build websites, where they provide virtually all information regarding their services. This is a form of online marketing and it is made possible because of the advances in information technology. In conclusion, information technology plays a great role in the promotion of business activities. Through the tools of information technology, an organization would manage to create an efficient mechanism where it would communicate with its employees, customers and other stakeholders of the organization. This has the capability of improving the efficiency in which a business organization carries out its operations. Information technology has also helped business organizations to efficiently market their products, as well as collect the necessary information regarding their customers and target market. This helps them to develop a strategy that would enable the organizations under consideration to achieve a competitive advantage. References: Laudon, K., & Traver, C. (2002). E-commerce: Business, technology, society. Boston: Addison Wesley. Bottom of Form Rowland, D., & Kohl, U. (2012). Information technology law (4th ed.). Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge. Bottom of Form Tansey, S. (2003). Business, information technology and society. London: Routledge. Read More