Introduction to Information Technology

This report provides an introduction to Information Technology and its impact on businesses. It covers the different types of business software, ethical and social issues in the digital world, and the value of ICT. The report also explores the impact of intranet and internet on business entities. The case study of Sainsbury's is used to illustrate the concepts discussed.

Introduction to Information
Technology

ABSTRACT
Information technology is based on the use of computer systems or any other type of physical
device that assists businesses in increasing their productivity and efficiency. It aids in the
development of business networks for the creation, sharing, and storage of information. There
are various types of software that can benefit the business. Each software provides unique
benefits to the business. Many ethical and social issues confront business, threatening the
organization's reputation and goodwill. As a result, they must engage in and adopt ethical and
social practises. ICT enables businesses to communicate more effectively and efficiently. This
report includes information about the internet and intranet. A business manager can also deal
with multiple company functions and issues with the proper use of IT.

Contents
ABSTRACT.....................................................................................................................................2
Contents...........................................................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
TASK...............................................................................................................................................1
Different types of business software...................................................................................1
Explain several types of ethical and social issues which are increasing in digitals world.
................................................................................................................................................4
Value of Information and Communication Technology. Also, explain the impact of Intranet
and Internet on business entities.............................................................................................5
The role of Information Technology......................................................................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................8

INTRODUCTION
In the organisation information technology is developing computer network that helps in
protecting information and data, growing and managing, undertaking range of other works in
order to make ensure efficiency and security of business information system. With the mobile
device and computer, it also assists workers troubleshoot issues. The informational technology
takes use of computer and physical devices for exchanging all sort of electronic or digital
information along with generates, protect, save and process data (Capehart, B.L., 2020). The IT
provides wide range of career options to people and demand for expert in this domain is high
with increasing. Basically, for the business operations information technology is beneficial in
contradiction to technology exploited for individual or entertainment purposes. The
commercialization of information technology is based on telecommunications and computer
technology. This report takes into account the Sainsbury's Company. It is the UK's second largest
retail organisation, accounting for 16.0 percent of the retail industry. This organisation was
founded by John Sainsbury. This company's headquarters are in London, United Kingdom. It has
global business operations that are divided into three major divisions: Sainsbury's Supermarkets,
Sainsbury's Argos, and Bank (Chiang, H.T. and Chang, C.T., 2019). The current report will
explain various types of business software. Business organisations in the digital age face a
number of ethical and social issues that must be addressed. As a result, it will also outline those
issues in terms of businesses. Information and communication technologies enable businesses to
be more effective and efficient in responding to customer needs and requirements. The impact
and influence of intranet and internet on organisations is also determine. Finally, the role of IT in
assisting managers in managing business functions will be discussed.
TASK
Different types of business software.
Business software is also known by the name of business application which is refereed as
kind of software or set of computer programs which company uses in order to perform the
different activities of business. To advance the level of productivity, business software is used
that also helps in measuring productivity and activities of business organisation in accurate
manner. The prime goal was to realise certain goals by applying principles which is assisted by
business software. The organisation manager is required to determine the types of software
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which can be most appropriate in particular requirements of business. These software tools will
be required and useful for both businesses of small and large. In the case of Sainsbury's, because
it is a global company, it must meet its own unique and required requirements to ensure the
smooth flow of business processes. With a large employee base Sainsbury is a business that will
necessitate more comprehensive payroll software (Farjon, D and et.al., 2019). On the other hand,
it has a strong clientele that will necessitate an precise time following application in directive to
provide detailed documentation of work completed for customers. As a result, selecting and
understanding what form of business software would be most effective in improving the value of
company practises is crucial to making great business decisions. Different kinds of business
software in context to Sainsbury is been explained below which are as follows-
 Payroll Software: Payroll software is one of the most important accounting software tools
for small businesses to use. For example, Xero software is a high-quality payroll software
tool that allows small businesses to manage payroll, superannuation payments, pay slips,
year-end bonuses, and much more efficiently and precisely. Payroll software ensures that
business operations run smoothly and that employee morale and satisfaction are maintained
in the workplace through effective pay administration. It ensures that employees are paid on
time and appropriately, as well as keeps detailed records of employee pay expenses, which
is an important part of ensuring that the business functions smoothly.
 Customer relationship management software: This tool is designed to assist businesses
in preserving and building healthy customer relationships as well as driving business
growth by utilising a CRM software tool to better examine how the firm interacts with its
clientele base. Sainsbury's, for example, provides users with a simple interaction and
displays information in a simple way to understand market trends, with the goal of allowing
small business operators to gain important insight into business connections, promote sales,
and increase customer retention (Kuang, W., 2018). The goal of this software is to obtain an
understanding of their interactions with both potential and current consumers. When
company has an in-depth understanding of its clients in the marketplace, it can achieve
considerable business growth by identifying appropriate locations to deploy marketing
resources and making the most use of the tools available to improve the company's
performance.
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 Communication software: Any company's smooth and successful business operations
require efficient and effective communication both internally and externally. Employees
and team members will be able to interact and coordinate more efficiently on all tasks and
projects using communication technologies like Slack or Skype, allowing the organisation
to engage with workers and consumers regardless of their location. Additionally, good
communication software can assist businesses in expanding their market horizons. The
store can also use a cloud-based system integrator to connect all of its present technologies.
It aids in the development of a centralised database that allows validate users to approach
reports at any moment and deal with other areas effortlessly.
 Inventory control system: This software is designed to keep track of stock levels, cycle
counts, turnover rates, and upgrades. Integrating inventory systems with reclamation
methods enables automated reorder points and point-of-sale systems to express accurate
amounts on all items (Laraia, M., 2018). It also saves money and time by minimising the
need for labour personnel to manually record, count, and cross-examine merchandise across
multiple locations. It also aids in detection of errors and blunders so that warehouse
management may quickly correct the situation.
Benefits of business software:
 Quality and consistency: In the organisation all operations are done uniformly is
ensured by system software and outcomes are made in according to that. Therefore, the
company in context to Sainsbury make sure their workflow is pursuant and demand the
similar results each time.
 Time savings: The system software allows employees to focus on more difficult tasks
with automatic labour, limiting human error and time.
 Reduced labour costs: In the organisation manual working results in expenditure and
time consumption, as well as human errors, which frequently necessitate additional costs
to accommodate discrepancies. As a result, business software ensures that organisations
limit the resources essential to perform general procedures (Leong, L.W and et.al., 2018).
Drawbacks of business software:
 Inefficiency: Having of too many software in the organisation puts negative impact bit it
is also true that productivity is increased with the organisational tool. When there is a tool
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for everything, switching between tools and apps becomes a routine. As a result,
multitasking increases both inefficiency and distraction.
 Implementation woes: The use of various software solutions is costly and time-
consuming. In general, setup costs are high. Training, integrating old systems, and on-
boarding all require time. As a result, each of these steps consumes a significant amount
of time from both management and employees (Zharova, A., 2019).
Explain several types of ethical and social issues which are increasing in digitals world.
To change the business model there is use of digital technology in digitalization which
helps in offering new revenue together with generates value opportunities. It is linked with the
procedure of shifting digital business. For certain, ethics creates a buzz in the business world. In
the business organisation ethical issues involves in what way others are treated, engage with
employees, approaching sustainability, optimum utilization of information and resources
managed. In context to Sainsbury, variety of ethical issues are faces related to the use of digital
technology in the workplace. Some are discussed further below:
 Personal privacy: This is an important aspect of ethical issues in Information
Technology because it allows users with their own operating systems, hardware, and
software tools to approach servers that are linked to each other and to the user via a
network. Because of the large-scale dispersion of the network, in massive quality
information and data shift, which leads to the invisible possibility of revealing
information and disturbing the privacy of any group or individual. As a result,
maintaining the privacy and integrity of information is a significant challenge for the
company and its IT department (Zheng, Chen, and Burgos, 2018).
 Harmful actions: This defines the harmful and negative consequences in information
technology such as property loss, destruction of property, loss of important information
& data, together with undesirable substantial impacts. This ethical construction principle
prohibits any extrinsic parties from utilising IT in a way that causes harm to any users,
employers, employees, or the general public. Typically, it entails the knowing
modification or destruction of a programme or files, resulting in a harmful loss of
resources. Piracy: This pertains to a task that includes the creation of an illegal copy of software. It
is entirely up to the software's owner whether people can create multiple copies of their
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software. As laws for copyrighted material are enacted, legislation aimed at preventing
unauthorised tool duplication is being considered.
Many people in the community are affected by social issues in the digital world. This is a
collection of general issues in today's society as well as those that many people are working to
solve (Lvovich and et.al., 2021). Some of the social issues raised by Sainsbury are discussed
below:
 Communication breakdown: Socializing within the business family or in personal life
has always been an important aspect because it strengthens relationships between
individuals and ensures group connectedness. However, with more people owning
multiple computer systems and mobile devices to access information or for any other
purpose, there is a lack of communication between people. The advancement of digital
media allows business organisations to increase productivity while also increasing
distractions to life and others.
 Cyber bullying: As with the disparagement of public figures, computers and the internet
have made it easier for vindictive people to target people they know personally as well as
complete strangers via faceless platforms. It has increased the number of harmful
incidents of cyberbullying affecting both adults and children, with tragic consequences.
Value of Information and Communication Technology. Also, explain the impact of Intranet and
Internet on business entities.
Information and communication technology (ICT) encompasses all digital technology
that assists individuals, businesses, and organisations in utilising information. It encompasses all
electronic items that deal with data in digital form. As a result, ICT is obsessed with electronic
data storage, recovery, and transmission (Mayer, Madden and Wu, 2020). Hence. ICT aims to
make use of technologies that people use to transmit data, messages, or conversations. Instead of
just gathering, saving, and investing, the main goal is to communicate that information. The
significance of ICT in the context of Sainsbury is described below:
 IT improves the communication: Emails had altered the way employees interacted and
communicated with one another. It has been discovered that digital communication aims
to deliver messages faster than a phone call or letter. Employees benefit from social
media and smartphones in today's world because they can get responses from their team
members in a matter of seconds if they use the right communication tools. IT introduced
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cloud computing, which allows employees to access critical information even when they
are not in the office (Rangriz and Bayrami Shahrivar, 2019). When employees use cloud
storage, they are not required to connect to a hard drive. One of the most important
advantages of ICT is its ability to streamline communication both internally and
externally. For example, Skype, Zoom, or GoToMeeting allow respective businesses to
work remotely and in real time, reducing the costs associated with having on-site clients
or communicating with employees who work from home.
 IT cuts through cultural barriers: Despite laws in the UK prohibiting discrimination
based on gender, race, or age, which make an individual uniquely different, businesses
continue to strive for diversity. The positive aspect of ICT is Artificial Intelligence,
which does not come with the same filters that people are accustomed to. An electronic
device does not care whether a person is male or female as long as the prospect
candidates' CV meets the predetermined qualifications for the job. By developing
operating systems, ICT can contribute to diversity.
 ICT provides better customer services: IT opens the door to cloud connections in order
to provide new types of services to customers. In the case of Sainsbury, it can now
respond quickly to customer queries via new channels which include instant conversation
on social networks. They can start sharing picture along with the visual content of
products and services with clients to advertise them.
Internet: The internet is defined as a globally connected computer network that allows
users to share information, interact, and communicate with one another. In addition to
Sainsbury, the following define the effects of the internet on business:
 The abundance of information on the internet enables businesses to learn about current
market trends that may influence them, discover products that could improve services,
observe consumer behaviour, and increase industry knowledge. It also assists customers
in identifying appropriate goods and services. The abundance of information and reviews
about a company on the internet helps customers feel more in control while planning a
purchase.
 The internet enables businesses to easily discover talent through the use of job portals and
professional life social networking. It helps a firm to investigate objects in high demand
in order to gain control of a niche.
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Intranet: It is limited to a local or regional area and allows employees to save, organise,
and share information within the company. Sainsbury benefits from the use of intranet in a
variety of ways.
 The intranet intends to foster organic knowledge sharing as individual-to-individual links
grow and strengthen across the organisation (Summerton, 2021). As more people interact
their skills and knowledge, the company's knowledge can evolve quickly, even with
remote employees.
 It has an integrated chat feature that facilitates discussions. At the very least, one can
avoid the ineffective reply all email while having productive conversations away from
cluttered inboxes.
 The majority of intranets aim to become the central digital hub for businesses. It is a
meeting place where business events and news are shared and planned. The goal of an
intranet is to bring people together from all over the world.
The role of Information Technology.
In the case of Sainsbury, information technology assists business managers in effectively
and efficiently managing and handling various business activities and operations. From emailing
to changing passwords, advancing a database, and much more, IT is there to help at every step of
the way. IT's role in responding to it is as follows:
 Safeguarding data and information: The main goal is to keep the information safe from
any kind of compromise. IT domains ensure that information is safeguarded against loss,
destruction, misuse, or modification of the business. IT assists managers to better
understand privacy laws such that information is not corrupted, lost, or compromised.
 Troubleshooting of problems: It has something to do with problem solving in the digital
age. It can be used for a variety of things, including PC processes, repairing failed digital
items, and much more. When an issue is troubleshooted, a logical and systematic search
for the source of the problem is conducted in order to correct it and make the product
fully operational again (Zharova, 2019). IT professionals assist employees who have
locked themselves out of their computer, are unable to access a specific drive, or have
forgotten their password. As a result, IT is usually only a phone call away from resolving
issues.
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CONCLUSION
From the above mentioned report, it has been concluded that Information technology is
critical to business success because it affects it in a variety of ways. It has been determined that
information technology assists businesses in achieving better control and management of their
resources. This report identified numerous software that could effective implementation in
improving the productivity. CRM software, payroll software, and other tools are available. In
addition to this, the report outlined various types of ethical and social issues that impact the
economy. Furthermore, the report sheds light on the impact of the internet and intranet on
business operations, as both are necessary and provide different benefits to the business. Finally,
it is well known that IT assists business managers in managing business activities and in
safeguarding confidential company information and data.
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REFERENCES
Books and journal
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documents in educational organization. In 2021 1st International Conference on
Technology Enhanced Learning in Higher Education (TELE) (pp. 328-332). IEEE.
Mayer, W., Madden, G. and Wu, C., 2020. Broadband and economic growth: a
reassessment. Information Technology for Development, 26(1), pp.128-145.
Rangriz, H. and Bayrami Shahrivar, Z., 2019. The impact of E-CRM on customer loyalty using
data mining techniques. BI Management Studies, 7(27), pp.175-205.
Summerton, J., 2021. Changing large technical systems. CRC Press.
Capehart, B.L., 2020. Introduction to Web Based Enterprise Energy and Building Automation
Systems. In Web Based Enterprise Energy and Building Automation Systems (pp. 3-11).
River Publishers.
Chiang, H.T. and Chang, C.T., 2019. Introduction to and application analysis of Taiwan’s NHI-
MediCloud System. Journal of Service Science Research. 11(1). pp.93-115.
Farjon, D and et.al., 2019. Technology integration of pre-service teachers explained by attitudes
and beliefs, competency, access, and experience. Computers & Education, 130, pp.81-
93.
Kuang, W., 2018. An Introduction to New Media. In Social Media in China (pp. 3-23).
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Decommissioning (pp. 1-6). Springer, Cham.
Leong, L.W and et.al., 2018. The moderating effect of experience on the intention to adopt
mobile social network sites for pedagogical purposes: An extension of the technology
acceptance model. Education and Information Technologies, 23(6), pp.2477-2498.
Zharova, A., 2019. Ensuring the information security of information communication technology
users in Russia. International Journal of Cyber Criminology, 13(2), pp.255-269.
Zheng, Chen, and Burgos, 2018. Introduction, Construction, Usage, and Management of MOOCs
in China. In The Development of MOOCs in China (pp. 245-259). Springer, Singapore.
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