Introduction to Information Technology

This report discusses the types of software used by businesses, ethical and social issues of IT, impact of internet and intranet, and how IT helps managers to manage businesses. It also provides an analysis of Tesco's use of IT and the key ethical and social issues faced by the company.

Introduction to
Information
Technology

ABSTRACT
In the today’s advance era information technology is becoming a major part for humans. This
plays a very important role in the human lives. There are different types of information
technology factors like big data, cloud computing and many more which make the company
effective and efficient. By using this, the firm can reach to large base of customers and launched
the novel goods. Along with this, by using IT the firm can make proper decisions and provide
satisfactory outcomes to buyers which develop strong relationship with them. But due to this,
firms have to face different types of ethical and social issues which directly affect their
effectiveness in the market. Along with this, Artificial Intelligence also play a very crucial role
within the business organisation.

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
LITERATURE REVIEW ...............................................................................................................1
2.1. Types of software used by businesses .................................................................................1
2.2. Ethical and Social issues of IT.............................................................................................3
2.3. Impact of Internet and Intranet.............................................................................................4
2.4. Impact of IT in helping managers to manage businesses ...................................................5
ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION...................................................................................................6
3.1. Classifications of the computer software in the Tesco Plc..................................................6
3.2. Key ethical and social issues of IT in Tesco........................................................................7
3.3. Impact of Internet and Intranet on Tesco Plc.......................................................................7
3.4. Role of IT helping mangers to manage businesses of Tesco...............................................7
References:.......................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
In this report the topic to be discussed are, what types of software an organisation use in
their operations, for this Tesco plc is taken into consideration as company is the largest retail
distribution chain in United kingdom. Information technologies is the use of any kind of
computer in collection, storage or providing information to other systems. After the industrial
revolution companies want to capitalised industries to produce more and more products in
minimum per unit costs, here computer come into pictures to control the operation such as
production, collection of information, processing the data conduct calculation provide conclusion
s that helps in decision making. Main discussion is concern with the information information
technologies uses in all the businesses , ethical and social impacts of IT on society , impacts of
intranet and internet to the business organisation, how IT help the manager of all kind of
business in general. Then in 2nd half of the report the detail understanding on to the IT
technologies use in the retail businesses for this Tesco is considered. Social and ethical issues
faced by Tesco plc, How internet and intranet contribute in Tesco operations and How IT help
the manager of Tesco Plc to manager operations in best potentials (Lecerf and Omrani, 2020). As
IT plays very important role in expansion of business operational as computer can replace
multiple personnels and can work for 24/7 without having any human limitations. Companies
uses technologies to control over the employees, the combination of IT with human personnels
are deadly in nature. Small to big business use information Technologies as it help to collect
internal and external information such as the tracking the usage of the resources used in the
operation to the external factor as consumption trends as it create impacts on the business, small
business can also compete in large market with help of the Information.
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1. Types of software used by businesses
Business are engaged into activities consisting in the operation of the business such
activities can be classified into functions of the business organisation, such functions are
traditionally performed manually by human on paper which need very qualified and hard
working personnels, now days these things are shifted on to computer base system to fasten the
process and ease the method of operations.
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 Word processing programs:- A business majorly do recording activities to keep the
track on the organisation operation or to prepare professional document which need to be
prepared by all types of business such as letter of appoint, contracts or order for the
employees.
 Accounts software:- business have to prepare records according to the government
guidance, in most countries accounting in based on to the double entry book keeping
system and golden rules of accounts. Company prefer to using accounting software rather
than paper based , mostly tally is used by small firm and big companies have their self
designed software according to their need.
 Billing software:- All business provide their customers with bill as it is the obligations
from the commercial laws, company have shifted on to computer based bill generating
software so labour can be avoided as well as to reduce cost of operation, this software
uses barcode scanners to record the data about the things sold and generate digital bill
instantly.
 Payroll software:- As company operates with human resource, need to pay the salaries
in return of the services render by them for that need to keep the record of the work done
and obligation due on company so company uses payroll system to record and calculate
individuals salaries.
 Database software:- As company have websites operating all over the markets and
ordinarily business have to keep the databases which can be useful to prepare report or
can be refereed to resolve any conflicts and helpful in decision making in the future.
 Asset management software:- As company have both fixed and variable assets which
need to be managed in order to achieve optimum utilisation of the resources, it keep
records of all the assets from purchases till the life of that assets.
 Desktop publishing programs:-are the software company uses to make content which is
to be printed or published online for promotion or for representations. In past times
company hire artist or painter to make poster or drawn contents (Susanto, 2018). Now
normal people can be trained and hired to make such contents for the organisation.
2.2. Ethical and Social issues of IT
 Ethical issues of IT
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As some of the problems in relation to the morals and behaviour of humans not according to the
society principles, as information is provided online any tapering in the security will result in the
leakage of the personal information.
◦ No authenticity of the data :- As information is stored in digital formats the data
can be corrupted very easily without leaving any traces of the event happened
( Almasri and et.al., 2018). As if physical copy of data is temper it leaves the marking
and cuts in records.
◦ Misuse personal information:- data collected by the companies have one or more
categories of personal information that can be combined to known the full history of
the personal that can be disastrous for the banking departments as all the accounts
including bank have password reset option that ask personal information to unlock
and reset passwords.
◦ Competitors can take advantages of the situations:- As information system is a
electronic device which can be distributed or hacked by the competitor to know
internal secrets or to interrupt the functioning of the business (Roztocki, Soja and
Weistroffer, 2019). For example order taking system can be stopped so company
unable to process the order damaging the goodwill of the organisation.
 Social issues with information technologies
◦ Unequal treatment with public:- As Information technologies provider make
categorises of the user and accordingly access is provided to the features create a gap
in the society giving a feeling of differentiation among the public.
◦ Unemployment:- As more productivity information technologies is proving creating
demand replacing human resources creating more of the unemployment (Han and
Kim, 2019). More people are affecting in the dragging under poverty.
◦ Cyber bulling:- As more dependence on internet for the execution of the business,
evil people take advantages of wide access to the society to bully them using the
technologies .
◦ Cyber crime:- criminal are also getting active on these technologies to give their
intentions a physical shape through incorporating this techs in their evil plays such as
information thefts and misusing it to their own benefits.
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2.3. Impact of Internet and Intranet
Internet is the networks of networks providing access to the entire world from a
particular place through the help of client computer which can be any device which
allow us to surf on internet.
Positive
Fast and less costly communication:- As internet provide us with free or very
minimum priced communication option with all round world access through video
call or conferencing, emails, social media and WhatsApp.
 24/7 banking facilities:- As internet never shutdown providing bank with
24/7 online operating supports for websites and mobile apps, giving normal
people and business owners flexibility in payments.
 full access to the knowledge:- As in this information age all the user of
internet have access to the world of knowledge creating great opportunities
foe the success of the organisation.
Negative
 Fast spread of misinformation:- As internet provide fast communication
creating gate ways for miscommunication as people involved in such
activities use internet as weapon to spread misinformation.
 Hacking and spurious activities:- hacking community is existing in the
global world where all the information at risk and many time person
identities are theft and spurious activities noticed under their names.
 easy access to harmful content:- As terrorist group or the revolutionary
army of conflicted area try of pursued the public to intact in their planned
direction of groups.
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Intranet is the internal networks of computer and technological items such as it
provide accessibility to all the internal resources, communication within the circle
of the network it is mostly used in the organisation.
Positives
 Improves internal communication:- As internal communication is
established with help on intranet among the specified network as physical
communication have their own limitation.
 Help to find information:- As network allow every user to access the
authorised set of information to facilitate the growth and development of
individual mindset.
 Improve connectivity of hardware resources:- Through intranet one
expensive and powerful assets can share the power and utilise the common
resource among the large clients of computers.
Negative
 Security concerns:- As intranet act as weak spot for the security and hacker
take advantages to access to entire information in one go.
 High cost:- As organisation have to put more money to equipped the
infrastructure that support intranet in the organisation, company cannot
maintain that huge investment as require more funds to deal with any
defects.
 easy breakdown:- Technologies are dependent of energy supply and wire
support any damages to the connection can result in collapse, many natural
factors contribute in the down gradation of the society.
2.4. Impact of IT in helping managers to manage businesses
As management have to focus on to the over all business performance to
take constructive decision for the business (Muhammedrisaevna, Mubinovna and Kizi,
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2020). As business have a large scale of operations and investment it is not possible
for the single person to calculate multiple trends manually so management uses IT
is proper execution of the trends calculation make proper analysis and evaluations.
 IT provide a monitoring tools:- Through CCTV and monitor system, top
level management can see to all the activities which are going on in the
facilities of the organisation (Trencheva, 2022). Management uses IT to record
the performance and attendance of the employee in the organisation.
 IT provide a controlling tools:- As IT have controlling possibilities as well
through quick communication and speaker systems company management
can easily narrate the instruction for the workforces as by monitoring feed
back top management can direct the workforce to right direction.
 IT provide evaluation tools:- As recording is done on system using some
software can easily derive conclusion about the performance or the matter
which are of most concern in the management for proper profitability of the
organisation, This with the management expertise acts as miracles.
ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
3.1. Classifications of the computer software in the Tesco Plc.
As Tesco company is the UK biggest retail chain store operator, company uses most of
Information technologies in the operating business.
 Omni-channel Retail Platforms:- Are sever based application system which
synchronization among the all type of retail channels such as website, mobile application
and physical retail stores (Hermawan and et.al., 2021). This is mostly used by multi
channels market operators such as Tesco Plc company serve the public which physical
and online network through website and mobile app.
 E-commerce Platforms:- Tesco Plc works with third party E-commerce platforms to sell
their products, Local websites linked the store of Tesco to warehouse the products and
provide on demand to the delivery partners.
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 Retail ERP Systems:- Software full form is enterprise resource planning software is
most in use in the retail stores as company create individual module according to their
requirement of the organisation, Tesco operate it to manage the supply chain module to
manage optimum the balance in the timing of warehousing and stores (Moukadem,
2021). Management use it to manage the products according to the shelf life of the
products.
 Point of Sale (POS) Software:- Tesco Plc uses the POS software for on go transaction
through the delivery partner of the organisations, this system have all the features to
update the data regarding the inventory, sale through barcodes and QR codes scanning
technologies.
 Inventory Management Software:- Track the inventory in the store this software uses
data to synchronize the order of the products defecate in the storages, help to maintain
right batch on to the shelf according to the expiry date, invoicing and report generation is
the main furcation performed by his software.
 Payment Processing Software:- Tesco use multiple payment processing software to
take payment from customer and to pay to the manufacturers, as company need to main
function is to collect cash and pay the related parties on time with minimum transactions
rates.
3.2. Key ethical and social issues of IT in Tesco.
Tesco Plc Facing the following Social and ethical issues of IT:-
Ethical issue
 Tesco face continuos attacks to breach consumer databases by competitors:- As data
is the key for the success of the organisation, competitor hire hacker to steal important
data to improve their sales and marketing strategies and want to exploit the insider
information to create competitive edge.
 Tesco face sever breakdown of payment processing:- As Tesco operate on large scale
causing overload on to the sever which lead to the break down in the operation of the
business, company have to regularly raise the complain to the provider to maintain the
server.
Social issues
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 Staff are not well educated so training is needed to adapt the change:- As in UK the
trained personnels charge more, so company prefer hiring untrained staff and provide the
training to them operate on to the system provided by the organisation.
 Mishandling of device make charge on to the salaries of employees :- As any damage
made by the employee can be recovered from their salaries discourage them to work their
as sharing is common in work place so it is very difficult to identify the real person
caused damage.
3.3. Impact of Internet and Intranet on Tesco Plc.
 Impact of internet on to Tesco business
◦ Positive
▪ Expansion in the target market:- As internet provided with the businesses with
wider scope to sale in the market as internet provide access to the entire world of
consumers, Tesco have included new set of consumer which prefer purchasing
online over physical stores.
▪ Online translation help to increase the sales of the market:- As consumer feel
spending more when bill is paid in cash but when it is paid through internet
banking or solid card consumer spend more influencing the sales of the company.
◦ Negative
▪ Create easy access to market :- As website and warehousing operation is cheap
in respect to that of retail chain stores, other small competitors is reducing the
market share of Tesco plc.
▪ Hacker can attack and steal consumer data:- As internet is accessible to any
one through device enable to surf on internet hacker can enter in the databases can
misuse the data to exploit the consumer of Tesco Plc.
 Impact of intranet on Tesco
◦ Positive
▪ Low wastage of inventories :- Tesco have low wastage of inventories as
company intranet provide them with the exact information about the inventories
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and sales trends with respective place accordingly management transfer goods to
the places have higher sales trends.
▪ Improves coordination among the branches and provide information to
management:- Tesco chain is well coordinated with the help intranet
communication all the instruction reach to the destination within specified time
period (Asniarti and Muda, 2019). Management take proper decision with the
availability of the information regarding all the areas of all the stores all together
at one system.
◦ negative
▪ Need high maintenance for proper coordination:- This network is operated
within company so other player don't maintain the network company itself need to
maintain the infrastructure of the organisation.
▪ Intranet foster uncontrolled informal organisation:- As this network grant free
access with the organisation employee communicate with them self creating
group which can hinder the growth of the organisation.
3.4. Role of IT helping mangers to manage businesses of Tesco.
As Tesco PLC is the public limited company,which is consisted of the owner spread over very
large area (Bayram, 2018). So the control of the company is in the hand of Board of directors
which consist of the elected member.
 IT used to manage funds for the company:-IT is used to communicate with the share
holders of the company, Stock exchange also uses IT to sell and purchase the share of the
company.
 IT acts as venue for Board of meetings:- IT is used to organise the board of meeting to
distance through video conferences and video calls , screen sharing is use to present the
presentation in meetings.
 IT provide information by monitoring on to factors of productions :- Tesco use
Information technologies to monitor the functioning of all the facilities at one place
without involving in visiting activities reduce the workload.
 IT have advance tools for evaluation of data:- Management use the help of the tools to
evaluate huge data of the company to reach at the most effective decision which can be
profitable to all the parties involved in the business of Tesco Plc.
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CONCLUSION
From the following report the conclusion can be derived that business in
now days cannot operate without information technologies, as it can boost up the
performance as well as reduce the time of operation (Utami and Yulianto, 2019). IT
can increase the efficiency of any kind of businesses, many types of technologies
are available in the market which is accessible for small business as well.
Company get effected from IT ethically and socially both positive and negative.
Business also have impacts of intranet and internet of the business operation and
market. IT no doubt provide the best of their potentials in the management
assistance by acting as monitoring, controlling and evaluating tools for
management. Tesco Plc is the UK largest chain of retailers which is highly
dependent on to the information technologies to operate on to this scale and
competitor take advantage of the drawbacks of internet and intranet to hamper
there business for their own profits. Management take full advantages of IT in
management of the business using all in a way that business boost it profits and
areas of operation to the highest levels. Management use the tool as to monitor,
controller and evaluator of the situations of the businesses.
References:
Books and Journals
Almasri, A., El Talla, S.A., Abu-Naser, S.S. and Al Shobaki, M.J., 2018. The Organizational
Structure and its Role in Applying the Information Technology Used In the Palestinian
Universities-Comparative Study between Al-Azhar and the Islamic Universities.
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Asniarti, A. and Muda, I., 2019, May. The effect of computer assisted audit tools on operational
review of information technology audits. In 1st International Conference on Social
Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies (ICSSIS 2018) (pp. 23-27). Atlantis Press.
Bayram, A.K.A.Y., 2018. The Use of Information Technologies (IT) in Car Rental
Businesses. Social Sciences Researches in the Globalizing World, p.411.
Han, J.H. and Kim, H.M., 2019. The role of information technology use for increasing consumer
informedness in cross-border electronic commerce: An empirical study. Electronic
Commerce Research and Applications, 34, p.100826.
Hermawan, S., Biduri, S., Ningdiyah, E.W. and Puspitasari, R., 2021, February. Computer self
efficacy, the availability of information technology facilities, and accounting student
attitude. In Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Vol. 1779, No. 1, p. 012050). IOP
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Lecerf, M. and Omrani, N., 2020. SME internationalization: The impact of information
technology and innovation. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 11(2), pp.805-824.
Moukadem, A., 2021. The impact of automation and information technology on the accounting
profession in Lebanon.
Muhammedrisaevna, T.M., Mubinovna, R.F. and Kizi, M.N.U., 2020. The role of information
technology in organization and management in tourism. Academy, (4 (55)), pp.34-35.
Roztocki, N., Soja, P. and Weistroffer, H.R., 2019. The role of information and communication
technologies in socioeconomic development: towards a multi-dimensional
framework. Information Technology for Development, 25(2), pp.171-183.
Susanto, A., 2018, June. The Influence of Information Technology on the Quality of Accounting
Information System. In Proceedings of the 2018 2nd High Performance Computing and
Cluster Technologies Conference (pp. 109-115).
Trencheva, M., 2022. SOFTWARE PRODUCTS IN ACCOUNTING TRAINING.
In INTED2022 Proceedings (pp. 882-887). IATED.
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