Importance of Information Technology in Business

The provided assignment delves into the importance of information technology (IT) in business, highlighting its role in maintaining and managing firm records, examining success and failure levels, and transmitting data. It discusses how IT depends on various factors and social and ethical issues can be addressed through finding ways to run business operations smoothly. The document aims to provide insights into the significance of IT in modern businesses, making it a valuable resource for students and professionals alike.

Introduction to
Information Technology

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................1
Role of Information Technology (IT) in the success or failure of Marriott International
Limited...................................................................................................................................1
Ethical and social issues that pertain to running businesses...................................................2
Identify and differentiate between various types of networking technologies.......................3
ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION...................................................................................................5
FINDINGS.......................................................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
Information technology is use of computers, network and other physical evidence, kinds
of infrastructure and processes to build, store and secure all devices in form of electronic data
and information. Information technology is use for purpose of enterprise operations rather than
personal or entertainment technologies. This report is based on Marriott which is an American
multinational diversified hospitality based organisation that manages and deals in a great brand
portfolio of hotels and lodging facilities. This report is based on role and importance of
information technology and it also includes ethical and social issues that helps in smooth running
of a business. It also includes kinds of various network technologies and their role and
importance in organisational growth and enhancement.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Role of Information Technology (IT) in the success or failure of Marriott International Limited
According to the Garvey 2014, Information technology is utilise to transmit, store,
receive as well as manipulate data in respect of business enterprises. The role of IT is fully
dependent upon various factors like systematic change process, administration support, system
modification and so on. This can be analysed that such firm do not invest funds in technology
and choose appropriate way of innovation so that they can maximise their market share, financial
information as well as all competitiveness. Role of IT into business is to facilitate opportunities
in examining particular data as well as plans related to effective organisational activities. Also,
this can be used to store, handle and develop information for the firm. This is considered as a set
of tools that can aids in facilitating relevant information to individuals at correct time.
Information technology is not the solution for all the problems, it perform for person and handle
its personal data in effectual way. Various company utilise IT for effective communication with
its staff members, suppliers, partners, investors, consumers and many more. There are many
ways that assists in describing the role of IT into the success of Marriott International Limited
which are mentioned below:
 Effectual way of communication: In case IT is effective so it can impact the activity of
business communication in appropriate way. It will assists in minimising huge problems
as well as errors at the time of interacting with other individuals over the world. Marriott
International need to upgrade its technology and system on regular basis as this aids in
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improving the growth of business at global level through grabbing the attentions of
various guests or consumers.
 Decision making: The firm need to take decisions about system accuracy as well as
speed. All company have to move through the process of comprehensive market research
which aids management in making appropriate decisions. Marriott International Limited
is applying online method which do not facilitates real time response to customers but
this will assure the information accuracy that minimises the risk of individuals errors.
 Improvement in sales: Marriott International Limited are capable to maintain as well as
handle their management of marketers when they has upgraded information technology
(Sutton and McCallum, 2012). Many time this will aids in obviating large problems and
errors while storing the inventories into firm or hotels.
 Appropriate project management: IT assists in handling and managing the data of the
company so it will directly or indirectly effects on their operations of business in
effectual way. Appropriate management of project facilitates effectual maintenance,
manage budgets as well as handling the stocks of different products or services such as
bedsheets, goods used in food and many more of Marriott International Limited.
 Marketing and business growth: the business success is depends upon company's
marketing strategies where they can target its customers towards latest trends, services as
well as requirements. Within Marriott International Limited, the marketing activities
includes promotion,public relation, advertisements, sales and so on which directly or
indirectly effect on the growth of business. With the assistance of information
technology, they can communicate with its consumers about new services as well as
satisfy its requirements or demands.
Ethical and social issues that pertain to running businesses
Within Marriott International Limited, there are many ethical as well as social issues that
occurs into business which are mentioned below:
Security: According to Turel, this is one of the major issue that rise into company
because of poor services security in hotels. It becomes easy for the hackers to hack or steal the
information of the firm and also it utilise IP address for hacking the system of respective
company in order to gather information for personal reasons. In case of online transactions, the
hackers interrupt system to transfer the client paid amount into its personal accounts which
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effects consumers and bank who utilising technology. Marriott International Limited should also
concentrate on its security problems as this will damage its administration when the money or
data will hack through few individuals for wrongful practices.
Software piracy: This is the term that can be utilise to explain the act of illegal coying,
distribution as well as software utilisation without any lawful rights. It is somehow risky for
Marriott International Limited as hackers can hack its software easily in order to get information
fro performing the inappropriate activity. They hack the information of legally protected
software device that develop huge impact upon operations of the business.
Social Issues:
Job displacement: It is considered as a losses of involuntary job because of various
factors of economy like economic downturns and this is made effort for developing information
in all over nation (Tarafdar, Gupta and Turel, 2015). Within Marriott International Limited, loss
of job will formed impact on the growth of business as staff are doing work for obtaining more
profit as well as revenue.
Utilising networking to advantages: This is considered as a major social issue for
company as it play essential role into business functions and operations. When bad networking
rise within Marriott International Limited so it will develop a negative impact upon managing
whole expected clients data as well a details. Networking assists company in developing business
connection with its customers all over the nation. In case they are not able to manage and
maintained such problems so it many impact on consumers transactions as well as services of
bad network may irritate its guest.
Identify and differentiate between various types of networking technologies.
As per the view of Bradley Mitchell (2019) , networking and information technology are
very important attributes in organisational growth and enhancement (Acemoglu, 2012). It
responsible for regular or continuous operations of a business by providing personal area
network(PAN), Local area network(LAN) and Wide area network(WAN) with wireless local
area networks, various kinds of storage area networks that helps an organisation to save their
data and information in specified manner. There are kinds of technologies and systems that are as
follows:
Personal area network:
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Personal area network is interconnected network of knowledge and information within
kinds of devices in range of an individual. This kind of personal area network are interconnected
without using wires to internet and other networks. It is also known as Wireless personal area
network which mostly function wirelessly (Aral, Dellarocas and Godes, 2013). It also very
important network technology that helps to connect and communicate with other nearby
computers and transmission digital networks by using electricity. It is basically useful for small
area and easily operated by one person and not require too much maintenance.
Local area network:
Local area network is a group of computers and link with various devices to share a
common communication line or wireless to connect with server. A LAN consist of computers
that connected with a strong server in a specified geographical area in which office or a limited
commercial sphere. LAN area network use for purpose of share resources in which printer or
various network devices.
Wide area network:
A wide area network is a network which spread in a large scale geographical area. It
connects various smaller networks in which local areas and metro areas consist in it (Holtshouse,
2013.). It work in case of when computers and users works in one location and easily deliver
knowledge and information by using computers and other devices. That network works with the
public transmission or by private network.
Wireless local area network:
A wireless local area network that provides a wireless communication network mostly for
short distance by using radio and other signals rather than traditional network cable (Marchewka,
2014.). It is similar to local area network which connects computers or other devices, wireless
network protocol and Wi-Fi or Bluetooth device. It provides network which is a major concern
which is major concern with WLANs.
Storage area network:
A storage area network is a high speed network or subnetwork that helps in sharing
networks that are interconnected to each other and shared pools of information to various
servers. It moves from the storage knowledge and information and work as an independent, high
qualitative performance network (Rainer and et.al ., 2013.). It helps in shared network as it direct
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connects with host device and sends it into block based access. It assembled with three major
principles in which cabling, host bus adapters and network switches to deal in direct manner.
Metropolitan area network:
Metropolitan area network similar to local area network but it can spread its services in
entire city or a large campus. It mainly focus on connecting and delivering knowledge and
information with multiple local area networks. Therefore MANs are large area network and LAN
is an small area network. It is most efficient and effective way for fast and accurate
communication by speed carriers by fibre optical cables. It is ideal for medium size of network
and use for maintain high speed data connection networking in cities and towns.
These are most efficient and effective kind of services networks that give suitable platform in
sharing knowledge and information by using that devices and networks. There use depends on
organisation to organisation with their using scope.
ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
Information technology is an important aspect for every organisation to keep their data
and information in safe and secure manner and it is also useful for sharing knowledge and
information to their potential user (Rao and Nayak, 2014.). There are kinds of network that
helps to organisation in giving privacy and accuracy, in case of Marriott they use kinds of
network that are interconnected to each other so that they can share all relevant data. Information
technology in case of Marriott helps in communicate and know their taste and preferences and
accordingly provide products and services. On other hand by social media which runs through
information technology enables to know their views and build services accordingly.
There are some disadvantage of information technology that it is sometimes costly which
every organisation can not apply it and lose their clients. In case of Marriott they use cloud
computing which run by using online password that helps in securing data from hackers.
FINDINGS
From the above discussion it has been analysed that information technology is one of
most important attribute or tool that helps in sharing knowledge and information to right people
at right time. Success of business rely on choice of right network and strategic decisions that
helps in gain income or revenue in proper manner (Schwalbe, 2015.). By ethical norms that give
direction to organisation and helps in build customer loyalty. In case of Marriott by using
information and technology they save their precious knowledge and information from various
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unethical beings. For maintaining good image in market and provide products according to
consumer demand they use social networking to enlarge business opportunities. Bringing
advance technologies and tools are very much essential for organisation to remain always
competitive in marketplace.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it has been concluded that information technology play essential
role in all industry. As this aids in maintaining and managing the firm records in appropriate
way. The role of IT also helps in examining the success as well as failure level of company. IT is
used for transmitting, receiving, storing as well as manipulating data of the business enterprise.
Information technology is depends on various factor and also through finding social and ethical
issues, the company can run its business operations and functions smoothly.
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REFERENCES
Books and journals:
Acemoglu, D., 2012. Introduction to economic growth. Journal of economic theory. 147(2).
pp.545-550.
Aral, S., Dellarocas, C. and Godes, D., 2013. Introduction to the special issue—social media and
business transformation: a framework for research. Information Systems Research.
24(1). pp.3-13.
Garvey, W.D., 2014. Communication: the essence of science: facilitating information exchange
among librarians, scientists, engineers and students. Elsevier
Holtshouse, D.K., 2013. Information technology for knowledge management. Springer Science &
Business Media.
Marchewka, J.T., 2014. Information technology project management. John Wiley & Sons.
Rainer, R.K.,and et.al ., 2013. Introduction to information systems. John Wiley & Sons.
Rao, U.H. and Nayak, U., 2014. The InfoSec handbook: An introduction to information security.
Apress.
Schwalbe, K., 2015. Information technology project management. Cengage Learning.
Sutton, C. and McCallum, A., 2012. An introduction to conditional random fields. Foundations
and Trends® in Machine Learning. 4(4). pp.267-373.
Tarafdar, M., Gupta, A. and Turel, O., 2015. Special issue on'dark side of information
technology use': an introduction and a framework for research. Information Systems
Journal. 25(3). pp.161-170.
Online
Introduction to Information Technology 2019. [online] Available through:
<https://www.lifewire.com/introduction-information-technology-817815>.
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