Introduction to information technology

Please all references in Harvard style

Introduction to
Information Technology

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Information technology is an important aspect for all the companies as to work in a
modern world where technologies has been changed on continuous basis. Usage of information
technology makes an easiest environment within the business as it saves a lot of time and imparts
accuracy and consistency within the business. This report includes the brief analysis and
discussion about the study of roles of information technology, different types of networking
technologies, importance of internet and intranet and social and ethical issues. With that also
discussed the brief analysis of different stages of life cycle of system development and types of
information system.

Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................1
Discuss the role of IT in the success or failure of a business......................................................1
Find ethical and social issues that pertain to running business...................................................3
Identify and differentiate between different types of networking technologies.........................4
Discuss the importance of Intranet and internet in the business................................................6
List and explain the different stages of system development life cycle......................................7
ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION...................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................10
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INTRODUCTION
Information technology embrace the study of computers or any of the telecommunication
advancement that is used by the companies to strengthen the performance and productivity of the
business. Information technology defines that process and devices that manges the creation,
gathering, dissemination and storage of the data (Aasheim, 2019). IT helps the business in
survive and succeed in the modern world as it plays an essential role in modern life. IT enhances
the productivity of the company by increasing the efficiency and effectiveness as it saves the
time, cost and effort. This report is based on the Aviva plc that is the British multinational
insurance company and have the headquarter in London, UK and found in 2000. Aviva plc is one
of the most largest insurer company that also provides the pensions as well. This report includes
different aspects of role of IT in the business with that defines the ethical and social issues that
pertain in the business. Furthermore, includes the different types of networking technologies that
has been used by the Aviva plc. After that includes the importance of intranet and internet, and
then defines the different stages of the system development life cycle.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Discuss the role of IT in the success or failure of a business.
As per the viewpoint of Abid Afzal.b, 2015, information technology has different role in
the success of the business. Innovation brings something new and smarter that imparts positive
nature and value within the production that would improvised by using information techniques
(Bannon, 2018). As of today's scenario cloud computing, online shopping, digital marketing,
digital communication, social networking etc. are the major changes that has been existed due to
advancement of information technology. Aviva plc could achieve their target within the specific
period of time and with that maintains the long time durability with the help to IT. Optimised
result has been achieved by the business by using IT are as business planning, efficacious
marketing, systematic management, consumer support, real time monitoring, global sales and
many other factors as well. IT in business has several importance as it provides accuracy within
the company. It has been analysed within the two decade that the company who invest in
information technology that company gains the large market share. IT provides the opportunities
to analyse the financial and other factor of the business to measure the future goals of the
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company and with that company make the plan to overcome from the different situation.
Technologies plays the vital role in the success of the Aviva plc that is as defined as: Decision making: To develop and inserts the right decision within the business speed and
accuracy are the major factors (Campbell, 2018). If the company wants to achieve the
growth and development within the business then they must inserts the best decision
strategy at right time. Market research can be performed by the Aviva plc by using online
survey, group discussion with the help of world wide web, blogs etc. Business also uses
big data, Microsoft CRM dynamics and google analytics to get the real time response to
minimise the risk that is normally happened by human errors. Marketing and business growth: Marketing is the heart of every business with that target
audience is being marked with that market trends and need would also analysed. Digital
marketing is the modern approach that is used by the Aviva plc for to promote the
product and services of the business. It also concludes search by engines, pay per click,
emails, SMS, smartphones advertisement etc. On current scenario web market has a great
boom and many of the companies attempts that to gain the long time success and
growth(Davies, 2018). Provides growth and success: As per today's scenario the growth and success of all the
business depends upon the usage of information technology within the business. The
company would develops the marketing strategy after collecting the information related
to the market trends. For that Aviva plc uses latest and upgraded technologies to extend
their sales and profit. As Aviva plc is an insurance provider company thus they most
emphasised to promote their services the market. With that company raises more
awareness in the market and try to grab the attention of maximum customers. By using
information technology within the business company gains more and more profit and get
the success and obtains all the competitive advantage.
 Enhance sale: By using information technology within the business Aviva plc spread
more cognizance in the market about the different services that is offered by them for the
customers. With that company enhance their sales and profit along with that satisfy the
need and demand of the customer by providing the required services to the customers.
Aviva plc also offers the best and unique services to the customers and with that try to
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attract more of the customers and thus maintains sustainability within the business
(Gelinas, 2019).
Thus Aviva plc gets the help by using different information technology within the
business and creates more easiness and smoothness in the business.
Find ethical and social issues that pertain to running business.
As per the viewpoint of Kenneth V. oster, 2019,Information technology helps the
business to induce more smoothness and clarity within the business. Whereas, as per the use of
IT in Aviva plc the business must faced different issues related to the ethics and social. For that
company must ensures that this issues has been resolved from the business thus company's
performance doesn't get affected in a negative aspects. Ethical issues defines the accommodating
diversity, sexual harassment, inequality in the wages, racial discrimination etc. For that Aviva
plc provides the best and clear atmosphere to the employees with that resolve all the
complexities from the business by which employees feels more free and comfort (Hills, 2018).
Whereas, social issues are the issues that includes the social responsibilities, individual rights,
environmental protection, safety and security of employees, equality of opportunity and
many more. The social and ethical issues that is related to the business are as defined below as:
Ethical issues: These are the issues that has been generated or related to the satisfactory
level of the employees and the company. The ethical issues that has been generated in Aviva plc
by the use of IT are as follows as: Breach of privacy: It is necessary for Aviva plc to inserts the use of IT within the
business as this is the best platform that helps them to spread more and more awareness
in the market. As Aviva plc is one of the most largest insurer company thus they manage
most of their business by using information technologies (Kaddoura, 2020). Thus
company also ensures that data must not be breached as there is high risk to manage the
data and keep it safe and secure. For that top level management of the business ensures
that data of all the individual remains confidential and only uses by the company as per
the requirement.
 Action against public interest: It relates to the condition in which data has been lost or
vanished by the company as per the usage of IT. Thus company prohibits the usage of the
data and keeps the data safe that create more easiness for the customers, employees, staff
and the company as well. For that Aviva plc must develop copies of the customers data
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with that if one of the copy has been missed then company must have some other copy as
well.
Social issues: It is related to the issues that will be generated by the company for the
society that are as defined below as: Identify theft: It is the most rare issue that is generated in the market as some other
person call the customer as per the name of company agent and then further misuse that
details (Kerr, 2020). For that it is Aviva plc identifies those peps who perform that all
functions and try to make the healthy relationship between the customers and the
employees by present all that theft to police.
 Hacking: It includes the usage of personal data of the people as unauthorised manner for
that Aviva plc makes sure that no one can hack the personal details of the customers.
Thus company develop the new team within the company that has the specialist of
software handlers and also have technical support staff that prevents the company data
and ensures that it can't be misused.
Identify and differentiate between different types of networking technologies.
As per the viewpoint of Stephane bourgeois, 2016, Networking technologies are the
different techniques that helps the company to builds and expand the network of the company.
Networking connects the different areas that helps the Aviva plc to expand their business on
larger scale (Koong, 2020). As IT department helps the company to use wireless networks or
control and manage different data. There are different type of networking technologies that are as
explained below as:
Local area networks: This is the networks that works on a limited geographical area of
approximately about the range of 2 miles with that company could make a strong connection
between the operators of offices or the buildings. It worked with the speed of around 10,100 or
1000 MBPS with that it strongly covers and connects the small areas. It is used to connect the
group of computers for that Aviva must use routers to keep safely transferred the data's of the
customer from one operator to other (Kuang, 2018).
Wide area networks: It is a network that is quite more complex then the local area
networks. With t hat company might connect the computers or the operators all across the longer
distance as in this the devices would be handled or managed by the remote. Thus Aviva plc must
controls all the other operators by their own for example internet services.
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Metropolitan area networks: It is a network that is more larger as compare to local area
networks but very less as compare to the wide area networks. It has been used for the particular
geographical area as like in the city or the town and people uses that by taking the ownership as
might be individual or the group (Logan, 2020).
Wireless local area networks: It is a network that is used for as wireless network
technologies as like Wi-Fi and it doesn't need any physical connector or cables to connect the
different networks.
Basis Local Area Network
(LAN)
Metropolitan Area
Network (MAN)
Wide Area Network
(WAN)
What it is In this computer
systems will be
connected that is of in
same building or an
office.
It has quite more larger
networks and connects
different organisation of
same geographical
networks (Long, 2018).
It is quite more larger as
compare to the local area
networks as it connects
more that two LAN
networks in a particular
geographical area.
Distance
covered
It covers of almost
around 200 meters.
It has quite more and large
connectivity thus works
with approx 100-200
kilometres.
This networks connects
with approx the range of
1000 kilometres.
Speed It works with the
highest speed and
accuracy as approx
10,100 and 1000 MBPS
speed.
It works with the speed of
approx 100 MBPS.
It works with the speed of
approx 1.5 MBPS and
connect the wider networks
service.
Technologies It uses as like optical It would also be used by It uses the coaxial cable,
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used fibre cables, twisted
cables as well.
fibre cables or the twisted
cables.
twisted pair and wireless
(Madon, 2018).
Discuss the importance of Intranet and internet in the business.
As per the viewpoint of Josh Fredman, 2020, Intranet and internet are the different
sources that could be used by the information technology of the company. Intranet helps the
company as it provides the secure space for to store the different data that has been collected by
the company by the customers. Whereas, internet is being used by the company to provide a
platform with that employees easily use search engine as per the help to get over from the
different ongoing issues as from they get the exact and relevant information (Rajaraman, 2018).
Internet is the network that is open for all to use as per their requirement and to collect
and analyse different information as per the need. It helps an individual to resolve the normal
issues as of someone wants to find something then they directly go to the internet and search that
and within the same time they get the information back.
Importance of internet: There are different importance of internet on everybody's life
whereas, it plays an important role in Aviva plc as well these are as defined below as: Research: With the usage of internet Aviva plc, gets a lot of help as employees get an
help to search any of the information as per the need and requirement of the business.
Information has been collected of the rivals or the competitors as they get to know as
what they are doing to grab the attention of customers. With that Aviva plc develops
different strategies to gain the competitive advantage and also collects the feedbacks of
the people that helps to develops the strong relationship with the customers.
 Communication: Internet has been used by the Aviva plc in order to develops the strong
relation with the customers by making communication with them. It has done by using
different video and audio calling and company also drop SMSs to the peoples to establish
the business on larger scale (Stover, 2019).
Intranet is a private and the local networks that has been used by the companies in order to link
all the other operators that are working in the business. It has been as for data storage, internal
communication between the employees, sharing of resources and many other as well.
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Importance of Intranet: There are different importance of intranet and it plays an important
role in Aviva plc as well these are as defined below as: Resource sharing: It has been used by the Aviva plc to share the different information
within the company with that the data will remains safe and secure and also imparts
better relationship between the employees.
 Better internal communication: It relates with the interaction that employees have while
solving different problems in an effective manner. It includes the calls and the mails that
company make to their customers and to their employees as well to emphasis the better
environment.
List and explain the different stages of system development life cycle.
As per the viewpoint of Motea Alwan, 2015, System development life cycle describes the
entire process that has been performed within the organisation. In this the work has been divided
into different slots to perform the work in an effective and efficient manner. There are different
stages of system development of life cycle that are as explained below as:
(Source: What is System development life cycle, 2019)
Planning: It is one of the most important stage of Aviva plc in this the research and
development department will analysed al the different issue that will affects the performance of
the company. It is also used by the company even when they try to launch something new in the
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business. Then the manager will performs all the analysis and plan the appropriate strategies by
which company gains the competitive advantage. As R&D department identifies all the strengths
and weakness of the business and develops market opportunities to measure the success
(Taherdoost, 2018).
Analysing: This has been done by the top level management of the Aviva plc with that it
is the responsibility of the managers to analyse all the different situation of the business in a
systematic manner. With that they provide accurate directions to all the employees to achieve
their target within the targeted period and thus company also achieve their target in effective
manner.
System design: It is the different design or structure that is followed by the company that
are as networks, database and the application that is used by the company. Thus executives of the
company ensures that company achieve all the target or not as per the SRS system. It is a
structure that have all the information related to the different functions that is performed in the
business.
Implementation: It is the responsibility of IT department to manage all the different
aspects of the technology and removes the different errors of the business.
Support/ maintenance: It is the another department that manages the different functions
and provides the support and helps to induces the changes in the software within the specified
period.
ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
Information technology is helpful for the company AVIVA plc as it helps in storing and
processing the information for the further transaction by using different systems or networkings.
In context of AVIVA, information technology aids in gaining accuracy and improve the sales of
company by taking appropriate decisions. Various systems are in used by them to manage all the
business information as management information system and decision support system is highly
used by them. Also, various types of networking technologies which is necessary for IT
department of AVIVA plc to provide reliability as well as transmission so that they managed as
well as shares central devices as well (Zurawski, 2018). Mostly LAN as a networking
technology is used for the better connectivity. In addition, manager of AVIVA plc identify
several issues in order to effective management of informational flow and which need to be
tackled for getting optimum results. The use of intranet and internet both are essential for
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AVIVA plc in order to connects or communicates people inside the organisation as well as
communicate across the border as well.
CONCLUSION
It has been concluded by the above report that IT plays an important role in the growth
and development of the business. It helps the business to manages different activities as like data
base management, builds strong communication and many more. With that includes the different
social and ethical issue that is pertained by the company and further describes the importance of
intranet and internet that would enhance the performance of the company. Along with that
defines the system development of life cycle of Aviva plc.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Aasheim, C.L., Li, L. and Williams, S., 2019. Knowledge and skill requirements for entry-level
information technology workers: A comparison of industry and academia. Journal of
information systems education. 20(3). p.10.
Bannon, L., Bardzell, J. and Bødker, S., 2018. Introduction: Reimagining participatory design—
Emerging voices. ACM Transactions on Computer-Human Interaction (TOCHI). 25(1).
pp.1-8.
Campbell, R., Martin, C. and Fabos, B., 2018. Media essentials: A brief introduction.
Bedford/St. Martin's.
Davies, A., 2018. The Management/Union Relationship in the Introduction of New Technology.
In The Management Implications of New Information Technology (pp. 172-185).
Routledge.
Gelinas, U.J., Sutton Jr, S.G. and Federowicz, J., 2019. Business processes and information
technology.
Hills, J., 2018. Information technology and industrial policy. Routledge.
Kaddoura, S., 2020. Developing a Green Curriculum for Introduction to Information Technology
Course. In Sustainable Development and Social Responsibility—Volume 2 (pp. 49-52).
Springer, Cham.
Kerr, D., Troth, A. and Pickering, A., 2020. The use of role-playing to help students understand
information systems case studies. Journal of Information Systems Education. 14(2). p.6.
Koong, K.S., Liu, L.C. and Liu, X., 2020. A study of the demand for information technology
professionals in selected internet job portals. Journal of Information Systems Education.
13(1). p.4.
Kuang, W., 2018. An Introduction to New Media. In Social Media in China (pp. 3-23). Palgrave
Macmillan, Singapore.
Logan, P.Y., 2020. Crafting an undergraduate information security emphasis within information
technology.Journal of Information Systems Education. 13(3). p.3.
Long, R.J., 2018. New office information technology: Human and managerial implications.
Routledge.
Madon, S. and Krishna, S., 2018. The Digital Challenge: Information Technology in the
Development Context: Information Technology in the Development Context. Routledge.
Rajaraman, V., 2018. Introduction to Information Technology. PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd..
Stover, W.J., 2019. Information technology in the third world: Can IT lead to humane national
development?. Routledge.
Taherdoost, H., 2018. A review of technology acceptance and adoption models and theories.
Procedia manufacturing. 22. pp.960-967.
Zurawski, R., 2018. The industrial information technology handbook. CRC press.
ONLINE
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