Role of IT in Businesses: A Case Study of Debenhams

This report discusses the role of information technology (IT) in businesses, with a specific focus on Debenhams. It explores the importance of IT in enhancing company revenue and improving customer experience. The report also addresses the ethical and social issues associated with the use of IT, different types of networks, and the significance of intranet and internet.

Report

Executive Summary
Information technology is the use of computer system so that data and information can be
efficiently stored, processed or shared which help in enhancing the way in which it is used so as
to achieve business decisions. With the advancement in technology and increasing need of
storing and protecting a large data base of companies the use of IT has increased which has
enhanced the efficiency of companies in achieving its objectives. In this report the role of IT in
businesses is discussed so that IT can be efficiently utilised that can help in enhancing company
revenue and improving customer experience. Further the ethical and social issues that are faced
by using IT in businesses will also be discussed in this report. Various types of networks that
companies can use to connect their computers and the importance of intranet and internet is also
explained in this report.

Table of Contents
Executive Summary.........................................................................................................................2
Table of Contents.............................................................................................................................3
1. Introduction............................................................................................................................4
2. Literature Review...................................................................................................................4
Role of IT in any business......................................................................................................4
Ethics and social issues of IT in any business........................................................................5
Networks and their types........................................................................................................6
Intranet and Internet...............................................................................................................6
Software Development Life Cycle.........................................................................................7
3. Analysis and Discussion.........................................................................................................8
Role of IT in Debenhams.......................................................................................................8
Ethics and social issues of IT in Debenhams.........................................................................9
Networks and their types in Debenhams................................................................................9
Intranet and Internet in Debenhams.....................................................................................10
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................10
References......................................................................................................................................11

1. Introduction
Information Technology (IT) is the use of computers or any networking or storage
devices which are use to process, create, store, secure and exchange data or information and
encompasses the use of computer technology. IT is used by businesses so that automation of
various processes can be done which can help in increasing the accuracy with which information
is stored, processed or exchanged. It help the businesses in efficiently fulfilling customer
demands with the use of IT, fulfil the regulatory requirements and conduct commercial
transactions in an effective manner so that efficiency can increase which help in reducing
wastage and increasing company revenue (Avgerou and Walsham, 2017). In this report the role
and importance of IT in businesses with specific focus on Debenhams will be discussed.
Debenhams is an international British retailer which deals in range products like clothing,
household items and furniture. The company has its headquarters in London, UK. The report will
discuss about the role of IT in the company, the ethical and social issues related to the use of IT,
various networks that are used by the company etc. so that a broad understanding about the
importance of IT in business can be developed.
2. Literature Review
Role of IT in any business
As per the views of Ashley, 2019, IT plays an important role in the operations and
functions of all the businesses irrespective of their sizes as it helps in the efficient storage,
processing and transmission of information within and outside the organization so that the
information or data can be used in achieving company goal and objectives. IT helps the
businesses in becoming more productive, improving the performance of its workers, influencing
effective managerial decision making, using information in an effective manner so that wastage
can be reduced and profits can be increased. With the use of information technology the effective
expansion of businesses can take place as the staff which is located in different geographical
location can access to the company information so that the business can run smoothly. It also
helps in establishing effective communication within an organization which result in better
collaboration and coordination among employees so that they can perform their tasks sin an
efficient manner (Price and Shanks, 2016). Virtual meetings can also be efficiently held by the
company so that international organizations can run smoothly with effective decision making. IT

also helps in improving customer experience through improved customer service, customized
marketing or e-commerce so that the convenience of customer shopping can be increased and a
better knowledge about their needs and wants can be developed. Company branding can be
increased through the online marketing which can help in increasing customer base. Secure entry
systems and wireless cameras can be used by businesses to ensure high security from theft or
loss of confidential information. Cloud computing can also be used by companies so that a large
amount of data can be efficiently stored so that paper waste can be reduced while ensuring
security and easy backup for data. Companies can also use IT in enhancing the way recruitment
is done so that potential candidate pool can be efficiently reached and staffing needs can be
fulfilled.
Ethics and social issues of IT in any business
As per the views of Jessica, 2019, as information technology is being increasingly used in
companies it is important that the ethical and social issues with the use of IT are considered so
that the companies can more efficiently use it without falling off the legal limits of using IT.
With the help of IT businesses can efficiently make use of information so that better decisions
can be made that can help in increasing company revenue and reducing the wastage which is
done during business operations and processes. There are various ethical and social issues related
with the use of IT like personal privacy, access right, patents etc. IT helps the companies to have
their own hardware, operating system and software tools to access the servers that are connected
top each other and to the users by a network. As the information get exchanged at a large level
using these networks the chances of leak of personal information about the users increase
(Brooks and Pomerantz, 2017). This allows the companies to know about the personal interests
of their customers so that they can market their products and services to attract more customers.
With the evolution of electronic payments and e-commerce the chances of unauthorized access
to customer bank accounts has increased which makes the services insecure and is related to
cyber crime. Unethical use of computer devices can also lead to the hacking of systems which
can result in loss of important information, loss of ownership etc. which can negatively impact
both the business and its stakeholders. Fraud and misuse can also be done by various businesses
with the help of IT that can affect the privacy and security of stakeholders which is a social issue
of increased use of IT. Thus it can be said that with the increased use of IT the ethical and social

issues have also increased that can lead to negative impacts on the stakeholders of company and
can also lose the interest and trust of customers in the use of IT by businesses.
Networks and their types
As per the views of Stephane, 2016, a network help in connecting two or more computers
so that they can share files, resources and allow electronic communications by the way of cables,
telephone lines, radio waves, satellites or infrared light beams. There are four types of computer
networks that are commonly used in order to link the computers and ease sharing of information
between them which are LAN, MAN, WAN, PAN. Local area network (LAN) is a group of
computers which are connected in a small area such as building, office etc. This is the most
commonly used type of network which is used and is also less expensive to be installed and also
the simplest type of network that is used in businesses (Cerretani, Iturrioz and Garay, 2016). The
numbers of computers that are linked in LAN are limited and they are connected through a
communication medium such as twisted pair, coaxial cable etc. As the computers that are
connected are in vicinity of each other the transmission of data is very quick. Personal area
network (PAN) is a network which is individually built and the range of network is within 10
meters. In this network the computer systems is linked to other personal electronic devices like
mobile phone, play station etc. and is being increasingly used by youngsters. The connection can
be done through wireless networks like wifi, Bluetooth etc. while wired can also be used in order
to link the devices like USB cable. Metropolitan area network (MAN) helps in covering a larger
geographic area by interconnecting different LAN networks so that a large network can be
created. This network is used by government agencies so that citizens are connected to private
industries. Wide area network (WAN) can help in covering large geographic areas so that states
and countries can be connected. The connection of WAN can be possible through telephone
lines, fiber optic cable or satellite links. Internet is one of the biggest WAN in the world which is
being increasingly used in every spheres of life (Singh and Teng, 2016).
Intranet and Internet
According to Louise, 2019, Internet is a global system that makes use of TCP/IP protocol
that helps in linking various computer networks worldwide. Internet facilitates in sharing
information, resources and files on a global basis through network connection in the computers.
Internet is being increasingly used by people all across the world and as per the survey of July
2019, more than 56% of the world population were active internet users. All the networks

ranging from academic, finance, sales, public, private and government can be interconnected by
the use of internet which increases the access of users to a wide area of information that can be
used for learning, development, education, innovation, commerce etc. The accessibility ton
internet can be provided to anyone who has the computer and network connection so that it can
be widely used by people across nations. Thus internet is a global network and the data travels by
the way of fiber optic cables which are owned by telephone companies (Lioukas, Reuer and
Zollo, 2016). There is no central administration of to the internet of any person in the world and
thus can be unlimitedly used to gain unlimited information which is present online. Intranet on
the other hand is a privately operated internet which means that only the authorized users can
access to the intranet and use information which is available on it. Intranet is used in
organization so that they can provide more security to their information and data and also to limit
the authorization of the information which is present. Employees of a company can use intranet
so that information can be well organized, managed which can help in improving the efficiency
with which company’s information is used.
Software Development Life Cycle
According to the views of Dave, 2018, SDLC also known as software development life
cycle is a term which is used to describe the number of steps which are to be taken to develop
software before delivering it to the customers for their use. SDLC help in ensuring that that the
software which is built is of high quality and is correctly built so that the customer expectations
can be successfully fulfilled. SDLC help in providing a set framework and planning so that the
development of software can take place in an efficient manner so that all the activities which are
associated with it can be carried out thereby enhancing the quality and usefulness of the
software. There are seven stages which are involved in the SDLC so that all the activities can be
performed in an efficient and effective manner (Domingo and Garganté, 2016). Requirement
collection and analysis: At this stage the scope of project is anticipated along with analysis of
issues and opportunities so that proper planning can be done which can help in ensuring high
quality of the project. Feasibility study: At this stage the software needs are designed and
documented so that the ability of the software in meeting the needs can be evaluated. Design: In
this phase the designing of specific requirements to make the software are done so that all the
deliverables can be effectively achieved. Coding: The developers start to build the entire system
by writing the codes by using the chosen programming language. Testing: After the development

of the software it is tested in controlled environment. Installation: The final software after
checking for all the errors or bugs is released and checked for deployment issues if any.
Maintenance: At this stage the customers start using the developed software which is maintained
by regularly conducting activities like bug fixing, upgrading and enhancement so that the
software can continue to run smoothly.
3. Analysis and Discussion
Role of IT in Debenhams
Debenhams is a multinational British retailer which deals in a variety of product ranges
like clothing, household items and furniture. The company is basically customer focused with its
focus being providing high quality of products to its customers at lower rates so that their living
standards can be increased and the sales volume of company can be enhanced. The company also
make use of information technology so that it can increase the efficiency of its business, increase
its reach to the target customers, innovate the way in which daily business operations are done,
increase coordination of employees, improve its digital marketing so that its brand image can be
improved in market etc. Debenhams use IT in its business operations so that highly coordinated
and effective work can take place with all the units of the company which are internationally
present can coordinate together so that the aims and objectives of company can be achieved
(Kim and Woo, 2016). The company is also able to customize the shopping experience of its
customers so that they can make use of the online app or the company website to shop their
desired products. The company has also been able to open various franchises in many countries
so that they can be effectively monitored ad controlled through the use of information
technology. This has resulted in effective working and coordination among all its branches so
that they can implement decisions effectively in the company which help in improving the
productivity of workers. The employees are also able to well coordinate and collaborate so that
the customers can be dealt with in an efficient manner leading to high customer satisfaction and
improvement in its brand image. The supply chain management of company has also become
effective with the use of IT which is important in fulfilling customer demands effectively. With
the use of Radio frequency identification (RFID) Debenhams is able to effectively monitor,
identify and track the movement of the goods of companies o that the goods can be prevented
from being lost or stolen thereby improving the supply chain of company.

Ethics and social issues of IT in Debenhams
Use of information technology have given rise to various ethical and social issues which
are related with the company Debenhams and affect the brand image of the company and also its
ability to gain the trust of its stakeholders so that the company can continue to successfully
survive in the market. As the IT use in company has increased the use of online platforms by the
customers and suppliers of the company has also increased which mean that the company is able
to monitor the likes and interests of its customers which help it in marketing the products to the
customers and influence them in making the purchases by providing them offers and discounts.
This lead to impulse purchasing done by various customers which also put financial burden on
them and also affect the privacy of the customers (Baysari and Westbrook, 2016). Also as the
company also conducts its business online and the customers do their purchases through the
online portal the company get access to the bank account details of the customers that lead to the
privacy concerns of the customers.
Networks and their types in Debenhams
In order to efficiently make use of information technology it is important that the use of
network is done so that the computer systems of company are linked together that can help in
easy sharing and transmission of files, data, resources and information among the company
computer systems. It is important that an effective network is used by the company so that
efficient and effective sharing of information can take place which can allow the employees of
company to get access to the information which can facilitate in the smooth functioning of
company. Use of LAN network is done by Debenhams so that all the computer systems of
company can be efficiently linked with each other which can help in establishing effective
communication in company. LAN also helps in protecting the internal and confidential
information about the company so that the data can be stored and protected from being hacked or
getting stolen which is essential for the smooth operation of the company (Adjerid and Adler-
Milstein, 2016). The international branches of the company are connected by the way of MAN
so that the information can flow effectively between company branches which is further
important in monitoring and controlling the working of company internationally. It also makes it
easy for the company to support communication and coordination among departments so that

unique decisions can be taken and applied which can help in increasing the uniformity in
company.
Intranet and Internet in Debenhams
Debenhams is an international retailer which operates its business both through the online
and offline business medium so that it can reach to its target customers in an efficient manner.
The company makes use of both internet and intranet so that the internal and external working of
company can be made effective. Intranet is used by the company in the form of LAN network
which help in connecting the computer systems so that information can be stored and protected
from unauthorized use. It also help in making the company operations more efficient as with the
use of intranet the connectivity of the systems of company become fast so that information can
be shared at a fast rate. It also help in enhancing the productivity of workers as they can better
understand the information and use it in performing their tasks. Internet on the other hand is used
by company so that it can make online dealings with its customers and suppliers who are located
in different geographical locations. Also with the use of internet company is successfully able to
market its products in the market so that strong brand can be developed and more customer base
can be generated. Further, the use of internet also allow the company to conduct virtual meetings
that can help it in collaborating the work of its workers who are working in its international
branches which can help in making the business function more efficiently and helping in the
growth and development of the company. Thus the use of intranet and internet play a crucial role
in the survival of the company and also help it in gaining a competitive advantage in market so
that it can achieve customer satisfaction and achieve its goals and objectives on time.
Conclusion
From the above report it can be concluded that information technology has become the
most important part of businesses which help in enhancing their effectiveness in market so that
they can achieve their goals and objectives on time. It is important that IT is used in such a
manner that the ethical and social issues related to the use of IT can be reduced so that the trust
of stakeholders can be enhanced which I important in improving the brand image of company.

References
Books and Journals
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Singh, A. and Teng, J.T., 2016. Enhancing supply chain outcomes through Information
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Online
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