Information Technology in Barclays Bank: Success, Ethics, and Networks

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of the role of Information Technology (IT) within Barclays Bank. It begins by defining IT and highlighting its importance in modern business operations, specifically focusing on how IT contributes to Barclays Bank's success. The report then delves into the ethical and social issues that arise in the context of IT, such as unethical hacking and the digital divide. It also differentiates between various networking technologies, including PAN, LAN, WLAN, WAN, EPN, and VPN, and discusses the importance of Intranet and Internet for business operations. Furthermore, the report outlines the different stages of the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and concludes with a discussion of the potential benefits and drawbacks of investing in IT. This report provides a clear understanding of how IT impacts the financial sector, specifically Barclays Bank, and the challenges and opportunities it presents.

Individual Report

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
Identify the role of IT in the success or failure of your chosen organisation..............................1
Discuss about the ethical and social issues that pertain to running businesses...........................2
Identify and differentiate between different types of networking technologies..........................2
Discuss the importance of Intranet and Internet in your business..............................................3
List and explain the different stage of system development life cycle.......................................4
Support your analysis with a discussion of the potential benefits and drawbacks of investing
in Information Technology.........................................................................................................5
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
Information Technology (IT) is defined as the study or use of system which helps for
storing, retrieving and sending information. It is necessary for every business organisation to take
the help of networking technologies as it helps to complete any of the task within specific time
period. The chosen organisation for this project is Barclays Bank which is one of the
multinational investment bank & financial service organisation. The headquarter of company is
located in London. Also, company has involved themselves into four different business and they
are personal banking, corporate banking, investment management and wealth management. In
file, different question will be answers where it will be explained that what is the use of IT in
running the business successfully. There is will be discussion about Intranet and Internet and also
differentiation will be done on different types of networking technologies.
MAIN BODY
Identify the role of IT in the success or failure of your chosen organisation.
IT department have taken the significant growth within market as each and every work is
being managed easily. If any of the business organisation wants to perform at there optimum
level then it is necessary for them to take the help of IT sector as it reduces the chances of errors
and enhances the level of comfort. In context of Barclays Bank, it has been benefited with the
help of IT department as they are able to provide the service to customers which are required by
them. Talking about the success of a company, it can be said that customers are able to connect
with the bank easily as they provide various types of services with the help of IT sector (Chaison,
2017). Before the use of Information technologies, company was unable to provide fast services
to customer and if they faces any of the issues then they must have to visit bank. But, in current
scenario Barclays banks provides the facility in which there customers can solve any of the issues
without visiting to bank. Fund transfer process has become easier and even people are can
operate it 24*7 which was not possible before.
In present era, IT sector have lots of benefits but it is necessary to understand that there
are lots of problem as well if person performs any of the activity wrongly. There are number of
people who is unaware about latest technologies and machines due to which they are needed to
faces lots of issues. Also, if main server faces any of the problem then it directly affect on its
other branches which might waste lots of time of costumers. For example: If any of the person
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visits the branch as server is not working then they have to wait for longer period of time as there
are limited number of staffs available to deal with customers (Xiang, Magnini and Fesenmaier,
2015).
Discuss about the ethical and social issues that pertain to running businesses
Whenever any of the person manges business activity, they are needed to understand that
they will required to deal with number of situation which might not be suitable for company. IT
sector has number of benefits but they still faces number of problem because there are lot of
unethical activities which creates issues business organisation. Talking about Barclays Bank,
while conducting the business they have to bear lost of issues and problem on daily basis. The
problem which is being seen while running the business is unethical hacking. There are lots of
private data are stored within the company by taking help of IT sector but in current scenario it
was found that there are number of people who have involved themselves in unethical hacking
through which they copy the data for personal benefits. Secondly, it is mostly found that due to
increase in demand IT department, there are lots of people who is suffering because they do not
have proper knowledge about IT software and hardware which has a direct impact on the
performance of a company (Sittig and Singh, 2015). In addition, there are number of other issues
as well in which people who are working within the company sometimes shares internal
information of the company with outsiders by taking the help of IT software. This are some of the
ethical and social issues that pertain to running businesses.
Identify and differentiate between different types of networking technologies
In present situation, there are number of networking technologies which helps business
organisation to connect with different computer system at a single time. Different networking
technologies perform there work different in which some of them are very fast where as some of
them might be helpful in dealing any of the situation. In context of Barclays Banks, networking
technologies can be beneficial for them as it will allow them to maintain records of any
customers in a systematic manner. It will also help them to enhance the productivity of company
due to which they can easily increase their overall profit of a company. Below, there is the
discussion about number of networking technologies.
 Personal Area Network (PAN): It is the type of networking which is mostly used in small
form of organisation where single person manages his work of own. It is made up of small
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wireless modem in computer, phones, printer can be connected with each other for the
purpose of transferring and receiving the data.
 Local Area Network (LAN): It is one of the most popular form of network in which
multiple number of networks are connected together and in which low voltage is required
to operate it. It is helpful because information can be easily shared with other computer
network. Enterprises typically manage and maintain LAN.
 Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN): It is almost similar to LAN but in this wireless
technologies are used which helps people operate network from certain distance. WiFi is
the best example under WLAN. If company uses WLAN, then they are not required to use
any of the cable.
 Wide Area Network (WAN): It is the wider term which is quite expensive then other
networks and even it is complex too. WAN is capable of managing the network which are
in long distance (11 Types of Networks in Use Today, 2018). It is helpful as it also
required low voltage power where devices are connected with each other with the help of
remote. The best example which can be taken in WAN is Internet in which all of the
computer networking is connected at a single place.
 Enterprise Private Network (EPN): It is explained as the network in which any of the
particular organisation develops the secure connection at different place for the purpose of
sharing personal information of business organisation.
 Virtual Private Network (VPN): It is the wider area of network in which users gets the
option to send and receive any of the information privately. With the help of virtual
point-to-point connection, users can access a private network remotely (Senft, Gallegos
and Davis, 2016). It is one of the fastest networking for private users.
In context of Barclays Bank, they have the option to take the help of Virtual Private
Network which will help them to share and receive the information from different department
easily.
Discuss the importance of Intranet and Internet in your business
Intranet is explained as the safe and secured networking which allows business
organisation to share data and all of the relevant information with the help of internet protocol. It
is helpful in number of work as it allows to do communication with any of the employees
whenever it is necessary. In context of Barclays Banks, Intranet is very important for them as it
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will tell them that how work is needed to be done by having appropriate communication. They
will be able to store files and share company updates with different department. In addition the
main benefit of Intranet is that it allows to do top to down and down to top level communication
which allows to bring more ideas and concept (Andrade and Doolin, 2016).
Internet is defined as the globally connected network system which takes the help of
TCP/IP for the purpose of transmitting the data from different network. Internet is one of the
main source for connecting with different network which helps to share all of the relevant
information within different networks. If computers are not connected with internet then
information will not be able to share with other person. In context of Barclays Bank, it can be
said that if they want to provide the service to their customer with the help of information
technologies then they will required to take the help of internet. Internet will help them to know
that what are the basis problem which customer faces while using the application of Barclays
Bank.
List and explain the different stage of system development life cycle.
System Development Life Cycle can be explained as the series of different phase which
helps to develop the plan for any of the particular project. It is applicable to technical as well as
non technical system. It is help to take business decision through which goals and objectives can
be accomplished easily. System development life cycle is classified into seven different phases
and they are:
 Planning: It is the primary stage in which it is important to determine that what can be
the appropriates scope for the raised problem so that solutions can be found. Some of the
items which are considered in this phase is Resources, cost, time and many more. It
guides business organisation to decide that whether they are required the help of new
technology or not for achieving the objectives (Marchewka, 2016).
 Systems Analysis and Requirements: In the second phase, the main responsibility of
business is to determine that what are the main sources of problem. After analysing the
problem, it is needed to submit the best possible solutions so that ultimate goals of the
project can be achieved. It is important because it will help to find that what are the needs
of business organisation and how it can be met and what should be the time duration.
 System Design: It will be the phase in which it is system will be designed by finding the
necessary specifications, features and operations. It will be the stage where essential
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components will be found such as hardware/software, networking capabilities and many
more.
 Development: It is the main phase where work starts as specific person are hired which
might include programmer, network engineer, developer. It is the task in which flowcharts
helps to complete the system. If proper training is given to the person then chances of
obtaining positive results are high (Lloyd, 2017).
 Integrations and Testing: This process is conducted till the stage where final uses
doesn't accept it. It is done just to find the errors, bugs and even interoperability.
 Implementation: This is the phase where majority of code for any of the particular
program are written. In this stage data from old system are transferred to new system by
taking the help of direct cut-over.
 Operations and Maintenance: Whenever final user thinks that available resources are
not enough to deal with situation then they takes the help of new capabilities. For this,
new capabilities or coding, performance are added so that targets can be achieved.
Support your analysis with a discussion of the potential benefits and drawbacks of investing in
Information Technology.
Information Technology have been one of the best source for any of the person or
business organisation because it allows to work in best possible manner. It gives the idea that
how company provide the better services in short period of time (Schwalbe, 2015). It also reduces
the chances of errors in the work but there are negative drawback as well because sometimes
data and other relevant information are hacked unethically due to which individual might have to
suffer.
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CONCLUSION
It is concluded from the above file that information technology have become the most
important part of business organisation and even of every individual. If company applies different
IT software they can be able to meet there target on short period of time. Secondly, company will
get the chance that they will not perform any of the mistake in their work due to customers can be
attracted towards the company. Talking about System Development Life Cycle, it will allow firm
to know that how they can complete any of the new project by doing proper planning any
plotting.
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REFERENCES
Books & Journals
Schwalbe, K., 2015. Information technology project management. Cengage Learning.
Lloyd, I. J., 2017. Information technology law. Oxford University Press.
Marchewka, J. T., 2016. Information technology project management: Providing measurable
organizational value. John Wiley & Sons.
Andrade, A. D. and Doolin, B., 2016. Information and communication technology and the social
inclusion of refugees. Mis Quarterly. 40(2). pp.405-416.
Senft, S., Gallegos, F. and Davis, A., 2016. Information technology control and audit. Auerbach
publications.
Sittig, D. F. and Singh, H., 2015. A new socio-technical model for studying health information
technology in complex adaptive healthcare systems. In Cognitive informatics for
biomedicine(pp. 59-80). Springer, Cham.
Xiang, Z., Magnini, V. P. and Fesenmaier, D. R., 2015. Information technology and consumer
behavior in travel and tourism: Insights from travel planning using the internet. Journal
of Retailing and Consumer Services. 22. pp.244-249.
Chaison, G., 2017. Information technology: The threat to unions. In Information technology and
the world of work (pp. 89-99). Routledge.
Online
11 Types of Networks in Use Today. 2018. [Online] Available Through:
<https://www.belden.com/blog/smart-building/network-types>
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