Essay, Research Paper: Business And Computers

Although computers have become necessary in the business world, it also has become a "must" for certain individuals in their daily lives. With computers today, the things you can do are unlimited. Desktop computers, meaning computers designed mostly for home use, are getting more powerful than ever and it's only a beginning. Like in the business world, the Internet is rising and getting more and more popular; therefore, all sorts of "virtual companies" have come out on the Net and once again, it is only a beginning.
Although this report examines the effect of computers on the business world and on our daily lives, it is important to know when and where they come from. Therefore, the report covers two main topics:
1. The business world and computers
2. Why we use computers
With the invention of a program-stored computer, some businesses would try to make a profit out of it and they did it. Who hasn't heard of IBM? The direct descendant of Herman Hollerith's Tabulating Machine Company, it is the fifth largest industrial corporation in America and the world's biggest computer manufacturer. To a large degree, IBM is the computer industry, and almost every other computer company in the world swims in its ocean. It commands about 40 percent of the international computer market, producing approximately three fourths of all medium and large-size computers and one fourth of all personal computers.
IBM started out in 1914, Thomas J. Watson, Sr ran it. But it is really after 1950, when Watson's elder ran IBM that IBM took a step over every other computer business and became the company that we know today. With the invention of "intelligent" computers, IBM was about to enter an era of success that has not stopped since.
The Businesses now depend on computers it is not a secret that businesses now depend on computers. Not only business, but also any large organization that want to keep their "edge" in today's world has to have a computer system. Businesses usually keep a list of all their employees and clients on huge databases, every report, note, memo or anything else that is of importance is stored on computers. Governments, use very expansive IBM mainframes to keep extraordinary databases of all its population. Schools and Hospitals are other examples of organizations that depend on computers.
Businesses depend so much on computers that it is hard to think how they were doing it before the invention of computers. Of course, with the use of computers, Business can be much larger and expand at an incredible rate. The amount of money spend each year by companies on new systems and maintenance of old ones is incredible, companies just can't afford a major "crash" of all their computers, so they do everything that is possible to assure that they are working properly. Computers are a "must" to stay competitive in today's world. With the amount of application a computer is capable of, a non-computerized business cannot compete with a computerized one. Computers help the relation between the business and its clients. With a database application, a company can keep track of each of their clients, know which client buys what, know which client buys more and the list goes on. With the rise of the Internet , the opportunities are endless, a company uses the Internet to display information about its goods and services, and other companies take it one step further and sell its goods and services directly off the Net. Customers can give feedback about a service that he tried or a good that he bought by sending e-mail to the company he bought it from.
Therefore, the Internet is not only a way for business to increase their profits; it is a way for the client to be heard and companies can adjust to these comments. Therefore, computers help businesses increase their productivity, but it also improves the relationship between the business and its client. Computers have become such a necessity that a starting business can't ignore computers because it cannot last very long without it.
The Internet is rising at an incredible rate. One thing is for sure, businesses don't want to be left out and they are really starting to realize what opportunities this new communication method brings to them. One of the biggest advantages the Net brings to industries is advertising. With the Internet, companies can inform their clients about new products coming out; new innovations that this company is thinking of, it can basically do what it wants. Another big advantage that companies have on the net is "e-commerce", which means transaction with clients on the net. Think how much the company saves by selling goods on the net, the product leaves straight from a warehouse to the client's location, no alternative whatsoever. The Internet is going to revolutionize the way we transact with companies.
As mentioned before, computers have become necessary for a business to survive in today business world. A starting business cannot omit computers and if it really wants to succeed, not only that company has to be computerized, but it would also be a very good idea that this company is on the Internet as soon as possible. Businesses really need computers to stay competitive because of the high standards the large multi-nationals. Not only is the Internet an excellent tool for a company advertisement, but it's also a new way for the company to transact directly with the client.
As for computers at home, they are not necessary, but are a great tool for anyone who enjoys doing work at home or maybe is in search or a hobby. The advantages of owning a computer at home is evidently the number of things you can do with this computer, but there is the cost that comes with all these advantages. Therefore, an individual that wants to invest in a computer should know that it will cost him or her, and that this computer will eventually become obsolete.
Works Cited
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Biphase Mark Protocol, Duration Calculus, Theorem Prover. 2000 http://computer.org/proceedings/csd/8350/83500088abs.html
Forester, Tom. High Tech Society. Great Britain, Europe Edition, 1985.
Rochlin, Gene. Trapped in the Net. New Jersey, Princeton University Press, 1997.