1. THE USE OF ICT IN BUSINESS An Introduction

2. The Computer Revolution In general, the computer revolution has improved the way businesses operate. Procedures are carried out faster It is usually more accurate (removes human error) Products are more advanced Communication is quicker

3. However… It has also brought problems: Equipment is expensive It has replaced the need for manual workers Expensive training is often required Introducing computerised systems often takes time and may have teething problems

4. Computer Hardware The electronic equipment used: External Disk Drive CD-Rom CPU (Central Processing Unit) VDU (Visual Display Unit) Mouse Keyboard Printer

5. Computer Software These are the programs which run on the computer. A program is a set of instructions given to the computer so that it performs the tasks Large businesses may have software specifically designed for the job being done

6. Common Software Used in Business Word Processing –process text (Word) Spreadsheets –process numerical information (Excel) Database – store, organise and search data (Access) Presentation – create presentations which can be animated (PowerPoint) Desk Top Publishing – combining text and graphics (Publisher) Internet – A global network of computers (Explorer)