CFPBUS003 - Introduction to Information Technology

Literature review 

Role of Information Technology

            Information technology refers to the technologies which is generally used to provide, manipulate, store and develop accurate information. Therefore, it plays significant role within each and every firm and make them attractive (Law, Buhalis and Cobanoglu, 2014). As it is the set of so many tools so that it is helpful to distribute information to right people with right time at right place. It consist so many products and services such as software, hardware, internet, e-commerce, telecom and so on. Within present scenario of digital area IT plays important role in failure and success of business as proper use of IT that gives accurate information in order to support business firms to achieve their successful growth. In context with Marks and Spencer IT plays smooth roles those are going be elaborated below:

            Communication: In present scenario there are so many firms and business organisations who generally use electronic mail as e-mail, because this is known as basics forms of communications towards customers, employees, suppliers and business partners. Email always makes faster and easier to exchange information across the several departments within firm. So this type of process always saves money and time. Therefore, different types of emerging forms of communication  have surface and make communication in a better way. Along with it is included in voice over internet telephones, video conferencing system, SKYPE and so on. In context with Marks and Spencer, technical department of this firm is using these sorts of technologies in order to communicate with people to achieve organisational goals and objectives in a perfect manner.

            Data Management: There is no requirement to keep record of every paper within an organisation. This is because in a current scenario organisations have their own digitalised data which is stored on the basis of database along with employees access and share overall information by a decentralised computing system (Kiran, Oudshoorn and Verbeek, 2015). In reference with Marks and Spencer they are able to use this data by which they can store its data through centralised manner and able to communicate with people along with distribute appropriate information to people at business place. Therefore, it is easy for employees and managers as they can send their queries to the database and retrieve data and use their own way. Therefore, it saves time and also improves decision making skills of an organisation. 

            Marketing and Business growth: Marketing is one of the best way who plays significant role within the firms and maintain overall adequate amount of profit and sales at high level. Therefore, IT is very useful and offer several kinds of marking tools in order to analyse targeted audience and observe their trends and needs in order to attract them through providing better services. Whereas, digital marketing has several activities like advertising, promotion in order to make every process easy in relation with costs. Apart from this, there are numerous services of IT such as pay per click, discussion forum, email shot, MMS, SMS, smartphone app, marketing and so on (Eason, 2014). All these factors helps Marks and Spencer to promote its retailing services in order to make unique pool to attract large number of buyers to gain overall successful growth in a perfect manner.  

            According to the above specified explanation it has been concluded that, IT is becoming more essential part of organisations in order to achieve their targeted goals and objectives in a perfect way. In relation to Marks and Spencer, this is very helpful tool which provides them huge facilities so that they can overcome burden from the employees and managers as they are able to store data within computer and able to make better relation with customers via email and so many online technical tools. 

Social and ethical issues related with IT

            Information technology is one of the best activity of firm which is used to define advantages of an organisation and encourage them to achieve targeted goals and objectives. On the other side there are different types of social and ethical issues which are generally developed  through IT department as well (Dandekar, 2019). Some of them ethical issues are associated with information technology which are faced by Marks and Spencer those are following as under:

Ethical issue

            Privacy issues: IT development bring changes which is easy to share information and data by removing geographical barriers but on the other side it has developed a threat  of freedom towards privacy. Therefore, using digital channels and social media channels  has exposed so many ways for people to easily access about firm's informations so that they can easily get that what they want from data of an organisation. This type of advancement of technology can make negative impact on firm and decrease their confidence towards technologies (Nieves, Quintana and Osorio, 2014). Therefore, it is more essential for Marks and Spencer as they are using so many IT  tools and techniques in order to keep their data save and protect for another firm's and people. For more betterment of this ethical issues they should measure their personal information every time so that they can maintain this decorum and able to give satisfaction to its customers. 

            Security: There are different types information technologies such as internet which is very easy for hackers to hack any useful information through device of computers. Along with hackers can easily access confidential data of firms by applying their selfish tricks and gives silly reason on that when they caught by some firms or any people in business. In relation with Marks and Spencer, they also face such kind of securities issues like online money transfer, online banking so that hackers can easily take money from the firm's bank account and so on. Therefore, respective firm is needed make some policies and all by which they protect their data along with able to secure from so many threats and issues in an effective manner (Marchewka, 2014)(Mehlman and Li, 2014).   

Social issue

            Hacking: It refers to the different types of procedures in which an individual is able to get access towards entire computer or networking to accomplish their clever motive. During the technological advancement as it s going rapidly so there are so many social issues as they stored huge information but on the other side it can be stolen by some person also can be misused through so many people. Some kinds of hacking activities which involved packet sniffer, password cracking, key loggers, spoofing attack and so on (Sampson and Makela, 2014). In order to get illegal and unauthorised in a computer device all these make few alterations and bring changes within this process. In reference with Marks and Spencer, they should develop different types of security programmes such as OS systems and anti virus programmes in order to protect all information and data from theft and hackers in a successful manner. 

            Online Theft: Technological advancement within IT sector has been maximised through large number of cyber crime that distribute easiest ways to criminal for developing theft towards fund or gathered information. Therefore, cyber criminals always use informatics techniques in order to achieve accurately information and gathered all over account detail so that they can easily steal money from any kind of firm's account (Pardo and Siemens, 2014). Thus, maximising online payments are increasing day to day which also enhance the ways for theft to steal money any time. Herein, Marks and Spencer is needed to have such kind of effective tools and techniques which is necessary for them to increase their business through avoiding online theft. So that they should use unique and effective ways to make their information confidential and satisfied customers.

Various sorts of networking

Networking considered as a combination of different types of connection such as software and hardware for exchanging and transporting accurate information and data towards several informatics systems and techniques (Neuhofer, Buhalis and Ladkin, 2014). Therefore, organisations are using different kinds of techniques in order to run their business activities in a smooth manner. In reference with Marks and Spencer there is effective flow of data has been described below:

LAN (Local area network):

            It is the combination of small group of so many computers which all are from the same company along with building structure that are generally linked with geographical area by using so many networks with unique technologies. Therefore, it is considered as the simplest form of network as it covers large number of networks which increase the distance to catch network and reduce kilo meters as per the speed. 

WAN (Wide area network):

            This is considered as a large area of network that mostly covers geographical area distance which also able to cross the nation boundaries. Speed provided by this network always based on cost that can vary from location to location. Therefore, WAN always provide routers which makes selection of most effective path to transfer data between 2 or more network ways. So that Internet can be the best example of WAN (Reuter, 2019).

MAN (Metropolitan area network):

             This network refers to the connection in so many areas which can be large and local but smaller than broad. Therefore, this type of tool can be applicable interaction of networks within large area of level. MAN also used to connect several areas of networks through using different types of network for making point to point connection between them. Therefore, it's size is mainly in the range of 5to 50 and its data is moderate. So that it is the easiest way to sharing resources within metropolitan cities or owned firm through network distributors (Schwalbe, 2015). 

            According to the above specified networks, WAN is one of the most useful network for Marks and Spencer which is specialises within high quality and selling of home products, clothings and such type of food products. It was formed in the year of 1884 by Michael Marks and Thomas Marks within UK. With the help of this network they can easily communicate or transferring accurate information towards subdivision.

Distinction between network technologies

Importance of internet and intranet

            Intranet and internet both are playing significant role within the Marks and Spencer benefits, those are going to be followed as under:

            Internet: It is considered as a network which is internationally connected with huge systems and devices in order to transfer data through IP along with media (Wang and et. al, 2016). Internet is one of the best network which is also known as global exchange that includes several kinds of combination like business, public, private, academic along with so many government networks and so on. It offers easy way to business firms and able to connect with their customer's and clients. In relation with Marks and Spencer, internet is most important tool and it is beneficial as well. Some of the advantages of internet are given below:

            Easy communication: Internet always helpful to overcome barriers of geographical areas along with provide so many facilities for transferring data and information. Internet offers effective and attractive connection or better ways of communication to customer's and organisation so that they can run their business properly and able to find better way of digital mode of communication (Santoro, 2015). Therefore, internet is one of the best effective tool that offers cost effective communications through making use of digital mode and social media and so on. On the other side there are various tools like video calls, conferencing which is used by people. Thus, internet plays effective role within Marks and Spencer and maintain goof relationship with people.

            Intranet: According to this computer networks can be easily transfer with the help of computing services, corporate information, operational system and so many collaborations tool. Therefore, intranet play important role within Marks and Spencer. There are few advantages, those are discussion below:

            Mange remote work capabilities: It improves relation and connection between organisation and customers within M&S as they have large number of employees within an organisation (Information Technology & Its Role in the Modern Organisation, 2019).

Stages of System Development Life Cycle

            System developing life cycle is a model which provide a absolute development of project management model in order to implement advance technology at the workplace so that organisation can attain their desire goal. Marks and Spencer adopt system development cycle in order to develop appropriate framework for development of design, implementation of changes and technology, development of project and so on. System development life cycle which is developed by Marks and Spencer is given below:-

            (Source: System development life cycle, 2019)

• Planing- It is the initial stage of system development life cycle at which appropriate plan is develop in order to start big project according to requirement of user. In this scope, issues, resources requirement and other things are discussed for the development of effective project.
  • System analysis and requirements- In this stage functional requirement as well as needs of project will analyse by team as well as organisation in order to ensure achievement of  fulfilling requirement of end users. 
  • Systems design- It is the third phase of respective method in which specification, features and operations of project will be combined at one place in order to develop effective proposed system. 
  • Development- At this phase initial section of project development get end and real designing of project get started. In this all the changes will implement so that installation of project will done effectively.  
  • Integration and Testing- It is a fifth stage of respective cycle at which integration as well as testing of system in order to ensure that project quality is appropriate. In this management will also analyse that whether company able to meet their goal through plan or not.
  • Implementation- In this stage theory or planning related to project will be conducted so that execution of plan will done properly. In this installation of all software as well as hardware will be done. It will also include training and knowledge of employees so that they can conduct work effectively.
  • Operations and Maintenance-  It is the last phase of system development life cycle in which a specific and reliable system is provided to the end user so that they enhance their performance by enhance their capabilities and fulfilling requirement.

ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

            By above discussed point it can be evaluate that in an organisation information technologies plays an essential roles as well as it will also help them in attaining succession. Through it they can gain numbers of benefits such as like effective for communication, promote products and services and many more (Law, Buhalis and Cobanoglu, 2014). It also help Marks and Spencer in improving their performance, manage data and informations, keeping record effectively, promoting products at worldwide level and many more. Every things has both negative and positive aspects, similarly Information technology also have some issues which may impact on the business of Marks and Spencer. For example hacking of customers personal information, misuse of company confidential data and many more. Furthermore, there are several methods which can be adopted by respective company in order to overcome these issues such as implementation of strong security, updated anti virus, develop cloud management system and so on.

CONCLUSION

            According to the above specified report it has been concluded that IT plays significant role within the firm along with it is an essential part of an organisation that encourage firms to achieve their organisational goals and objectives in a an appropriate manner. There are different types of social and ethical issues which is faced by organisation. As IT department has so many ways or tools so that issues can be created any time that makes them effective and attractive. With the help of information technologies they can achieve their goals and objectives in an appropriate manner. 

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