CSC 204
Computers in Business
Mr. Edem K. Bankas
What
What is a Computer?
is a Computer?
What is Business?
What is Business?
• Business is the organized efforts of individuals Business is the organized efforts of individuals
to produce and sell, for profit, the goods and services that satisfy society’ss needs. services that satisfy society
needs
• The general term business
The general term Th
l
b i
business
refers to all such f
ll
h
efforts within a society (as in Ghana) or within an industry (as in a sachet water company).
i d
( i
h
)
What is Business? Cont’
What is Business? Cont
• A business can also be defined as an A business can also be defined as an
organization engaged in the trade of goods, services or both to consumers
services or both to consumers.
• Furthermore, a business is an economic F h
b i
i
i
system in which goods and services are exchanged for money on the basis of their h
df
h b i f h i
classified worth.
Organized
Organized efforts of individuals
efforts of individuals
• For
For business to be organized, it must combine business to be organized it must combine
– Material resources‐
Material resources‐ raw material, buildings and machinery
– Human resources Human resources – people
Human resources –
people who furnish their who furnish their
labour
– Informational resources –
Informational resources – tells managers how effectively the other resources are being
effectively the other resources are being combined and used
Classification of businesses
Classification of businesses
• Manufacturing business, Manufacturing business,
• Service business, and Service business and
• Marketing intermediaries
Marketing intermediaries
Information Technology
Information Technology
• Information
Information Technology (IT) is a combination Technology (IT) is a combination
of hardware and software and telecommunications
telecommunications systems that support systems that support
business operations, improve productivity and help managers make decisions
help managers make decisions.
• Businesses today are using IT to gain and B i
d
i IT
i
d
sustain a competitive advantage.
Information Technology cont
Information Technology cont’
• Most companies use IT to serve their Most companies use IT to serve their
customers better, provide more access to information respond quickly to business
information, respond quickly to business changes and increase employee productivity.
• It must be noted that IT systems must be It must be noted that IT systems must be
aligned with customer expectation and business needs
business needs.
Activities
Activities of Businesses
of Businesses
• The activities of business are those which The activities of business are those which
concern with:
– Satisfying the needs and demands of customers by providing goods and services they require
by providing goods and services they require
– Making profit
M ki
fit
Satisfying needs
Satisfying needs
• The ultimate objective of any organization The ultimate objective of any organization
must be to satisfy the needs of its customers. • When businesses lose sight of their customer needs they are likely to find the going rough
d h
lik l
fi d h
i
h
• There are various stages in the production of finished goods and services, so business g
,
activities must involve the adding of value … Satisfying needs cont’
Satisfying needs cont
• Adding value to the finished goods and Adding value to the finished goods and
services to make them more desirable to the end user
end user
• The main activity of any business is to serve its customers. customers
– Whether it is building cars, – mowing lawns, i l
– selling in shops – Proving photocopy services and so on Satisfying needs cont’
Satisfying needs cont
• A
A business will only survive if it provides business will only survive if it provides
perfect service to its customers
perfect service to its customers. Perfect Service
Perfect Service
• Perfect
Perfect service occurs at the customers service occurs at the customers
moment of value. This means that perfect service occurs
service occurs – when the customer wants it (Time)
– where the customer want it (Location)
where the customer want it (Location)
– how the customer wants it (Form) and – In
In a manner that is guaranteed to the customer, in a manner that is g aranteed to the c stomer in
fact, the guarantee to the customer is called Perfect delivery
Perfect delivery
Perfect Service cont’
Perfect Service cont
• In this era, perfect service is only possible if a In this era perfect service is only possible if a
business has the right information in the hands
hands of the right people at the right time.
of the right people at the right time
• This can be achieved through the appropriate use of IT
use of IT
• This poses a challenge to any business to plan ffor, develop, manage and use information, IT d l
d
i f
i
IT
and the people to provide perfect service at the customers moment of value
h
f l
Customers Moment of Value
Customers Moment of Value
• Serving
Serving the needs of customers include the the needs of customers include the
provision of perfect service which occurs at the
the customers moment of value which is customers moment of value which is
providing service:
– when
when the customer it (Time)
the customer it (Time)
– where the customer want it (Location)
– how the customer wants it (Form) and how the customer wants it (Form) and
– In a manner that is guaranteed to the customer, in fact
fact, the guarantee to the customer (Perfect the guarantee to the customer (Perfect
delivery)
Customers Moment of Value cont
Customers Moment of Value cont’
• The
The first three characteristics of customers first three characteristics of customers
moment of value: time, Location and form moment of value: time, Location and form are are the basis by which many businesses are
the basis by which many businesses are succeeding in retaining their current customer base and attracting new ones
base and attracting new ones
• The final characteristics of customer’s moment
moment of value deals with providing the first of value deals with providing the first
three (
three (time, Location and form
time, Location and form) in a manner ) in a manner guaranteed
guaranteed to satisfy the customer (Perfect to satisfy the customer (Perfect
delivery)
Perfect delivery
Perfect delivery
• In
In business, perfect delivery amounts saying business perfect delivery amounts saying
“we know our customer’ moment of value according
according to time, location and form and we to time location and form and we
are willing to guarantee that we can meet those characteristics”
those characteristics
• The guarantee of perfect services are in many fforms. E.g., if a provision shop keeper does E if
ii
h k
d
not have a particular item(s) you need, he must be willing to call around town to help b illi
ll
d
h l
you find the item.
Perfect delivery cont’
Perfect delivery cont
• That same shop may even have some one to That same shop may even have some one to
deliver it to you so you don’t have to drive or walk across town (location perfect delivery)
walk across town (location perfect delivery).
• Achieving perfect service at the customers A hi i
f
i
h
moment of value is of great importance to all b i
businesses today, however, perfect service is d h
f
i i
difficult; in fact, it is sometimes impossible to achieve perfect service every time you deal hi
f
i
i
d l
with a customer.
Perfect delivery cont’
Perfect delivery cont
• This
This does not mean, you should not try. If you does not mean you should not try If you
want your business to be number 1, then focus on adding more value to them at that
focus on adding more value to them at that moment they need it
• If
If you do, you may very well increase your you do you may very well increase your
revenue within a short period.
Group Assignment 1
Group Assignment 1
• In reality, businesses have many sets of In reality businesses have many sets of
customers. Consider a bottled water manufacturing
manufacturing firm. It has customers who firm It has customers who
consume or use its products, the community from
from which it draws employees, financial which it draws employees financial
institutions who have invested money in it, and
and various government agencies that various government agencies that
regulate certain aspects of its business. These are
are all all “customers”
customers expecting to be served.
expecting to be served
Group Assignment 1 cont’
Group Assignment 1 cont
• Your
Your university is no different. It also has many university is no different It also has many
sets of customers to whom it must provide perfect
perfect service at the appropriate moment of service at the appropriate moment of
value.
I Define
I.
Define each set of customers for your University
each set of customers for your University
II. For each customer set, define the product and services
services your University provides your University provides
III. For each customer set, define the moment of value
value in terms of time, location, form and in terms of time, location, form and
perfect delivery
Group Assignment 1 cont’
Group Assignment 1 cont
IV As
IV.
As a student, how does your University use a student how does your University use
technology to provide you with products and services at your moment of value? How else
services at your moment of value? How else can your University use technology to better provide
provide you with products and services you with products and services
according to your moment of value?