| A June 23, 2005 news release from the Office | | | | a nutshell, technology has reduced the |
| of Advocacy, U.S. Small Business | | | | overall cost of business operations. |
| Administration, states that home computer | | | | |
| owners are slightly more likely to be | | | | New Business Opportunities: The explosion of |
| business owners than non-computer owners. | | | | Internet and e-commerce has opened up a |
| This report reveals that technology and | | | | plethora of opportunities for all types of |
| computing has become an inseparable | | | | businesses. New management methodologies, |
| ingredient in the business world today. | | | | such as Six Sigma are easier to implement due |
| | | | to statistical software. Also, companies are |
| The Computer Trend - A Brief History | | | | able to train their own employees using |
| | | | in-house Six Sigma software programs, and as |
| The last two decades have marked an enormous | | | | a result, save money on labor costs. |
| increase in the number of home computers. | | | | |
| With it, computer owners have invariably | | | | It is now possible to have many business |
| taken to entrepreneurship in many varied | | | | functions operate on autopilot. This has |
| fields. Thanks to the growth of technology, | | | | opened up new opportunities for software |
| computers and the Internet, new methods have | | | | development companies and business |
| been developed for processing everyday | | | | consultants. Another business trend that has |
| business activities easily. Without the | | | | opened up as a result of advancing technology |
| advent of technology, routine tasks would | | | | is outsourcing. It is now possible for a |
| otherwise have taken and enormous amount of | | | | company in America to have its data entry and |
| time and specialization. Undoubtedly, the | | | | customer service centers in overseas |
| computer represents the top technology | | | | countries such as the UK. In this way, |
| development in the last century as it relates | | | | companies can service their customers 24/7. |
| to businesses today, both large and small. | | | | |
| Advances in the field of technology have | | | | Indispensable Components of Small Businesses |
| created a vast number of business | | | | |
| opportunities. | | | | It is difficult to think of a situation where |
| | | | businesses can do without technology and |
| Some Statistics | | | | computers today. It is extremely difficult to |
| | | | say whether businesses depend on computers or |
| In 2003, the U.S. Small Business | | | | computers created business opportunities. |
| Administration produced a report/survey that | | | | |
| established conclusively that more than 75% | | | | Software Specific To Small Businesses |
| of small businesses owned computers and had | | | | |
| heavily invested in new technology. Let us | | | | Certain powerful, yet simple software has |
| try to understand what the computers mean to | | | | come to the rescue of small businesses in |
| businesses and how they contribute to | | | | reducing their tasks and opening up new |
| increase their productivity. | | | | channels. Simple applications like |
| | | | spreadsheets and word processing helps them |
| USE OF COMPUTERS IN BUSINESSES | | | | maintain accounts, finances and keep track of |
| | | | correspondence. These applications allow the |
| The fundamental reasons for the popularity of | | | | users to customize reports and other |
| computers with small businesses are their | | | | functions to suit their particular business. |
| efficiency, speed, low procurement cost and | | | | |
| more than anything else, capability to handle | | | | Drawbacks |
| multiple tasks with little chance for error. | | | | |
| | | | Both men and women in business have adapted |
| Office Routines: Almost invariably, | | | | successfully to new technology. But the SBA |
| businesses loaded with the burden of | | | | report cites the general decline in skill |
| increasing workloads and the pressures of | | | | levels of people, which may eventually result |
| being lean and mean, fall back upon | | | | in an overall reduction of income levels. It |
| technology for most of their administrative | | | | seems that people get used to technology |
| tasks. This work includes, among others, | | | | doing all the work and tend to neglect their |
| bookkeeping, inventory managing and email. | | | | skill development. It is up to individual |
| The advent of the Internet has also | | | | companies to make sure that their employees |
| substantially contributed in bringing down | | | | are still able to do crucial tasks without |
| the costs of communication and marketing. In | | | | the assistance of computers, if necessary. |