COSC 105 – INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN BUSSINESS

Assignment One:
1. You hear a member of the Board of your financial organisation, while in discussion with major
customers, say that “Mobile computing renders all traditional IS/IT obsolete.

Discuss and justify the extent to which you agree or disagree with the above statement

Mobile computing has changed the complete landscape of our day-to-day life. Following are the
major advantages of Mobile Computing −

Location Flexibility
This has enabled users to work from anywhere as long as there is a connection established. A
user can work without being in a fixed position. Their mobility ensures that they are able to carry
out numerous tasks at the same time and perform their stated jobs.

Saves Time
The time consumed or wasted while travelling from different locations or to the office and back,
has been slashed. One can now access all the important documents and files over a secure
channel or portal and work as if they were on their computer. It has enhanced telecommuting in
many companies. It has also reduced unnecessary incurred expenses.

Enhanced Productivity
Users can work efficiently and effectively from whichever location they find comfortable. This
in turn enhances their productivity level.

Ease of Research
Research has been made easier, since users earlier were required to go to the field and search for
facts and feed them back into the system. It has also made it easier for field officers and
researchers to collect and feed data from wherever they are without making unnecessary trips to
and from the office to the field.

Entertainment
Video and audio recordings can now be streamed on-the-go using mobile computing. It's easy to
access a wide variety of movies, educational and informative material. With the improvement
and availability of high speed data connections at considerable cost, one is able to get all the
entertainment they want as they browse the internet for streamed data. One is able to watch
news, movies, and documentaries among other entertainment offers over the internet. This was
not possible before mobile computing dawned on the computing world.
Streamlining of Business Processes
Business processes are now easily available through secured connections. Looking into security
issues, adequate measures have been put in place to ensure authentication and authorization of
the user accessing the services.
Some business functions can be run over secure links and sharing of information between
business partners can also take place.
Meetings, seminars and other informative services can be conducted using video and voice
conferencing. Travel time and expenditure is also considerably reduced.

2 Discuss various methods/ways /techniques an organization can put in place to protect its
systems

Technology continues to be a boon for entrepreneurs, offering

increased mobility, productivity and ROI at shrinking expense. But as
useful as modern innovations such as smartphones, tablet PCs
and cloud computing are to small businesses, they also present
growing security concerns. Following are 10 safety tips to help you
guard against high-tech failure:

1. Protect with passwords. This may seem like a no-brainer, but many

cyber attacks succeed precisely because of weak password protocols.
Access to all equipment, wireless networks and sensitive data should be
guarded with unique user names and passwords keyed to specific
individuals. The strongest passwords contain numbers, letters and
symbols, and aren’t based on commonplace words, standard dictionary
terms or easy-to-guess dates such as birthdays. Each user should further
have a unique password wherever it appears on a device or network. If
you create a master document containing all user passcodes, be sure to
encrypt it with its own passcode and store it in a secure place.

2. Design safe systems. Reduce exposure to hackers and thieves by

limiting access to your technology infrastructure. Minimize points of
failure by eliminating unnecessary access to hardware and software, and
restricting individual users’ and systems’ privileges only to needed
equipment and programs. Whenever possible, minimize the scope of
potential damage to your networks by using a unique set of email
addresses, logins, servers and domain names for each user, work group
or department as well.

3. Conduct screening and background checks. While rogue hackers

get most of the press, the majority of unauthorized intrusions occur
from inside network firewalls. Screen all prospective employees from the
mailroom to the executive suite. Beyond simply calling references, be
certain to research their credibility as well. An initial trial period, during
which access to sensitive data is either prohibited or limited, is also
recommended. And it wouldn’t hurt to monitor new employees for
suspicious network activity.

4. Provide basic training. Countless security breaches occur as a result

of human error or carelessness. You can help build a corporate culture
that emphasizes computer security through training programs that warn
of the risks of sloppy password practices and the careless use of
networks, programs and devices. All security measures, from basic
document-disposal procedures to protocols for handling lost passwords,
should be second-nature to members of your organization.

5. Avoid unknown email attachments. Never, ever click on unsolicited

email attachments, which can contain viruses, Trojan programs or
computer worms. Before opening them, always contact the sender to
confirm message contents. If you’re unfamiliar with the source, it’s
always best to err on the side of caution by deleting the message, then
potentially blocking the sender’s account and warning others to do the
same.

6. Hang up and call back. So-called "social engineers," or cons with a

gift for gab, often prey on unsuspecting victims by pretending to be
someone they’re not. If a purported representative from the bank or
strategic partner seeking sensitive data calls, always end the call and
hang up. Then dial your direct contact at that organization, or one of its
public numbers to confirm the call was legitimate. Never try to verify
suspicious calls with a number provided by the caller.
7. Think before clicking. Phishing scams operate by sending innocent-
looking emails from apparently trusted sources asking for usernames,
passwords or personal information. Some scam artists even create fake
Web sites that encourage potential victims from inputting the data
themselves. Always go directly to a company’s known Internet address
or pick up the phone before providing such info or clicking on
suspicious links.

8. Use a virus scanner, and keep all software up-to-date. Whether

working at home or on an office network, it pays to install basic virus
scanning capability on your PC. Many network providers now offer such
applications for free. Keeping software of all types up to date is also
imperative, including scheduling regular downloads of security updates,
which help guard against new viruses and variations of old threats.

9. Keep sensitive data out of the cloud. Cloud computing offers

businesses many benefits and cost savings. But such services also could
pose additional threats as data are housed on remote servers operated
by third parties who may have their own security issues. With many
cloud-based services still in their infancy, it’s prudent to keep your most
confidential data on your own networks.

10. Stay paranoid. Shred everything, including documents with

corporate names, addresses and other information, including the logos
of vendors and banks you deal with. Never leave sensitive reports out on
your desk or otherwise accessible for any sustained period of time, let
alone overnight. Change passwords regularly and often, especially if
you’ve shared them with an associate. It may seem obsessive, but a
healthy dose of paranoia could prevent a major data breach.

The average cost to an organization to recover from such a breach is

$6.75 million, according to Javelin Strategy & Research. And that doesn’t
count damage to your reputation or relationships. So be proactive and
diligent about prevention. An ounce far outweighs a pound of cure.
 3 Describe why a word processing application is important to an organization and state any two
word processing software application you would recommend for use.

What Are the Benefits of Word Processing in Business?

Word-processing software has been around even longer than the personal computer itself. It
began to catch on in corporate environments in the 1970s and 1980s before really taking off in the
1990s with the rise of home computing, the Windows operating system and the Internet. Word
processors offer an alternative to the slower, messier practice of handwriting, and in many
instances present the best solution for a company's documentation needs.

Saving Time
Word processing saves time, making it an obvious asset in the workplace. Most people can type
much faster than they can write by hand. Proficient typists can exceed 60 words per minute and
potentially go much higher than that, whereas legibility concerns limit people's handwriting rates.
Word processing also saves time in that employees can don't have to worry about fumbling paper
around or writing neatly.

Digitizing Information
By using a word processor to type documents electronically, it becomes quick and easy to
transfer, copy and preserve information. This offers great utility and functionality to most
companies and compares favorably to paper filing systems. Filing, retrieving and copying all
require a significant amount of time in a paper filing system, and the storage requirements are
significant. Paper files are also subject to decay, damage and misplacement in a way that digital
file systems are not.

Improving Efficiency and Accuracy

Besides simply saving time, word processing offers ways to improve workers' efficiency and
accuracy. Word processors contain software to automatically correct common errors and identify
misspellings, improving overall speed and reducing errors. They also makes it easier to create and
organize new files as well as retrieve and manipulate existing ones. These kinds of improvements
offer a clear appeal to business, explaining the widespread transition to computers and word
processing in office environments.

Reducing Supply Costs

While word processors and the computers to run them certainly cost money, so do the materials to
use paper documents. A prolific employee might go through several reams of paper in a month, as
well as a variety of pens, pencils, staples, paperclips and binders. These material costs add up, as
do the logistical costs of having them delivered and the real estate costs of finding room to store
them.

Even though most word processing software has similar features and offers
similar benefits, the small but significant differences between these word
processing software examples can make a huge difference for personal use.
1. Microsoft Word

The most known word processing software is Microsoft Word, and chances
are high you’ve used it at least on one occasion to process or create text
documents.

Word is the most known word processing software because the creator of
Windows creates it and it often comes integrated with the Windows operating
system.

However, Word is also known for the benefits it offers. Improved search and
navigational experience combined with the ability to work with others
simultaneously are just some of the benefits.

Along with that, Word gives you the ability to access, share, and work on your
documents from almost anywhere.

With plenty of options to create, edit, and process text, Word also has
additional visual effects, turning text into diagrams, and combining visual
aspects into text documents.
Instant help when creating documents is another great integration that
especially helps writers. Exporting and having document flexibility is helpful
when producing specific documents for your studies or work, and it’s just one
of many benefits of Word.

2. iWork Pages

iWork Pages is a must-have word processing software for Apple users. Even
though Microsoft Word is available for macOS, iWork is a great native
alternative that helps Apple users process, create, and work with word
documents.

iWork Pages was previously known as AppleWorks, and it is part of the official
Apple iWork suite.

Not only Pages can help you create documents, but they can also help you to
collaborate with others efficiently, create animated documents from your
data, and even build interactive charts from your text.
What’s great about Pages is that it comes with built-in help and sample
formulas, so you don’t always have to create a document from scratch.
Instead, you can use templates or benefit from function suggestions to
improve the way you work.

With over 30 spreadsheet templates, you won’t have to create text documents
from scratch unless you enjoy creating your work from scratch. Templates
can help you spend less time formatting and creating the basics of your
document and yet leave you with more time to focus on your text.

4 By use of a clear diagram explain the architecture of a computer system.

Computer architecture can be defined as a set of rules and methods that describe the
functionality, management and implementation of computers. To be precise, it is nothing but
rules by which a system performs and operates.

Sub-divisions
Computer Architecture can be divided into mainly three categories, which are as follows −
 Instruction set Architecture or ISA − Whenever an instruction is given to
processor, its role is to read and act accordingly. It allocates memory to
instructions and also acts upon memory address mode (Direct Addressing mode or
Indirect Addressing mode).
 Micro Architecture − It describes how a particular processor will handle and
implement instructions from ISA.
 System design − It includes the other entire hardware component within the
system such as virtualization, multiprocessing.

Role of computer Architecture

The main role of Computer Architecture is to balance the performance, efficiency, cost and
reliability of a computer system.
For Example − Instruction set architecture (ISA) acts as a bridge between computer's software
and hardware. It works as a programmer's view of a machine.
Computers can only understand binary language (i.e., 0, 1) and users understand high level
language (i.e., if else, while, conditions, etc). So to communicate between user and computer,
Instruction set Architecture plays a major role here, translating high level language to binary
language.

Structure
Let us see the example structure of Computer Architecture as given below.
Generally, computer architecture consists of the following −
 Processor
 Memory
 Peripherals
All the above parts are connected with the help of system bus, which consists of address bus,
data bus and control bus.
The diagram given below depicts the computer architecture −

5 Discuss the reasons why internet should be considered as a great asset to any business entity?
Marketing
Marketing your product and advertising is very important for any business. Without
marketing your product, you can’t achieve what you think about. Many businesses use
the Internet to market the products or services they provide to an audience online
because internet is important for business. Google is one of the search engines that
assists them in their endeavor.

Easy Communication
Whether it’s communicating with staff about various company challenges or engaging
with your clients to reply to their questions in actual time, the internet plays an essential
role in making business communication simpler. A company may successfully engage
with its virtual employees abroad to discuss business-related activities and challenges
using high-speed internet. There are multiple internet services available, and you can get
any one of them. For good services, you can try out wireless internet from NodeOne too.
Outsourcing
Businesses can save money by outsourcing services to other nations that provide a
variety of services at a reduced cost. On the Internet, they have a variety of possibilities.
They can find someone to do it for them on the Internet, allowing the firm to focus on
the most important services and become more effective.

Customer service
Email may be an effective technique for improving customer support. Encourage clients
to contact you by email so that they don’t have to wait on hold or maintain contact
during business hours, and you don’t have to react right away, freeing up employees
from answering the phone and giving you more time. A consumer is looking for speedy
answers to their questions. As a result, a business should always try to resolve the
customer issues and satisfy the customer for better doing since this is a great way to
gain customer trust.

Business visibility
You must boost your company’s exposure if you want more people to check out your
firm. Since you don’t have much command over who sees your advertising material,
doing this using, offline approaches might be difficult. We all know how internet is
important for business and anyone can run a business sitting at home.

Reduced Business Cost

One of the most significant advantages of e-business is its capacity to reduce
expenses. It is no longer necessary to have a physical presence, such as a store or an
office, thanks to this technology. Companies are no longer due to pay for the utilities
and supplies unless they choose to do so. Furthermore, e-business methods such as
social networks and internet advertisement are less costly than conventional marketing,
allowing startups and small businesses to reach their target audiences and compete
against huge industry names without breaking the bank. Moreover, AI and machine
learning can assist you in lowering your operational expenses and increasing your
production.

Bottom line
Due to the internet, new business prospects have emerged, and several successful
small company entrepreneurs have emerged since then. Anyone who wants to establish
an online business should consider using the Internet.