Information technology in business. Modern information technologies in small business Computer information technologies in business

S.V. Osipov
Graduate of the MBA CIO 20B group
IT Management Schools
RANEPA under the President of the Russian Federation

Who needsIT in an SMB company?

In recent years, I have seen quite a lot of Small and Medium Business (SMB) companies. I can confidently draw a sad conclusion - insufficient attention to the company's IT infrastructure at the start translates into rather serious problems after a while - from slowdown in growth to suspension of activities.

Small and medium-sized enterprises form the backbone of the economy of any developed country. Thus, according to some estimates, the contribution of small businesses reaches half of the entire US budget. In Russia, this figure is still significantly lower, but it is steadily increasing from year to year.

At the same time, the SMB sector is gradually maturing for the introduction of new technological solutions. To succeed in a highly competitive environment, improve labor efficiency and cut costs, small businesses are willing to invest in informatization. The telecommunications infrastructure is improving in the country, broadband Internet access is developing, which also increases the demand for IT.

If the question of the need for high technologies for business tasks of medium and, moreover, big business seems to the market long ago decided, then the active use of information technologies very small companies - a topic that is still not always obvious to the leaders of such companies. SMB firms are just as dependent on information technology as large organizations. In such organizations, there are much fewer IT specialists than in large corporations, so the head of the IT department must be directly involved in the development and support of the IT infrastructure, and, therefore, be highly qualified in the field of IT. It is rare that IT specialists in an SMB company are required to have significant business experience. In small firms, the IT executive is the “technology man”, and in larger organizations, the “business strategy man”.

On the part of business owners and managers, the attitude towards IT is rather ambiguous. For some, this is a fashion that must be followed only because it is modern, for others it is prestige and one of the means of increasing the value of an enterprise's assets. But there are even more such entrepreneurs for whom information technology is an extremely headache and unjustified additional costs.

Now almost all spheres of business are quite saturated: every year thousands of new small enterprises appear, trying to compete with the existing ones. Therefore, the most advanced players in this market are already gaining competitive advantages through IT, and the rest are gradually coming to the realization that without investment in this area, they will soon have nothing to do in the market.

IT systems in the SMB market are a factor of survival: in their absence, even a company of five people will not be able to develop, and with the departure of any employee it will make big problems out of the blue. It is necessary to look at the role of IT in SMB more broadly, it is necessary to understand by IT not only automation of accounting, but also such means as a system of interaction with customers, e-mail, telephony and an Internet portal. Small enterprises in the SME sector are forced to instantly respond to changes in the market situation, and this is impossible without a high degree of business manageability. This certainly pushes small business leaders to innovate to solve problems.

Another common disease in small businesses is the lack of a long-term strategy. It is necessary to initially lay in the organization's development strategy strict requirements for IT systems. In most cases, small companies lack a well-established knowledge base best practices, clearly built business processes. You should try to avoid such situations.

Of course, small and medium-sized companies strive to save money, because they spend on automation the personal money of their owner, which could be used to develop the business. Therefore, it is important for them to choose a solution that: will solve their current business problems; reasonably priced; provides the ability to seamlessly scale as your business grows. With this formulation of the question, it is reasonable to consider informatization in a complex, and not so that now we will buy some kind of server, and then think about a software solution.

There is even less consensus regarding the place of IT departments in the structure of the company. Many people think that this is just a service department that installs and maintains computing and specialized equipment, software and office equipment. Moreover, the only difference between an IT service and an administrative service is simply a higher level of education and an “imaginary” awareness of the self-importance of its employees. Leaders who consider themselves more progressive, on the contrary, single out information technology structures in particular, put them on the same level in importance with financial services and production, and allow the head of the IT service to develop a strategy. Although, the management often doubts whether "this geek" is really needed in the board of the company.

Whether we like it or not, information technologies not only make people talk about themselves more and more, they are becoming an integral part of the business, and most importantly, the guarantee of the efficiency of the enterprise. In turn, the IT industry is growing at a gigantic pace, and it is not easy to meet the demand for innovation from business, it is trying to form and strengthen this demand, giving rise to a lot of myths and legends. This is especially true of technologies in the development of custom software, the introduction of large software systems and consulting in the corporate sector, technologies that are most susceptible to the fickleness of "fashion" and are more subjective in assessing their quality.

SMB in Russian

What is an SMB company in Russia in terms of IT? In Russia, there is a special approach to SMB criteria. In our market, the turnover of medium-sized companies usually does not exceed $ 100 million (the western level, as already noted, reaches $ 200 million). By Russian standards, an enterprise with 15 to 100 employees is considered small. The average enterprise, in turn, employs up to 250 employees.

At the moment, many companies in their marketing policy use the number of employees as the main criterion for classification. But this criterion is extremely unobjective. It is easy to imagine two companies with the same number of employees, but with fundamentally different business processes in terms of complexity. Thus, offering these companies the same solution is simply stupid. An indicator such as the number of PCs can greatly affect the cost of the system due to higher requirements for the database, but it does not in any way characterize the requirements for the functionality of the system. The ubiquity of this characteristic is due, first of all, to clarity, which simplifies the work of the sales department. A balanced criterion for assessing a company's belonging to a particular market sector can be developed by analyzing the real requirements of small and medium-sized businesses to the functionality of the enterprise automation system. This will make it possible to determine the complexity of business processes and, on the basis of the results, clearly divide companies in accordance with market segments.

Many integrator companies classify their customers as SMB based not on their turnover, but on the basis of the size of the IT budget and the number of PCs. At the same time, individual entrepreneurs are also considered small businesses.

There is another criterion - the number of workstations to be automated, the number of financial and economic iterations (documents for which transactions for accounting or management accounting are created, the transactions themselves).

The difference in approaches in the definition makes the measurability of the segment rather difficult. The criteria for companies to belong to the SMB segment are very different - not only among Russian and Western experts, but also among foreigners.

When choosing one or another IT product, companies in the SMB sector are usually limited in budgetary funds, therefore they are much more sensitive than large corporate clients to the price / quality ratio. If it comes on IT equipment, the SMB market consumes universal products that can be used both “at work” and “at home”. Low cost of purchasing IT products, minimal cost of ownership, simplicity and availability of service. These are all important (and often basic) selection criteria for SMB companies. However, one cannot assume that low price is the only criterion for choosing an IT product.

Over the past few years, the approach of small businesses themselves to informatization has become much more deliberate. Based on the examples of the successes and mistakes of informatization projects of their larger colleagues in the industry, SMB enterprises now strive to first calculate the effectiveness of implementation by available means, and not "rush headlong" into the maelstrom of informatization. Now we can safely say that the assessment of the proposed systems, their comparison (in relation to this particular organization), development plans (strategy) are all quite natural actions in SMB companies. While a few years ago, automation was presented rather as an inevitable evil.

It is important for an SMB company to choose a solution that: will solve their current business problems; reasonably priced; provides the ability to seamlessly scale as your business grows. With this formulation of the question, it is reasonable to consider informatization in a complex, and not so that now we will buy some server, and then think about a software solution. This is important not only because of the cost of ownership of the solution, but also to ensure that the system can be easily scaled. For example, it can be fast connection of new servers to the network and redistribution of the increased load. Or maybe the connection of new modules of the software solution and, accordingly, the lengthening of the chain of business processes, but it is important to make sure in advance that this is feasible, does not require large investments and huge labor costs.

When working with companies from the SME sector, many vendors are faced with a number of negative "features". Many customers have systems installed that they are used to and that enable them to perform basic IT functions. And therefore, they do not yet trust the promises of increasing efficiency and are not ready to innovate. Added to this is the lack of qualified IT specialists, traditional for Russian regions, with all the positive trends still a low level of informatization in regions, including expensive broadband Internet access, and simply a low business culture.

There is only one peculiarity: the business, most likely, will have to be dealt with with the real owner of the business. And this person does not understand programming languages and operating systems, but knows his own business processes. After all, the very process of building a business management information system is nothing more than drawing up an algorithm for a business process and translating it into a program or a set of programs.

In large companies, between the creators of software and its future users, there is an army of specialists who iteratively translate real business technologies into algorithms as they understand and explain to programmers how the program should work. And then these same specialists convince the user that he must learn to use the software that was made for him, even if it is inconvenient, takes more time and requires an increase in personnel. Well, in big business this happens almost always, costs will be smeared along a long intermediate chain, the cost of goods, tariffs, etc. will increase. And the main bosses (owners) will still see the reporting and will be able to keep records.

But in working with a small business, this number rarely passes: there is no chain, and the owner will buy in most cases only what will really help him in his work. And since he understands and knows his business processes, it is easier for him to find an option for using software than an army of consultants.

The changes taking place in the business world in recent decades have been characterized by an ever-increasing competition. The desire of companies to survive and succeed in the new environment leads to purposeful attempts to use modern information technologies to gain a long-term competitive advantage. In the global information community, where information is transmitted through cyberspace with virtually no restrictions on volume, distance and speed, companies are increasingly dependent on the information they use and the systems that provide this information.

Most small and medium-sized businesses in Russia are not yet ready for complex projects to automate business processes. This primarily concerns the use of management software. Small businesses often prefer to automate only accounting and product accounting. Meanwhile, patchwork automation means the need to integrate a large number of local programs. And this entails many negative consequences: the terms and cost of performing work on the project increase, the speed of the resulting system decreases, the costs of the enterprise for maintaining the resulting system in a working condition increase significantly. This situation is unacceptable for an enterprise with a small budget.

At the same time, the Russian SME sector demonstrates sustainable financial development and becomes more and more attractive for major players IT market. They build a strategy for promoting services, work out in detail the mechanisms for selling products for small and medium-sized businesses. The developers intend to provide themselves with competitive advantages at the expense of new budget solutions.

However, one should not create illusions that the implementation of an IT system will instantly solve all problems. IT is only a tool that provides the ability to promptly receive reporting, financial and management information, allowing you to make the right decisions based on a comprehensive analysis of the situation. The concept of "automation strategy" is based on basic principles, including: goals (identification of areas of the enterprise and their subsequent automation); method of automation (by departments, directions or complex automation); IT strategy (implementation of a set of internal standards); restrictions on integration (financial, time, personnel, etc.); change management planning; support and maintenance of IT applications.

In this article, I deliberately did not consider specific solutions to the problems raised and suggest using any software. This is beyond the scope of this article. Of course, in order for all systems to work like clockwork, quality service is needed. The problem of choosing between full-time IT employees and outsourcing is worthy of a separate (and more than one) article. It might be worth resorting to a SaaS implementation option. Objectively, this difficult issue should be resolved by the head of the organization based on the advice of consultants and his understanding of the business vision. For each case, it is necessary to select individual solutions. My main goal is to show that effective use of IT technologies from the very beginning of business development is one of the factors for successful development. With proper implementation and further use, IT systems help to reduce costs, and therefore increase profits.

The two main internal factors driving the increase in SMB IT costs have remained unchanged over the past years. It is a drive to improve efficiency and reduce costs. In addition, representatives of SMB companies themselves increasingly need quick access to information in order to speed up the decision-making process.

Effective use information systems implies the implementation of IT systems in all areas of the company. Of course, this is very difficult and expensive. But, on the other hand, this approach lays the foundation for the further successful development of the company. The organization has clearly structured business processes, the company is less dependent on its employees. There is a possibility of further growth of the IT system in parallel with the business.

Many companies have already learned from their own experience that information technologies, by themselves, do not provide the expected benefits from their use. However, technology is not to blame for this, since, despite the rapid change in their technical parameters(speed, volume, cost, etc.) not only determine the end result of their application, but also how companies understand the role of IT systems in business, as well as how they manage their implementation and use.

IT service of the enterprise

Several concepts and approaches can be used to take this approach, focused on explaining the added value to the business and the core business of the organization from using IT. It is probably impossible to list all the possible tools to structure the discussion and exchange of views between business and IT leadership. Here are just some of the possible options. Of course, the approaches listed here will not replace the full depth of analysis that can be achieved by professional business consultants, but they do give some idea of the possible tools for such analysis.

In search of answers to the questions formulated above, it is important to determine the relationship between the organization's business strategy, information technology architecture and IT strategy.

We so often use the word "strategy" that we involuntarily want to resort to the help of the classics in defining this term. Here is Porter's definition of strategy as "... an integrated set of actions aimed at improving the long-term well-being of the enterprise." Those. it is a concept that helps managers transform the daily chaos of various events and decisions into some orderly way of understanding the position of the enterprise in the environment. In this regard, strategy consists of a set of informed choices and trade-offs and provides a general direction for decision-making.

The business strategy should identify the direction of business development (main area of activity) of the organization and the reasons for moving in this direction. The IT architecture must identify those information systems that are required to support the business strategy. The IT strategy should show how these systems can be implemented in the organization and what technologies are needed for this. By considering these factors, you can get an idea of the contribution that each application makes to the business organization.

The IT strategy defines how technology will be used in an organization. At the same time, the IT architecture is the glue that, on the one hand, reflects today's and tomorrow's business needs, and on the other hand, is ensured by the implementation of the plans spelled out in the IT strategy.

Rice. 1.7.

When justifying the benefits that an organization receives from IT implementation in accordance with the "Value-for-Money" principle, it should be remembered that additional value and benefits are obtained at the intersection of "Business - IT architecture" and, before all in the field of applied systems. At the same time, it requires the costs associated with the creation and development of this IT architecture, which is the result of the implementation of the IT strategy.

The correct approach is to focus on the added-value side of this relationship, since business leaders, when they understand the benefits of IT projects in depth, usually have a much better idea of what means. it is ready to invest in these projects. This approach increases the chances that IT projects will have real support from the business leadership. This is what is called to have sponsor of the project... Once a project slides into information technology only, its success and support will often fall short of the real goals of the business leadership.

It should be noted that the relationship in the above diagram is not only top-down. New business opportunities can emerge from the use of IT, so formalized processes are also needed to identify these new potential business opportunities associated with new information technology.

The Application Portfolio is a powerful tool for describing plans related to the use of IT in an organization. He describes investments in application systems and services (those that are available, planned and possible for future consideration) not in terms of how they will be implemented, but in terms of their Roles and Contributions into business.

Each IT system is placed in a quadrant that reflects the importance of the system from a business point of view.

The strategic quadrant contains those systems that are critical to the implementation of future business strategy. The Highly Potential Applications Quadrant contains those that may be important for future success. The Core Operating Applications Quadrant contains the systems on which the organization relies today to achieve its results. Provisioning applications are those systems that are important but not critical to success.

Rice. 1.8.

Rice. 1.9.

The nature of the advantages that various information systems carry depends on their positioning in this classification. Summarized sources of benefits for different types of applications are given in

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In my opinion, business is a person's activity aimed at generating income through the use of his knowledge, experience, his capital. Business implementation of human potential on the economic path. In 99% of cases, making a profit for a businessman is one of the main criteria for evaluating his activities. This does not mean that a businessman will act to the detriment of partners, clients, society. This means that making a profit can be associated with the provision of services, production of products, and profit shows the effectiveness of a businessman. And society, the state should only restrict business from actions that can harm society. And there are a lot of ways to realize human potential in business. I liked the definition of business in the American textbook "Business Concept" by Rosenblatt, Bonnington, Needles: "Business is a system of doing business. Business is creating products that people need. Business is work. Business is the central highway in our socio-economic system. . Business is a system that we have created to satisfy our desires. Business is how we live. What is business? Try yourself to choose the one word that would reflect many different activities and concepts and would be the most accurate. we will define business as a production system to meet the needs and desires of society. " In the process of the evolution of society, new industries and new spheres of activity are created. And these branches of production are capable of radically changing society itself. This was the case with the emergence of industry, but now information technologies invade our daily life, change the world community, change a person and his environment, provide the basis for the progressive development of society. The new industry leads to fundamental changes in the business itself, making it more dynamic and perfect.

The end of the XX - beginning of the XXI century will be marked by the inevitable transition from an industrial to an information society, in which information will become the most important factor of production that creates social wealth.

But the information society as a model of human development cannot appear from scratch. A very serious intellectual and technological base is needed. And such a basis in the Western economy today is the information business.

The information business is a relatively new area entrepreneurial activity in the form of the largest diversified complex with its own established infrastructure. Information business, on the one hand, is part of the infrastructure of the entire system of entrepreneurial activity, along with banks, stock exchanges, audit companies, etc., and on the other hand, it is an independent business area.

The information business in Western countries originated in the 60s, formed as an independent industry in the 70s, and in the 80s turned into the largest diversified complex with its own infrastructure. At first, information technologies were used due to the complexity and high cost only in scientific centers and large industrial companies. As it improves and becomes cheaper, information technologies have penetrated into various industries and made it possible to improve and improve the efficiency of the latter. As a result of the development of information technologies, new needs of society have appeared and formed. The sheer scale of this new "monster" of the modern Western economy is confirmed by the following figures. World consumption of information technology in 1990 reached $ 2 trillion (a doubling of turnover occurred in just 4 years since 1986). Information production in the United States and Japan has surpassed the sphere of material production in terms of employment. Moreover, in the United States, by the beginning of the 1980s, about 60% of all workers were employed in this area. The current trends in the development of the information business are such that it is consistently ahead of traditional industries in terms of growth, employment and other economic indicators.

Turning to the infrastructure of the information industry, it should be noted right away that the sphere of the information business is very extensive and includes various types of activities that are directly or indirectly related to information. Moreover, the infrastructure is constantly changing and increasing. Having started with the production of products and services directly related to computing technology (today these are mainly personal computers), the information business captures more and more new areas of human activity that are practically not related to computers.

Considering the modern business infrastructure, it must be borne in mind that different specialists in different countries interpret and describe it ambiguously. Here are just a few of these approaches. Yu. M. Kanygin distinguishes the following basic elements: computer centers of various types; subscriber points giving subscribers access to information resources; a set of organizational elements that ensure the management of electronic computing and information potential; structural elements of the industry that satisfy the needs of the computer center in software and information support (funds of algorithms and programs, databanks, knowledge, etc.), as well as various supporting elements. This is an example of an analysis of the infrastructure we have developed. Another example is the analysis of the infrastructure of the information business that has developed in the United States, although there are also different approaches there. For example, E. Ettinger developed a scheme for the development of the information business, which is based on the computerization of various spheres of the economy. In the center is the computer, and around the rest of the business elements are located - from communication channels to the final product.

Another scheme was developed by L. Gem and is one of the most successful and convenient for viewing and understanding information infrastructure. Each of the eight segments of the diagram includes different activities, not all of which are directly and exclusively related to information. Nevertheless, each type of activity shown in the segment is, in one way or another, important for the information business. Let's take a closer look at the circuit.

movies;

newspapers magazines;

microfilms;

newsletters, single releases, reference pointers;

books, reports, publications, notes;

video discs, films, laser discs.

Support services:

venture capital, banks;

systems artificial intelligence, systems design;

time sharing of systems;

programming;

electronic transmission of documents, data entry;

stock brokers, service bureaus.

Information technology:

computers, terminals;

office equipment;

optical equipment;

microfilms, laser discs;

printing equipment, accounting forms;

duplication of documentation.

Integrating technology:

terminals;

personal switches;

speech systems, facsimiles;

digital data.

Means of communication:

radio, television, telephone;

transmission systems;

video discs, fiber optics;

means of postal communication, switches.

Channels of connection:

courier delivery, mail;

telegraph, telephone;

international communications, satellite communications, commercial communications;

cable TV;

mobile and modular equipment.

TV and radio broadcasting channels:

radio network, regional networks;

TV network, telefax;

shortwave communication.

Semantic services:

News Service;

initial information for electronic and non-electronic data banks;

information about the stock exchange, information brokers;

libraries, video libraries; statistical indices; owners of data banks; speech systems.

As you can see from the above diagram, the infrastructure is considered in great detail here and includes a large number of different types of activities, although in reality the segments may overlap in separate areas.

Considering information technology as the "engine" of information business, let us focus on the content and role of information technology in business.

Information technology includes the “trump cards” of the modern information business: computers, terminals, computer equipment, optical equipment, microfilms, laser discs, printing equipment and photocopying. These are all basic infrastructure elements that define the basic strategic goals business development, so the choice is not random.

According to the American management specialist G. Poppel, information technology (IT) should be understood as the use of computers and communication systems for the creation, collection, transmission, storage, processing of information for all areas. public life... IT is considered both as a part (or element) of the information business - its some technological basis, and as a separate sector of infrastructure, often developing autonomously.

Recognizing as fact the amazing technological advances in the era of information technology, American experts predicted further progress in the 90s in this area, driven by the five main so-called "information trends." It:

1) the growing role of the information product;

2) development of the ability to interact (compatibility);

3) elimination of intermediate links (immediacy);

4) globalization;

5) convergence.

Let us define these tendencies and briefly describe them.

An information product (IP) acts in the form of software tools, databases and expert support services (the definition was given by G. Poppel and B. Goldstype), IP in the form of various kinds of information is a source of human knowledge. RW Emerson defines information as "the accumulated thoughts and experiences of countless minds." Consequently, the activities of intellectual workers largely depend on the content, accuracy and timeliness of the information received. IT aims to bring information to the place of creation and use of knowledge. Hence the increasing value of IP, and in different planes. The informational part of the IP broadens the horizons of people, allows more efficient use of resources, and the entertainment part provides leisure. The quality and availability of both have a significant impact on the individual's sense of self-satisfaction.

In the business world, intelligent workers make decisions, develop products, sell and buy goods and services, and provide guidance that drives a firm's business. Doing business is significant. degree depends on the IP received by intellectual workers. American experience shows that most firms spend too much money on individual entrepreneurs and receive too little return in terms of the creative productivity of intellectual workers. In the United States, 30 million managers and other professionals called intellectuals cost their firms $ 1 trillion a year. At the same time, only $ 75 billion (7% of total costs) is being spent on IT systems that can improve the efficiency of other costs. The importance of these costs is confirmed by research by Boose, Allen & Hamilton Inc., which shows that 18-30% of the cost of intellectual work is practically lost mainly in the search for the best information product. In business, as elsewhere, the best information and the greatest credibility is a great power, as any financier will attest. Therefore, the fatal obedience of companies and firms is simply amazing, which admit the loss of about 200 billion dollars due to the lack of necessary information.

Using the example of Reuters, one can show how IP is transformed in the process of improvement. Initially, the system made it possible to simply view stock quotes in real time. At present, the Reuters-2000 system allows, in addition to viewing the current quotes of various stock instruments, to conclude transactions, view messages from the Reuters news agency, and see a graphical display of quotes changes. In the already announced system "Reuters - 3000", in addition to these properties, there will be a tool for analyzing and accessing the global database accumulated over many years of the system's operation. This will allow you to more deeply analyze trends in trading and make the right decisions.

The fate of many intelligent workers today depends on IT. In 1990, about 40% of intellectual workers in the United States used information technology aids in their workplaces. The six sectors of the economy in which the use of IT is most likely to increase the efficiency of trading operations have been identified: industrial goods and supplies, prepackaged consumer and pharmaceutical goods, insurance commercial enterprises and individuals, commercial banks and loans, wholesale and specialist services, stock trading.

Even a very cursory glance at the American reality convinces that the creation of an IP is a thriving business. Television series, video cassette rental, radio programs, records, video games, text and illustrations in books, newspapers and magazines were part of consumer IP in the United States in the late 1980s.

In particular, not the example of the US newspaper market, which is undergoing important conceptual and structural transformations, it can be shown how the introduction of this conservative industry to new IT is taking place. Many transformations will affect the development of world journalism.

Changing American society: increasing divorce rates and decreasing family size, overworking at work, more options for spending free time, cost, environmental considerations all lead to the development of alternatives printed publications... An increasing number of publishers believe that the future lies only with the electronic versions of their newspapers. Now, according to independent experts, Microsoft is investing in the development of new media projects up to 20% of its scientific budget. Microsoft publishes encyclopedias and reference books on CD-ROM, becoming the absolute leader in the world market for encyclopedias, luring away leading journalists from major newspapers and TV channels, buying up large photo archives and art galleries, etc.

The Microsoft / NBC joint venture MSNBC operates on the Internet in parallel with normal television. If the user is interested in more detailed information about the event that the TV announcer talks about, he can get it in the electronic version of the program. June 24, 1996 Microsoft launched its first Slate magazine (http://www.slate.com) on the Internet, which quickly gained public attention. It was even reprinted by Time magazine (this is perhaps the highest distinction in the United States). Perhaps it is these media that will shape the future of journalism. In addition to texts and ordinary illustrations, Slate is equipped with musical and multimedia materials. Microsoft intends to launch a major new project on the US Internet at the start of the year, Sityscape. It is assumed that this will be an electronic guide to US cities, which at first, in addition to the city plan, will contain information about city attractions, restaurants, etc. Then the editors of Sityscape intend to start publishing local news as well as advertisements... This will undermine the main newspaper base, leaving only a select few print media out of fierce competition.

IP creation includes 3 main stages: development, synthesis and distribution. 8 main types of IP pass through these stages: news, documentaries, knowledge and opinions, data and facts, protocols, games, works of fiction and drama, music and humor.

All activities in the field of individual entrepreneurship are unique, firstly, in terms of risk, because it is necessary to satisfy the needs of two main categories of customers: consumers and advertisers. Approximately 50% of the income in the consumer IP sector comes from advertising. The second characteristic feature of information services is the availability of rights to certain areas of activity. For example, the limited spectrum of frequencies used has led to the need for local transmitting radio and television stations to obtain licenses for broadcasting, etc. In addition, almost all companies and firms associated with the field of information, in the absence of technical and legal distinctions boundaries and rights.

The next trend in the development of IT is the ability to interact between all physical and logical elements of the system. One of the most important factors for ensuring interoperability is the emergence of new standards for software and hardware, displays, databases and networks, which has led to standardization processes.

New technologies are the main driving force in addition to the existing forces of the global market. Just a few key components - microprocessors, local area networks, robotics, specialized AWPs, sensors, programmable controllers - turned the concept into reality automated enterprise... However, at present, technology can also be a limiting factor: the lack of interoperability between automation means makes it irrational to implement. This is due to the explosive expansion of IT, with the result that product standardization does not keep pace with technical standards. On the other hand, as a result of a more active marketing activities and success in distributing IP, capturing a large market share by any company, its product becomes the standard for everyone else. As an example, we can cite personal computers from IBM, operating systems of Microsoft corporation, Novell local network, VHS standards of consumer video recording from JVC, Video-8 from Sony.

IT providers should evaluate the individual shifts that have occurred in the best interests of their customers. Production will no longer be determined by the intended use of the end product, but rather by a combination of production and market characteristics, such as the large volume of required plastic fittings or orders for powder metallurgy products. V modern world customer satisfaction determines production activities firms.

Interoperability as a concept is as attractive as it is difficult to implement. Difficulties come from both technology and competition. Technological efforts are focused on technical metrics that are defined in terms of standards. Consequently, the existence of standards is the key to achieving synergy. As mentioned above, the speed of new information developments is higher than the standardization of information products. But recently, in connection with the enlargement of enterprises and the increasing experience of integrating various IP platforms, the standardization of the activities of various manufacturers is carried out already at the stage of development and creation of IP.

Another complication of the current moment is that the development of IT largely determines the processes of systems integration and standards creation. This can significantly delay the timeline for realizing the benefits of the latest technology. For example, the Japanese-funded fifth-generation computer program is constrained by the fact that new software architecture is not yet compatible with existing centers of artificial intelligence, new protocols cannot be used in old communication systems, and new machine languages are not suitable for old systems. etc.

As information technology penetrates deeper and deeper into various areas of business, it changes the various cost indicators on which competition is based. This entails fundamental structural changes in other sectors of the economy, expressed in such a dramatic trend as the elimination of intermediate links. The latter means the elimination of those stages that involve intermediaries between consumers and producers. In particular, in the banking sector, the role of small banks is decreasing, since the introduction of information technologies requires significant resources.

information technology already now provides opportunities for the elimination of intermediate functions within and between companies. Telemarketing and the computer-to-computer ordering system eliminate, for example, intermediate sales organizations. Customers who have access to public terminals (called “e-kiosks”) order commercially available products and receive e-coupons. You can give a lot of similar examples, for example, in banking, etc.

In general, assessing the situation, American experts state the following: "By introducing a new weapon of competition in various spheres of activity, IT is causing an acute struggle between firms." Intel predicts that e-commerce will eventually replace the middle tier of business (distributors), who today play an important role in bringing all kinds of products to the end user.

The main reason for IT's transformation into such a powerful force is that information is often the primary commodity of exchange in a transaction, for example, when a training program is purchased or a consultancy contract is awarded. This is true for relationships within enterprises (production-supply), between enterprises (buyer-seller) and between enterprise and consumer. In these cases, the elimination of intermediate links is due to the introduction of new technologies that provide added value to information through its processing, storage, transmission and transformation into more successful and accessible forms for immediate use. This implies significant advantages of information technologies: wider distribution, greater ease of use and lower prices due to the fact that the unit costs of information technologies are much lower than the unit costs when using traditional methods (involving a person, paper, etc.).

There are serious reasons to believe that already in the early 90s, the elimination of intermediate links as a manifestation of the third trend in the development of IT will lead to a blurring of the boundaries between traditional sectors of the economy and those related to IT. In addition, the elimination of intermediaries that is currently taking place among IT consumers will undoubtedly trigger a similar process among IT providers.

Another trend in the development of information technology is the globalization of the information business. Theoretically, any person (or company) is a possible consumer of information today. Therefore, the possibilities of the information market are still limitless, although there is rather tough competition between the main manufacturers. In recent years, firms from Australia, South Koren, Taiwan, Singapore, etc. have been added to traditionally strong manufacturers such as the USA, Japan, France, Great Britain and Germany. One of the main reasons for the intensification of global competition is the spread of demand for specific types of IT on a global scale. ... It can be said that, despite the difference in markets, the products in demand in America are actually similar to those for which there is demand in Japan and Europe. The presence of five main factors determines this process:

different levels of knowledge in the field of IT, determining the rate of its dissemination, which vary widely depending on the field of application and on the characteristics of the country;

cost-effectiveness ratio of IT;

government support;

standardization;

comparative advantages of coexisting and interchangeable technologies.

Today, in the information business, as well as in the economy as a whole, there are three largest centers - the USA, Japan, Western Europe, between which the entire competition is unfolding. The main results of this struggle. in the late 80s - early 90s are characterized by the following. There has been a general weakening of American positions in the world information technology market. The United States today dominates only in the supply of computer hardware (75%) and software (65%).

The growing role of Japan is noted. Since the late 70s, it has produced about 50% of the world's consumer electronics. Currently, the share of Japanese office equipment manufacturers in the North American market is: in the field of copiers - over 40%, in the field of calculators and facsimile equipment - about 100%.

Recently, Europe has been lagging behind in the field of IT. European IT companies, with the rare exception of a few world-class vendors, are seen as completely and perhaps permanently unable to compete in the global IT market. This conclusion inevitably follows from the survey of public opinion. The total share of European companies in the domestic market is only 30-40% of the total IT supply. Among the 100 largest private companies and firms, only 19 are European. All European countries are net importers of IT, and their trade deficit in the region the latest technologies growing. But the governments of European states, despite the skepticism of their activities on the part of top management private companies are contributing to the revitalization of their IT industry. R&D in the field of IT found support not only from individual governments, they attracted the attention of the EEC leadership, which put forward an extensive resource consolidation program. An example is the ESPRIT program (European Strategic Information Technology Research Program).

Globalization is directly related to convergence. Previously, manufacturing and services could be easily defined and differentiated. However, the “information trends” described above are changing traditional perceptions. Some types of products and services are easy to distinguish. Typewriters and calculators are products, telex and broadcasting are services. The situation is more complicated when it comes to, for example, telex equipment and TV receivers, which acquire a specific significance only in conjunction with the aforementioned types of services. Some systems can combine devices. Examples are brokerage coding systems, banking machines, and energy control systems. In addition, certain types of products and services, performing the same functions, become essentially interchangeable.

Convergence is shaping the so-called potential IT market today, the main segments of which are as follows.

1) The consumer segment includes the transmission of information and entertainment and their consumption by individuals. Such consumption can be carried out at home, in a private car, local mall or hotel room. Many individual services can also be obtained by employees of the company from their workstations without the special permission of the company.

2) Business support includes the consumption of IT products and services in the implementation of various types business activities: procurement, production-service, marketing, physical distribution of products and other stages of value-added. The use of IT tends to be extremely intensive, repetitive and subject to certain procedures.

3) Intellectual work refers to the consumption and transmission of information among managers and other professionals. This area of activity is mistakenly identified with business operations, in fact, it differs from the latter in essence. The area of consumption is more specific, smaller in volume, and is determined more by events than by procedures when considering an IT acquisition. Most buyers are guided by qualitative criteria and intuition, despite the availability of quantitative analysis techniques.

The forecast of the “real” market, taking into account the analysis of the dynamics of the development of the information technology industry, allows us to single out the following main areas of IT.

1) Communication services are implemented through public networks such as telephone data transmission, image and audio signal transmission, as well as traditional delivery methods, such as by mail.

2) Information services - represented by various kinds of publications, carried out both by traditional methods and by means of electronics; in packages application programs, custom software, computer data processing, advertising and other types of professional services.

3) Entertainment is provided by creating an information product: musical, artistic, humorous and playful in nature, distributing it in the form of printed publications, records, cassettes, floppy disks, etc., as well as through radio and TV broadcasts, cable television , theaters, etc.

4) Consumer electronics - represented by standard devices and systems that meet the needs of individuals in information and entertainment. For example, telephone, audio and TV equipment, such latest systems like home computers and laser players that store and play infotainment programs.

5) Office equipment - covers a wide range of devices and systems: from the simplest stand-alone devices for transferring from media to media (copiers and typewriters) to today's ones with networks personal computers, telephones and other types of AWPs that store, process and transmit information.

6) Business support systems. These include general-purpose systems for processing, storing and transmitting information (for example, universal computers with appropriate software), as well as specialized devices and systems (switches for communication networks, devices for collecting technological information, robots, automated monitoring and control technological processes, “Electronic kiosks”, automatic cash registers and gasoline sales systems). There is an overlap effect between the IT segments of the potential market and the forecast of the “real” market, which will determine the market conditions in the future.

The search for new integrated products and the need for rapid convergence are driving the desire for all-round collaboration of firms in the IT field. Success here largely depends on four factors.

1. Companies should strive for convergence with close or related enterprises, which strengthens the so-called “strategic core”.

2. Firms should strive to achieve a strong and lasting market position that can be achieved together.

3. Companies should approach the selection of promising partners from a strategic position.

4. If there is a potential strategic partner, the IT vendor must be clear about what terms of the partnership will provide the maximum benefits prior to making a deal.

Convergence, therefore, acts as a multidimensional phenomenon due to the development of the other four "information trends". The convergence of integral market services is good example the dominant value of the information product, the consumer's access to which is carried out through systems capable of interaction, which, in turn, leads to the elimination of intermediate links and traditional distribution channels, contributes to globalization.

Evolution technical support, which includes hardware, communication means, software, passes unevenly, abruptly. The development of computer technology is still taking place in geometric progression. The performance of computers doubles every four years.

Apple Computer Corp., IBM Corp., Netscape Communications Corp., Oracle Corp. and Sun Microsystems Inc. presented a reference list of specifications and recommendations for the design of a network computer (NC, Network Computer). This is sometimes presented and perceived as death to the Wintel tandem (Windows + Intel) and personal computers in general. In short, the essence of a networked computer is that this device is in constant connection with the network, and allows more dense use of network resources. At the same time, it is possible to reduce the cost of the computer itself and its operation, to achieve independence of the software from the platform. Each NC is expected to have built-in WWW viewer software capable of executing network-loaded applications, eliminating the need for a hard disk. It is very similar to multi-terminal complexes with varying degrees of terminal intelligence, which have not taken root everywhere. Competition is forcing Microsoft and Intel to develop other implementations of these ideas, and they recently launched two initiatives to reduce the cost of running personal computers in an organization. They are called "Zero Administration" and NetPC (Networked Personal Computer). They provide for some points that intersect with the proposals of the initiators of the NC, but without revolutionary changes. The corresponding specification has been published, and the initiatives have received support from 96 leading manufacturers.

In mid-November 1996, a number of leading manufacturers announced the release of devices of the "Handheld PC" class (by analogy with a watch, this can be translated as a "wrist computer", but explained as follows: "a computer that can be operated by holding it in the palm of your hand"). It operates under a special version of Windows - Windows CE, designed specifically for a wide range of devices such as personal digital assistants, communication devices and laptop computers. Operating system, as well as simplified ("pocket") versions of the manager personal information, Word, Excel, Internet Explorer and Client Email stored in ROM. Provides data exchange with the desktop PC and its applications, and, of course, access to the Internet. The weight of the device is no more than 500 g, the price is about $ 500 (the magic amount).

Concluding the conversation about the networked computer, it should be said that we, of course, will witness the emergence of many Networked Devices (in the sense of devices for accessing the Network). These will be devices for various purposes, both for household, entertainment and professional needs. Starting from set-top boxes to special devices for working with databases, for example, for ordering tickets in transport agencies. And it is not at all necessary that they be based on Java technology, it can also be a special version of Windows, as in the example described above. Along with such devices, there will be a network computer itself, as it is now understood. Most likely, the main area of its application is specialized complexes. They will coexist with networked personal computers and other options, making up a small portion of the market.

All the leaders of the computer industry have released their strategic plans regarding the Internet / Intranet and the totality of new technologies, hastening to establish itself in public opinion like an Internet company. Not doing this and not backing up your claims with deeds means losing customer confidence and losing. A corresponding strategy has been announced by Microsoft. An internal restructuring has already been carried out, a whole range of products for the Internet has been released, all existing products are supplemented by means of integration with the Internet, new technologies are being developed. Work is underway in independent committees and consortia to agree on standards. Microsoft today spends more on Internet research and development than any other company.

Do not lag behind the developers of computer technology and other developers of technical support. By the end of the century, it is planned to deploy a global satellite telephone network, consisting of 86 LEO satellites, which allows communication by satellite phone from anywhere in the world. A Russian missile manufacturer, the V.I. Khrunichev.

Anyone who thinks that the Internet was created only for "techies" is wrong. This global network is attracting more and more subscribers, for whom the computer is only a tool in their professional activities.

It is worth recalling the history of the development of the Internet. In the 1970s, the US military began developing a global network capable of withstanding nuclear war. This was achieved by the possibility of using servers in the form of a "web", that is, the routes of connecting computers of different users were almost endless. In the late 70s, universities and research centers were allowed access to the network, and in the 80s, the network was open to all users. A variety of standards, software, and computer hardware hindered the commercial use of the network in day-to-day activities.

The advent of WWW technology has revolutionized the use of the Internet. The Wold Wide Web (WWW) is the latest and fastest growing information technology on the Internet. In just six months, the number of WWW-servers in the world has increased from 3000 to 10000. And the "weaving of the web" continues, new data storages appear every day, containing a variety of information. Topics range from fly fishing and home brewing to movie reviews and electronic newspapers.

The WWW supports a set of standards that allow users to access information resources on the Internet. A distinctive feature of the Web is its hypertext means, which can be used to access information on the other side of the world without complex manipulations. The first strands of the "web" were woven in 1989 at Herne, the European particle physics laboratory under the direction of Tim Berners-Lee. WWW was conceived as a holistic world in which information from any source is easily available on any type of computer, in any country, using standardized programs.

The WWW is a new medium for the publishing business and the number of publications appearing as electronic versions is constantly growing.

Another interesting fact is that, in contrast to the usual practice of global networks, when a user pays an entrance fee and pays for the "on-line" time, there is a tendency in the WWW towards a free service supported by advertising revenues.

This technology, coupled with the industry-record projected adoption of the Windows 95 operating system, will make the Internet as familiar as the telephone.

In industry, simulation systems make it possible to dispense with expensive testing and reduce the time to create products. Computer-aided design systems accelerate the design of complex products, making it possible to better use the potential of working groups. The electronic data transfer system allows for more efficient enterprise management, fast correspondence between partners, allows you to create working groups within the corporation that are not geographically united, and even due to the difference in time zones, to extend the time of work on projects.

New payment systems, card systems, electronic wallets, electronic clearing systems based on the achievements of IT are emerging in the banking system. Initially, the cards used the principle of magnetic tape, later it was possible to create microcircuits that have a miniature size, greater capabilities and better protection.

In relation to Russia, the following can be said. A good (stable) bank should work with clients on a range of services, the best form of work is the user's permanent access to his account, which is provided by a plastic card. However, this requires large investments, so banks are forced to merge into various payment unions.

To service small payments, chip (smart) cards are used, periodically "recharged" by the owner. They do not require authorization for purchases, and are more secure than conventional magnetic cards.

New IT makes it possible to expand the scope of services, speed up payments, and reduce the cost of money turnover.

Despite the difficulties in the state of the reliability and security of the Internet, the OpenFinancialConnectivity (OFS) specification has already emerged, which regulates financial transactions on the Internet and the MerchantServer trading system from Microsoft.

The entertainment industry is actively using the achievements of information technology in a variety of ways. This is the development of new computer games, new attractions, the use of IT in film and video production.

Complex software has flaws that can be exploited by outsiders (hackers) and exploited to their advantage. For example, a hacker stole about $ 7,000 from credit cards of Parex Bank, and a database on all cars credited to the hijacking not only from the former USSR, but also passing through the Interpol search bases, disappeared from the computers of the police of one Baltic republic. In 1993-1995, more than 300 attempts were recorded to penetrate the computer network of the Central Bank of Russia. For 8 months of 1996 in Russia material damage amounted to 7 million dollars, in 1995 - 250 billion rubles.

To prevent unauthorized access, expensive security systems are used, software is being improved.

When using software, there is a possibility of data loss from computer viruses that exploit software flaws. Due to the increasing cost of information, the losses can be very significant. Viruses are created by people, either mentally unhealthy, overwhelmed by destructive motives, or to harm the user using an unlicensed copy of the software, or a novice programmer who does not have a decent scope for his energy. For protection, you have to use special antivirus programs. It is gratifying to realize that Russian programmers are leaders in the development of antivirus software.

Due to the fact that there has now been a concentration in the information technology industry, and there are only a few large companies in each specialized area, the IT user is faced with the dilemma of choosing an information technology platform, since in the future he will depend on his supplier.

The ease of replication of information products allows you to easily violate the copyrights of the IP developer. This applies, first of all, to audio and video products, software. So, in the USA, according to rough estimates, 20% of the volume of all products is illegally used, in China - up to 80%, in Russia - about 70%. The way out for IP developers is the prosecution of "pirates", government pressure on countries that violate copyright. In particular, in Russia, Microsoft, Russian manufacturers software won several lawsuits against pirates in 1996. Symantec is going to do the same. And pirates in Russia are already switching to civilized methods of selling individual entrepreneurs. The US government is exerting strong pressure on China to stop the illegal replication of information products, as a result of which illegal IP replication factories are being closed in China. The same is happening in Bulgaria.

At first glance, nothing supernatural is happening - the information industry is new industry technologies, it has always developed rapidly, acceleration alternated with relatively smooth periods. What is happening today is compared with such milestones as the emergence of personal computers in the era of the dominance of mainframes and the ubiquitous integration of personal computers into local networks. While agreeing with this comparison, we note, however, the evolutionary nature of the phenomenon. It's just that when people want to reflect the importance of a moment, they call it revolutionary - this is from the field of marketing.

No one can ignore new technologies that are pervasive in our lives, let alone the immediate benefits that consumers can derive from them today. The results of these efforts are already being translated into real projects.

As a result of the development of information technology and the high profitability of projects, many firms have been attracted to the industry. As a result, a situation of perfect competition was created. The result of today's heightened competition will be the improvement of IT, new industries will appear, the supply market will become more transparent.

These are the main features of the development of today's industrial business - this multifaceted phenomenon of this century, which is already competing with industry and in the future may be the main type of economic activity.

Market economy. In 3 volumes-V.2 - "Business fundamentals" in 2 parts.-M .: Somintek, 1992.

Introduction to information business: Textbook / O.V. Golosov, S.A. Okhrimenko, A.V. Khoroshilov and others; Ed. V.P. Tikhomirova, A.V. Khoroshilova - M .: Finance and Statistics, 1996.

Information systems in economics: Textbook / Ed. prof. V.V. Dick. - M .: Finance and Statistics, 1996.

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