Information technology ('IT) is "the study, design, development, implementation, support or

management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and

computer hardware", according to the Information Technology Association of America
(ITAA). [1] IT deals with the use of electronic computers and computer software to securely
convert, store, protect, process, transmit, input, output, and retrieve information.

Information and communication technology spending in 2005

Contents:
1. General Information
2. See also
3. References
4. Further reading

1. General Information

Information Technology is abbreviated as IT that can be divided into IT manufactural

industry and IT use industry. As it pertains to technology, IT spans a wide variety of areas
that include but are not limited to things such as Processes, Computer Software, Computer
Hardware, Programming Languages, and Data Constructs. In short, anything that renders
Data, Information or perceived Knowledge, in any visual format whatsoever, via any
multimedia distribution mechanism, is considered to be a part of the domain space known as
Information Technology (IT).

As it pertains to organizations within enterprises, IT represents an operational group that

helps solve such problems as those related to Data, Information and Knowledge capture,
persistence, processing, brokering, discovery and rendering. Such organizations can be as
small as one or two people that can be shared between multiple small business and as large as
multi-billion dollar structures that are common in all Fortune 500 enterprises.

Today, the term information has ballooned to encompass many aspects of computing and
technology, and the term has become very recognizable. IT professionals perform a variety of
functions (IT Disciplines/Competencies) that range from installing applications to designing
complex computer networks and information databases. A few of the duties that IT
professionals perform may include data management, networking, engineering computer
hardware, database and software design, as well as the management and administration of
entire systems. Information technology is starting to spread farther than the conventional
personal computer and network technology, and more into integrations of other technologies
such as the use of cell phones, televisions, automobiles, and more, which is increasing the
demand for such jobs.

When computer and communications technologies are combined, the result is information
technology, sometimes called "infotech." Information technology is a general term that
describes any technology that helps to produce, manipulate, store, communicate, and/or
disseminate information.

In the recent past, ABET and the ACM have collaborated to form accreditation and
curriculum standards [2] for degrees in Information Technology as a distinct field of study
separate from both Computer Science and Information Systems. SIGITE [3] is the ACM
working group for defining these standards. The Worldwide IT services revenue totaled $763
billion in 2009. [4]

It is important to consider the overall value chain in technology development projects as the
challenge for the value creation is increasing with the growing competitiveness between
organizations that has become evident (Bird, 2010). The concept of value creation through
technology is heavily dependent upon the alignment of technology and business strategies.
While the value creation for an organization is a network of relationships between internal
and external environments, technology plays an important role in improving the overall value
chain of an organization. However, this increase requires business and technology
management to work as a creative, synergistic, and collaborative team instead of a purely
mechanistic span of control. Technology can help the organization recognize improved
competitive advantage within the industry it resides and generate superior performance at a
greater value, [1] according to Bird ( [5] ).

2. See also