Computer Technologies in

Management
Lecture 6
TMU1013 Introduction to Computer Technologies
Lecture Overview
• Introduction to management
• Usage of computer technologies in management

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Management
• Management is the act of planning, directing, and evaluating
activities in a company/organization
• Planning, organizing, actuating, and controlling are the essential
processes in management
• These processes are made better with computer technology

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Management
• Managers carry out:
• Planning: set goals, course of action to meet the goals, come up with action
plan
• Organizing: structuring the organization to meet company goals; makes sure
people, materials & equipment are secure and scheduled to meet the action
plan
• Actuating: initiate the work related to action plan; built or provide the
products/services
• Controlling: compare results against the plan; evaluate activities, product
quality, work performance, inventory levels etc

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Managing data and information
• Data and information management is the basic activities in
organizations
• Computer technologies make it possible to organize, manipulate and
store large amount of data and information
• There is no need for physical files and cabinets that take up spaces
• It is less time consuming to work with/manipulate the data and
information

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Managing data and information
• Management information systems (MIS)
• For managers to organize, evaluate and manage departments and activities
within an organization
• Execute important business decisions and actions required in business growth
and development
• Provides periodic, predetermined and ad-hoc reporting capabilities
• MIS reports summarize the information to support decision making tasks
• MIS generate reports from database of Transaction Processing Systems (TPS)
and Customer Integration System (CIS)
• Information is summarized for easy interpretation

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Managing data and information
• Example of MIS

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Planning
• For planning projects and budgets
• Prepare documents, proposals, presentations
• Creating schedules and plans

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Planning
• Example

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Managing business contacts
• Communicate with customers, clients, suppliers, the public
• Contact management systems
• For customers, suppliers, or business partners
• Help organizations keep these contacts and retrieve them at any time
• Organizing the contacts separate customers/clients from suppliers or partners
• Should always update the contact list of customers, because some stay, while
others go
• Can contact customers at once and suggest deals or discounts which in return
improve customer service
• Bulk email senders can import contacts from database
• Email templates which can be edited and contact all customers in just one minute
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Managing business contacts
• Example

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Human resource (HR) management
• Use the Internet to post jobs and search for potential employees
• Use technological tools to illustrate tasks for each employee
• Monitor and review the performance of each employee (performance
appraisal)
• Payroll and benefits processing
• HRM system: payroll, benefits, inventory, performance appraisal
• Payroll information system: manage salaries, benefits, pay slip,
allowances

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Human resource (HR) management

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Human resource (HR) management
• Example

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Tracking activities
• Remote work – important to regularly monitor employee activities
• Time tracker – freelancer – bills by the hour or minute
• Gain insight into where resources need to be allocated
• Reduce business waste
• Different types of software to keep track of files, documents, schedules,
deadlines
• Information is organized in a very accessible and efficient manner
• Tracking inventory
• Document versioning software
• Virtual safe
• Tracking employee activities on the computer/network
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Tracking activities

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Cloud computing
• Cloud-based applications
• Accessible on smartphones and tablets
• Cloud software – can access work files from anywhere
• Save cost – no need hardware that may take up space

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Remote desktop solution
• Remote view, control and access of computer

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Data Mining
• Data analytics software – look for trends and spot opportunities
• Mine data for patterns and use this information to improve decision
making
• Visualization software
• Real time monitoring capabilities

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Data Mining

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Marketing automation software
• Marketing automation software products for assessing and adjusting
promotions activities
• Automates marketing actions
• Prioritize and execute marketing tasks
• Emails, social media, other website actions

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Office automation systems
• Automating workflow and
eliminating bottleneck
• Digitally create, collect,
store, manipulate, and relay
office information needed
for accomplishing basic tasks

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Dashboards and scorecards
• Track, measure and report progress and KPI (key performance index)
• Scorecards: snapshot of current performance compared to goals
• Dashboards: central hubs for multiple reports (used as monitoring
tool)

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Dashboards and scorecards

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Research and development
• Using Internet and software to develop and produce new products
and services
• Easy to access information
• Widespread online survey instead of in-person focus groups
• New products can be created using pictures, drawings and
simulations
• Virtual/augmented/mixed reality
• Interactive models bring the products to life instead of creating
physical model

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Communication
• Communicate with team members and colleagues
• As long as everyone has Internet connection
• Built in chat functions – see who’s online and available to connect
• Emails
• Instant messaging tools
• Share screens

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Communication
• Meet visually with remote team members and colleagues
• Video conferencing
• Document sharing repositories
• Remote workers
• Potential security concerns
• Social media style collaboration software

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Communication

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Collaboration tools
• For teams to work together on projects
• Brief team on goals and progress
• Team members work quickly and more accurately
• Can connect team members virtually from anywhere in the world
• Ensure everyone is aware of project updates
• Types: project management software, communication,
documentation, file sharing, design and organizational tools.
• Examples: Asana, Trello, Basecamp

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Collaboration tools
• Example: Trello

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Project management software
• Plan, organize, and manage projects and resources for the project
• Resources are not unlimited and have to be managed efficiently
• Help project managers and teams complete client requirements

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Project management software

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Sales performance management software
• Monitor sales performance
• Tracks and automates different incentive compensation programs for
salespeople
• Functions specific to inside, outbound and channel sales activities
including territory and quota management, account segmentation
and scoring, and deal and quote management

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Sales performance management software

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Customer relationship management software
• To keep track and improve organisation-customer relationships

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Accounting and finance software

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Do more with less
• Allows staff and companies to be more self-sufficient – do tasks that
previously had to be outsourced
• Use office software to create own training material
• Desktop publishing material to create marketing material
• Online tax and accounting programs to prepare own taxes and financial
documents
• Dominant operations to remain in-house and less dependent on
outside parties

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Automate and save money
• Possible to hire fewer staff
• Computers can store data more easily, save on cost of file storage,
avoid having to purchase many copiers, fax machines, typewrites and
other such items
• Email decreases postage costs
• Videoconferencing reduces the need for travel
• Collect consumer feedback
• Order raw materials

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Conclusion
• Managers and professionals must remain current with the latest
technologies for managing their businesses
• Identify and monitor the big technology trends that can help the
company/organization grow

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