UGBS 303

COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN
BUSINESS

Session 1 – An Overview of Software

Dr. Acheampong Owusu
Dept. Operations and Management Information System
Email: aowusu@[Link]

College of Education
School of Continuing and Distance Education
2022/2023
 Course Evaluation

Marks allocation

• IA - 50%
• Final Exams - 50%
Total - 100%

Office : GBS10, UGBS Main Campus

Teaching Assistants:
Derrick Mensah-Ankrah
 Learning Objectives
Students will be able to:
• Define software and identify the various types
of softwares
• Identify the software applications relevant for
business
• Understand the relevance and use of Task-
Oriented Productivity Software
• Understand Ethics in the use of application
software
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 Session Outline
The key topics to be covered in the session are as follows:
• Topic One - What is software?
• Topic Two – Software categorization
• Topic Three - Scope of Influence
• Topic Four - Acquiring Software
• Topic Five – Application Software (Word Processing, Desktop
Publishing, Spreadsheets, Database Management, Presentation
Graphics, Computer Artwork, Communications)
• Topic Six – Office Suites/Integrated Applications/Business Software
• Topic Seven – Vertical Market Software/Software for Small Business
• Topic Eight – Application Software Ethics
• Topic Nine - Computers and People
• Topic Ten – Systems Software

Slide 4
 Reading List
• Melton, B., Dodge, M., Swinford, E., &
Couch, A. (2013). Microsoft Office
Professional 2013 step by step. Pearson
Education [Recommended].
• Shaffer, A., Carey, P., Parson, J.J., Oja, D., &
Finnegan, K.T. (2014). New Perspectives on
Microsoft® Office 2013, First Course, 1st
Edition, Cengage Learning
Slide 5
Topic One

WHAT IS SOFTWARE?

Slide 6
 An Overview of Software
• What is software?
– Software, also called a program,
is a set of instructions and
associated documentation
that tells a computer what to
do or how to perform a task.
– It tells the computer what tasks
to perform and how to perform
them.

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Where can we find softwares?

Banks
Universities

Among many other places …......

Airlines
Software is almost everywhere
Topic Two

SOFTWARE CATEGORIZATION

Slide 10
 Categorizations of Software
• Software is basically categorized into two main types:
Systems and Application Software
• Systems software
– Sets of programs designed to operate, control, and extend processing
capabilities of the computer.
– It runs the computer hardware and application programs.
– Is an interface or buffer between application software and hardware
– Examples: operating system, compilers, interpreters, utility programs
• Application software
– Programs that help users solve particular computing problems
– Most application software programs are OS specific
– Examples: word processing software, payroll software, student record
software, browsers etc.

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Software Categorization

Systems
Application
software
software
(Operating systems)

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 Types of Application Software
• Proprietary
– Owned by companies or an individual who
developed it.
– There are restrictions on its use and the source code
is kept a secret
– Designed to solve a unique and specific problem
• In-house
– Development of application software using the
company’s resources
• Contract
– Developed for a particular company
• Off-the-shelf
– An existing software program that can be used
without considerable changes expected

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Types of Application Software

Application
software

Proprietary Off-the-shelf
software software

In-house Customized Standard

Contract
developed package package

In-house Contract
customized customization

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Topic Three

SCOPE OF INFLUENCE

Slide 15
 Scope of Influence
• Personal
– Information systems that serve
the needs of an individual user
• Workgroup
– Two or more people who work
together to achieve a common
goal
• Enterprise
– Information systems that support
the firm in its interaction with its
environment.

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 Personal Use
• The use of information system or a
software to achieve a personal goal.
• Think of anything you might want to
do on a computer, and someone has
probably created application software
for it.
• However, there are a number of
general types of applications that
most users have installed on their
computer.
• Examples is using Microsoft word to
complete your final project work.

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 Workgroup Applications
• A workgroup is a collection of individuals working together
on a task. Many personal applications extend into
workgroup applications.
• Workgroup software applications are also referred to as
'collaborative software,' or 'groupware.'
• There are several categories of workgroup applications,
including:
– Electronic communications: applications send messages, documents and files
between people on different computer systems.
– Electronic conferencing : software that makes it possible to have meetings in
real-time without being physically present in the same location.
– Scheduling and coordination tools: facilitate scheduling meetings and other
group activities.

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 Enterprise Applications
• An Enterprise is an organization with a large number of employees, typically
distributed over a number of offices located at different geographic locations.
• An enterprise application is therefore a big complex business application.
• They must be scalable, distributed and component-based. They are deployed
on a variety of platforms across corporate networks, intranets, or the
Internet.
• Examples:
– Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
– Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
– Business Intelligence
– Automated Billing Systems
– Payment Processing
– Content Management
– HR Management

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 Example of an Enterprise Application

Integrated
Supply Chain
Management
Software

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 Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP):

– A set of integrated programs that
manage a company’s vital business
operations for an entire multi-site,
global organization
– Vendors include:
• SAP
• Oracle
• PeopleSoft
• Dun & Bradstreet
• JD Edwards

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 Issues and Trends

• Software licensing
– Protection by software vendors to prevent
unauthorized use
• Software upgrades
– A revised version of software that usually
includes fixes of known problems, plus
enhancements to existing capabilities
• Global software support
– Software that is distributed around the
globe may require unique support
mechanisms due to local political and
economic conditions

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Topic Four

ACQUIRING SOFTWARE

Slide 23
 Acquiring Software(1)
• Commercial software
– Used most often
– Copyrighted
– Generally costly
– May not be copied without permission of the manufacturer
• Freeware
– Free to all (“No free lunch in America; beware of malware)
– Copyrighted
– Distributed in machine-readable format
• Shareware
– Freely distributed for a trial period
– Pay a nominal fee to register with the author
– Examples: [Link], [Link], ZDNet
Download, [Link], [Link]

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 Acquiring Software (2)

• Public-domain software
– Un-copyrighted
– May be used or altered without restriction
– Generally developed under government
grants
• Open-source
– Free to all
– Source code is distributed
– May be used or altered
– Popular under the LINUX OS

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 Purchasing Commercial
Software
• Individuals
– Software warehouse store
– Mail order
– Electronic software distribution
• Businesses
– Volume discount
– Site license
– Network versions
– Application Service Provide (ASP)
– Software is setup and maintained by ASP
– Access the software over the Internet
– Pay per use
– Saves the expense of installing and maintaining the software

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Task-Oriented Software or Productivity Software

• These are software programs and

tools that help users to create
documents, presentations, tables,
charts, and graphs.
• They maybe used in business, in
education, or at home.

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Topic Five
APPLICATION SOFTWARE (WORD
PROCESSING, DESKTOP PUBLISHING,
SPREADSHEETS, DATABASE MANAGEMENT,
PRESENTATION GRAPHICS, COMPUTER
ARTWORK, COMMUNICATIONS)

Slide 28
 Word Processing

• Uses
– Memos
– Reports
– Correspondence
– Minutes of meetings
– Anything to be typed
• Functions
– Create
– Edit
– Format
– Store
– Print text and graphics

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 Desktop Publishing

• Uses
– Newsletters
– Reports
– Brochures
• Functions
– Handles high-
level publishing
needs

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 Spreadsheets

• Uses
– Comparing mortgage interest
rates
– Preparing budgets
– Tracking weight loss
• Functions
– Manipulates numbers in rows
and columns
– Recalculates the results when
a number is changed
– What if?

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 Database Management

• Uses
– Keep track of a large number of
related facts
– Query the data for specific
information
– Retrieve information in a variety of
ways
• Functions
– Store data
– Update data
– Manipulate data
– Retrieve data
– Print data in many forms
– Report on data in a variety of ways

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 Presentation Graphics

• Uses
– Sales tool
– Demonstrate a product
– Show cost/benefit projections on
charts
– Present audio/video testimonials
from satisfied customers
• May contain
– Text
– Graphics
– Audio
– Video

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 Computer Artwork

• Use software to
– Produce art
– Express ideas
• Graphic artist
– Artistic ability
– Computer skills
– Produces computer
art
• Example: Corel
draw, Adobe
photoshop etc.

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 Communications

• Provides method for

communicating
between computers
• Most likely way to
connect is via the
Internet
• Use a browser to
access the Internet

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Topic Six

OFFICE SUITES/INTEGRATED
APPLICATIONS/BUSINESS SOFTWARE

Slide 36
 Office Suites
• Group of basic software
applications designed to work
together
• Data is portable between basic
applications of the suite
• Various applications in the suite
have the same “look and feel”
• Cost of suite is less than
purchasing individual
applications

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 Integrated Applications

• Combine basic word processing,

spreadsheet, and graphics
capabilities
• More limited than a suite
• Easier to learn and use

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 Business Software

• Custom-written
to meet special
business needs
• Standard
packages
• Combination of
custom-written
and off-the-shelf

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Topic Seven

VERTICAL MARKET
SOFTWARE/SOFTWARE FOR SMALL
BUSINESS
Slide 40
Vertical Market Software

• Written for a particular type of business

– Dentist’s office
– Drugstore
– Auto shop
• Software may be part of complete
package
– Hardware
– Installation
– Training
– Support

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 Software for Small Business
• Accounting
– Spreadsheet software
– Accounting package – Basic accounting,
financial statements, tax summaries, payroll
• Writing and Advertising
– Word processing
– Desktop publishing
• Customer Service
– Database management

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Topic Eight

APPLICATION SOFTWARE ETHICS

Slide 43
Application Software Ethics

What is legal?

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 Software Piracy

• Making illegal copies of copyrighted software

• Why the fuss?
– Very easy to duplicate software vs. a textbook
– Software company may lose hundreds of dollars per
pirated copy
• Prosecution
– Yes: Small-medium sized business who purchase a few
copies and distribute to many users
– No: Individual users who probably would not have
purchased software on their own anyway.

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 Counterfeiting

• Software is copied onto CD-ROMS / DVD-

ROMS
• Package duplicates the original
• Sold in flea markets or small stores
• Cheaper price
• Occurs more in developing countries

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 Copying Software

• Legitimate reasons
–Backup copy
–Copy to hard disk
• Illegitimate reasons
–Obtain software without paying
for it
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Topic Nine

COMPUTERS AND PEOPLE

Slide 48
 Computers and People

Users
• Any individual who
operates a
computer to
accomplish a task
• Home
• Business

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End User Software Characteristics

• User-friendly
• Easy
• Intuitive
• Minimum training and
documentation needed to use

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Topic Ten

SYSTEMS SOFTWARE

Slide 51
 Systems Software

• Is an interface or buffer
between application
software and hardware
• Controls the computer
hardware and acts as an
interface with
applications programs.

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 Systems Software
System software includes:
• Operating systems:
– is system software that manages computer hardware and software resources
and provides common services for computer programs. Examples: macOS,
Ubuntu, Microsoft Windows, computational
• Device drivers:
– a device driver is a computer program that operates or controls a device that
is attached to a computer.
• Middleware:
– is computer software that provides services to software applications beyond
those available from the operating system
• Utility software:
– is system software designed to help to analyze, configure, optimize or
maintain a computer

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 Operating System Functions

• Perform common computer hardware

functions
• Provide a user interface
• Provide a degree of hardware independence
• Manage system memory
• Manage processing tasks
• Provide networking capability
• Control access to system resources
• Manage files

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 User Interface
• User interface
• A function of the operating system
that allows individuals to access and
command the computer
• Command-based user
interface
• A particular user interface that
requires text commands be given to
the computer to perform basic
activities
• E.g., unix, DOS
• Graphical user interface (GUI)
• A user interface that uses pictures
(icons) and menus displayed on the
screen to send commands to the
computer system
• E.g. Windows, UNIX, MAC OS,
Android

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 Some Software Concepts

• Multitasking
– A processing activity that allows a user to run more than one
application at the same time
• Multithreading
– A processing activity that is basically multitasking within a
single application
• Time-sharing
– A processing activity that allows more than one person to
use a computer system at the same time

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 References
• Refer to reading lists

Slide 57