Third, information systems have, at least in principle, become easier to develop as hardware and software have become more manageable in PC and client-server environments. If programming is required, it is increasingly done with new development tools that, besides being object oriented, are easier to learn, more productive, and lead to a code that can be altered and managed with fewer resources than before. These three trends are very positive for developing countries with limited resources, since they make computerization easier than ever before. Local, wide area and global networking put traditional data processing into correct perspective as a natural part of an information system. Networks allow data collection and information dissemination applications to communicate with data processing.
Computers become useful and productive tools in everyday work.
Strategic planning in this arena is increasingly based on technical computer analysis, as it has become more difficult for a human to capture the volatility of several markets around the world. In addition, computer networks provide an important vehicle in the trend towards globalization of social and economic activities. They extend the global reach of organizations, allowing operations to be coordinated at various levels in an international context. Information processing, dissemination and sharing through computer networks can in some cases be an alternative to strategic alliances and company mergers. In any event, wide area and global networking within and between organizations will have significant implications for the future international division of labour, as well as the location and the structure of industrial activities.