Computers store and handle a vast amount of data, automate manufacturing, and enhance modern communication systems. The mainframe in the 1970s, the PC in the 1980s and the office network in the first part of the 1990s were the platforms that drove massive product development and growth for the technology industry. Communication and processing technologies are an essential tool in almost every field of business. The Internet , with its interconnection of millions of computers, has evolved to potentially become one of the greatest resources available to businesses today. Private corporate intranets provide a universal interface for sharing company-wide information and work group level information.
Employees can access information, collaborate, and distribute results anywhere, anytime.
Business documents include graphics and text on computers around the world, sound, video and simultaneous voice communications. Thus, the Information Age implies a time for a revolution in the information environment for business and management. The changes that are taking place may be more significant to management than the Industrial Revolution. Organizations are two or more people working together in a structured, formal environment to achieve common goals. Managers provide guidance, implementation, and coordination so those organizational goals can be reached.