COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN BUSINESS

(UGBS 303)

Prof. Acheampong Owusu

aowusu@[Link]
Dept. Operations and Management Information System

1/8/2026
 Course Evaluation
Marks allocation Grading
80 – 100 = A
• IA - 50%
75 – 79 = B+
• Final Exams - 50%
Total - 100%
70 – 74 = B
65 – 69 = C+
Office : GBS10, UGBS Main Campus 60 – 65 = C
55 – 59 = D+
Teaching Assistants: 50 – 55 = D
Monica Baffowaa 45 – 49 = E
< 45 = F
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
1/8/2026
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.

1/8/2026
Where can we find softwares?

Banks
Universities

Among many other places …......

Airlines

1/8/2026 5
 Software is almost everywhere

1/8/2026
6
An Overview 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.
1/8/2026
An Overview of Software

Systems
Application
software
software
(Operating systems)

1/8/2026
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
1/8/2026
 Application
software

Proprietary Off-the-shelf
software software

In-house Customized Standard

Contract
developed package package

In-house Contract
customized customization

1/8/2026
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.

1/8/2026
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.

1/8/2026
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.
1/8/2026
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
1/8/2026
Example:

Integrated
Supply Chain
Management
Software

1/8/2026
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

1/8/2026
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
1/8/2026
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]
1/8/2026
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

1/8/2026
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
1/8/2026
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.

1/8/2026
 Word Processing

• Uses
• Memos
• Reports
• Correspondence
• Minutes of meetings
• Anything to be typed
• Functions
• Create
• Edit
• Format
• Store
• Print text and graphics
1/8/2026
 Desktop Publishing

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

1/8/2026
 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?

1/8/2026
 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
1/8/2026
 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

1/8/2026
Computer Art work
• Use software to
• Produce art
• Express ideas
• Graphic artist
• Artistic ability
• Computer skills
• Produces computer art
• Example: Corel draw,
Adobe photoshop etc.

1/8/2026
Communications

• Provides method for

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

1/8/2026
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

1/8/2026
Integrated Applications
• Combine basic word processing, spreadsheet, and graphics
capabilities
• More limited than a suite
• Easier to learn and use

1/8/2026
 Business Software

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

1/8/2026
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

1/8/2026
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

1/8/2026
Application Software Ethics

What is legal?
1/8/2026
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.

1/8/2026
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

1/8/2026
Copying Software
• Legitimate reasons
• Backup copy
• Copy to hard disk
• Illegitimate reasons
• Obtain software without paying for it

1/8/2026
Computers and People
Users
• Any individual who
operates a computer
to accomplish a task
• Home
• Business

1/8/2026
End User Software Characteristics
• User-friendly
• Easy
• Intuitive
• Minimum training and documentation
needed to use

1/8/2026
Systems Software
• Is an interface or buffer between
application software and hardware
• Controls the computer hardware and
acts as an interface with applications
programs.

1/8/2026
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
1/8/2026
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
1/8/2026
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

1/8/2026
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

1/8/2026
NEXT WEEK
• ADVANCED WEB SEARCH TECHNIGUES

1/8/2026