BUSINESS COMPUTER SYSTEMS
Computers contihue to revolutionize business．Managers，for example，use lnformation from expert systems to help in the decision-making process，and market analysts use complex com-puter databases to analyze and forecast consumer behavior．In fact，computer technology is the most important aspect of the ate twentieth-century information revolution．This technology has led to the development of the new high-tech industries，Such as microelectronics and robotics．
Speed，a high degree of accuracy，and the ability to manipulate and store large amounts of data led to the early specialization of computers in data processing．More recently，the smaller personal computers(microcomputers)have become afrordable，and software packages have been developed to support numerous business funcdohs．Increasingly used as managerlal tools， personal computers have become an integral part of many mamagers’offices．
Computers and their appliations have resulted in more efficient and productive business operations．They perform routine functions such as payroll preparation and inventory control and more complex ones such as sales forecasting and preparation of“what if”questions for market abalysis.
Computer technology is developing so rapidly that it is difficult to foresee exactly what roles computers will play in bisiness in the future．However，numerous computer applications are currently performing vital roles in business operatious．Some of these include：
· word processing——using the computer to create，store，edit，and print text．Examples of texts include letters，memos，report，and other written business communications．Replacing the traditional typewriter，word processors are usually the first step in ;ffoce automation．
· networking——the integration of computer systems，workstatious，and communications links．Computer networks are designed to meet business requirements by allowing users rapid and simultaneons a ……