Information Technology and Family Business
An Overview From: 'The Family Business School'

At around the age of 30 years Eric decided to leave branch banking and with a business partner strike out on his own as an investment analyst.

At that time computers were large expensive affairs housed in special buildings and owned by institutions such as governments and banks. They were programmed with punch-cards and quite limited in what they could accomplish.

Unfortunately Eric's business partnership wasn't a marriage made in heaven and soon he found himself out in the world on his own, but at least he was still in business!

A sole proprietorship is a lonely occupation even when one has a supportive family. All the business tasks for which large organizations deploy teams have to be managed by just a few people. These include accounting, record keeping, strategic planning, marketing, sales, as well as more mundane tasks such as sweeping the floor.

Soon Eric was faced with a choice. Either he would have to give up his new business, or get some help. His experience with a business partner dissuaded him from taking on human help so instead he purchased an Apple II computer. The Apple II was one of the first home computers to be marketed at an affordable price and although crude by today's standard it saved the life of Eric's business. The year was 1980.

A home computer, properly managed can handle all the basic administrative tasks required of a business. It will do the job that just forty years ago would have required a team of ten, or more specialists to complete. Of course it's only as good as the software that goes into it.

Your home computer is most likely more powerful those NASA used when putting Neil Armstrong on the moon!

Today, via Internet access, your computer can undertake complex research, (known as data mining), as well manage your accounting, correspondence, calculate the complex equations required to keep your business on track, and also enable you to produce business presentations of high quality.

In this section The Family Business School will analyze and explain some of the software applications available, either as installations on your P.C., or as direct applications on-line.