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Computer Applications in Management-Converted-2

Businesses in Ghana can leverage computer applications in three main ways to continue operating during the Covid-19 pandemic. They can use e-commerce applications like Shopify to engage in online sales and overcome restrictions on in-person shopping. They can use customer relationship management software like Oracle NetSuite and Salesforce to remotely gather customer data and maintain relationships. They can use communication and project management applications like Zoom and Microsoft Project to monitor remote employees and ensure work is completed as expected. These applications allow businesses to adapt operations and take advantage of new opportunities presented by the pandemic.

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George Addai
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133 views

Computer Applications in Management-Converted-2

Businesses in Ghana can leverage computer applications in three main ways to continue operating during the Covid-19 pandemic. They can use e-commerce applications like Shopify to engage in online sales and overcome restrictions on in-person shopping. They can use customer relationship management software like Oracle NetSuite and Salesforce to remotely gather customer data and maintain relationships. They can use communication and project management applications like Zoom and Microsoft Project to monitor remote employees and ensure work is completed as expected. These applications allow businesses to adapt operations and take advantage of new opportunities presented by the pandemic.

Uploaded by

George Addai
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN MANAGEMENT, UGBS 303

LECTURER: DR ACHEAMPONG OWUSU

STUDENT NAME: GEORGE ADDAI-SUNDIATA

STUDENT ID: 10727519

QUESTION:

In not less than 1000 words, discuss how businesses in Ghana could leverage Computer
Applications to keep their business running in the midst of the Covid-19 Pandemic.
The coronavirus pandemic has massively affected life throughout the world. Since its
emergence in the latter parts of 2019 it has wreaked a lot of havoc and altered our way of life.
The world of business is one of the victims of this pandemic. The way we do business has
changed drastically. As a result, many businesses who have not been able to cope with the
changes have unfortunately collapsed. Several businesses in the country are going through
trying times, finding it difficult to make profit and continue running. This is quite alarming, as
businesses form the backbone of the country’s economy. The economy will inevitably collapse
in the absence of well performing businesses. With the aid of technology however, even amid
the pandemic, businesses in Ghana can find their feet and make enough profit to ensure their
continuity. There are countless computer applications out there that these businesses can
employ in order to adjust to the changes brought about by Covid – 19 and continue operating.
The following are some computer applications that businesses in Ghana can leverage to keep
their business running during the pandemic.

Restriction on movement is one of the major effects of the coronavirus pandemic. Nowadays,
due to government regulations and also the fear of contracting the disease, people hardly move
out of their homes. Thus, when businesses open up each day, they receive just a few customers
and do not make much in sales. As this goes on, they eventually begin to make losses. With the
aid of computer applications however, businesses have a chance at getting enough customers
each day. With the presence of internet-based e-commerce applications or software like
Shopify, these brick and mortar businesses can create virtual storefronts. Through such e-
commerce applications, they can engage in online business, where the customer is not required
to move out of their home and travel all the way to a store to buy goods. Instead, while in the
comfort of their homes, they can just browse through the business' products on the Internet
and place orders for items they wish to purchase. After receiving and processing the order, the
business can then arrange for the items to be delivered to the customer’s location. This is
evidence that computer applications can help businesses overcome the boundaries placed on
buying and selling by the pandemic.

Before the pandemic, businesses usually gathered information on customers when they came
to their stores to purchase products. However, once again, due to restrictions on movement
brought about by the pandemic, customers rarely show up at business premises, and thus the
traditional methods of gathering customer information can no longer be employed. Consumer
learning (that is, gathering information on consumers) being such an important aspect of
business activities, it is necessary for businesses to find alternative methods to conduct
research on customers. Computer applications provide businesses with such alternative
methods. Not only do they provide alternatives; these alternatives are actually more efficient
and effective compared to the traditional methods of consumer learning. With the aid of
certain computer applications known as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software,
businesses gather intelligence on consumers' buying behaviours. CRM software like Oracle
NetSuite and Salesforce enable businesses to collect and analyse customer data (for example,
their tastes and preferences with regards to the business' products or services). This enables
the business to come up with better marketing strategies to better serve customers and also
make profit. The CRM software also provides interactive features which allows businesses to
keep in touch with customers and cater to their needs (providing customer service). As a result,
the business-customer relationship which would have been impossible due to the pandemic, is
made possible by computer applications.

The pandemic has affected the work environment, such that nowadays people are required to
work from home. This has its advantages and disadvantages, an advantage being that it has
created flexible working conditions, which is essential in boosting the creativity and morale of
workers. It also has certain alarming disadvantages. For example, since they now work at home
and are no longer under constant scrutiny by managers, employees can slack off and do poor
quality work. This negatively affects the performance of the business and can eventually lead to
its collapse. To prevent this, businesses must ensure that workers always work to the best of
their ability, even if they are working from home. But how can this be achieved amid the
pandemic? Once again, with the aid of computer applications, businesses can ensure that their
employees do what is expected of them. There are some communication applications that
managers can utilise to regularly monitor and keep in touch with their subordinates, to ensure
that they always accomplish tasks they are assigned with. Communication applications like
Zoom enable workers to conduct virtual meetings and collaborate or work together on projects,
despite they being in different geographical locations. Also, there are certain computer
applications known as Project Management Software (PMS) that enable businesses to keep
track of their activities. They provide features which businesses can use to design projects,
allocate resources and measure or keep track of progress. An example of such software is
Microsoft Project. They can encourage workers to collaborate with one another to complete
projects and also do good quality work, despite they being at home, an environment which can
easily influence workers to work lackadaisically due to lack of supervision by superiors. All these
computer applications help the business to function at an optimal level even amid the
pandemic.

The aforementioned provide strong evidence on the role that computer applications can play in
helping businesses in Ghana survive these trying times. Without the aid of computer
applications businesses will inevitably fail and collapse. However, with the help of computer
applications, not just can they survive the pandemic, but also, they can perform better and
make even more profit due to the opportunities presented by computer applications. With the
aid of computer applications, businesses can expand their market to the international stage
(thanks to e-commerce). With the aid of computer applications, businesses can conduct less
costly and yet more effective consumer research (thanks to CRM software). With the aid of
computer applications, businesses can manage their projects and activities better (thanks to
PMS). All these are new opportunities created by computer applications that businesses can
take advantage of amid this coronavirus pandemic.

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