http://niloblog.com/up/images/82mu7m2sb5ypikipsn6.jpg

http://niloblog.com/up/images/c5i1244wz8v3p7mwdvsg.jpg

http://niloblog.com/up/images/82zhkkpyq85e6maytb4.jpg

http://niloblog.com/up/images/kvmcx1cz8ramxesd7y6.jpg

http://niloblog.com/up/images/7110js8aes8wj7tvpt.jpg

http://niloblog.com/up/images/1w05a3oey87j5kfqpu.jpg

http://niloblog.com/up/images/w4n09g4303ji8sefznfr.jpg

http://niloblog.com/up/images/v4yfqq09riq86pkuzmg.jpg

http://niloblog.com/up/images/h0xbj21cjq00bd51oveb.jpg

http://niloblog.com/up/images/mxrlu53fz72mdonvrtme.jpg

http://niloblog.com/up/images/cn3r4w92hpba3ltccb.jpg

http://niloblog.com/up/images/6ttj9hkgvz40ozhce2v.jpg

What is information technology? How can information technology be used in an
organization to improve its efficiency? How much investment should an organization
make in information technology? What are the business benefits and opportunities an
organization may achieve from using information technology? These are some of the
most important questions many organizations ask themselves before investing their
capitals in information technology. 

In an academic term, information technology is defined as hardware, software,
telecommunications, database management, and other information processing
technologies used in computer-based information systems. There are many ways that
organizations may view and use information technology. However, in today's competitive
business environment technology is no longer an afterthought in forming business
strategy, but it is the actual cause and driver. In other words, for a firm to maintain or
improve its business competitiveness it must use information technology to achieve
strategic advantage. 

Information technology can help a company substantially reduce the cost of business
processes and lower the costs of customers or suppliers. 
Information technology can help a company differentiate its products and services from
others. 

Using information technology, a firm can create new products and services or make
radical changes to business processes. 
A firm can use information technology to manage regional and global business
expansion or to diversify and integrate into other products and services. 

A firm can use information technology to create virtual organizations of business
partners or to develop alliances with customers, suppliers, and other business partners. 
Information technology can dramatically improve the efficiency of business processes
and the quality of products and services. 

Using information technology, a firm can build a strategic information base of all the
information collected. 

Some experts argue that use of information technology has become a strategic necessity
rather than a strategic advantage, because most competitive advantages don't last more
than a few years. Whether the statement is true or not, most companies may not want to
wait too long before investing in information technology because it would be tough to
catch up later once you get behind your competitors, especially when everyone is
playing with newer, better technology.

Electronic commerce (or simply e-commerce) is more than just buying and selling
products or services online. It encompasses the entire online process of developing,
marketing, selling, delivering, servicing, and paying for products and services. E-
commerce systems rely on the resources of the Inteet and other computer networks to
support every step of the process. Through an e-commerce system, customers can order
and make payment for the products or services they purchase online and receive support
at the company's websites through the Inteet. It also allows customers and suppliers to
participate in product development via Inteet newsgroups and E-mail exchanges. There
are three basic types of e-commerce applications: business-to-business (B2B), business-
to-consumer (B2C), and consumer-to-consumer (C2C). 

Business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce is the online automation of purchase and sale
transactions from business to business. Many companies use secure Inteet or
extranets for their business customers and suppliers to access to their websites while
some may rely on electronic data interchange (EDI) systems. Cisco Systems, a leading
manufacturer of computer networking equipment, makes about 40 percent of its sales
online. These activities include order taking, credit check, production scheduling and
technical support to their customers. General Electric and the United Parcel Service
(UPS) are a few of many other firms that offer B2B e-commerce sites. 

Business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce creates electronic marketplaces where
businesses promote and sell products and services directly to consumers. In this form of
electronic commerce, which has grown into a multibillion dollar market, businesses can
bypass intermediaries such as distributors or retail outlets. Companies like Amazon.com
and Dell Corporation offer e-commerce websites that provide virtual storefronts and
multimedia catalogs, interactive order processing, secure electronic payment systems,
and online customer support. 

Consumer-to-consumer (C2C) e-commerce is an important alteative for business-to-
business or business-to-consumer e-commerce. In this form of e-commerce, consumers
can buy and sell products and services with each other in an auction process at an
auction website. Through an online auction site like e-Bay, one of the most successful
C2C e-commerce models, consumers or businesses can participate in or sponsor
consumer or business auctions. Other forms of consumer-to-consumer e-commerce
include personal advertising of products or services by consumers at electronic
newspaper sites, consumer e-commerce portals, or personal websites.

I left Korea 25 years ago for Toronto, Ontario, Canada. I was 17 years old at that time.
Now everyone knows how old I am. As any immigrant who left his or her own country for
a new place looking for a better life, I believe the first five years of my living in Canada
were the most challenging ones. 

It did not take long time for me to realize that I would have to face one of the biggest
challenges in my life: the language problem. Although I had leaed English in high
schools for almost for five years before coming to Canada, I did not find it useful in day-
to-day living at this new place. My frustrations, stemming from lack of my English
conversation skills, included ordering food at a fast-food restaurant, phone conversation,
and conversations with neighbors. 

The most frustrating moment was my inability to explain to other people when I was
accused of something I did not do. Knowing that I was not able to defend myself properly
due to lack of conversation skills, a few people often took advantage of me for their own
benefits. 

However, throughout the years I met a lot of good people who gave me strength and
encouragement. Among those people in my heart I still remember Mrs. Overholts. Mrs.
Overholts was working in the Counsellor's Office at the high school I attended for two
years, and she gave me a lot of valued advice and directions in regards to my academic
life, as well as my personal one. 

My dear friends in my high school also helped me not only to survive in the new country
but also taught me the new cultures and systems. Some of them went to the same
university as I did, while others went to different institutions. I am still in contact with
many of them, but wherever they are I believe they are making a positive contribution to
the society. 

I owe the most to my father; my mother, who passed away seven years ago; and my
brothers. We were neither rich nor poor, but we stuck together all the time. My parents
taught me love, care, and kindness through their actions, not just their words. It was
from my family that I got strength when I was weak. It was my family who listened to me
ome a more mature and independent human being. I thank all of those who played a
role in some way to help me out during the transition period of my life.

What is business? A business includes all the activities involved to create and sell a
product or service. The most important functional areas of business include: accounting,
finance, marketing, production/operations, and human resources management.


Accounting is a field of business that records and reports the flow of funds through a
firm on a historical basis and produces important financial statements such as balance
sheets and income statements. It also produces forecasts of future conditions such as
projected financial statements and financial budgets, and evaluates the firm's financial
performance against the forecasts.


The finance area of business supports a firm in decisions conceing the financing of the
firm's business and the allocation and control of financial resources within the firm.
Major activities of finance include cash and investment management, capital budgeting,
financial forecasting, and financial plaing. The cash and investment management
activities forecast and manage the firm's cash position and short-term and other
securities. The capital budgeting activity involves evaluating the profitability and risk of
proposed capital expenditures. The financial plaing process evaluates the present and
projected financial performance of the firm and projects the firm's future financial needs.
The marketing function of business is conceed with the plaing, promotion, sale, and
distribution of existing products or services in existing markets, and the development of
new products and new markets in order to better serve existing and potential customers
with quality products and services. It is also responsible for customer relationship
management, product plaing, pricing, advertising, after-sale service, and market
research and forecasting.


The production/operations function focuses on the management of all activities
conceed with the plaing and control of the processes producing goods or services.
These activities include purchasing of raw material and parts, product design, inventory,
manufacturing processes, facilities location and layout, quality control, and such other
logistics as distribution and transportation.


The human resource management function involves the recruitment, placement,
evaluation, compensation, and development of a firm's employees. With the main goal of
the effective and efficient use of a firm's human capital, the human resources
management function supports plaing to meet the persoel needs of the business,
development of employees to their full potential, and control of all persoel policies and
programs.


While each of the aforementioned functional areas within a firm used to operate
somewhat independently with its own objectives and resources, information and other
computer technologies have integrated all business functions within the firm and created
something called "an Inteet worked e-business enterprise."
 

[DATE, ex. Wednesday, June 11, 1998]


[NAME, COMPANY AND ADDRESS, ex.
John Smith
XYZ Inc.
1234 First Street
Suite 567
Anycity, Anystate  85245]

Dear [NAME, ex. John Smith],

Congratulations! I just heard the wonderful news.

I respect and admire your choice of partner and I have no doubt that the two of you will compliment one another.

I wish you all the best in the years to come.

Best regards,


[YOUR NAME, ex. Jill Jones]

PS.    You know who to call if you ever need any "words of wisdom".

*************************
Best regards: بهترین آرزوها

در نامه های دوستانه اما تا حدی رسمی

(with) kind/best regards:
(=used to end a letter in a friendly but rather formal way)



 PS or P.S:مخفف پی نوشت

postscript a note written at the end of a letter, adding more information

Example:

The Caribbean Sea is the large body of water that lies north of the northe tip of South
America. Within the Caribbean sea are many islands that have played an important role
in the history and culture of the Weste hemisphere.  
By far the largest island in the Caribbean is Cuba. Cuba was formerly a colony of Spain,
but became independent in 1902. Cuba became a Communist country in 1959, when a
revolution overthrew an unpopular govement. After the revolution, many Cubans fled
to the United States. Today, the American city of Miami, in the state of Florida, has been
greatly influenced by Cuban culture. Tobacco is widely grown in Cuba, and the country is
famous for the cigars that are produced in the capital city, Havana.  
The island of Hispaniola is located just east of Cuba. This island is divided into two
countries. In the west is Haiti, where the people speak a variety of the French language
that has been influenced by African languages. In the east is the Dominican Republic,
where the people speak Spanish.  
Another important Caribbean island is Puerto Rico. This was previously a Spanish colony,
but it is now goveed by the United States. Many people from Puerto Rico have moved
to the mainland United States, especially the New York area.  
In many other islands in the Caribbean, English is the main language. The largest of
these islands is Jamaica, which is located just south of Cuba. Most Jamaicans are the
descendants of African people who were brought to work as slaves on sugar plantations.
Jamaica is famous as the birthplace of the style of music called "reggae," which was
popularized in other countries by Bob Marley, a famous Jamaican musician.  
Another important English-speaking Caribbean island is Trinidad. This island is located
just north of South America. The population of Trinidad is very diverse. The largest
groups of people are descended from people who came from Africa and India, but there
are many other nationalities also. Trinidad is famous for a style of music known as
"calypso," and for musicians who produce pleasant sounds by playing steel drums.  
There are also many other, smaller islands in the Caribbean, each with its own unique
features. Many of these islands possess fine beaches, and are popular tourist
destinations. The warm weather of the Caribbean makes it a popular place for North
Americans who must live through cold winters!

During the summer of 1914, many people in Europe felt very optimistic about the future.
Mode technology was improving people's lives. Political freedom was gradually
increasing in many countries. New artistic styles and scientific discoveries were being
made. But later that summer, a terrible war began.  
In the early twentieth century, the various countries of Europe competed with each other
in an attempt to be the most powerful country on the continent. In each country, many of
the political leaders wanted to control more land, more people, and more resources.  
The First World War began when the archduke of Austria-Hungary was assassinated.
Austria-Hungary wanted to punish the assassin, who was from the small country of
Serbia. This led to a serious dispute, and soon other countries were involved. Within a
few weeks, a war had begun. On one side were Germany and Austria-Hungary, and on the
other side were Russia, France, and Britain.  
The people in these countries at first welcomed the news of a war. Many people were
 intensely patriotic, and supported the war effort without thinking carefully about the
reasons for the war. Some people thought that war would bring adventure and glory to
their lives, and they cheered enthusiastically in the streets.  
After the war started, it soon became clear that it was a terrible disaster. In the weste
part of Europe, the opposing sides fought many bloody battles. Soldiers on both sides
lived in filthy trenches that had been dug out of the ground. Sometimes, hundreds of
thousands of men were killed in battles that lasted only a few days. In most cases, these
battles did not result in large gains or losses of territory.  
The war continued for more than four years. When the war was finally over, millions of
people had been killed. Many people realized that their eageess to fight against other
countries had led them into a great disaster. This disaster did not end when the war
ended in 1918. During the next thirty years, there would be many violent revolutions in
Europe, and a second major war that would be even worse than the first.  
Today, people in most European countries no longer view other nations as enemies.
They have no interest in fighting wars with their neighbours. Instead, they are interested
in trading with the other countries, and in visiting those countries as tourists. The
lessons of the twentieth century have reminded people that wars can have terrible
consequences. 

Much of the music of eighteenth and nineteenth century Europe is still enjoyed by many
people. Two of the greatest musicians of that time were bo only thirty-four years apart,
and actually knew each other for a short time. These great musicians were Mozart and
Beethoven.  
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was bo in Austria in the year 1756. As a child, Mozart was a
musical prodigy. He began composing music before his fifth birthday, and by the time he
reached his teenage years, Mozart had already written many symphonies and other
musical works.  
As a young man, Mozart worked as a "concert-master" for the Archbishop of Salzburg, in
Austria. He also travelled to various European cities. When he was in his mid-twenties,
Mozart moved to the city of Viea. Mozart had difficulty eaing a living, but during this
time he wrote some excellent operas and string quartets. Many people did not yet
appreciate the greatness of Mozart's music.  
In his early thirties, Mozart became the court musician for the Emperor of Austria, and
during the next few years Mozart continued to write many beautiful works of music.
Mozart died in 1791, but although his life was short, his productivity had been enormous.
The beauty, grace, and technical precision of his music is still greatly admired, and he is
considered one of the greatest musicians of all time.  
When Mozart was in Viea, he met a young musician named Ludwig van Beethoven.
Beethoven performed some music for Mozart, who was greatly impressed by the talent of
this young man. Beethoven had been bo in Germany in 1770, and from an early age he
had displayed a great aptitude for music.  
Beethoven moved permanently to Viea in 1792. He studied music under some famous
composers, and became known for his outstanding skill in playing the piano. Beethoven
began to compose more of his own music, and these works became very popular. When
in his late twenties, Beethoven began to lose his hearing. He continued to compose
excellent music, but he became more withdrawn, and performed less frequently.  
By the year 1817, Beethoven had become completely deaf, and he could no longer
perform music. However, his creative genius did not deteriorate. Instead, Beethoven
created many of his greatest works despite his deafness. It was Beethoven's influence
that began the "Romantic" era of music, which followed the "classical" era of the
nineteenth century. Beethoven died in 1827, but his music remains famous for its beauty
and originality. His greatest symphonies, such as the Fifth Symphony, are among the
world's best-known works of music.  
Today, the works of Mozart and Beethoven are still popular among those who appreciate
great music. Music fans can look back with wonder at the musical creativity that
flourished in Viea more than two centuries ago. 

1
A; Hey, could you help me try and figure out how to get ready for my job interview?
B: The most important thing to do is to make sure you know the company and what services or products it provides. Do you know all about them?
A: Yes, I pretty much understand the company.
B: Well, after you've done your research, you have to decide whether the company is casual or formal. Have you decided what they are yet?
A: Yes, I've been observing them.
B: When you are choosing what to wear, keep all of that in mind. Have you chosen what to wear?
A: I already have something to wear.
B: I would always be ready to go shopping with you! Should we talk about other basics?
A: OK, I am ready to think of other things.
B: You need to make sure you arrive on time, smile, be pleasant and friendly, look the person in the eye and answer all questions to the best of your ability. You'll do great

2
A: I am not sure what to do to get ready for my job interview.
B: Make sure that you understand the company. Do you understand what it is that they do?
A: No, I probably need to do some more research.
B: When you've finished your research it will help you figure out whether your company is rigid in philosophy or kind of more relaxed. Does that make sense?
A: I think that their attitude is rather casual.
B: So all of that information will help you to pick out what to wear. Do you have something to wear?
A: I have absolutely nothing so far.
B: I could go shopping with you sometime if you need it, but can we talk about other basics?
A: Yes, where should we go from here?

B: Focus on being relaxed and open, don't forget to smile and shake hands and be genuinely interested in what their company is about. I'm sure you'll do well

1
A: I was wondering if you could help me use the Student Job Center.
B: There are many ways; what kind of job would you like?
A: I want to work in a restaurant.
B: Fine! Will you need part-time or full-time work?
A: I want to work part-time.
B: Fine, the two best ways are to use our local listings binders over there or you can use the computers with the Inteet job listing sites. See them over there?
A: Yes, I know what to do.
B: Well, in addition, you can schedule an appointment with a job counselor on this list. If you would like to do that, sign here, OK?
A: Yes, I think that would be great.
B: Fine, well the job search tools are all here for you to use. Feel free to look around and use what works best for you. Have fun with it!

2
A: Could you help me figure out how to look for a job?
B: We have lots of options, what type of job do you need?
A: I want to work in an office
B: Do you want to work part-time or full-time?
A: I want to work full-time.
B: We have binders with local job listings or you can make use of the computers. OK?
A: I am confused a bit but I am sure that I can figure it out.
B: If you make an appointment with a job counselor, they can also provide you with a lot of information. Do you want to see a counselor?
A: No, I don't think I need to do that.
B: Well, you know that this job center is here for your use, so help yourself. Good luck!