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Digital technology has become an essential part of information handling in the modern office, allowing data processing and telecommunications to be more closely connected. One of the most radical changes in office technology in recent years has been the widespread introduction of the desktop personal computer, allowing individuals to access the power of a mainframe. Computerisation has had an extensive impact on business practices, but new technology must be able to make companies more competitive, cut their costs and improve their efficiency.

The development of cellular telecommunications and links with fixed-wire systems will progress even more rapidly following the acquisition of McCaw Communications by American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T). There will not be direct competition with local fixed-wire networks yet, and mobile communications will be marketed as an addition to, not a replacement for, fixed wire services. Systems combining fixed and mobile technology will be developed over the next few years, offering improved services for customers.

Telecommunications companies offer a range of new technologies that can be confusing for the executive in charge of telecommunications within a company. Competition in the US and the UK as a result of deregulation has led to new systems and cost cutting. Least cost routing software or smart boxes can save a company money. Cable may threaten the market share of telecommunications, but suffers from drawbacks. Companies are advised to purchase products from a range of different companies.

The computer industry has undergone rapid change in 1992 and 1993, which has meant that larger, established companies such as International Business Machines have lost market share to newer competitors. As a result, its Chairman John Ackers was forced to resign and cost cutting measures imposed. The market is now divided into two areas, high-end machines and lower priced machines by companies yet to establish a reputation. Future growth areas will be multimedia systems, networking and groupware.

The integration of computer systems and telecommunications is highly desirable because it encourages globalisation, and has been long predicted. The process is taking a long time to become reality, however, due to the different origins of both industries and that they were in competition with each other. There are now grounds for optimism because the telecommunications industry is being liberalised, distributed data processing is growing and the market for mobile telecommunications is expanding.

The use of paper in offices has increased, which contrasts with the vision of a paperless office with the introduction of computers. Although the amount of electronically stored information has increased, 95% is still stored on paper. The reasons for this is that management fails to perceive computers as the prime tool for holding information, it will not introduce a whole new system and it is only in the 90's that systems have become integrated. The impact of the recession may force companies to manage their information more effectively.

An evaluation of software systems for commercial use is presented, which features the changes that Europeanisation will bring in terms of language cultural and currency problems, software for human resources departments and targeting customers more precisely with the use of database systems. At the beginning of 1993, new European value added tax laws will be introduced which will eliminate the paperwork for trade. This will have an impact on software systems which will need to be altered.

Can You Believe IT? JOIA SHILLINGFORD An introduction to an extraordinary new technology What does it do? Revolutionise the health diagnostics industry by enabling all kinds of blood and saliva [...]

Can you believe IT? JOIA SHILLINGFORD A look at surprising technological developments What does it do? Vidyo, a US company, has devised a way for a single mobile device to [...]

Can you believe IT? JOIA SHILLINGFORD A look at surprising technological developments What does the IT do? It can turn a 50km cable into a listening device. It takes a [...]

Capturing thoughts as well as facts has helped Birch Worldwide, a UK-based channel marketing firm, add $1m in extra revenues in the past four months, writes Joia Shillingford . The [...]

Futurephile JOIA SHILLINGFORD Roberto Siagri, president and chief executive of Eurotech, a Milan-listed idea factory which creates miniature computers, predicts the future How will IT change? We will feel naked [...]

Futurephile JOIA SHILLINGFORD JK Shin, head of Samsung's Mobile Communications division, predicts the future. How will IT change? Faster mobile broadband is on the way. It is developing because consumers [...]

Nigel Hawthorn has taken up the challenge of surviving for a week without using the internet - and is now starting to regret it, writes Joia Shillingford. 'I told my [...]

Futurephile JOIA SHILLINGFORD Rudy Karsan, chief executive of Kenexa, a Nasdaq-listed talent management software company, and a fellow of the Society of Actuaries, predicts the future. How will IT change? [...]

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Futurephile JOIA SHILLINGFORD Nanea Reeves, senior vice-president online at videogames vendor Electronic Arts, forecasts the future. How will IT change? Videogames will have a huge influence on the hardware and [...]

Futurephile JOIA SHILLINGFORD Dr Henry Tirri, Nokia's head of research, gazes into the future. How will IT change? Due to the downturn there will be more investment in collaboration tools, [...]

Futurephile JOIA SHILLINGFORD Mike Short, vice-president for R&D Telefonica O2 Europe, and former chairman of the GSM Association, looks into the future How will IT change? It's going to be [...]

Futurephile JOIA SHILLINGFORD Rob Gear, manager of PA Consulting's IT Innovation Unit, gazes into the future. How will IT change? IT will become more pervasive but computers will blend into [...]

Futurephile JOIA SHILLINGFORD Alex Fuss, lead researcher on CSC's Digital Disruptions report*, unveils his predictions for the future How will IT change? Information will become more transparent. I envision something [...]

Futurephile JOIA SHILLINGFORD Professor Peter Cochrane, former BT futurologist and co-founder of Cochrane Associates, unveils some of his IT predictions. How will IT change? We'll see lots more software mash-ups, [...]

Mobility Challenge JOIA SHILLINGFORD Anna Vince and Fiona Wymes, co-founders of leather goods company Anna Vince, took up Digital Business's challenge to use only mobile IT for a week. 'By [...]

Mobility Challenge JOIA SHILLINGFORD The co-founders of leather goods company, Anna Vince, have taken up a Digital Business challenge to work on the move this week. Anna Vince, the designer [...]

Futurephile JOIA SHILLINGFORD Ian Sands, director of envisioning at Microsoft Office Labs, unveils his predictions for IT's future: How will IT change? The lines between work and personal life will [...]

Futurephile JOIA SHILLINGFORD Nagesh Challa, futurologist and founder of Silicon Valley-based mobile and chip company Ecrio, unveils his predictions How will IT change? Business users will have a much better [...]

E-mail Challenge JOIA SHILLINGFORD Peter Bauer, e-mail addict and chief executive of e-mail management company Mimecast, took up Digital Business's challenge and gave it up for a week. Here's what [...]

Futurephile JOIA SHILLINGFORD Peter Lockhart, future technology manager at Siemens' Roke Manor research lab, reveals his predictions How will IT change? Three-dimensional television is coming and a 3-D web, where [...]

Mobility Challenge JOIA SHILLINGFORD Self-confessed e-mail addict, Peter Bauer, is giving it up for an entire week as part of a Digital Business experiment. His challenge is made all the [...]

Technophile JOIA SHILLINGFORD John Chen, chairman and chief executive of Sybase and board member of Walt Disney, Wells Fargo and the US Chamber of Commerce, talks about his technology likes [...]

Futurephile JOIA SHILLINGFORD Dave Evans, Cisco futurologist, says quantum computing will be the next big thing How will IT change? People think technology will change at a linear rate. But [...]

Technophile JOIA SHILLINGFORD Neil Gaydon, chief executive of Pace Micro Technology, talks about his likes and dislikes What's in your pocket? A brand new BlackBerry Curve with GPS [global positioning [...]

Technophile JOIA SHILLINGFORD Kris Gopalakrishnan, co-founder and chief executive of Infosys Technologies, talks about his likes and dislikes. What's in your pocket? A wireless headset, a pen and two cellphones. [...]

Technophile JOIA SHILLINGFORD Christina Domecq, co-founder and chief executive of SpinVox, which converts voicemails to text messages, talks about her likes and dislikes What's in your pocket? A Sony Ericsson [...]

Technophile JOIA SHILLINGFORD Leonid Melamed, president and chief executive of Mobile TeleSystems, talks about his likes and dislikes What's in your pocket? A Nokia E90 Communicator. I like its big [...]

Hank Nothhaft, chief executive of Danger, which has just been sold to Microsoft for a reported Dollars 500m, talks about his likes and dislikes. What's in your pocket? A prototype [...]

Umang Gupta, chairman and chief executive of Nasdaq-listed Keynote Systems, talks about his likes and dislikes What's in your pocket? A BlackBerry. I don't know what I did without it [...]

Mike Lazaridis, president and co-chief executive of Research in Motion and creator of the BlackBerry, tells of his likes and dislikes. What's in your pocket? My wallet and security card. [...]

Warren East, chief executive of ARM Holdings, talks about his likes and dislikes. What's in your pocket? A Nokia E50 with BlackBerry e-mail software and several pens. I've also got [...]

Dave Cote, chief executive of Nasdaq-listed Packeteer, talks about his likes and dislikes What's in your pocket? A cellphone and a thumb drive. I'm on vacation in Hawaii for the [...]

James Averdieck, founder and managing director of Gu Chocolate Puds, talks about his likes and dislikes What's in your pocket? A Pounds 5 note and a BlackBerry Pearl. I like [...]

Eva Chen, chief executive and co-founder of Trend Micro, talks about her likes and dislikes. What's in your pocket? In one pocket: a piece of paper with the dial-in number [...]

Duncan Bannatyne, a panelist on TV's Dragons' Den and chairman of Bannatyne Fitness, talks about his likes and dislikes. What's in your pocket? My wallet, some loose change and a [...]

Suranga Chandratillake, chief executive and founder of video search engine blinkx, talks about his likes and dislikes. What's in your pocket? My wallet and some loose change. I tend to [...]

While many companies have adopted e-recruitment techniques, posting jobs on the web, the benefits of e-firing are known to fewer businesses, writes Joia Shillingford . The practice may sound chilling, [...]

Karren Brady, managing director of Birmingham City Football Club, talks about her likes and dislikes. What's in your pocket? A mobile phone with internet access: T-Mobile's MDA Vario II. I [...]