Information and communication technology (ICT) encompasses electronic tools for processing information, including computers and communication devices, which facilitate information transmission and retrieval. ICT plays a crucial role in business through e-commerce, data management, and inventory systems, enabling a range of activities from product browsing to order processing. The evolution of ICT includes phases from early calculators to personal computers and the internet, culminating in wireless technology that enhances global communication and interaction.

1. INFORMATION
AND
COMMUNICATION
TECHNOLOGY

2. INTRODUCTION TO ICT
WHAT IS ICT ?
- ICT is the technology required for information
processing, in particular, the use of electronic
computers, communication devices and software
applications to convert, store, protect, process,
transmit and retrieve information from anywhere,
anytime.

3. LETS LOOK AT THE TOPIC PART BY
PART
INFORMATION Information refers to the knowledge obtained
from reading, investigation, study or research. The tools to transmit
information are the telephone, television and radio. Information is
knowledge and helps us to fulfill our daily tasks.
COMMUNICATION Communication is an act of transmitting
messages. It is a process whereby information is exchanged between
individuals using symbols, signs or verbal interactions.
Communication is important in order to gain knowledge.
TECHNOLOGY Technology is the use of scientific knowledge,
experience and resources to create processes products that fulfill
human needs. Technology is vital in communication

4. RANGE OF TECHNOLOGY UNDER ICT
Look at the following table to get an understanding of range of technologies that fall under
the category of ICT.
Information Technologies
Creation Personal Computers, Digital camera, Scanner, Smartphone
Processing Calculator, PC, Smartphone
Storage CD, DVD, Pen drive, Microchip, Cloud
Display PC, TV, Projector, Smartphone,
Transmission Internet, Teleconference, Video conferencing, Mobile technology, Radio
Exchange e-mail, Cellphone,

5. A GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION
*A graphical representation of what is ICT is represented in more details in the figure below (Graphic courtesy:
Dr.M.U.Paily, RIE, Mysore)

6. ICT in Business
Today a lot of business transactions happen through internet
and hence called e-commerce. ICT facilitates marketing,
customer visit, product browsing, shopping basket checkout,
tax and shopping, receipt and process order. Through e-
commerce one can also offer services pertaining to processing
transactions, documentation, presentations, inventory
management and gathering product information. In other
words, every business activity can be done being at home.

8. Role of ICT in business
*Inventory management: inventory management systems
track the quantity of each item a company maintains,
triggering an order of additional stock when the quantities
fall below a pre-determined amount.
*Data management- companies are ale to store and
maintains tremendious amount of historical data
economically, and employees benefit from immediate
access to the document they ned

9. *ICT education
creation of human resources to meet
the IT needs
*ICT supported education
use of ict to support the print
content
*ICT enabled education
educational programme that is
purely delivered through ICTs

12. EVOLUTION OF ICT
Phase I
The first phase related to evolution of ICT
is identified with the creation of
electromagnetic calculator during World
War II, weighing about 5 tons. Invention of
transistors in 1947 led to development of
smaller but versatile computers. With the
input-output technology changing from
punch cards to magnetic tapes,
"Computer" became a catch word.

13. Phase II
The second phase of ICT evolution
is associated with the development
of personal computers during
1970's. Development of chip
technology and manufacturing
magnetic discs transformed huge
computers into desktops, which
are called personal computers.
Word processing, accounting and
graphics became very accessible.

14. Phase III
Third phase of ICT evolution is related to development of microprocessors.
Microprocessor, a multipurpose, programmable device that accepts digital data
as input, processes it according to instructions stored in its memory, and provides
results as output. Microprocessors reduced the cost of processing power.

15. Phase IV
The fourth phase of ICT evolution is around networking. Starting from
connecting computers within a small geographic area for the field of Defense
and Education to connecting the computers worldwide resulting in internet is
the landmark development in the field of ICT. This resulted in breaking the
distance barrier across the geographies and world being called a global
village. Social networking is a byproduct of this. Introduction of broadband
has accelerated this evolution.
NETWORK

16. Phase V
The fifth phase of ICT evolution is related to the development of wireless, which refers to the
present phase. This phase began with the invention of the mobile phone. The initial mobile
phones were large and bulky. Reduction in size has been accompanied by a greatly
expanded range of functions. Now mobile phones are used for talking, transmitting
messages, pictures and music, browsing, navigating. Satellite phones have allowed us to get
connected even in the absence of telephone and cell phones.

17. Convergence of technology and telecommunications
Parallel developments in the field of technology lead to
convergence of technology and telecommunications. We saw, as
mentioned earlier, the way we got connected with each other.
Social networking became a virtual reality. Interacting with
people who are hundreds of thousands of kilometers away,
especially, in real time became a reality. The barrier of distance
to communicate dissolved. There were new avenues to express
oneself in the form of blog and microblog. Digital revolution
made data processing very easy to handle. In other words, ICT
provided an ideal platform for learning in the new paradigm.