New technologies in business

Computer studies is a subject in many schools. Many young people have personal computers. Ninety-six per cent of them aremalesof all ages. All of them spend anaverage of twenty hours per week on home computers. Themajorityof the adults also use computers at work. About one in three hundred computerowners,so-called computer addicts,spend almost all his time using computers. All the computer addicts are very educated. They have been interested in science and technology from a very early age and they are usually very shy people who like being alone.

Asurveyin a school showed that fewer girls are interested in computers because girls are less likely to have a computer. Even if they have one, they use them less frequently than boys. Possibly it is because we think of computers as something to do with Math and science, which are traditionally "male" subjects. Possibly it is because most of the computer teachers are men, who give the girls less attention. Possibly parents think it is less important for girls to have computer skills.

Computer addicts lovedebugging,develop programs and love learning programming languages. They learnt to communicate with other users through computer networks and the people they met in school and work think of them as experts who could help and advise when they had problems with their machines. A few spend their time“hacking” and one addict left a message on a computer of Buckingham House. Very few computer addicts play computer games, but many people use a computer exclusively for games.

Some parents worry about computer games because they think their children won't be able to communicate with real people in the real world. But parents do not need to worry. According to research computer addicts usuallydo wellafter they have left school. Parents also do not need to worry that computer addiction will make their children become unfriendly and unable to communicate with people. It is not the computer that makes them shy. In fact, what they know about computers improves their social lives. They become experts and others come to them for help and advice.

For most children computer games are a craze. Like any other craze, such as skate-boarding, the craze is short-lived. It provides harmless fun and a chance to escape.

If we didn't have these computer addicts, we wouldn't have modern technology. They are the inventors of tomorrow.

Business Trip

Being a businessman you have to travel much, to meet many people, to arrange business deals and personal relations. It means you will often arrange business trips. Before you have a business trip you should do the following steps: prepare all business documents necessary for your meeting with a foreign partner.

If you visit your business partner for the first time you should take advertising materials representing your firm and its products. Today many people make all their travel arrangements over the phone. They call the travel agent and book their flight, and then give their credit card number to pay for the plane ticket, if you are going to travel by plane. It is the fastest way of travelling and it is helpful if you are short of time, but it is rather expensive. If your destination is not far from your town (city) you can travel by car or bytrain. It is a slower wayof travelling but it is cheaper and quite comfortable.

If a visa is necessary, some travel agents take their customers’ passports to the embassy's visa department. You should also have medical insurance documents with you when you are going to visit your foreign partner.

It's not a good idea to carry lots of cash with you, so traveller’s cheques are a safe way to take money abroad. It's easy to change them at the bank for foreign currency during your trip.

When people travel they almost always stay at hotels or guest-houses,so you should make a hotel reservation in advance by letter, telephone or e-mail. Let the hotel manager know the day and the time of your departure, or you may arrive at the hotel and be told that there are no rooms available.

If you travel abroad you must go through the customs inspection. The customs officials check your luggage and ask you to fill in the customs declaration form. Some ofyourthings may be subjected to duty; some of them are duty free. If you have foreign currency you would indicate the sum in your declaration.

If you don't want to use public transport during your business trip you have to agree

withaccepting side to provide you with a car or you may ask about a good car

rentalcompany. In this case don't forget to take your driving license — you can’t

drive without it! You also have to arrange insurance documents and take them too.

Going Through Customs

While traveling abroad you have to go through customs, sometimes several times.

As a rule the customs officers check your passports and visas if they are required. When coming to some countries you may need a health certificate or vaccination. If you have anything to declare, then you are to fill in the declara­tion form.

You have to write down your full name, citizenship, the country of destination and the purpose of visit (business, tourism or private).

The customs officers may ask you to show your luggage to them. Usually articles for personal use and wear and also used items and gifts are not liable to duty anywhere. If youare carrying much currency you should also declare it. If you are carrying weapons you need a permit. Although some items are liable to duty, if you carry only a small amount of them, they are duty free.

Here is a partial list of prohibited articles (items): firearms, drugs, objects of art, in some countries – meat product, fresh fruit and vegetables. Canned food is OK.

Occasionally the customs officers may take some of your things for a more detailed inspection but usually they return them soon. After you are through with all customs formalities, the customs inspector will put a label on each piece of luggage.

Do not try to break the customs rules and regulations because you may have a lot of troubles.