Computers in Business
Business has changed dramatically and opened a new chapter since the first computer came into existence and was sold in 1951. Today, it is difficult to imagine how businesses could operate without computers. The current growth in international business and industrial development would not be possible without computer communications. In fact, our entire economy is based on the availability of data, whether it is credit, financial, organizational or other data. Without the computer we would be adrift and sinking in the ocean of paper. Business is being carried out by a profound, evolving development. Every day more individuals and companies worldwide are being linked electronically. Digitally binding consumers and companies in a low-cost way is as significant as the invention of the steam engine, electricity, the telephone and the assembly line. The advent of computing is the most significant challenge to business.
9. Make a list of verbs which reflect the dynamics of the text.
10. Spot the international words and guess their meanings in the text.
11. Choose from the text adverbs which serve to describe business development.
12. Make a commentary of the part of the text which concerns computer communications.
13. Read the text and examine the flow chart of the first paragraph.
The ht Park of Belarus
During the last years the ICT sector in Belarus receives strong governmental support and is one of the top-priority economic sectors to develop. In 2005 the Hi-Tech Park was established with the main goal to support software industry in Belarus. First residents were registered in 2006. Currently 94 companies are registered as the Park's residents. Half of Belarus HTP resident-companies are foreign companies and joint ventures.
Unlike many parks in Europe or Asia, the Belarusian HT Park is a virtual hi-tech park. It means that the legal conditions of the Hi-Tech Park are valid within the whole territory of Belarus. No matter where a company is located within Belarus, if it deals with engineering and software development – it can become a resident of HTP. This principle enables the resident companies to use educational, scientific, professional and infrastructural potential of the whole country.
Belarusian programmers get trained at the training centers of IBM, Lotus, Sun, Novell, Microsoft, and other world IT leaders. Another distinctive feature of Belarusian developers is that besides professional skill, they also have deep knowledge in mathematics, engineering, physics, and other sciences.
The export share in the total production volume is 80 per cent. The resident companies are successful on North American and European hi-tech markets. Today they have customers in 52 countries around the world. Today some leading corporations, such as Peugeot, Mitsubishi, British Petroleum, Gazprom, Reuters, British Telecom, London Stock Exchange, World Bank, Coca-Cola, etc. are among major consumers of Belarusian software developed in the Hi-Tech Park of Belarus.