A business is an organization that may be a non-profit making institute, government department, commercial corporation, school or self-employed business.  The size does not affect the messages below and the concept stays the same.  The concept is about what information we require to run a business.  There are 2 categories and 4 different types in the first category.  The 1st information is accounting information for reflecting the financial health of the organization including cash flow, operational profit and loss, balance sheet and the quick ratios.  The 2nd information is costing of efforts to achieve a result.  How much is it to produce a product or a service?  We must look at the total cost related to the customer and not the partial cost that is incurred within the walls of the organization.  The 3rd information is about the core competence of the business.  This affects the result of our effort and determines if customers want to deal with us and how much they want to pay us.  Do we have the staff with the right competence to deliver? Are we better than our competitors? The 4th information is the allocation of resources including financials, human and various forms of intellectual capitals.  Do we invest in a weak or strong area? Do we deploy the best people in the most critical areas?  Having identified the types of information wanted, we shall look for the tools to collect, analyze, report and distribute the information.  This is where computer systems and networks come in. Not all businesses have the same emphasis for the same type of information.  Not all tools are equal.  Do not believe that computers are commodities because salesmen say so.  The second category of information is about the environment and the reasons for business.  It is a more complex topic and will be discussed in the future.