Final answer:
The correct term from the 1980s that indicates the transition of technology to a central role in business is Information Systems. The adoption of personal computers in businesses marked a shift towards an information-based economy, where control over information systems equated to power.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term from the 1980s that reflects the evolution of business technology from background operations to a central business role is Information Systems (B). This shift marked a significant transformation in how businesses perceived technology. It was no longer seen just as a tool for data processing, but as an integral part of the business strategy and a means to gain competitive advantage. The emergence of personal computers and their spread across businesses and homes in the 1980s played a crucial role in this transition.
Businesses started to use computers not just for processing large amounts of data efficiently but also for a variety of tasks that required complex data management. With the rise of personal computers, technology became more accessible, leading to the proliferation of electronic bulletin boards and networks, changing the ways information was shared and distributed. The economy shifted towards knowledge and information, and those in control of information systems became the new power brokers of the information society.