Technology and Society – Historical Evolution of Technology and Its Impact on Society
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Technology and Society
Historical evolution of technology and its impact on society
In society today, technology plays an important role in peoples lives and in businesses and organizations around the world. “Most technologies existing today were designed to expedite the way we manage, store, handle, analyze, and communicate information.” It has evolved over many years and the beginning of it can be traced back to the Industrial Revolution where machines began to replace the manual labor of skilled workers. Since then, technology has brought about many changes that have affected businesses and people both in a positive and negative manner. However, getting employees and managers to accept it hasnt always been an easy task. “Even when employees think technology is a good idea, many dont take to it naturally.” The reason that employees resist change with technology varies from employee to employee. Whether they are concerned about how foolish it can make them look, dont understand the need for it, or worried that it could be replacing them in the future, theres usually some sort of hesitance. Nonetheless, many accept and welcome the challenge because it can make many jobs and lives easier.
The evolution of technology has provided for faster communication methods, has made storing data easier, and has made some jobs less complicated. Before the telephone was invented in the late 1800s by Alexander Graham Bell, communication over long distances could take considerable amounts of time. The process was usually very slow by way of a messenger or through the mail. There was not the ease of picking up a telephone, sending an e-mail, using pagers, or text messaging the way technology has allowed us to do so today. An important factor in determining the success of a business is being able to communicate information in a timely manner. “Clearly, nothing has changed communication in organizations more dramatically than advances in technology.” Business and organizations now use these technological advancements to their benefits and the impact it has made has been enormous. In todays world, it is not uncommon to have meetings or teleconferences as they are called, where managers and their field employees can discuss planning and strategies from different parts of the world. It is crucial for many organizations to have the information readily available to them so they can make the necessary adjustments or implement a new process. This is extremely important when the change has occurred pertaining to the business. This shows why having good communication is essential to running a successful organization.
Another important impact technology has had on society is the ease and handling of the way businesses and organizations store their data. Many companies simply filed their data in a filing bin which took up considerable amounts of space and could be somewhat disorganized. The way most businesses handle anything consisting of large amounts of data is by storing them electronically by computers rather than filing paperwork. Whether its in an airport, a grocery store, a car rental, or a bank, a large amount of data is being stored on a daily basis in businesses world wide. This data then can help an organization analyze how they well they are performing and use it as a measurement against other performances. In addition, it also gives the business important information to assist in planning for the future.
These are just a couple of examples of how the evolution of technology has impacted society and what it means for many organizations. Technology will continue to evolve as time goes on and will continue to play an influential role in the success of businesses around the world.
Ethics and Technology
“While technological advances provide the opportunity to enhance organizational productivity, the real possibility exists that information technology can and will be used in ways that raise ethical questions.” Many high-tech crimes and issues concerning personal privacy are now problems that organizations must deal with. These issues have ranged from credit card fraud to employees using the internet for personal reasons other than reasons regarding their work. With all the information that computers store and collect, it is easier for employees to gain access to information relating to the business or other employees. While computers provide companies with easier methods of storing data and communicating, there has been an incredible amount of companies dealing with high-tech crime. “In a recent mail survey of 500 corporate security directors, 98.6% reported that their companies had been victims of computer-related crimes.” The list of crimes is long and they include everything from trade secrets that have been stolen to employees snooping through the companys confidential files. Many of the companies have reported being struck more than one once and just over forty percent have admitted to being victimized on at least twenty-five different occasions.
Aside from the fact that many companies have to deal with their employees using computers in an unethical way, there are many employees who have concerns about problems than occur regarding technology. A key concern has to do with the amount of privacy individuals within an organization have when dealing with computers. A majority of employees feel that the use of computers has made it easier for many to gather important or confidential information about them. They also feel that the security measures that are being used to protect confidential information from unauthorized users are unsatisfactory and that more emphasis should be placed on securing information. An example of this is the ongoing and widespread use of the e-mail system. A lot of organizations monitor what types of e-mails are being sent to and from the organization. Although its intended purpose is to make communication easier, many employees use it for