Information and communications technologies are impacting our work and society. What are your views?
Information and communications technologies are set to make geography, borders and time zones Irrelevent They are dramatically altering economies and governments and determining the location and size of .businesses, and where people should work and what kind of work they should do. Countries with skilled labour force and relatively low wages are attracting business. Bangalore in South India has a Bangalore in South India has a flourishing software industry and it carries out“remote maintenance’’, repairing software in other parts of the world. EMS control systems in Perth, Australia, monitors security in offices in countries in Southeast Asia. Work is done off-shore, so much so the rich parts of the world fear that their jobs will vanish as production falls to poorer countries. People have to be flexible and update themselves for new jobs. The premium on intelligence and skills will drive the laggards out of job. Pessimists and luddites fear that the revolution will create losers-those who cannot afford the electronic gadgets and countries. People have to be flexible and update themselves for new Jobs. The premium on Intelligence and skills will drive the laggards out of Job. Pessimists and luddites fear that the revolution will create losers-those who cannot afford the electronic gadgets and countries in the developing world that cannot be connected. Optimists believe that the poor will be included In the new electronic community through government efforts. We may hope that the poor countries where most of the world's young are will be connected to the world's networks and they would leapfrog ahead of the countries that today have the wherewithal and distance will not be a hindrance.
The communications revolution is changing every facet of our lives. Bamers and borders are breaking down and geography is losing its grip on the location of industries. The telephone, television and the computer have made distance irrelevant. Information technology that sweeps the world is generally expected to better our lives, but there are challenges. The poor may be neglected and cyber criminals might invade our bank accounts. The views of the technologists and humanists might polarise our world.
The death of distance is an astounding development trial shapes uui wortd The two fundamentals of economic development are information and knowledge These are made available by information technology. Today new technologies, products and new ideas are crossing borders, and markets are now expanding and functioning better. Governments are now able to allocate resources to avail themselves of the forces of the market economy adopted by most of the countries. Innovation is encouraged by the prevailing system and new products are less expensively produced and their customers are easily found. The productivity of each worker in the office or at the factory is bound to increase as the computers are eminently suited to augment it. |The death of distance is an astounding development trial shapes uui wortd The two fundamentals of economic development are information and knowledge These are made available by information technology. Today new technologies, products and new ideas are crossing borders, and markets are now expanding and functioning better. Governments are now able to allocate resources to avail themselves of the forces of the market economy adopted by most of the countries. Innovation is encouraged by the prevailing system and new products are less expensively produced and their customers are easily found. The productivity of each worker in the office or at the factory is bound to increase as the computers are eminently suited to augment it.
Electronic communications are transforming our commercial transactions. They alter the ways in which huge corporations conduct business and communicate with one another and with their staff. Improved communicatons help many aspects of the commercial activities of companies. Business entry costs are lowered and their global reach is strengthened. Customers are reached through the telephone and the Internet. The telephone continues to be the most important communications tool of commerce and telemarketing is said to account for several hundred billion dollars per year.The launch of the single toll-free telephone number has been a boon to commercial institutions. Industries such as hotels and airlines and mail-order companies are increasing their global reach by thoir system of toll-free calls. For companies, the Internet is an effective nulling medium, for it can reach all customers who go on-line. It allows catalogue shopping and thousands of companies have set up shops on the Internet.
While computer hardware and software were the first goods available on the Internet, today on-line markets include supermarkets. The Internet ordering service helps customers to buy airline tickets and leisure goods. Research shows that the biggest sales on the Internet are earned by companies selling to other companies.
The ease in communications influences the location of work. People now need not commute to work in distant places from their homes and there is less concentration of employment in large units. Telework can be done at home and the benefits of this decentralistaion are increasing and productivity sees improvement There is the talk of ‘telecottages’ where a group of people can share high quality communication facilities. Mobile communications help those engaged in vehicle-based jobs such as maintenance and repair. There is already the satellite tracking of workers to supervise them and guide them to carry out tasks efficiently and cheaply.
There is the fear that local languages would be swamped and the English language and American culture would spread. It is inevitable that English would remain for a long time as the standard language of electronic communication. The spread of English will be aided by mainly two factors: English is the language of the Internet and the new knowledge made available is in English. The fear of the erosion of local cultures owing to the onslaught of American products is real. Hollywood continues to dominate cinemas in continental Europe although the politicians there are lobbying for imposing trade control over American entertainment products.
The revolution in communications is expected to have consequences that cannot be foreseen. There can be many technological have-nots. However, there is the possibility of the return of the functional community of the past when, in homes, growing children received much of their training and health care. There is also the possibility of forming electronically bonded communities across distances, providing opportunities for sharing work and forming professional affiliations.
The communications revolution is changing every facet of our lives. Bamers and borders are breaking down and geography is losing its grip on the location of industries. The telephone, television and the computer have made distance irrelevant. Information technology that sweeps the world is generally expected to better our lives, but there are challenges. The poor may be neglected and cyber criminals might invade our bank accounts. The views of the technologists and humanists might polarise our world.
The death of distance is an astounding development trial shapes uui wortd The two fundamentals of economic development are information and knowledge These are made available by information technology. Today new technologies, products and new ideas are crossing borders, and markets are now expanding and functioning better. Governments are now able to allocate resources to avail themselves of the forces of the market economy adopted by most of the countries. Innovation is encouraged by the prevailing system and new products are less expensively produced and their customers are easily found. The productivity of each worker in the office or at the factory is bound to increase as the computers are eminently suited to augment it. |The death of distance is an astounding development trial shapes uui wortd The two fundamentals of economic development are information and knowledge These are made available by information technology. Today new technologies, products and new ideas are crossing borders, and markets are now expanding and functioning better. Governments are now able to allocate resources to avail themselves of the forces of the market economy adopted by most of the countries. Innovation is encouraged by the prevailing system and new products are less expensively produced and their customers are easily found. The productivity of each worker in the office or at the factory is bound to increase as the computers are eminently suited to augment it.
Electronic communications are transforming our commercial transactions. They alter the ways in which huge corporations conduct business and communicate with one another and with their staff. Improved communicatons help many aspects of the commercial activities of companies. Business entry costs are lowered and their global reach is strengthened. Customers are reached through the telephone and the Internet. The telephone continues to be the most important communications tool of commerce and telemarketing is said to account for several hundred billion dollars per year.The launch of the single toll-free telephone number has been a boon to commercial institutions. Industries such as hotels and airlines and mail-order companies are increasing their global reach by thoir system of toll-free calls. For companies, the Internet is an effective nulling medium, for it can reach all customers who go on-line. It allows catalogue shopping and thousands of companies have set up shops on the Internet.
While computer hardware and software were the first goods available on the Internet, today on-line markets include supermarkets. The Internet ordering service helps customers to buy airline tickets and leisure goods. Research shows that the biggest sales on the Internet are earned by companies selling to other companies.
The ease in communications influences the location of work. People now need not commute to work in distant places from their homes and there is less concentration of employment in large units. Telework can be done at home and the benefits of this decentralistaion are increasing and productivity sees improvement There is the talk of ‘telecottages’ where a group of people can share high quality communication facilities. Mobile communications help those engaged in vehicle-based jobs such as maintenance and repair. There is already the satellite tracking of workers to supervise them and guide them to carry out tasks efficiently and cheaply.
There is the fear that local languages would be swamped and the English language and American culture would spread. It is inevitable that English would remain for a long time as the standard language of electronic communication. The spread of English will be aided by mainly two factors: English is the language of the Internet and the new knowledge made available is in English. The fear of the erosion of local cultures owing to the onslaught of American products is real. Hollywood continues to dominate cinemas in continental Europe although the politicians there are lobbying for imposing trade control over American entertainment products.
The revolution in communications is expected to have consequences that cannot be foreseen. There can be many technological have-nots. However, there is the possibility of the return of the functional community of the past when, in homes, growing children received much of their training and health care. There is also the possibility of forming electronically bonded communities across distances, providing opportunities for sharing work and forming professional affiliations.
Information and communications technologies are impacting our work and society. What are your views?
Reviewed by Jame Collins
on
1:18 AM
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Reviewed by Jame Collins
on
1:18 AM
Rating:
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