...“Technological development has a positive rather than a negative impact on society.” Discuss. In the contemporary world, whether or not technological development has a positive rather than a negative impact on society is debatable. Technological development refers to a progress in scientific understanding that produces new equipment and methods. This essay will discuss these impacts which include convenience of long-distance communication, improvement of health and medical treatment and the widening gap between rich and poor. Firstly, convenience of long-distance communication is an important positive impact caused by technological development on society. It is well known that the continuous developments in telecommunications technology and the expansion of the Internet have made the long-distance communication extraordinary convenience and high efficiency. For example, overseas students can use mobile phones and instant messaging software to contact with family and friends who are living in their homeland. Geographical distance is no longer a major hurdle in human relationships. Therefore, technological development has a positive impact in long-distance communication. Furthermore, another positive impact of technological development is the improvement of human health and medical treatment level. For example, the average life span of humans continues to lengthen due to the improvement of the level of clinic medical treatment. Many kinds of illness can be cured nowadays...
Words: 466 - Pages: 2
...Rodrigo Contreras 11/26/2012 Randy Ringen Technology Dependence Technology is the making, modification, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems, methods of organization, in order to solve a problem, improve a preexisting solution to a problem, achieve a goal and perform a specific function (Wikipedia). Technology generally speaking is the process by which humans adapt nature to meet their needs and wants. According to a study performed from May 2010 to May 2011, Google receives 1 billion unique visitors per month; from math homework to relationship problems. Google gives its users the ability to search on a variety of topics. Just an example on how humans have become too dependent on technology. By becoming too dependent on technology will give negative effects to our ability to think, our education, and we will become lethargic. Many people believe we are losing our ability to think because we now have computers to give us the answers and to even correct our spelling. The mere thought of having a helping hand called the "Internet" in situations that you can solve all by yourself, is the sign of dependence. I feel that technology interferes with our ability to think and work for one, by making information too accessible for us. We can simply look something up, the answer is there, and we don't have to think or explore the subject. Everything is on the internet. Technology, with games, Facebook on the go, and texting, provides constant...
Words: 1149 - Pages: 5
...Culture: The Foundation for Technological Development Since humans first walked the earth there has been a focus on the inventing of tools and technologies to better the quality of everyday lives, and a comparison of life through the different eras exemplifies the impact that new technologies have had on society. Delving into various “evolution timelines” of technologies provides us with important insight into how and why new technologies are developed, and the impact that these technologies have on society. Portable music devices are an example of a development that emerged from a social need, yet have had a significant cultural impact. Looking at this example and the perspectives of various theorists we aim to explore the initial impact that certain technologies have had on the development of society and ultimately how culture shapes new technologies and media forms. Different theorist’s definitions of the term “technology” need to be looked at collectively, as there is not one explanation that can wholly encapsulate a true definition. Theorists have opposing views on what technology is, therefore their individual perspectives will always shadow their definitions to some extent. For example, Lorenzo Simpson’s definition of technology suggests it is “a constellation of knowledge, processes, skills and products [that aim to] control and transform”, this comes from a culture shapes technology perspective as it highlights that technology comes from the “knowledge, processes...
Words: 2409 - Pages: 10
...Technological developments significant impact on commerce and industrial development during the early nineteenth century. During the colonial period and the years following independence, British Americans relied primarily on wagons to transport goods. Private turnpike corporations formed in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries built and maintained roads. By 1840, there were eleven thousand six hundred sixty-two miles of turnpike built at a cost of $28 million. Turnpikes provided smoother travel for both cargo and passenger wagons and reduced travel time, and thus, turnpikes helped to open the market for small-scale artisans since the cost of transporting goods over land decreased. Canals also examined the domestic market during...
Words: 404 - Pages: 2
...New IT Technologies University of Phoenix CMGT/583 – IS Intergration Instructor: New IT Technologies Technology is constantly changing and evolving which makes it hard for users to keep up. As new developments in technology arise, old ones either stay behind or are incorporated to supplement new ones. This is called convergence. Technological convergence is defined as the combining of two or more different technologies or services to create a new product (). Nowadays, technology convergence has been very successful acting as a stepping stone. Convergence has allowed consumers to enjoy the convenience of incorporating the best features to enjoy a better product. The truth is that technology convergence offers convenience, efficiency and new opportunities to both the consumer and provider (). As consumers, we are constantly looking to buy the latest technological invention or upgrade to the newest technological discovery. It almost seems like a race or competition, consumers are so quick to jump into the newest advance or discovery and often do so without being informed or conducting research. Often, consumers rely on other opinions to help them decide what product they should buy. The Iphone 5 is an excellent example, it’s such a popular item, people are buying it without even testing it out. They don’t know if there are any glitches that need to be fixed. However, consumers are buying...
Words: 742 - Pages: 3
...multitude of changes in our everyday lives over the course of the last decade; arguably as a direct result of technology. We are constantly reminded of the technological advances when attempting to complete the simplest of everyday tasks, viewing entertainment, and all other various forms of entertainment. Nearly everything we do on a daily basis requires some form of technology; cell phones, emailing, vehicles, computers, even schools are all the result of technological advancements that would not have been possible without the significant strides that have been taken in both the business and scientific worlds’. Understanding that technology carries such significance in our lives, can we fathom even just one day without any form of technology? For any business, technology impacts internal and external users alike; companies should take heed to view any new technology they want to implement from all aspects. The company should conduct research to ensure any technological changes will ultimately benefit their customers, employees, and potential customers. One of the most important things to do as a business owner is to ensure that all updated technology is done so in such a way that is conducive to new and repeat business; by maintaining customer awareness, this will aid in the IT team developing the most beneficial technological advances while also discovering new ideas for improvement. * A business should introduce a new product to customers using technology. Technology gives...
Words: 1514 - Pages: 7
...humanity, humans have always used their innovative and cognitive skills to create tools to better improve their chances at survival on this planet. This technology advancement first began in the Stone Age when man fist discovered that stone could be utilized as both a harvesting tool and hunting weapon; which gradually developed into spears, bows and arrows, and swords. And as time pressed on, one of the most important and influential inventions since the beginning of time was designed in the shape of a circle: the wheel. However, unlike in earlier times, the evolution of technology in the past 60 years has been growing so rapidly that society has scarcely been able to keep up with it on a global scale. And due to this accelerated development of technology, accurate assessment and critical reflection on our dependency of these new technologies has been greatly hindered. So if one were to consider all the consequences and results of today’s technology objectively, could our dependency on modern day technology be viewed as positive or negative outcome? Both sides of this argument have solid, valid claims, but do the pros outweigh the cons or are the benefits of technology not worth the potential harm it can cause to our society. As the advancement of technology drastically rises, society’s dependency for these technologies also rises, however, this correlation can prove exceedingly beneficial for the people of this era. The improvement of medical technology has been especially...
Words: 1688 - Pages: 7
...organization. Answer: True Level: 1 Page: 393 Type: F 5. After the need for change has been perceived, the next part of the change process is implementing change. Answer: False Level: 2 Page: 394 Type: F 6. New department technologies, demands by labor unions, and production inefficiencies are all examples of some external forces. Answer: False Level: 1 Page: 394 Type: F 7. A performance gap is a disparity between the performance of the company when compared with a competitor. Answer: False Level: 3 Page: 395 Type: F 8. The disparity between existing and desired performance levels is the performance gap. Answer: True Level: 1 Page: 395 Type: F 9. The process of learning about current developments inside and outside the organization that can be used to meet a perceived need for change is called search. Answer: True Level: 1 Page: 395 Type: F 10. Originality, authoritarianism, and disciplined exploration are among the characteristics of the creative individuals. Answer: False Level: 2 Page: 396 Type: F 11. Creativity is the generation of novel ideas that may meet perceived needs or respond to opportunities for the...
Words: 5947 - Pages: 24
...assignment. Superintelligence A Superintelligence is “any intellect that vastly outperforms the best human brains in practically every field, including scientific creativity, general wisdom, and social skills”; however, this definition leaves open how the super intelligence is implemented – it could be in a digital computer, an ensemble of networked computers, cultured cortical tissue, or something else. The ethical issues surrounding the creation of these machines with general intellectual capabilities that far outstrip those of humans are very different and have far greater implications than current ethical dilemmas. Superintelligence would not be just another technological development; it would be the most important invention ever made, and would lead to explosive progress in all scientific and technological fields. The superintelligence would be able to conduct research with superhuman efficiency. It also could have the potential to surpass humans in the...
Words: 2347 - Pages: 10
...Ashton Javier, Director for Facilities and Safety, is in a dilemma on what to do to turn around the company’s warehouse and storage system. III. Objective The primary aim of this analysis is to determine whether demand and inventory are in balance or not in the company and what course of action is to be undertaken to resolve the existing problem on storage and delivery of products. IV. Areas of Consideration 1. Panasonic Philippines, a branded name electronics manufacturer in Pasig, has been one of the leading electronic firms in the country. 2. Their products could not be shipped out of door because of poor storage and delivery system. V. Alternative Courses of Action Advantages | Disadvantages | 1. Technological changes will benefit the company because of its rich and deep stock of content. * Layout Master IV Simulation Software can implement new distribution design * Panasonic was able to increase the customers’ orders daily from 250 to 570 * The Technology eliminates order...
Words: 591 - Pages: 3
...Tanya Leadmon English 111 11/04/13 Singularity When Raymond Kurzweil wrote “The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology” in 2005, he predicted that Singularity would occur in the year 2045. Singularity is defined as when computers become smarter than humans. Kurzweil truly believes that this will happen in the year 2045. While reading my critique of Kurzweil’s theory, decide for yourself if you believe Singularity will occur in 2045, or ever. Kurzweil describes his law of accelerating returns as exponential increase in technologies like computers, genetics, nanotechnology and robotics, and artificial intelligence. Kurzweil also predicts that once Singularity has been reached, machine intelligence will be a quintillion times more powerful than all human intelligence combined. Before Singularity can occur, Kurzweil states that there will be exponential growth in evolutionary progress, computational capacity, how the brain works, and revolutions in genetics, nanotechnology, and robotics. Kurzweil believes computational capacity will continue to grow exponentially. He feels that a new paradigm will debut to carry on this growth. According to him, this new paradigm will be nanotubes. He goes on to say that the best way to build machine intelligence is to first understand human intelligence. The first step is to peer inside the brain. Kurzweil predicts that during the 2020’s greater details of the brain will surface because...
Words: 530 - Pages: 3
...of change, managers should expect change at any time, and it may last for unspecified lengths of time. Answer: TRUE Diff: 2 Page Ref: 260 Topic: The Change Process 4) Organizational change can be any alterations in people, structure, or technology. Answer: TRUE Diff: 2 Page Ref: 262 Topic: Types of Organizational Change 5) Any manager can be a change agent. Answer: TRUE Diff: 2 Page Ref: 261 Topic: Types of Organizational Change 6) Changing structure includes any change in structural variables such as reporting relationships, coordination mechanisms, employee empowerment, or job redesign. Answer: TRUE Diff: 2 Page Ref: 262 Topic: Types of Organizational Change 7) Computerization is a technological change that replaces people with machines. Answer: FALSE Diff: 2 Page Ref: 262 Topic: Types of Organizational Change Skill: AACSB: Technology 8) Competitive factors or new innovations within an industry often require managers to introduce new equipment, tools, or operating methods. Answer: TRUE Diff: 2 Page Ref: 262 Topic: Types of Organizational Change 9) Probably the most visible technology changes in recent years have come through managers' efforts to expand corporate financing. Answer: FALSE Diff: 2 Page Ref: 262 Topic: Types of Organizational Change Skill: AACSB: Technology 10) Managers used different OD techniques...
Words: 9444 - Pages: 38
...Summary: SHOE CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS produces a line of women’s shoes that sell in the lower price market. Profits averaged from 30 cents to 50 cents 10 years ago while today due to the labor and material costs, the profit is only from 25 cents to 30 cents. Production at both the company’s plants total 12,500 pairs per day. SHOE CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS offers 100 to 120 different products to customers each year. Being a small shoe producer, the President Allison, feels that the only way for a small independent company to be competitive is to change styles frequently, taking advantage of the flexibility of a small organization to create designs that appeal to customers, while other big companies produce large quantities of stable shoes which cuts the prices of constant changes in production processes and sales representatives. The new shoe design launch includes a number of bureaucratic steps which slows down the process and makes some employees to feel that the final approval is just a snap judgment of the president. The firm’s structure is vertical with centralized decision making and there exists some serious employee or interdepartmental conflicts. The president recently hired some consultants and installed sophisticated computers to initiate internal communication but the there is a resistance to change. 1. Leadership errors: Even though in the case, the management decides to innovate, it is also mentioned that the President of the firm sometimes wishes to produce only...
Words: 1635 - Pages: 7
...NOTE: This PDF document has a handy set of “bookmarks” for it, which are accessible by pressing the Bookmarks tab on the left side of this window. ***************************************************** We are the last. The last generation to be unaugmented. The last generation to be intellectually alone. The last generation to be limited by our bodies. We are the first. The first generation to be augmented. The first generation to be intellectually together. The first generation to be limited only by our imaginations. We stand both before and after, balancing on the razor edge of the Event Horizon of the Singularity. That this sublime juxtapositional tautology has gone unnoticed until now is itself remarkable. We're so exquisitely privileged to be living in this time, to be born right on the precipice of the greatest paradigm shift in human history, the only thing that approaches the importance of that reality is finding like minds that realize the same, and being able to make some connection with them. If these books have influenced you the same way that they have us, we invite your contact at the email addresses listed below. Enjoy, Michael Beight, piman_314@yahoo.com Steven Reddell, cronyx@gmail.com Here are some new links that we’ve found interesting: KurzweilAI.net News articles, essays, and discussion on the latest topics in technology and accelerating intelligence. SingInst.org The Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence: think tank devoted to increasing...
Words: 237133 - Pages: 949
...What is meant by the term media convergence with regard to technology, and how has it affected everyday life? I believe media convergence with regard to technology is when some forms of media combine together. A perfect example is the internet and telephones we have our now smart phones, or the classic newspaper and television gives us the news, now even combining television and radio whether you listen to the news on the radio or listen to music both are now on the television. These forms of technology among others have affected everyday life by making it so much easier to access everything, convenience is the best way to describe this. When we just had newspapers we had to read to get the news whereas now you turn on the television and have the news read to you while you carry on with your day. When we needed to use the internet to check our e-mail or to look something up we had to go home on get on the computer, but now with smartphones you can access your e-mail where ever you are. Finally with the convergence of radio and television you get such things as the news, MTV, or just the plain music channel where its 24 hours of straight music by genre. If you have noticed all of my examples show how convenient things become when converging forms of media, by converging media it makes life easier for people who are on the go and have busy tight schedules. What is meant by the term media convergence with regard to business, and how has it affected everyday life? What are some...
Words: 301 - Pages: 2
