Introduction
Information technology has come to unify the larger society into one functional unit. It has made work easier for people in all fields ranging from, health education, communication, entertainment, business, to mention but a few. In a great extent, the world of business has benefited in abundance from the rapid explosion of information technology. However, in critical thinking, there are various concerns that information technology has brought especially in business. This has made many people wonder whether technology advancement has come to assist or destroy human activities in business and social life (Healey, 2011). For the purpose paper, it will take a comprehensive critical thought of information technology has brought in the society and especially in the world of business. Focus will be providing analytical, critical view of the concerns associated with the use of technology in business.
As the world has made a remarkable development and continues to develop, the positive impacts of technology are profound. Business tasks have been automated to make work easier and released the burden of human energy and a lot of physical efforts. Furthermore, the quality of work has been tremendous since technological devises are known to work efficiently. A good example is the automated teller machine that is computerized to provide financial services to customers at their convenience. Also, technology has improved communication in the workplace. It has enabled workers to engage in an effective communication, in a convenient manner. This has been made possible through utilization of communication gadgets such as cell phones, and the computer. Through the internet, business communication activities could be carried out through video conferencing, mails and so forth.
The common good technology has contributed towards business is clear as discussed above. However, businessmen have failed to reason out on the adverse effects towards the general business management and people’s lives. Even if efforts have been made to address certain issues, this concern remains a big challenge. For instance, most job positions have been eliminated. In the past, people used to occupy various business positions such as accounting among others. Nowadays, most accounting tasks are done by software. This has forced many people out of place hanging around on the streets looking for employment. More so, the work of office assistants and other people used to occupy formal jobs have been victimized by technology.
Another thing of moral concern about technology is the breach of securities. This can be discussed in two dimensions. First, companies and business enterprises store data and confidential information on cloud servers. Such information can only be accessed through the use of a password and a . This has been a delicate and risk practice. This is because the companies and servers of such storage facilities could interfere with the stored information. This is especially in a case where such companies become interested or develop a personal interest with the storage content. Talking of this, there has been several cases of cyber crime and incidences of theft through the internet.
Storage of sensitive information through a cloud server is equally a risk practice. Imagine the security detail and information a certain government; let us say the United States could stray out into other hands. This could cause a major setback since all secrets and confidential issues and plans could be halted having gotten out hands. In a similar way with the help of technology, business enterprise could access private information of a competitor and use it effectively to gain advantage (Loader et al., 2002). Secondly, the issue of privacy can be discussed within the inside operation of a business. Through technology, members of the management could engage in unseen corruption activities. For instance, a technologist could twist the operations of various devises to generate a proportion of the company’s revenues directs into their personal accounts. It is very hard to identify such an act of crime bearing in mind the person involved is a specialist in the area. It this way, a business organization could be losing millions with the consent of the top management.
The privacy between close workmate is also at risk. The use of Ethernet and computers connected to a common server controlled by one individual means that personal information can be accessed by many people. At the workplace, workers dealing with private information of customers could spread such information within no time. This is especially when such workers have been axed out due to disciplinary issues. The leakage information has been the cause of failure of many businesses since clients build no trust any longer to such companies that leak their private information to the public.
The use of information technology makes a business environment very testing. Workers have engaged in certain cases of improper conduct not because they feel like doing such evil things but fall victims of the tempting environment. Instead of complying with the stated and expected code of conduct, workers have increasingly become less accountable and disciple especially while working hours (Meyer, 2014). For example, various tasks are postponed on a daily basis without clear reasons to do so. Workers only engage in utilizing social media websites when they are meant to observe their delegated tasks. Social media has also interrupted the order and eroded moral virtues that used to exist in the ancient days.
This issue of ethics is very instrumental in breaking the hoodoo that exists in various places of work. Technology is understood to have accelerated ethical concerns more than any other factors one can think about in the workplace. People in the past were focused on their routine duties in the workplace. Evidently, there were no or very little interference either at a personal or group level of functionality in the office. This is not the case any longer. This is because people tend to get attracted and pay more attention to social issues through the internet. This decreases the level of productivity and input of each and every worker (Sofuoglu & Basoglu, 2008). The impact is immense on the general output of the organization in which such interrupted workers work from. People have also confused the aspects that define ethics in an organization. Through the influence of other people in the outside environment, workers often engage in unnecessary tensions with the name of protesting for their rights. These cases have increasingly been on a high due to the influence of technology and social media.
Therefore, in an attempt to search the truth about how technology has caused in business, many researchers have used different methodologies. From interviews, observations and peer researches involving participants in various business organizations have established that technology has brought more harm rather than the good expectation of it. Although a few individuals have benefited, the benefits are to the expense of others. To some extent, the beneficiaries have been thought acquiring properties and wealth through illegal controversial circumstances. They have either taken an advantage of information technology in an inappropriate manner or engaged in server breach of the rule of law in acquiring their status. Through the help of gathering data through technology, these claims of inappropriateness of the advanced world technology can be ascertained (Loader et al., 2002). For instance, it is well known that cyber crime has caused major effects and ruined relationships between international organizations and also governments.
In addressing this issue of the negative impact of technology in the society, it requires more than collective efforts. People should start to think about the lives of the many unemployed individuals simply because their positions have been occupied by machines. However, this is not to mean that machines and technology should be abolished but used appropriately. The machine should raise the standard of life of a human being and not deteriorate the situation. Alternatively, some measure should be put in place to regulate the production and usage of machines to accommodate the interests of majority members of the society. This is to say that there is a need for immediate intervention. More so, plans should gather measurable controls with objectives of both the short and long-run. Failure to address these concerns the value of a human being will increasingly deteriorate and sooner than later, machine will have value compared to the human- kind.
References
Healey, J. (2011). Social Impacts of Digital Media. Thirroul, N.S.W: Spinney Press.
In this resource, Healey gives a comprehensive overview of the social impacts of digital media especially in the business environment. Healey argues that digital media has a lot of influence to the violence experienced commonly in the workplace. Although technology has brought something to celebrate about, the negative effects have adversely affected the relationships between workers in the office. People normally appreciate the advantages of using technology and fail to point out the amount of harm. Healey identifies this gap to mention and provide suggestions of the possible solutions. Technology could be only applicable to influence people’s lives for the better but not holding people backward. Healey acknowledges that this concern should be critically handled for the sake of the lives of the common and average worker.
Lazic, M. (2013). The Impact of Information Technology Governance on Business Performance.
This resource draws an analytical formula to determine the impact of information technology in the top management of a business. Lazic focuses on the amount of disturbance of information technology in the business performance. As far as technology has made work easier and done efficiently, the negative part has the same magnitudes. At a personal level of disturbance, people are tortured psychologically hence becoming less productive. This comes to affect further the collective group performance which in turn has a severe impact on the general performance. Furthermore, Lazic also recognizes the extent into which technology has ruined the effectiveness of some widely known business empires.
Loader, D., & Biggs, G. (2002). Managing Technology in the Operations Function. Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann.
In this resource, Loader and Biggs discuses the importance of managing technology to effectively influence positive desires. The authors suggest that technology is a tool that with a proper management, it could make the functionality of a business to greater heights. Similarly, when poorly managed, the effects could hamper the progress of any business enterprise. Therefore, management is the most important part to get the best out of technology. This calls for a critical view for managers during decision making. Some sought of professionalism is dealing with issues in the office could be helpful as well as the stipulated code of ethics and conduct among workers.
Meyer, E. (2014). The Culture Map: Breaking Through the Invisible Boundaries of Global Business.
Meyer goes further to provide an analysis of the invisible technology boundaries that have contributed to the failure of well established businesses. Technology has brought another phase of culture that seems to be very difficult for people to adapt accordingly. People have failed to drop their popular culture to adapt the new culture of technology. As a result, a mixture of the two has brought some needless confusion in the management of technology in an effective manner. Meyer provides the culture line and map that could be useful in utilizing technology in the best way possible and minimize the negative aspects of it.
Sofuoglu, E., & Basoglu, N. (2008). Exploring the characteristics and impact of information technology crisis on a company.
This resource comprehensively explores the characteristics and impacts of information technology on a company. The authors suggest the extent of knowledge that managers of a company should be competent with in order to avoid certain instances in management. Technology crisis is manageable only if managers would employ an effective formula that would auto detects the characteristics of the crisis during its early stages. However, when such problems become bigger, it is become difficult to handle them effectively.
