EMERGING TECHNOLOGY AND THE POSSIBLE IMPACTS

EMERGING TECHNOLOGY AND THE POSSIBLE IMPACTS ON SOCIETY.

In the last few years, technology has advanced rapidly, enabling significant changes in the ways organizations communicate with each other. Today’s generation rely heavily on technology or electronic device. They are more technical minded and demanded for more access to technology compare to the old generations. Emerging technology makes life more convenient and also has various possible impacts on the society.

Based on Wikipedia, technology is a broad concept and has more than one definition. The first definition is the development and use of tools, machines, materials and processes to solve problems. This term can be used either in general or in specific fields: for example the construction of technological knowledge, medical technology, and information technology. The term is often associated with technology and gadgets designed to use scientific principles and processes. However, the design is as old as the tires still show technology. Technology can be most broadly defined as the entities, both material and immaterial, created by the application of mental and physical effort to achieve some value. In this usage, technology refers to tools and machines that may be used to solve real-world problems.

Meanwhile, according to BusinessDictionary.com, emerging technology is a new technology that is currently being developed, or will be developed within the next five to ten years. The new technology will substantially alter the business and social environment; the technology will include information technology, wireless data communications, man-machine communications, on-demand printing, bio-technologies, and advanced robotics.

According to Cervone (2010), the “library” definition of emerging technology simply means “something we haven’t done before”. Strictly speaking, this use is a mistake and could possibly do more harm than good. An emerging technology in one sector is sometimes old news in another; therefore what is called an emerging technology in one library may not really be an emerging technology at all. The problem with using the term “emerging technology” in this incorrect sense is that it possibly makes the person using the term look clueless when talking to people outside the library.

Srinivasan (2008) and Day and Schoemaker (2000), define emerging technologies as science-based innovations with the potential to create a new industry or transform an existing one. Thus, by definition, emerging technologies offer a rich source of technological and market opportunities for some firms and threaten other firms. The large body of insights in innovation research in the marketing literature has been developed, for the most part, without explicit consideration of the distinctive features of emerging technologies.

Smartphone are an example of emerging technology that can be seen use by the society and one of the greatest inventions cellular technologies is iPhone by Apple. It is must have gadget in society now since it provide the functions of different devices, like telephones and cemaras. The iPhone is more than just a gadget. It's a genuine handheld computer, which is use not only for making phone calls, texting, video call but also surfing the internet, phone as a modem and also GPS. The characteristic of technology is to help human solving problems, makes human lives easier, and extends human abilities to do things. It is also the application of science (the combination of the scientific method and material) to meet an objective or solve a problem.

No doubt emerging technology has a drastic impact on society and business. Whether people realize it or not, the way we conduct business and live our lives would be much different if it weren't for the continually changing technology. The latest technological advances are not limited to just business. Emerging technology has affected the way we live in many ways including safety, medical technology, expedite processes and finances.

In term of safety, Global Positioning Systems is emerging technology for home alarms and fires. This cellular technology has helped to make our lives safer in a number of ways. If you lost in finding a way for your destination, you can use your smart phone or GPS to locate your destinations. Not only this, people now no longer uses mobile phone or cellular technology for talking or texting. Now, mobile phone can be use as a modem, a remote control, video calling and any many more. In addition, emerging technology has made homes safer with the ability to detect deadly gases and smoke in the home.

In term of medical technology, where sophisticated medical equipment constantly evolving and improving and it has helped to save thousands of lives. For example, Special monitors and machines allow doctors to do a number of things never thought possible, like performing intricate surgeries by displaying them on a larger monitor. Medical equipment and the technology it uses have also helped many people to manage their own care from their homes.

Next is in finances, the Automated Teller Machines or ATM as well as internet banking, have made it easier and more accurate to manage finances. People do not need to wait to withdraw their money during banking office hours and even can make payment for utility billed using ATM or online banking.

Other impact is emerging technology is it will expedite the processes. Because of emerging technology, products are made and delivered to store much faster than ever before. In addition, machines and technology help to eliminate or greatly reduce human error. Online system will update product inventory more faster compare to before. For example, customer just needs to call customer services centre to check the stock update instead of walk in to the centre to check.

The technology such as telephone, computer, e-mail, web form or communication using chat room which is save cost, save the user time and also no need for user to move from their home. As time goes by, people now can visit library anytime without worry about the library operation hours. For information services, emerging technologies refers to any new technology that can help support user services, instruction, library management and technical services. For example, Online references services become one of the frequently uses methods of reference delivery services in library provided to the user. It become an online communication between the reference librarian and the user in order to provide a reference services in the electronic medium whether it a simple or complicated question.

Students need technology in their life, especially the internet. These days students have greater access to knowledge from around the world than before, for instance, in the past students just used the books to do their research because their subjects were easy, simple and short, whereas, nowadays students are more capable and independent. Therefore, they need something which helps them to perform their search such as computer with internet because their searches are wide and include many information which they cannot find easily from books, thus, they use internet to find information. In this way, they overcome the difficulties which students used to face before. Student can search for any reading material outside their campus or library. The digital reference gives a new reason to user to accessing the information where it becoming more effective and faster for them to get a feedback. Information they think they need has been well written out for student on the Internet. The internet has a wealth of information on every area of human needs. It is a safe place of reference or consultation not only for students but as well as professors. The internet is a place individuals and enterprise run to locate the information they need. For instance, when you need any service, just log into the Internet and you will see one million and one individuals and organizations that render such services. Whatever it is you need, you can find it on the internet.

Student gets more option and method to search for knowledge. But, emerging technologies allow student to just get assistant from online searching website like Google to suggest the information. In this way, they overcome the difficulties which students used to face before. Other than this example, people now can saves time and money to pay billed or to shop for grocery since a lot of supermarkets now offer online shopping.

In addition, the extensive development of robots in the workplace has revolutionized our society again. Robots are widely used in manufacturing, chemicals and metals industries and modern technology has helped to create a safer working condition for workers. This advantage has allowed for more women began to take on jobs previously reserved for men only. With more women working, modern technology has also led to changes in the social composition in the work force today, as women play an increasingly important role for the economy. Housewives can even work from their homes, thereby able to manage between their homes and their jobs.

In conclusion, technology also keeps changing rapidly whether we like or not. And the advantages of modem technologies provide more benefit compare to disadvantages of technologies. Just imagine if we need to clean our cloth with hand, no washing-machine around and time is running for us to do other things. Washing-machine makes our life easier and comfortable. Also same with smart phone where we can texting, calling, sending urgent email or maybe paying your phone billed. We can see that the advances in knowledge of modern technology can easily affect the life style at all levels of society. Advances in computer, internet and modern technology have definitely changed the way modern people live, learn, work and socialize, compared to our forefathers. So, it is undeniable that the modern technologies make life more convenient.
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