Technology

Advantages vs Disadvantages of Technology

Advantages vs Disadvantages of Technology Jonathan Poland

Technology has brought many advantages to modern society, and has greatly improved the way we live and work. Some of the main advantages of technology include increased efficiency and productivity, improved communication and collaboration, and access to vast amounts of information and knowledge.

One of the most significant advantages of technology is that it can greatly increase efficiency and productivity. With the help of technology, tasks that used to take a long time and require significant manual labor can now be completed quickly and easily. For example, thanks to advances in technology, many businesses are now able to automate many of their processes, reducing the need for manual labor and freeing up employees to focus on more important tasks.

Another advantage of technology is that it has greatly improved communication and collaboration. With the help of technology, people can now communicate and share information with others regardless of where they are located. This has made it easier for people to work together, even if they are not in the same physical location. For example, people can now use video conferencing and collaboration tools to work on projects together in real time.

Finally, technology has also provided people with access to vast amounts of information and knowledge. With the help of the internet, people can now easily access a wealth of information and knowledge on almost any topic. This has greatly improved education and learning, and has made it easier for people to stay informed about the world around them. Overall, the advantages of technology are numerous, and it continues to play an important role in our lives. The following are some illustrative examples.

Productivity

Productivity is the amount of value that you create in an hour, month or year of work. For example, a farmer who creates enough food to feed thousands of people because she uses large scale machinery such as a combine harvester.

Efficiency

Efficiency is the effective use of resources to produce value. Modern technology is often extremely efficient. For example, the luminous efficacy of a candle is around 0.04% while the luminous efficacy of an LED light bulb can exceed 25% such that they are around 625× more efficient at producing light from energy.

Prices

Technology can reduce the prices of things due to productivity and efficiency.

Scale

Technology allows products and services to be produced at great scale to provide goods for large populations. For example, a factory that washes and packages 200,000 pounds of fruit a day with automation and a few dozen workers. It would likely be difficult to support the current quality of life of populous nations without using technology.

Risk Management

Technology can create a number of risks and problems such as environmental problems. However, it is equally possible and common for technology to reduce risks. For example, a smoke detector that reduces the risk of harm to people from a fire.

Safety

Infrastructure, equipment and services that improve safety such an aircraft that allows passengers to cross oceans safely.

Health

Technologies that prevent, cure or treat health problems. For example, an incubator for premature infants.

Communication

The ability to communicate with anyone anywhere using a large number of mediums and tools. For example, the ability to keep in touch with distant family members by telephone, email and video chat.

Knowledge

Technologies that facilitate the sharing and consumption of knowledge. For example, the internet represents the largest collection of information ever assembled and it’s accessible to large populations.

Discovery

Tools for discovering new knowledge such as a scientific instrument, sensor or computer that can be used to discover and analyze information.

Exploration

Tools for exploring such as a sailboat with a navigation system or a spacecraft.

Entertainment

Entertaining experiences such as streaming media or a nightclub that uses digital music technologies.

Epic Meaning

Pursuits that feel meaningful to a person such as a video game that fulfills a sense of adventure.

Culture

Technology is often presented as a threat to traditional culture. However, technology also is the foundation of culture such as film, photography and digital music.

Connectedness

The ability to connect with people on a global basis. For example, an individual in a small remote town who can connect to other people in social media who share an enthusiasm for an obscure type of music.

Learning

Education technology such as digital media that is extremely engaging such that students find it effortless to learn things. For example, a game that makes learning vocabulary in a second language fun and fast.

Variety

The ability to access an incredible variety of products, services, media, knowledge, social connections and experiences. For example, an individual in a small town who can purchase millions of items from a single service.

Comfort & Convenience

Reducing negative stimuli, challenges and effort to make life easy. For example, an advanced material that is used to make a pillow that is softer on the head than any natural material.

Architecture

Technologies that create comfortable, safe and efficient habitats and workspaces for people. For example, smart glass that helps to cool, heat and ventilate a room by responding to weather and internal conditions.

Creativity

Creativity tools such as a synthesizer that is used by a musician as an instrument.

Design

Tools for creating things. In future it may be possible for regular people to design extremely complex things such as medicines, buildings and spacecraft by using design tools that do most of the heavy lifting.

Managing Complexity

Information technology allows for the analysis, management, control, design and production of extremely complex things. For example, an earthquake detection system that can sense an earthquake near its source, calculate its impact and attempt to warn people and systems of the earthquake before it arrives at a location. This information can in be used to automatically secure things such as applying the breaks on a high speed train.

And, while technology has brought many advantages to modern society, it also has its share of disadvantages. Some of the main disadvantages of technology include a potential loss of privacy, increased risk of cyber attacks and data breaches, and the potential for technology to be used for nefarious purposes.

One of the main disadvantages of technology is that it can potentially lead to a loss of privacy. With the increasing use of technology, more and more personal information is being collected and stored digitally. This information can be accessed by others, either intentionally or accidentally, and can be used for various purposes, such as marketing or identity theft.

Another disadvantage of technology is that it increases the risk of cyber attacks and data breaches. As more and more personal and sensitive information is being stored digitally, it becomes a target for hackers and other malicious actors. These attacks can result in the loss of sensitive information, and can have serious consequences for individuals and organizations alike.

Finally, technology can also be used for nefarious purposes. While technology has many positive uses, it can also be used by individuals or groups to harm others. For example, technology can be used to create and spread false or misleading information, to commit cyber crimes, or to engage in other harmful activities. Overall, while technology has many advantages, it also has its share of disadvantages. It is important to be aware of these potential drawbacks, and to take steps to mitigate them. The following are some illustrative examples.

Information Security Risk

The risk of malicious disruption, misuse and access to systems, applications and data. For example, a school that loses personally identifiable behavioral data about its students to an unknown malicious entity.

Depersonalization of Experience

Replacing human experiences such as a one-to-one lesson from a language teacher with digital interactions such as a game that teaches a language.

Privacy

In many cases, digital experiences record information about you permanently and transfer this to third parties where it is aggregated with other information about you. For example, a mobile app that requires location services such that the software provider can see where your phone is at all times and maintain a database of this information.

Usability

Technologies with poor usability such that they represent an unpleasant experience. For example, a worker who must deal with a slow, unreliable, unstimulating, error prone, inefficient and needlessly annoying tool for 8 hours every day.

Health & Safety

Health and safety impacts of technology. For example, a health condition that is related to repetitive user input tasks or extended periods of looking at a screen.

Misinformation

Modern technologies such as the internet that have the capacity to instantly share information on a global basis may become a medium for misinformation, propaganda and manipulation by malicious agents.

Single Point of Failure

Technology allows a large number of things to be controlled from a single platform. As a hypothetical example, millions of self-driving vehicles that are effectively controlled by a single cloud platform such that any errors or compromise of the service could cause a large number of accidents or attacks at the same time.

Intellectual Dependence

A tendency for people to use technology in place of independent thought. For example, a student who simply paraphrases websites when writing an essay as opposed to collecting, organizing and composing their own opinion.

Inactivity

A tendency to spend a large number of hours engaged with digital tools such that you don’t exercise or more generally experience the physical world.

Commoditization of Experience

A tendency to replace human experience with commodities such as products, services, media and digital entities. For example, social status that was historically based on your behavior and position in a community can be commoditized into products, services and digital entities such as followers on a social media platform.

Over-Optimization

Optimizing for what you are measuring such that factors you aren’t measuring or that can’t be measured are neglected. For example, a school that measures many aspects of learning to determine how to best increase scores on standardized tests that reduces time for play that is a right of every child that develops valuable abilities such as creativity and sociability.

Social Disconnection

A tendency to become immersed in screens such that social interaction declines. For example, children who find it very easy to focus on screens in a classroom such that the class becomes eerily quiet and non-social.

Tools of the Tools

A tendency for people to be controlled by technology as opposed to the other way around. For example, individuals who are obsessed with a particular metric on social media such that it dramatically shapes their behavior.

Productivity

The common tendency for entertaining digital technologies such as games, media and ecommerce to disrupt an individual’s productive flow. For example, an employee who checks fashion blogs and ecommerce sites several hundred times in an average work day such that they seldom concentrate on work for more than 2-3 minutes at a time.

Over-Engagement

People commonly find digital environments such as games and internet addictive such that they find it difficult to disengage or break harmful habits.

Filter Bubble

A filter bubble is the use of technology such as social media to discover only information that aligns with your opinions such that you may begin to believe your opinions are more popular, uncontested and indisputable then they are in reality.

Vicarious Experience

Replacing experience in your life with the passive experience of consuming media, gossip and news. For example, we tend to think of characters from TV shows or video games much the way the way that we think about people we know. As such, consumption of media may fulfill social needs without actually being particularly social.

Reputation

Digital information is easily transmitted and stored such that mistakes or rumors can become a permanent feature of an individual’s reputation. For example, a student who makes a mistake in life that is recorded in various social media databases that is then accessible to employers for their entire career.

Economic Disruption

Disruption of labor markets whereby an entire profession experiences declining employment levels due to automation. For example, a future without teachers because apps are found to be better at rote learning drills that allow students to pass standardized tests that are valued by a society.

Unmanaged Complexities

Societies and organizations may adopt technologies without fully managing or recognizing the complexities that they have introduced. For example, a local government that begins aggressively using information technology to gather information about citizens without properly securing it.

Environment

Environmental costs of technology. For example, a digital currency that consumes a great deal of electricity to mine such that it has real impacts on the environment despite being completely intangible. In theory, the Earth’s resources could be completely consumed in a pursuit to create abstract, intangible digital entities at great scale that are demanded by consumers.

Technology Factors

Technology Factors Jonathan Poland

Technology factors are any external changes related to technology that may affect an organization’s strategy. Identifying and analyzing technology factors is a fundamental part of strategic planning methods, such as PEST analysis. Technology can bring changes to business models, products, consumer perceptions, costs, risks, and the competitive landscape. Some common examples of technology factors include the following.

  • Applications
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Automation
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Bottlenecks
  • Business Models
  • Capabilities & Competencies
  • Communication Tools
  • Consumerization
  • Convergence
  • Customer Experience
  • Data
  • Dematerialization
  • Ecommerce
  • Engagement & Conversion
  • Information Security Threats
  • Information Security Vulnerabilities
  • Infrastructure
  • Intellectual Property
  • Internet of Things
  • Legacy Technology
  • Machines
  • Materials
  • Media
  • Partnerships & Outsourcing
  • Platforms
  • Privacy Processes
  • Productivity & Efficiency
  • Quality
  • Research & Development
  • Revenue Models
  • Software
  • Substitute Goods
  • Systems Technological Change
  • Technology Compliance
  • Technology Culture
  • Technology Prices
  • Technology Regulations
  • Technology Risk
  • Technology Shortages
  • Transactions & Payments
  • Usability

A deeper look some of these examples. 

Consumerization is the process by which businesses begin to use products and services used by consumers.

Convergence is the process by which single technologies replace multiple technologies such that things become one over time.

Dematerialization is the process by which things become smaller and lighter. This also includes physical things being replaced with intangible things.

Legacy technology is technology that is no longer supported or competitive in the market. Technological change includes the deprecation of technologies whereby new technologies eventually become legacy.

Technology culture are the norms, expectations, perceptions, experiences and shared meaning that emerges around technology.

Technology isn’t just information technology. For example, change to basic technologies such as materials can influence product designs, cost, quality, supply and demand in a market.

Substitute goods are products or services that can indirectly compete with your offerings. For example, many consumers use a tablet (iPad) as a substitute for a laptop (Macbook).

Technology Skills

Technology Skills Jonathan Poland

Technology skills refer to the talents and abilities related to information technology and physical technology, such as machines. This includes general skills such as data analysis, as well as knowledge of specific technologies, such as a particular software product or service. Technology skills can be divided into several levels, including design, management, development, and use. For example, many people may be familiar with using various hardware and software tools, but may not have experience in designing, developing, configuring, administering, or managing such tools. The following are common technology skills followed by an overview of skill levels.

  • APIs
  • AR & VR
  • Accounting Packages
  • Administration Systems
  • Algorithms
  • Analytics
  • Applications
  • Architectural Technology
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Automation
  • Backup & Recovery
  • Batch Processing
  • Big Data
  • Blockchain
  • Business Software
  • Circuit Design
  • Cloud Computing
  • Cloud Platforms
  • Coding
  • Communication Tools
  • Configuration Management
  • Consumer Technology
  • Content Delivery Networks
  • Content Management
  • Cryptography
  • Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
  • Data Analysis
  • Data Architecture
  • Data Management
  • Data Migration
  • Data Mining
  • Data Processing
  • Data Visualization
  • Databases
  • DevOps
  • Developer Tools
  • Diy Technology
  • Document Management
  • Ecommerce
  • Edge Computing
  • Education Software
  • Electrical Engineering
  • Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
  • Event Processing
  • Exploratory Data Analysis
  • Game Development
  • Gamification
  • Geospatial Technology
  • Graphic Design
  • Hardware
  • IT Operations
  • Identity Management
  • Information Design
  • Information Management
  • Information Security
  • Integration
  • Internet
  • Internet of Things
  • Intranet
  • Knowledge Management
  • Legacy Technology
  • Machine Installation
  • Machine Maintenance
  • Marketing Platforms
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Media Production
  • Media Software
  • Middleware
  • Mobile App Development
  • Mobile Devices
  • Network Infrastructure
  • Networking
  • Operating Systems
  • Process Automation
  • Reporting Platforms
  • Robotics
  • Sales Force Automation
  • Scientific Computing
  • Scientific Instruments
  • Scripting
  • Serverless Computing
  • Service Delivery
  • Software Architecture
  • Software Design
  • Software Development
  • Software as a Service
  • Space Technology
  • Spreadsheets
  • Statistical Software
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Software
  • Systems Systems Analysis
  • Technology Administration
  • Technology Infrastructure
  • Training Software
  • Typing
  • User Interface Design
  • Video Production
  • Web Design
  • Word Processing
  • Workload Automation

Technology skills have different levels or viewpoints as follows.

Architecture
Managing the structure of technology at the highest level. For example, planning how dozens of complex systems will interact to deliver a business process.

Design
The detailed design of technology such as a designer of hardware, software, vehicles, machines, instruments or large scale infrastructure.

Development
The implementation of technology to realize a design. For example, coding a system.

DevOps
The use of coding to manage and operate complex environments that may include platforms, systems, scripts, services, applications, physical machines and facilities.

Administration
The implementation, configuration and management of individual systems or applications. Modern administrators typically need to known how to code.

Advanced Users
Users that engage in coding to customize things to their requirements. This is very different from coding to realize a design for a complex system or application.

End Users
End users who use technology to be productive but don’t customize it to any significant extent.

Technology Theories

Technology Theories Jonathan Poland

A technology theory is a broad idea that has significant implications for technology and its effects on society and culture. These theories often consist of patterns, trends, methods, and fundamental principles that can be used to gain a deep understanding of technology. This type of broad understanding is generally more valuable than specific knowledge about technology, such as how to set up a particular device. Examples of useful technology theories include the following.

  • Accelerating Change
  • Accidental Complexity
  • Backward Invention
  • Complexity Cost
  • Cultural Lag
  • Dematerialization
  • Digital Convergence
  • Domestication Of Technology
  • Emergence
  • Existential Risk
  • Feature Fatigue
  • Fourth Industrial Revolution
  • Garbage In Garbage Out
  • Media Convergence
  • Medicalization
  • Moore’s Law
  • Network Effect
  • New Complexity
  • Precautionary Principle
  • Pre-crime
  • Progress Trap
  • Sum of Parts
  • Superintelligence
  • Systems Theory
  • Technological Determinism
  • Technological Singularity
  • Technology Winter
  • Unintended Consequences

NOTE: Technologies change are created and become obsolete regularly and some of the theories on this list may be out of date when you read or in the future.

Algorithmic Accountability

Algorithmic Accountability Jonathan Poland

Algorithmic accountability is the concept of holding algorithms and the organizations that use them accountable for the decisions they make and the actions they take. This can be applied to algorithms, automated business rules and artificial intelligence. This accountability is important because algorithms are increasingly being used to make important decisions that affect people’s lives, such as decisions about credit, employment, and criminal justice.

Algorithmic accountability involves several key components. First, it requires that algorithms and the data they use be transparent and open to scrutiny. This means that the algorithms must be able to be understood and audited by outside parties, and that the data they use must be accessible and free from bias. Second, it requires that there be clear standards and regulations governing the use of algorithms, so that they are used in a fair and ethical manner. Finally, it requires that there be mechanisms in place to hold algorithms and the organizations that use them accountable when they make mistakes or take actions that harm people.

Overall, algorithmic accountability is an important concept in the age of increasingly sophisticated algorithms and artificial intelligence. It is critical for ensuring that algorithms are used in a fair, transparent, and accountable manner.

Magic Technology

The principle that it isn’t acceptable for management of a firm to view their own technologies as magic — whereby they understand its results but not its methods. For example, a credit card company that uses an artificial intelligence to reduce credit losses without understanding what the technology is doing to achieve this end.

Governance

The principle that the directors and governance bodies of a firm are accountable for the technologies employed by the firm. In other words, humans are accountable for technology such that technology can’t be blamed for failures or noncompliance.

Transparency

The principle that the decisions and strategies created by a technology create a human readable audit trail that is communicated to stakeholders. For example, if a government algorithm denies a driver’s license to someone the reason for this denial would be communicated to the applicant in plain language.

Compliance

The principle that technology can’t be used as an excuse or route to avoid compliance to the law. For example, a mobile app for hailing taxis that is compliant with local regulations in the markets in which it operates.

Digital Media

Digital Media Jonathan Poland

Digital media refers to any media that is created, stored, and distributed using digital technologies. This includes media such as text, images, audio, and video that can be accessed using computers, smartphones, and other digital devices.

Digital media has become an important part of modern life, and it is playing an increasingly important role in advertising. Many businesses are using digital media to reach their target audience, and to promote their products or services.

There are many different ways that businesses can use digital media for advertising. For example, they can use platforms like Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram to reach potential customers and promote their products or services. They can also use targeted online ads to reach specific groups of customers who are interested in their products or services.

Additionally, businesses can use digital media to create engaging content that will attract potential customers and persuade them to take a specific action, such as making a purchase or visiting a website. This can include things like videos, blog posts, infographics, and other types of content that will grab the attention of the target audience and encourage them to learn more about the business and its products or services.

Overall, digital media is an important part of the advertising landscape, and businesses can use it in many different ways to reach their target audience and promote their products or services.

Audio
Audio such as a music file or streaming music service. These can be based on lossy formats such as MP4 that are lower quality than the original recordings due to compression. Alternatively, digital audio can be based on lossless formats such as FLAC that potentially have the same level of quality as the production master.

Video
Video that is recorded, stored and transmitted in a digital format. Consumer devices such as mobile phones produce reasonably small files that can be shared and played in the source format. Films and other high quality video media are produced using digital formats that are compressed but are still very large files that include copious metadata. As such, these formats are transcoded to a smaller format such as MPEG-4 for distribution to audiences.

Digital Publishing
Publishing such as books, magazines and newspapers that are distributed in electronic formats such as ebooks, mobile apps and web sites.

Information
Publication of knowledge, information and data in electronic formats such as documents, mobile apps and websites.

Photos
Digital photos that are captured, stored and shared in a digital format. Extremely high resolution images such as professional scans of artworks can be many gigabytes in size and difficult to distribute. Consumer and professional models of digital cameras mostly produce images that can be distributed in the source format.

Holograms
Three dimensional holographic images, video and related experiences. For example, a theme park that uses digital holograms in a haunted house to simulate the presence of ghosts.

Social Media
Online communities that allow people to post and comment on media.

Advertising
Digital advertising is commonly bought and sold on digital exchanges for placement into digital media such as billboards, mobile apps and web sites.

Broadcast
Broadcast media such as television and radio that is delivered with digital technologies such as streaming media.

Interactive Media
Any media that allows users to take part. For example, a choose-your-own-adventure television show that allows audiences to navigate the story in dynamic ways.

Immersive Experiences
Immersive experiences that surround an individual to make them feel a part of it. For example, a museum exhibit that simulates walking on the surface of an alien planet using digital technologies.

Virtual Reality
Explorable environments that are digitally generated such as a game or simulation.

Augmented Reality
Augmented reality is the integration of virtual and real world environments. For example, a meeting that uses a digital twin of a jet engine to discuss an engineering design problem.

Digital Art
Art based on digital technologies such as installation art that captures an abstract concept with an immersive experience.

Digital Maturity

Digital Maturity Jonathan Poland

Digital maturity refers to an organization’s ability to effectively utilize information technology to achieve its goals and objectives. This can involve a range of activities, such as the adoption of digital tools and processes, the development of a digital strategy, and the integration of technology into various business functions. Digital maturity is an important factor in the success of an organization, as it allows the organization to take advantage of the many benefits of technology, including increased efficiency, improved customer experience, and greater competitiveness. The following are common types of digital maturity.

Automation
Improving productivity by automating work.

Efficiency
The efficient use of technology. For example, a firm with an unusually energy efficient data center.

Data
Data assets that are useful, secured, available, governed and managed.

Decision Support
Getting the right information in front of people at the right time to support their work.

Knowledge
Minimization of knowledge loss and knowledge waste.

Business Model
The use of information technology to establish a competitive advantage in your industry.

Product Development
Products and services that use technology effectively to solve customer problems.

Architecture & Technology
Technology platforms that are useful, modern and architecturally sound.

Project Capabilities
The ability to quickly update, change and extend your information technology to adapt to conditions and innovate.

Organizational Culture
An organizational culture that embraces a fast rate of change and is enthusiastic about technology.

Leadership
People at every level of your organization who lead change by using technology in new ways or developing new technologies.

Industrial Internet of Things

Industrial Internet of Things Jonathan Poland

The industrial internet of things, or IIOT, is the integration of machinery and infrastructure with IT services. It is associated with automation, machine to machine communication, decision support and remote infrastructure management. None of this is new to the industrial sector where techniques such as orchestrated automation, remote monitoring and control have been used since the 1970s. However, IIOT is associated with evolving and brand new approaches in areas such as artificial intelligence, predictive analytics and robotics to support challenges in the industrial sector such as mass customization.

Industrial IoT is projected to help organizations gather a wealth of actionable data from their operations, which IF properly aggregated and analyzed, the data helps them better control operations, with the potential to:

  • Improve worker safety
  • Increase production uptime
  • Predictive maintenance
  • Maintain, improve product quality
  • Help ensure regulatory compliance
  • Improve operational efficiencies
  • Accelerate response times

IIOT offers the ability to connect machines and devices in industries such as manufacturing, transportation, oil and gas, power generation and transmission, mines, and ports. However, failure of IIoT can have catastrophic consequences, creating high risk and potentially life-threatening situations. Downtime of other IoT devices may result in inconveniences, but it does not usually cause emergency situations.

Internet of Things

Internet of Things Jonathan Poland

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a term used to describe the network of physical objects or “things” that are embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies for the purpose of connecting and exchanging data with other devices and systems over the internet. This allows the objects to collect and share data about their environment and their own operation, creating a network of connected devices that can be monitored, controlled, and automated from anywhere. The IoT has the potential to revolutionize many industries, from manufacturing and transportation to healthcare and energy, by providing new ways to collect and analyze data, automate processes, and improve efficiency and productivity.

Here are some examples…

Infrastructure
A bridge that reports its structural condition and external forces such as wind for safety and maintenance purposes.

Agriculture
A vertical farm that is managed by an artificial intelligence that runs out of a data center.

Architecture
Smart windows that coordinate with a building’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning system. For example, if an empty room is overheating the windows could allow air to flow through.

Transportation
Train tracks that report their condition to trains and maintenance systems.

Advertising
A bottle of juice with computing and networking capabilities that allow it to display advertisements to customers from an ad service. It is possible the juice would be distributed for free in exchange for the ad space.

Fast Moving Consumer Goods
A carton of milk with computing resources and sensors that allow it to warn you if the product has gone bad or has been recalled.

Fashion
Apps, communication tools, games and information access integrated into clothing and accessories.

Appliances
An advanced future kitchen appliance that prepares fine meals from scratch using an artificial intelligence that potentially surpasses the skill of a human chef.

Games
Pervasive games that take place in public spaces such as parks with participation by objects in those locations. For example, a park bench could project a hologram when a player approaches.

Supply Chain
Self-tracking packages that reduce shrinkage.

Cities
A city that uses networked wet infrastructure to retain all water runoff and direct it to purposes such as growing plants. Such infrastructure could be centrally coordinated by an artificial intelligence.

Health
A toilet that performs medical tests on biological samples.

Medicine
A ventricular assist device that reports health data to a service that monitors a patient for risk of a health emergency.

Safety
A bicycle that is aware of objects, road conditions, cars and pedestrians with safety features such as automatic emergency braking.

Energy
A solar road that is centrally controlled by a service that optimizes an entire grid for efficiency and resilience.

Entertainment & Media
Integration of entertainment and media into the walls, floors and ceilings of rooms. A room could have the ability to project holograms and sound from any direction.

Environment
Measuring air and water quality at billions of points in a city to identify sources of environmental problems.

Conservation
Embedding small devices in nature such as trees and rocks to enforce conservation laws such as protection of endangered species.

Technology 101

Technology 101 Jonathan Poland

Technology is an important component of every business, constantly reshaping entire industries. Keeping pace with new and emerging technology can be difficult for even the most tech-savvy leaders.Technology should support business goals, not constrain them, by focusing on strategic needs to determine the right apps and capabilities necessary to hit financial targets. Technology refers to the use of scientific knowledge and tools to create, design, and develop practical objects or systems that solve problems or improve human life in some way. This can include the development of new and improved machines, devices, and materials, as well as the creation of new methods and processes for using and manipulating these things. Technology has played a key role in human development and progress, and continues to be an important part of our lives today.

There are many examples of technology in business, but some of the most common include:

  1. Computers and software, which are used to store, process, and analyze data, as well as to automate various business processes and operations.
  2. The Internet and other communication technologies, which are used to connect businesses with customers, suppliers, and other partners, and to facilitate communication and collaboration within the organization.
  3. Automation technologies, such as robots and other advanced manufacturing systems, which are used to improve efficiency and productivity, as well as to reduce labor costs and increase the speed and accuracy of production processes.
  4. Mobile technologies, such as smartphones and tablets, which are used to enable employees to work from anywhere, as well as to provide customers with access to information and services on the go.
  5. Data analytics and business intelligence tools, which are used to collect, analyze, and interpret data to help businesses make better decisions and improve their operations.

There are many ways in which technology can make businesses better, including:

  1. Improving efficiency and productivity: Technology can help businesses automate and streamline their operations, which can save time and reduce the need for manual labor. This can allow employees to focus on more value-added tasks, and can help businesses produce more goods and services in less time.
  2. Facilitating communication and collaboration: technology, such as email and collaboration software, can help businesses improve communication and coordination among employees, as well as with customers, suppliers, and other partners. This can help businesses operate more smoothly and effectively, and can reduce the risk of misunderstandings and errors.
  3. Enabling data-driven decision making: technology can help businesses collect, store, and analyze vast amounts of data, which can provide insights into customer behavior, market trends, and other factors that can help businesses make better decisions. This can help businesses stay competitive and adapt to changing market conditions.
  4. Providing customers with better experiences: technology can help businesses improve the products and services they offer, as well as the way they interact with customers. This can include providing customers with access to online shopping and other services, as well as using data and analytics to personalize the customer experience and offer more relevant and tailored products and services.
  5. Helping businesses stay competitive: technology is constantly evolving, and businesses that are able to keep up with the latest developments and innovations are more likely to remain competitive in the marketplace. This can help businesses stay ahead of the curve and avoid being left behind by competitors.
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Research Design

Research design is the overall plan or approach that a researcher follows in order to study a particular research question.…

Factor Market Jonathan Poland

Factor Market

The factor market, also known as the input market, is the market where the factors of production are bought and…

Management Levels Jonathan Poland

Management Levels

A management level is a layer of accountability and responsibility in an organization. It is common for organizations to have…

Advertising Objectives Jonathan Poland

Advertising Objectives

Advertising objectives are the specific goals that an advertising message or campaign aims to achieve. These objectives can be used…

Knowledge Capital Jonathan Poland

Knowledge Capital

Knowledge capital refers to the resources and capabilities that enable a nation, city, organization, or individual to engage in knowledge…

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Life Skills Jonathan Poland

Life Skills

Life skills are essential abilities that enable individuals to navigate the complexities of daily life and achieve their goals. These…

Quality Management Jonathan Poland

Quality Management

Quality management is a process that ensures products and services meet certain standards of quality before they are released to…

Reputational Risk Jonathan Poland

Reputational Risk

Reputational risk refers to the potential for damage to an organization’s reputation as a result of its actions or inactions.…

Types of Process Jonathan Poland

Types of Process

A process is a systematic, controlled, and repeatable way of working that is used to achieve specific goals or outcomes.…

Pricing Power Jonathan Poland

Pricing Power

Pricing power refers to a company’s ability to increase prices without significantly impacting demand for their products or services. This…

Turnaround Management Jonathan Poland

Turnaround Management

Turnaround management is a specialized form of management that involves developing and implementing strategies and plans to rescue an organization…

Rites of Passage Jonathan Poland

Rites of Passage

A rite of passage is a ceremony or event that marks an important transition or milestone in a person’s life.…

Veblen Goods Jonathan Poland

Veblen Goods

Veblen goods are a type of consumer good that is perceived as being more valuable or desirable because of its…

Customer Preferences Jonathan Poland

Customer Preferences

Customer preferences are the specific desires, likes, dislikes, and motivations that influence a customer’s purchasing decisions. These preferences complement customer…