Technological Innovation and Organizational Dynamics - Essay Example

Discuss three ways that technological innovation has worked to the detriment of organizational dynamics or to the detriment of society.

Innovation itself means inventing something new. Nowadays people are more and more profit-oriented. Hence they believe in technological innovation. The recent breakthroughs achieved in technology stand testimony to the fact that technological innovation is one of the utmost motives in order to garner the profitability of organizations and firms. Technological innovation has however proved detrimental to society.

Take the case of patent applications. Technological innovation has been linked to the increase in patent applications. This is due to the extension of the patent domain to new objects such as research tools, software, business methods, artificially engineered organisms, and genes. Moreover, new players like public agencies and universities have also entered the patent domain thereby making the market more competitive. In the past twenty years, we have witnessed rapid growth in the rates of patents which also includes patenting scientific resources and results. It has been observed that the patent applications from US corporations conducted from 1988 – 2000 have more than doubled. In other words, patents have acquired strategic value.

A classic example in this context is that of Texas Instruments. This company is estimated to have profited around one billion dollars from patent licenses and settlements due to its aggressive enforcement policy. The above-mentioned aspects have led to an increase in the patenting rates. This has subsequently increased litigation expenses. According to the US Department of Commerce, patent litigation that commenced in the year 1991, led to an overall legal expenditure by US firms which was at least 25% of the cost of basic research conducted by these firms in 1991 (Dosi, Marengo & Pasquali, 2006).

An important breakthrough in technology is the invention of computers and other advanced tools which provides accurate and fast results. Advanced and innovative software has provided us with a platform to interact online with each other. The advent of e-mail, intranet, and social networking tools like Facebook, Twitter, etc. has made it possible for people to interact online. Previously, people used to meet each other and visit their close friends and relatives. Occasions such as birthdays, and anniversaries were celebrated and people visited each other in person. However, with the advent of online tools, people no longer care to visit their close friends and relatives. Instead, they interact with them online with the various internet tools that have been invented. Nowadays, these tools are a means to keep in touch with each other and hence face-to-face interaction has lessened to quite an extent.

Another negative effect of computers is that it has led to a reduction in manual labor. Previously, all types of work needed to be done manually and this meant higher demand for laborers. With automation, the entire scenario has changed. Many people may argue that the job market has become more competitive with all firms struggling to put in their best to remain in the market. However, the newspaper industry has been hit very hard as technological innovation has paved the way for advertising and market promotion actions through the web. Nowadays firms and organizations prefer to promote their products and services through the internet, online magazines, and brochures which have a wider public appeal. This is one of the main reasons why most newspaper firms have ceased to remain in the market and in most countries it has been observed that only a handful of such companies remain in the market.

Technological innovation is a vicious cycle. Take the example of the automobile industry. With the advances made in technology, new automobiles are being designed taking into account consumer comfort and luxury. In most countries people consider the car to be a necessity as they prefer to commute driving their own automobile. This has led to an increase in pollution levels and in order to lessen the level of pollution people are again seeking technological innovation. Nowadays people are experimenting to develop advanced tools to lessen pollution levels. This is being achieved by developing sophisticated technological tools to curb pollution levels.

In other words, the negative effects of technological innovation require one to again innovate or build a certain product or service which can help in lessening or curbing the vices. To cut this short, people are resorting to technological innovation to solve the vices occurring due to this.  Although technological innovation has led to the immense development of humankind; it has also led to a lot of vices. Life has become more complex and competitive. People vie and miss the plain and simple life that they once led.