The Impact of Communication Technology on International System - Report Example

The Impact of Communication Technology on International System Contents Contents 2 Communication Technology and International System 12 2 Introduction 3 International Systems and Communication Technology 3 Information and Communication Technology and the Emerging International Order 7 Emerging Order 10 Conclusion 11 Bibliography 12 Introduction Scholars apply the term information technology to refer to communication technology. Both terms constitute programs and equipment used in processing and communicating information. Recently, professionals coined the term information, communication, and technology to refer to elements that would come from various disciplines into one. The discipline of international relations considers international political systems based on spreading power within the system. Numerous kinds of political international structures emanate from the process of distributing power starting with a single nation referred to as unipolar to one with many countries holding influence called multipolar. This discourse delves into the relationship between communication technology and international political systems. Furthermore, the paper evaluates the turnaround in the information sector as well as the idea of globalization and how they influence development of international systems. Globalization affects international systems directly because it contributes to the ever-growing gap between rich and poor countries. The paper analyses the differences in availability, affordability, as well as influences caused by ICT across the countries in the international systems come into perspective. International Systems and Communication Technology Thomas Friedman, the renowned professional in the study of human behavior put it categorically, that the international system exceeds globalization, a product of communication technology in influencing events in the world today. Friedman emphasized on the role of communication technology as well as cultural in shaping the direction the world takes in all aspects. Scholars underlie the importance of communication technology, a factor of globalization in redefining the international political sector, industries, cultures, and other rules that guide the social order (Britannica, 2003, P. 17). Changes in the communication and technology industry leave no room for anybody to remain outside its effects. In essence, communication technology influences the political international systems. However, the participation of people in changes brought by communication and information technology depends on economic, social, political, and cultural factors. The outlined complex multi-level activities of amalgamating the international system and aspects of information technology into an intrinsically communication experience appears to change the context and nature of cross-cultural communication within the international systems. Information, globalization, and communication technology come out as the leading elements with most profound influences on humanity. The international system cannot escape from the fact that it is already feeling changes because of communication technology. Running from the international financial market, industries, communication channels, political associations, as well as socio-cultural aspects among others, communication and Information technology is present. Scholars already refer to the years at the tail end of the twentieth century and the start of the twenty first century as the information age. This is the epitome of communication revolution. The world seeks to isolate the implications of these influences in addition to exploring ways through which intercultural communication helps professionals in comprehending the two forces taking the responsibility of reshaping the international system. Issues under observation include assessing the relevance of viewing the international system in the same traditional way tied by interpersonal context disregarding the input of new ideas brought by changes in information technology as well as globalization (Jones, 2000, P. 172). This is the reason this paper explores the relevance of information technology, a world-shaping force to the international system. The paper also identifies the role of information technology in offering the appropriate understanding the international system in the present digitized world. The international system defines communication technology in its all-inclusive way a systems of transmitting, receiving, retrieving, and processing information electronically. This system continues to change all aspects of human life including among others thinking, ways through which people live, as well as the entire ecosystem. The international system puts together a myriad of issues cutting across the cultural, political, social, and economic divide. Globalization takes into account all these features with information technology as the driving force for significant change and the entire process of globalization. It is also the utmost product of globalization exercise termed by most scholars as ICT revolution. The world telephony industry is complex and idiosyncratic in nature (Murshed, 2000, P. 12). It entails the convergence of technology in the telecommunications sector and that from the computer world resulting in transformation within the information industry. The system with its activities and components continue to undergo fundamental changes at a rapid pace. Ultimately, national boarders among various countries and continents become irrelevant. This is because the capacity for people across the globe to transmit, transfer, and exchange information increases at a high speed. Professionals refer to the information within the international system as the world’s biggest machine. The complexity is in understanding and visualizing different software and hardware subsystems. The role played by communication technology continues to grow everyday within the society and in various organizations. It increases the ability for the same institutions to increase accessibility, production, and application of information. The communication and information technology takes the mantle as the greatest tool for achieving high scales in the post-industrial age. It also constitutes basics for knowledge in the economy since it entails the biggest potential for acquiring and facilitating transfer of the same knowledge. Advancements and sharing of information from the ICT world defy the national boundaries and the wealth of various nations as well as their income level. It is true that communication technology is not the only driving force changes in the modern environment but its rate of development ignites the rate at which development takes place. Communication technology provides unlimited opportunities and adequate flexibility giving room to multinational corporations to reap profits. However, as much tarns-national corporations continue to take advantage of opportunities offered by ICT, the level of poverty if growing at worrying trend. Poverty appears to defy the changes in technology to continue rising. Statistics show that forty-five percent of the world population representing two point eight billion people consumes less than two dollars every day (Stiglitz, 2002, P. 41). The worst hit continent is Africa where the economies of various countries are still fragile with large populations of people living in poverty. In this case, the use of communication and information technology has a central role to play in helping nations across the globe to partake in economic activities. ICT provides developing countries in Africa and the entire world an opportunity to transform the foundational structures of their economy such as the improving their processes of formulating policies, overhauling the education system, expanding the knowledge network, advancing science systems, teleporting, and codifying knowledge. Communication technology can help in acquiring and absorbing communication and information technology. By applying communication technology, developing countries can access information within the international systems. This will enable those governments to learn a lot from developed countries. ICT is not prevalent in developing countries posing the greatest challenge for these countries to partake in activities within the international system. Unless the issue of availability in developing countries is addressed, the developed countries will continue having trouble in integrating economy of developing countries into the global economy. On the other hand, scholars also posit that inequality in the use and accessibility of information technology will continue to isolate developing countries further when compared to developed nations. In the end, it would result in the interference of the social fabric. Therefore, ICT will enslave developing countries if they have to attain the developed status and change the lives of their population. Economists question the role of information technology as a driving force for development of the international systems (Paul, 1987, P. 82). This is because ICT exerts pressure on globalization raising its ability to facilitate homogeneity within the societies and individuals in developing countries. Furthermore, people continue to pose questions regarding the influence by developed countries to force developing countries to ape through a way described as copy and paste. This appears challenging to developing countries because of the diversity in the cultural background. The two regions have two different socio-cultural setups. Others propose that communication technology should suit into various socio-cultural contexts, or else the population may reject it because of suitability. Communication and Information technology is a revolution in the international system. It continues to gain significance in all corners of the world covering the entire humanity. The digital divide equation remains the fulcrum with which information ICT will influence development in the international system. Information and Communication Technology and the Emerging International Order The international system refers to the third industrial revolution as application of developed and advanced information and communication technologies to enhance economic competitiveness across the globe. It requires thorough analysis for anyone to recognize basic changes in international systems. This is the same case with the role of communication technology in helping conflicts and wars such as the Cold War. Rarely do most scholars evaluate the role played by communication technology in ending the Cold War. However, other curious scholars note that something fundamental took place after the end of the war. In the last stages of the Cold War, the Soviet Union took steps in stepping down from the Great Power position without coercion or using military force. Through this, the Soviet Union defied the international relations theory defining war or military action as the most fundamental cause of change in international systems. This action resulted in other scholars terming the Soviet Union and her population as being secure from external invasion and predicted the possibility of the same situation prevailing in Russia for long periods. With or without putting their security into consideration, Russians made a choice to end the Cold War. Simply, the Soviet Union failed to challenge the United States in changes and advances in technology for instance the Stars Wars forcing it to end the war. Today, what forced the Soviet Union to end the Cold War continues to undergo transformation, prompting professionals to refer to it as the Third Industrial Revolution (Onitiri, 2001, P. 3). Changes in communication technology started refining the same sector and industry a number of decades ago. However, the world is now feeling their impact on international systems. Communication technology does this through influencing the economic power of countries, integrating the same economies into the global economy, and restructuring production processes in addition to reorganizing the political authority such as, moving the world from a state of having two centers of power to one centre of power. These influences go beyond national boundaries of countries, determine the behavior of states, and in the process reshape the nature and form of the international system. The disintegration of the Soviet Union and consequently the sudden withdrawal of the Soviet Union from war on international superiority represent the hallmark of the third industrial revolution towards the end of the nineteenth century. ICT remains the biggest force driving the third industrial revolution. On the other hand, the third industrial revolution continues to play a major role in reshaping the international system by doing among other things facilitating decentralization of political authority as well as finishing command economies and replacing them with liberal economies. Critics of the closed claim that the Soviet Union anchored on command economy introduced and supported by an authoritarian political regime. They hold that this type of economy was rigid and could integrate technology in its framework and in the process restricted its economic sectors from absorbing and applying production processes based on ICT. The disintegration of the Soviet Union resulted from its failure to adapt to changing communication technology. . In essence, communication technology influences the political international systems. However, the participation of people in changes brought by communication and information technology depends on economic, social, political, and cultural factors Information stands out as the most profound source of power in the present dynamic international system (Gur, 1987, P. 1798). This is because the sector continues to witness quick development and rapid improvement in robotics, semiconductors, control systems within industries, computers, international integrated financial systems such as, the money market, fibrotic communications technology, as well as smart weapons carrying the most lethal power. Innovations from the information technology continues to influence economies within the international system and do not provide room for any country in the world to remain outside their effects. Movements from traditional systems of production to modern forms of production based on value and knowledge addition demonstrate this non-exclusive formats. The abrupt submission of the Soviet Union remains a tangible example because it failed to compete effectively with countries such as, the United States with high levels of technological integration within their market economies. Comparatively, the rigidity and subsequently the weakness of the Soviet Union were apparent because ten years before the disintegration of the Soviet Union, it only had almost thirty thousand computers operating as opposed to the United States that had two hundred and fifty thousand at the same time. In terms of owning computers for personal use, while the Soviet Union had fifty thousand, the United States had thirty-three million. The loss of the Soviet Union, which finished the Cold War was imminent and insight. Emerging Order As much as the international system continues to benefit from expansion of production opportunities and increased exchange speed, information and communication technology generates influences that contradict within the global economy. Economies experiencing advanced changes in communication technology have a role to play in facilitating the development and stability of economies of other members within the international system. Their stake is considerable making maintenance of stability their obligation (Friedberg, 1989, P. 402). Developments and advances in communication technology increases production capacities and other economic factors and results in hitherto mutual ties among developed and developing nations. Therefore, developed countries must participate in formulating mitigating factors to check excesses resulting processes of information technology. This is essential in making sure that the world remains a sustainable place for humanity. Conclusion The new ICT redefines the spectrum of international system through world economic competitiveness and in the process influences the number of countries that adapt market-based economies and those that become democratic as well. This is important since it enhances their political and economic sustainability. Countries cannot evade influences from information and communication world because they are non-exclusive. The effect on economic competitiveness as well relations within the international system are unavoidable. Gauging by what happened to the Soviet Union, the impact of communication technology seems to grow every day, both developing, and industrialized countries would escape unless they risk elimination from the international system through natural extinct. The complexity is in understanding and visualizing different software and hardware subsystems. The role played by communication technology continues to grow everyday within the society and in various organizations. It increases the ability for the same institutions to increase accessibility, production, and application of information. It is without doubt that the emerging international order represents the influence of communication technology and will play a crucial role in stabilizing world economies systems. Bibliography Aaron L. Friedberg, (1989). The Political Economy of American Strategy. World Politics Vol. 41(3), pp. 381-406. Britannica, (2003). Slavery in the 21st Century. Britannica Encyclopedia, Deluxe Edition CD ROM. Gur, Ofer, (1987). Soviet Economic Growth: 1928- 1985. Journal of Economic Literature Vol. 25 (4), pp. 1767-1833. Jones, Barry. (2000). The World Turned Upside Down: Globalization and the Future of the State. St. Martins Press, New York. Murshed, S. Mansood. (2000). Globalization, Marginalization and Development. A UNU Working Paper. No. 175. Onitiri, H. (2001). Globalization and Africas Development. NISER Occasional Paper. (2) 2-3. Paul, Kennedy, (1987). The Rise and fall of the Great Powers. New York: Random House. Stiglitz, Joseph. (2002). Globalization and Its Discontents. W. W. 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