Rationale of Advantages of IT on Economic Appraisal - Essay Example

“Modern society’s overdependence on information technology makes more likely the occurrence of economic and social disasters.” Introduction Modern world overdependence on information technology has both advantages and disadvantages. However, it is very important to articulate on both aspects and try to evaluate which carriers more weight than the other. Rationale of advantages of IT on economic appraisal Information technology has several advantages that it brings to our societies today. One is the sharing of information (Hjorth 25). Anyone anywhere can share information with the rest of the world. It is very fast, convenient and cheap to send information from one end of the world to the other. It has also uplifted intellect of many people since people can very easily get information they need from various aspects. Many newspapers around the world have online versions where one can get to read and get the latest news around the world (Hjorth 26). The Internet has information that is updated every now and then therefore one can learn of events occurring at the time. IT has also in a way improved economic status of many people. For example many companies and industries can easily utilize IT to diversify their business (Hjorth 28). They are now advertising through the Internet which is cheaper as compared to some other traditional methods. Communication has also been made easier and cheaper between organizations and customers. Through e-mail and social sites, organizations can communicate with manufacturers, suppliers and customers more effectively from all over the world. Meetings can also take place through video conferencing thus eliminating the need for businessmen to travel across continents hence saving costs (Khosrowpour 56). The emergence of universal production markets, thanks to IT has enabled firms to access foreign products which may be cheaper, of better quality or advanced in terms of new technology (Khosrowpour 58). Globalisation which has been fostered by IT has made national borders irrelevant since companies in different countries can link up via telecommunication and do business without the need for physical proximity. This has promoted international trade that has fostered the growth of several economies into world super powers such as China and Japan (Khosrowpour 59). These two countries were medium economies a few decades ago but now have become super economies because of use of IT in international trade. Current globalisation has made it easier for countries to transact business as compared to earlier globalisation. This can be attributed to advanced technological innovations such as money transfer systems, faster transportation and cargo agents and international expansion of banks (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development 24). IT has also fostered the development of universal financial markets. This has created increased opportunities for external financing for borrowers who include companies and businesses (Khosrowpour 59). The expanded trade and investment caused by IT in international trade necessitated the expansion of financial services. Rationale of Advantages of IT on social life IT has provided with computer games which provide a platform where adolescents can channel their negative emotions such as anger and hatred. Because the games are a simulation of real life experiences, adolescents can remove their unconstructive feelings by aiming them at the bad characters that exist in the virtual world (Anderson 46). Adolescents are exposed to many challenging situations through school work, determining appropriate career choice, peer pressure and family chores. Video games become a channel that they can use to remove these frustrations in a way that is not harmful (Anderson 48). Adolescents have been seen to be more relaxed and calm after playing video games. Through video games, troubled adolescents can also make friends with the virtual characters who will not judge them based on how they look or what they did in the past. Moreover, when children get exposed to the internet at an early age, they become knowledgeable and hence increase the likely hood that they will mature into more responsible adults (Anderson 49). The internet contains many research topics about various issues that affect adolescents as they grow up. Thus kids who have access to the internet can read, watch or hear about reasonable resolutions that are suggested by reliable sources and not depend upon their friends’ advice which most of the time comes out to be uninformed and misleading. The internet also increases adolescents’ emotional awareness and empathy because users can read what other people experience and how they view different situations (Anderson 50). The internet becomes a source of information that guides adolescents in career paths. The world wide website contains many databases of available jobs world wide. This can act as a guide to adolescents since they can gauge which career is more promising in terms of the number of jobs available and the pay attached to them (Anderson 55). The internet also contains many websites with blogs which allow for internet users to post their questions and comments on any topic. Thus adolescents can interact freely with professionals and ask whichever questions they have concerning the careers they intend on pursuing. On the same note, the internet may provide warning signs to adolescents about the declining demand for certain professions and as such enable them to avoid entering into professions that will lead them into joblessness (Anderson 58). Furthermore, the internet enables adolescents to study while at home through on line courses and examinations (Hjorth 54). Learning is also possible through computer based learning which is a program designed to tutor. Computers have facilitated home based learning which is at times preferred by parents who feel dissatisfied with the normal schooling. Computer based learning can also be used for adolescent children with disabilities or those considered to be academically challenged (Hjorth 56). Computer based learning can enable adolescents who are geographically isolated to be updated with current school curricular. Adolescents can also practice distance education to study subjects which are not taught in their schools through computer based learning. Distance learning is useful especially for studying foreign languages and has the advantage of flexibility and independence of the learner. Rationale of disadvantages of IT on economic appraisal Although the IT has its advantages, it also has its negative side just like any other thing. For example organizations may lose business since confidential data can be accessed by unwanted people and hackers can get into databases and steal or destroy information (Khosrowpour 71). Moreover, Social media can also have some negative effects in the work place. It has been reported that social media cause excessive distractions during working hours. Social media are very interesting and entertaining and employees may find themselves glued to their computer screens, not working but busy chatting with their friends or relatives. Many employers lose a lot of money simply because employees engage in non work conversations on social networking sites (Hjorth 35). As a result of this, many employers in the UK have banned the use of social media in the work place and employees found facebooking may be sacked. In the US, 8% of companies with 1000 or more employees have dismissed someone for matters related to social sites (Khosrowpour 74). Social media also facilitate for employees to engage in office gossip which in times of uncertainty may produce negative results through the spreading of rumors. Rationale of disadvantages of IT on social life The contents peoples see or hear on media affects the way they do their things much. With increase in technology, many children currently are able to access all what they want just by a click of the mouse (Hjorth 59). They are able to find many things that their parents never told or mention about. In this case, they are made to believe that their parents never told them about these things because they are important. A very good example of such things is phonographic videos which are easily assessed from the internet. In this case, the children are influenced by this social media and tend to imitate what they see on these videos (Hjorth 60). As the children grow, they tend to put in practice what they see in the media. In this case they may start engaging in practices of sexual activities which later affect their psychological view of sexual life as they grow up (Myoung 102). In some instances, some incidences of violence are shown on the television and as children grow, they tend to copy what they see on the television. Some TV dramas are not worth for view to everyone. When people act on the TV and concentrate on cases of women beating and abuse, the children may grow believing that a woman beating is a recognized and adored culture. As a result, the children become victims of the same when they grow up (Myoung 104). When children see and hear things of positive nature on the media, they tend to be influenced on the same direction. For example, if emphasis is done on the importance of education, and its fruits by a way of highlighting some of the successful stories of people who have excelled in life due to hard work in education, then the children are motivated in doing the same. Adults are not spared either. Currently, incidences of people trying to change their body structures have been on the increase. When people see images and pictures of people in the media and the way they seem to be outstanding, then it is very obvious that other people tend to adjust their bodies to fit like those on the media (Myoung 108). The most affected are women who would always want to make any changes in their body to be more beautiful. Some products are advertised in the media to show how effective they are in either adding or reducing the weight on women. Women hurriedly starts using these products without even making some more consultation about how these products works or the side effects involved in using these products. Although some succeeds in achieving what they want, others fail and always find themselves in problems. In this way, the media influences how people behave and do their things (Myoung 109). Men on the other hand are also victims of influence from media and communication. In most cases, men are influenced in political and games matter by the media (Myoung 102). Politically, men tend to be rational in what they believe and support. Media is known to play a key role in influencing people on which side to support on politics. The person being given much attention and publicity in a positive way tend to be favored much by the people, in this regard, men tend to shift from one politician to the other (Myoung 104). When electronic media shows ideas of how men are valued by how their bodies look like (i.e. the way their muscles are built up), men tend to rash to building their muscles so that they can reflect the ones they saw on the media. When some of these things are assimilated by people, they become part and parcel of their lives. In most cases, behaviors of these people changes completely. They either change to be good people or are influenced negatively (Myoung 108). With increases in technology, the ability to persuade and influence the public is very high. People are turning to social networks to persuade public on their products and ideas. For example, different opinions are shared by the public on the face book (Biagi 208). The best way people use to approach other people is through friends. These friends through use of media and other communication organs may distort the information given and convey it to other friends through use of social networks like face book. It is believed that once a friend suggests something, people tend to believe and accept the idea presented. So in this case, people on face book and other social networks can influence others in choosing some products and ideas (Biagi 212). Mass media is considered to the backbone of culture drive and killer (Myoung 112). It is entrusted with transmitting information that the public use to make decisions on their intellectual life. The public have much trust in media that they see it as the agent of truth and that whatever relayed by media holds some weight in it and should be followed. Before the coming of Media and Communication, people were much held to their cultures and beliefs. In many instances, it was hard for one to go against the will of their cultures (Biagi 210). Influence of any kind was not entertained and people used to honor their values very much. There were specific duties and chores of every person depending on age, gender and the type of work provided. Women for example were considered to have their duties stipulated in the house and around the garden. Men were to take care of the family by providing basic needs and security to the family. With coming of Media and Communication, things have changed and the roles assumed by men and women have taken another twist with women assuming the responsibilities of men and men assuming the responsibilities of women. It is through watching of TV and listening to the radio that has made many people change in the way some responsibilities are assumed. For example, the coming of Media and Communication led to assimilation of western culture to all other parts of the world with the developing countries being affected most (Biagi 214). Some TV programs show how men cook delicious meals than women. They even indicate that cooking is a professional career that one can study in a college and acquire a job out of it. In this regard, the men tend to focus much on wanting to make cooking a career while women take advantage of this situation and influence men to be cooking for them (Biagi 215). In past, and in almost every society, women were not allowed to engage or participate in any kind of politics. Currently, many women have ventured in to politics as their career and are even outdoing men in some regions. It is through the influence of media that these things get to be published to public that people tend to copy or imitate them. Conclusion The way IT molds our contemporary life is by mixing the facts with the opinions. Going by the findings of this essay, it can be argued that although IT has brought about developments in our lives, disadvantages associated with IT outdo the advantages. Therefore, I agree with that “Modern society’s overdependence on information technology makes more likely the occurrence of economic and social disasters.” Works cited Anderson, Ben. Information and communication technologies in society: e-living in a digital EuropeVolume 2 of Routledge studies in innovation, organization and technology. New York: Taylor & Francis, 2007. Biagi, Shirley. Media/impact: an introduction to mass media. Australia; Boston: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2012. Hjorth, Linda (2003). Technology and Society: A Bridge to the 21st Century. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. Khosrowpour, Mehdi. Emerging trends and challenges in information technology management: 2006 Information Resources Management Association International Conference, Washington, DC, USA, May 21-24, 2006. Hershey, PA: IDEA Group Pub, 2006. Myoung, Hun. How does information and communication technology affect civic engagement? An analysis focusing on electronic government and campaign websites. [Bloomington, Ind.]: Indiana University, 2007. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The economic impact of ICT: measurement, evidence and implications. Paris: OECD, 2004. Read More