The Impact of Technology on Societies

Technology often drives social change. Social change occurs when people are willing to alter something in order to make it better for the people who live in that world. In most cases, technology drives social change because of the tremendous amount of productivity that technology allows people to produce.

In the beginning, technology refers to the way humans used tools, machines, and other facilities to get access to resources. Human function, related to technology, describes how humans used physical tools, equipment, and resources in the past. Technology changes the way these things are used, the way they are built, and the way humans utilize them. In the process of social change, technology can also be changed radically by the people who use it. Changing technology, whether for the better or worse, can also create social change.

In order to understand how technology changes the world, we have to start at the beginning of the process. The most obvious change is technology's impact on society. Throughout history, people have created new ways of doing things and new ways of organizing communities. Each of these social changes is linked to technology. For example, the use of machinery in farming has led to a shift toward corporate control of farming. People also organized their communities around institutions of learning and technology.

But the impact of technology is not always visible to the individuals who use technology. Why do some things remain the same, while other things change? One reason why this happens is because technology is only one part of the entire process. People and culture are also critical players in any social change. A culture that values a particular way of doing things, group of people, or institution of learning may be resistant to change if they believe that those things are permanent. However, even if technology cannot completely change the world for everyone, it can certainly change things for many people and create a more open-minded society.

Technological change does not necessarily cause social change. For example, people still get their haircuts and clothes custom made. While technology may have made it easier for people to get their haircuts and make-up done at home, many of the decisions made by people at home still remain intact. In the same way that changing technologies allow more people to get their work done at home or take their work outside the office, social behaviors and institutions will likely continue to change as technology continues to improve.

Social change occurs when individuals and institutions to make the choices that individuals and institutions have not made. For example, if a parent chooses not to let their child attend college, the technology may enable the child to pursue a higher education without the supervision of the parent. If an employer chooses to fire an employee, the technology used to manage the workforce may allow an employee to organize a union and fight for equal wages with co-workers. If an entrepreneur decides to go into business instead of starting one, there may be other options available such as starting as an online entrepreneur or setting up a shoestring business. However, none of these entrepreneurs is making any major social change in the world. Rather, all they are doing is using technology to simplify some of the choices they have previously made.

Technological change can also occur within organizations. An organization that is made up of many small departments can become less cohesive if each department were to try to develop its own technology. The result would be a balkanization of the company with all employees fighting for equal status and treatment within the organization. This type of situation will likely continue to increase as technology becomes more prevalent in organizations. Organizations that truly embrace and practice open innovation will be able to capitalize on new technology in order to move their company forward.

Technological change is not likely to be the cure-all for all societal problems. Instead, it can play a significant role in dealing with some of the most troubling issues of our time such as unemployment, climate change, health care, and income disparity. However, it is important that people recognize the tremendous impact that technology has on their lives. People must come to terms with the changes that technology makes and begin to adapt to those changes in order to make positive changes in their lives.