The Characteristics of Work in the Digital Age
Technology is changing in this digital world. The way people are dependent on the latest gadgets, the best, and the fastest computers. Technology has benefits that are tangible and intangible to people (Elm, 2013). The importance of technology in a business environment, educational systems and industrial operations is efficiency. We see technology all around us; we are part of this process of letting machines and robots control our daily activities with ease. Example of current technological advancement includes communication tabs, laptops, I phones, and robotics.
Labor can be, physically, mentally and product types that are currently in work and employment. The companies and manufacturing factories that produce products and services for consumers have changed. It supplies workforce and services to turn materials into finished products. Likely, workers or the laborers get wages and salaries for their performance and tasks done over a period. To meet consumer’s demand, the employer has to use the labor, land, entrepreneurship, and capital as factors in production to accomplish his/her expectations and objectives.
Automation systems have changed industries and equipment operations such as processes in factories, machinery, aircraft, and networks. The advantage of having automation is to increase productivity, and more efficient use of raw materials (Jacobs &Yudken, 2004). Nowadays, the accomplishment of tasks and responsibilities is what automation is all about, the way systems of technology and manufacturing operates. Safety and production is the main focus that automation assists in business to increase profitability.
Automation and technology affect the society in a meaningful way, whereby people are controlled and manipulated in doing their tasks and activities. Technology gives us the chance to finish our deadlines on time, the contract at ease and responsibilities without question. The world is depending on the automated systems that make us lazy and relaxed. Unfortunately, a society which allows the workforce to replace by machines is doomed to have failures in their governance, family ties, and social circles. Labor as a force to develop and assist in the manufacturing or raw materials to finished products and service has to be implemented by people, not robots. Automated systems are affecting the youth generation by confusing them of their responsibilities given to them. Critical evaluation and research show that in the next two decades, the universe would overturn by robots and automated systems. The prediction of journalist Nick Carr that we will regret allowing machinery to misuse us.
Understanding technological trends in nations, there has to be interactions and coexistence between society and robotics. To describe the below diagram on how Canada has been affected by technology and automation. The danger of industrialization is real and affects nations.
The world is growing, and we have to embrace the changing situations that come with it. The annotation of the above shows the capabilities of robotics to interact with humans. Workers lose jobs to robots, and there have been a lot of resistance and worked strikes that act the business. Tensions avoided, there has been a way to integrate automation and robotics in pit lives. Hence, the employer has to create a system that has good governance and ways to take care of their employees.
Potential Risks of Automation
Currently, the workplace is changing over time and characterized in various ways. Digitalization cans effects industries negatively or positively thus the supply and demand will be less. Due to the changing nature of the occupation sector, is affected by digitizing operations and tasks (Noble, 2017). Accepted strategies will create a diversity of industrial activities will increase workload efficiency. Some of the traits that Nick Carr talked about workplaces taken over technology includes the use of computers to improve efficiency in dealing with paperwork and making work more accessible.
Simplicity is s common feature that works place have to allow workers to have an easier time to do tasks. Digital operations need knowledge that skilled labor to apply such in the modernized workplace. Organizational models that are easier to understand will help the firm be competitive. Most firms are upgrading to have a better workforce, and enhance productivity in the business. Managers need to strategize techniques to promote work efficiency (Dorf, 2016).
Work flexibility is another concept that enhances mobility in the digitalized workplace. This character is usually adopted to eradicate cubicles and traditional workplace. This feature is useful to ensure technology progresses in a controlled fashion. Networking is a quality that workplace with digital experience enables employees to interact socially with promotes good relations.
Findability and interconnectivity which uncovers contents by use of metadata and management systems to identify content, and the automatic display of relevant materials you need. The level of management information is essential in any business forum, which most companies are shifting to increase profitability in their production. Multifaceted communication is the format that workplace usually uses. Teamwork and unity are enhanced at work that will make tasks more workable and to be solved effectively. Lynch as a unified communication allows digital solution and saves time.
According to Nick Carr, choosing technology over people seems giving power to automation. The way the world depends on the technologies created by software developers, it will allow people to select smartphones over family time and interaction (Bock, 2015). The freedom we give automation to do our daily activities and control our thoughts by predicting every word we use is dangerous in this digitalized world. He stated in an interview, “… the automaton was for production, but we have allowed it to perform our life experiences…” Giving technology a higher hand in defining our existence and solving our every problem is a gateway to robotic slavery. Choosing between society and technology should not arise since we are markers and we should be in charge of the technology we bring.
The importance of robots in the digital era is slowly being a universal fact, fact, where its seen as a digital personal assistant system ‘Emily’ that is installed in smartphones and iPhone to help users reply texts, predict the outcome of the day, call contacts list and estimate feelings and emotion probability. People are using this system to interact and socialize with peers and also at workplaces. It has enhanced networking and pleasant communication environment, but Nick Carr sees this app as a form of disruption to the useful communicative ways families use with members, employer talking to workers. But technology has made users depends on gadgets and systems to live; users are praising robotics on how it has ensured security, work performance, and diversity among peoples of different backgrounds.
Impact of Technology on Society
Eventually, the world would replace by simple and cheaper systems and machines that would be equal to employees (Canalichio, 2018). Unemployment will become an issue due to the division of work and the categorizing of tasks and responsibilities to robots. In the interview, Nick says that people in the USA will lose their jobs because of automatic systems. To explain the ratio of robots to humans should be insignificant to avoid to be overrun by automation. Nick insisted that society is at risk regarding skills and brains when we allow technology to affect the labor force and our daily tasks. The number of robotics now is low compared to people but in due time machines will rule us and control humans.
As humans, we are a risk of using automated out of existence just because we are trading the most important qualities of life for machines and robots (Ford, 2015). We are giving too much way for automation in families’ settings, industries and at workplaces. 48% of Americans are at risk of losing their livelihood as discussed in the interview about Emily where most risk is on title examiners compared to reconciliation therapists. Technology will erase family values, and we as humans will be defenseless from automation.
The ‘Machine Breaking Movement,’ where the British army had to fight resistance which saw the introduction of machines in factories as a threat. Loss of jobs by then due to devices created a group of radicals to attack factories and destroying machinery. The first sign that saw technology and automation were eradicating social skills and talents from people. It has robbed society of the chance to experience physical workforce over decades. History is repeating itself currently, as we see the world evolved in a technological era. Computers replace the labor; brains have allowed the use of robots and skills rejected for science. The society has accepted automation into their lives, and it will result in worse impacts compared to the high death occurred in the movement (Aydalot, 2018).
In conclusion, technology, labor, and automation are all linked to society and how they each are affected by the changing business world (Elder, 2014). Humanity should not be slaves to technology; it has to help us in doing tasks but not to be dependent. The human resources and how workers perform duties and responsibilities have to be appreciated by Management. A proper organizational structure was essential to avoid resist and redundancy. Employment is a source of fulfillment that humans crave to have a purpose in life. Robotics has its benefits and demerits to humans, and we should be careful while allowing such advanced systems near our families and our friends.
References
Aydalot, P., & Keeble, D. (2018). High technology industry and innovative environments: The European experience. Routledge.
Bock, T. (2015). The future of construction automation: Technological disruption and the upcoming ubiquity of robotics. Automation in Construction, 59, 113-121.
Burnett, J. (2008). Core concepts of marketing.Routledge. Canalichio, P. (2018). Expand, Grow, Thrive: 5 Proven Steps to Turn Good Brands into
Global Brands through the LASSO Method. Emerald Publishing Limited. Dorf, R. C. (2016). Systems, controls, embedded systems, energy, and machines. CRC press. Elder, A. (2014). The new trading for a living: psychology, discipline, trading tools and systems, risk control, trade management. John Wiley & Sons. Elms, D. K., & Low, P. (Eds.). (2013). Global value chains in a changing world. Geneva: World Trade Organization.
Ford, M. (2015). Rise of the Robots: Technology and the Threat of a Jobless Future. Basic Books. Jacobs, D. C., & Yudken, J. (2004). The internet, organizational change and labor: The challenge of virtualization. Routledge. Kehal, H. S., & Singh, V. P. (Eds.). (2005). Digital Economy: impacts, influences, and challenges. IGI Global.
Manfred, K. (2006). Retailing in the 21st century: current and future trends/Manfred Krafft, Murali K. Mantrala. Noble, D. (2017). Forces of production: A social history of industrial automation. Routledge.
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