The Changing Effects of Technology on Society

Technology is the study of any new techniques, practices, tools, or procedures utilized in the creation of new products or services, or in the attainment of specific goals, like scientific experimentation or political influence. Often, technology affects people directly by way of the products or services they produce or provide. Technological change can be most sudden or most gradual, but either way it presents an overwhelming amount of complexity and unpredictability. The effects of technology on society are vast, even where the effects of specific technologies may have a relatively minor impact on specific industries.

Some of the major effects of new technologies are the following: Technological Systems, or more specifically, the efficiency of production, has increased with the use of scientific knowledge. Scientific knowledge about new technologies allows companies to become more efficient by the use of machinery and other tools, leading to a general increase in world-wide economic output. Technological change also increases the scope for new inventions and innovations. Because of the scientific knowledge behind many of today’s technological developments, individuals and businesses are able to apply their discoveries more efficiently to solve new problems, often creating a need for more workers with technological skill sets.

One of the primary effects of technological change is the expansion of scientific knowledge, making scientific knowledge a necessary pre-requisite for using many of the new technologies that are now available. Other effects of technological change and expansion include the following: The increase in competition from businesses and organizations using more advanced technologies, The evolution of certain tasks, which previously did not require specialized human intervention, into requiring greater levels of expertise, specialization, and/or a higher level of education, The expanding influence of the Internet as a global medium, The effect of new technologies on the marketplace, The impact of changing values caused by scientific knowledge and the Internet, and the societal changes brought about by more efficient and effective forms of communication. These changes have had a profound effect on society as a whole, and the effects on specific industries and segments of society are becoming more profound still.