Modern IT technology

IT or Information technology is a term that encompasses all forms of technology used to create, store, exchange, and use information in its various forms of business data, voice conversations, still images, motion pictures, multimedia presentations, and other forms, including those not yet conceived. It's a convenient term for including both telephony and computer technology in the same word. It is the technology that is driving what has often been called "the information revolution." The term is commonly used as a synonym for computers and computer networks, but it also encompasses other information distribution technologies such as television and telephones Humans have been storing, retrieving, manipulating and communicating information since the Sumerians in Mesopotamia developed writing in about 3000 BC,but the term information technology in its modern sense first appeared in a 1958 article published in the Harvard Business Review; authors Harold J. Leavitt and Thomas L. Whisler commented that "the new technology does not yet have a single established name. We shall call it information technology (IT)." Their definition consists of three categories: techniques for processing, the application of statistical and mathematical methods to decision-making and the simulation of higher-order thinking through computer programs. It has 4 different forms. These are Pre-mechanical (3000 BC – 1450 AD), Mechanical (1450–1840),Electromechanical (1840–1940), Electronic (1940–present).

The recent advances of Information Technology are becoming central to the process of social-economic development. Information Technology offers new way of exchanging information, and transacting business, changes the nature of the financial and other service sectors provides efficient means of using the human and institutional capabilities of countries in both the public and private sectors. The world is rapidly moving towards knowledge based economic structures and information societies, which comprise of networks of individuals, firms and countries that are linked electronically and in interdependent relationship. In an increasingly globalized economy, information technology is one of the key determinants of competitiveness of growth of firm and countries.

Affects of Technology…..

Technology affects almost every aspect of our lives. Just look around you and you'll see how wired we are. Thanks to the Internet, virtually anything you desire can be delivered to your door in a matter of days. Personal information is more accessible over the Internet. You can even trade stocks or file taxes online. Parents don't need to lose sleep waiting for their teenage daughter to come home -- they can just call her cell phone, or send an unobtrusive text, to check up but as much as our personal lives have changed, the business world has revolutionized almost beyond recognition in the past few decades. Technology and I mean the advances in communication and information technology has changed the face and the pace of business. As communication and information travels faster and faster, the world seems smaller and smaller, and this has large implications for the way we conduct business. Storing important in files on a computer rather than in drawers, for instance, has made information easily accessible. Using e-mail allows businesses to communicate and send these files quickly to remote locations outside of an office. Many argue technology has blurred the line between professional and private lives. Wireless Internet, cell phones and BlackBerries have made it easy to work from home -- or for that matter, from the beach. The fact that it's easy to work from the beach compels people to do so. On the flip side, people also feel compelled to use Internet access at work for personal reasons. In this way, technology allows workaholics to work and slackers to slack.

Information technology has helped in shaping both the business world and our society in general. Many fields have been impacted by information technology and these include; education , health , entertainment , communication just to mention but a few. The impacts of information technology are profound. As the world develops, more technology will emerge and this technology will have both positive and negative impacts. Below i have detailed points showing you how information technology has impacted our lives.

First advantages in business. Increases production and saves time: Business use technology to automate tasks.  A good example is a bakery which uses automated temperature censors to detect any drop or increase in room temperature in a bakery. These censors will send information directly to the operator and report any temperature change. This saves the bakery time and it also results into quality products.                                                      

Improves communication through communication technology: With the help of communication technology tools like phones, video conferencing , electronic mail, databases just to mention but a few. Movement of information with in an organization or business has become easy and first. Employees can easily move information across departments without having any interruptions. Tools like electronic mail , e-fax, mobile phones and text messaging enhance the movement of information among employees , customers and business partners or suppliers. Improves data storage and file management: Businesses use cloud hosting services to store and backup business data. Also it saves on paper work and makes transfer and access of data remote. With services like ‘’Dropbox.com’’, business owners can access their data any time any where. Information and data are very important tools for a business, so it is very essential to store them safely and also access them at any time of need. Improves on business competitive advantage: Companies have used technology to gain competitive advantage over their competitors.  A business will improve on its technology and improve on its services and products which will make its customers happy, this will turn these happy customer loyal to that business and also invite more friends to use that service or product.

Then there is also disadvantages. These are…Implementation Expenses:  Small businesses fail to afford this expensive technology so they end up losing their clients to a business which has improved its technology and provides a better service or product. Job Elimination: Technology has replaced most positions which humans used to occupy. Accounting is now being done by software, so accountants run out of opportunities.                                               

 Security Breaches:  Since businesses store their data on remote cloud servers which can be accessed with a user name and password, they risk losing that data to wrong minded knowledge works, hackers or viruses, which can harm he business.

As you can see there is a lot of things you can do with IT. I mainly focused on business IT. The reason I didn’t talk about Engineering tech because it can change anytime.