One of the only ways to compete is with technology.
John Beakes, Industrialist
I’m surprised how many folks are techno-phobes in a techno-economy.
Wonder why? When you hear the following words, what do you think about? Faster. Better. Killer. Cheaper. Smaller. Technology and specifically the computer are usually at the heart of the change. Change is the major thread running through this book. Technology both drives and facilitates this change. Futurist Alvin Toffler called this shift to an information or knowledge-based society the Third Wave.
How fast is this occurring? Computer power keeps increasing as the cost of computation falls. We can see these phenomena with computers and cell phones that double their capacity, performance, or capability every two years or cost half as much. This is called Moore’s Law. Moore’s law has become the cornerstone of electronic goods as they’ve become cheaper, faster, and better.
Technology has done much good. But, many of us haven’t adapted well. Americans are more overwhelmed at work than two years ago. The reasons vary. Stakeholder and customer expectations are increasing. Technology is speeding up work. Managers and supervisors use technology to monitor and control work output. Technology drives organizational transformations. Technology is difficult to keep up with.
Technology is much more critical with Web 2.0. Management leverages technology to coordinate the overall direction of teams, ensure there’s alignment with the overall strategic direction, balance corporate resources, and ensure stakeholder requirements are understood and satisfied.
Life Lesson Earned: Learn to love technology. There is no escaping using technology at work and in our life. Also, technophobia is the fastest way to ensure your professional obsolescence and even unemployment.