Telecommuting Technology Has Reached Into the Lives

Telecommuting

Technology has reached into the lives of each of us. Regardless of how we might try to avoid modern technology it affects cannot be denied. Cell phones, email, internet, GPS are just a few of the modern technological devices that have changed the way we live. Cell phones make us available nearly anywhere to nearly everyone. The internet has become the chic way to meet potential partners. The GPS has replaced the use of maps as the preferred method of finding directions while traveling while stock trading online has caused many stock brokers sleepless nights.

A mere twenty years ago many of the technological changes that are in common usage today were mere ideas. Yet, they have quickly been incorporated into each of our lives and the changes seem to be occurring with increasing rapidity.

The most obvious effect to the increased use of technology in our communications is globalization. (Aragon, 1999) Quite simply, the world has become much smaller as information has traveled much farther and much faster than it ever did. Data no longer must be sent through slow methods such as snail mail or even fax. Within seconds data can now be sent around in the world in seconds replacing methods that once took days or even months,

The increased use of the new technological devices has also caused a significant change in how we work. Offices are being replaced by work at home workers. Individuals working online are now working in San Francisco for offices in New York or Boston.

The technological revolution is having its effect on both our personal and business lives. In business the revolution is on speed. Whatever can increase the speed in which business can be done has been embraced. Increased speed is viewed as increased production. Increased production equates into increased profits.

In a reflection of how technology has impacted on business, one of the most popular majors on college campuses today is information systems. The growth in this major as a career choice has been geometric over the past twenty years as more and more businesses have moved into the technological world. As the internet has become the world market place, the need to accumulate information, analyze it, and apply it properly has increased the need for personnel that know how to properly do it. Thus, the need for more professionals trained in information system.

Improvements in technology have also changed the basic business framework. Historically, businesses were centered in large office buildings. High rise buildings have dominated the downtown landscape throughout the twentieth century as corporations attempted to keep their entire operations in one location. That scene, however, is changing rapidly and technology is a major reason for it. It is no longer necessary to house entire business under one roof. Cell phones, laptops, networking, emails, video conferencing have made outsourcing a reality. A reality that has decreased the cost of doing business and may have, arguably, decreased the number of available jobs.

Technology has also allowed entire new industries to develop. There are now hundreds of businesses whose entire storefront is in cyberspace. These businesses transact their entire business over the internet. Their personnel needs are extremely low with their computers and internet presence being largely responsible for their success. Ebay, Google, Facebook, etc. are the most famous of these type of businesses but there are hundreds more less known but no less remarkable.

The one technological advance that everyone uses on a daily basis is the cell phone. Inherent in the use of the cell phone are several other technologies but the simple use of the cell phone, minus these other technologies, has changed our lives substantially. Multitasking is looked upon as a valuable skill. (Bregman, 2010) In both one's personal and business life, it is an ability that allows us to get things efficiently and quickly. Through the use of cell phones, multitasking has become a reality for nearly everyone. Now it is possible to work away from one's desk. It is possible to call for help if stranded on a rural, snow covered roadway. It has allowed us to check on matters at the office while lying comfortably by the pool at a remote resort. Simply, we are no longer tethered to a phone.

The use of cell phones is not limited to the mere task of calling our friends, family and business associates. Since the introduction of text messaging in the fall of 2000, this technology has completely changed the framework through which many of us communicate. Messages and conversations can now take place that are not forestalled by a failure to reach the person, by low bandwidths, or discomfort caused by one's shyness. For many persons, texting has become the preferred option especially among the younger generations. Take a walk through any public forum today and you will likely see hundreds of people walking with their heads lowered glaring at their cell phone screen; more likely than not they are not dialing a telephone number but rather typing a text message.

Some argue that the proliferation of text messaging has caused a breakdown in interpersonal communication but there are arguments to the contrary. Because texting is so simple to learn and allows for instant access to the person who one is trying to reach, many claim that it has opened new areas of communication. Parents can now reach their children instantly. Teenagers and young adults who in the past might have felt they were too busy to contact their parents are now more prone to take the few minutes necessary to text in a brief note to mom or dad.

The same concept has worked effectively in the business world as well. Before the advent of texting communication was limited to the use of an actual telephone call. Such communication was dependent upon the availability of the person you were trying to reach, your location at the time of the call, and the needed privacy surrounding the need for the communication. Texting, however, has eased most of these inherent problems. Texting is fast, personal, and nearly guaranteed to reach its intended recipient.

Without dismissing the argument that cell phone use may have a chilling effect on our interpersonal communication, there is one negative effect that cell phone has caused that is not arguable. The almost universal use of cell phones has caused punctuality to quickly become a thing of the past. Having a cell phone near at hand apparently makes it easier for us to explain our whereabouts and, thus, to explain away the requirement to be punctual.

The use of cell phones has also limited the range of privacy. With the use of conventional land lines it was possible to find some solitude away from the telephone. The mobility of the cell phone has caused a generation to grow up not knowing how to be alone. The cell phone has become the constant companion of many of us. Whether texting, talking on the phone, or surfing the net, cell phones are a constant presence for a great part of the population and, in the process, privacy has become increasingly more limited. Ignoring unwanted intrusions into one's privacy are no longer possible. Saying that one missed a call is no longer an option. Short of saying that your cell phone was off there is little excuse for missing an intrusion related to the use of a cell phone.

Probably no device represents the rapidly technology in modern society occurs than the cell phone. How long ago was it that bag phones were all the rage? Shortly thereafter the true hand held was developed and then colored screens. Now we have texting, live sports updates, stock trading, and video capability. What are the limits of this technology?

If one could answer this question accurately a fortune could be made. Increased speed is a certainty but look for increased networking with other devices such as television, improved and smaller designs, and improved photographic and video capability. Beyond that only the imagination of the next generation of engineers will limit the possibilities.

Closely equal in importance to the impact of the cell phone is the presence of the internet. Since it first emerged as an aid to the military and academic research, the internet has exploded on the consumer scene. It now invades nearly every aspect of modern society. It is used as form of communication. It is used as a means of shopping. It is used as an educational medium and as a means of storing information. (Porter, 2001)

In communication email via the internet has virtually eliminated the use of traditional hand written or typed letters. Such letters commonly referred to now as snail mail, are now considered far too slow. Used for both personal and business use email has made instantaneous contact between corresponding parties possible eliminating the delays inherent in snail mail. Correspondingly, instant messaging, a form of texting done on computer screens, has replaced the telephone as the preferred method of interpersonal correspondence between many parties. In instant messaging, the parties engage in a conversation similar to what one might have on the telephone but the individual comments are typed onto the computer screen and received immediately by the receiving party.

In the area of entertainment the internet has become like a portable television providing hours of entertainment for its user. Web sites have become the primary source of game playing from card playing to highly complicated adventure games. Replacing radios and portable CD players, specialized internet sites have developed such as Rhapsody or Pandora that allow one to listen to a full spectrum of music while surfing the web. It has also allowed for non-traditional musicians to gain exposure and for the publication of music that major studios have ignored.

The impact of the internet on business is almost immeasurable. (Kroese, 2001) Not only has the internet become a use database of information for today's businesses it has also become the main street of the ever growing e-commerce world. Every day brings a new business to the internet with the potential of developing into the next Amazon or Ebay while traditional businesses such as Kohl's or Macy's have used it to expand their services. In essence, the internet has provided a vehicle for anyone with a computer connection and a good idea to start a business with a minimum degree of capital.

Aside from the obvious impact there are also the subtleties. Our language has been altered; emails addresses have become a part of our identification like our name, address and telephone number; and membership in Facebook or LinkedIn have become a sign of one's social sophistication. Terms such as lol, btw, or bff, have been adopted as part of our society's daily conversation as they are used in texting, instant messaging or emailing. Email addresses are used by employers, credit card companies and government agencies as a form of identification as much as phone numbers and driver's licenses are.

Like the internet that began as a tool of the military, Global Positioning System (GPS) enjoyed a similar beginning. The GPS system grew out of NASA's satellite program which allowed the present day GPS system to develop. Signals from the satellites rotating the earth permit anyone with a commercially purchased GPS device to pinpoint a location anywhere in the world within 15 meters (approximately 49 feet). Through the development of GPS and related devices motorists and other travelers have been provided with improved navigation; emergency response teams have been able to more efficiently and quickly provide their services to persons in even the most remote areas; traffic management has seen remarkable improvement; and, with the introduction of GPS into the world of smart phones, tourists can maneuver their way even while walking.

Prior to the widespread use of computers there was no such major on American college campuses such information systems. Information systems as a career option mirror the growth of the use of computers. The need for an organized method for gathering, processing, storing, distributing and using information was vital if computers were going to be used effectively and, as a result, the field of information systems matured as a study discipline. Over time it has grown into one of the fastest growing fields of study in all of academia and as one of the most sought after degrees by potential employers. (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2010)

Information systems was developed initially developed in order to facilitate the use of computers but it has impacted on our everyday life as well. As computer use became more widespread the demand for additional and more complete information by even the most casual user became more demanding as well. Users wanted as much information from the computers they were working and they wanted it not only faster they also wanted it faster. Enter the information systems expert who could develop programs that made computer use easier and faster.

The casual use of the computer placed extreme pressure on the information systems field to develop better and more efficient methods of handling information but it was business, government and institutions that supplied the greatest need and the greatest pressure. Growth in governmental programs required that data bases be created that could handle the geometric increase in information and it was found that information system professionals were an important part of the developmental process that could effectuate this result. As more and more government programs were initiated and grew so did the demand for information systems professionals who could manage the programs.

The severe demand for improved information systems personnel by government is only the tip of the iceberg in describing the impact that technological change has had on the field. In the computer age information management is seen as a key to success in business. Any graduate with a business degree looks upon the use of information technologies as the key to obtaining commercial advantage. For example, being able to discern what the customer wants and being able to supply it to him is what an effective information systems professional can do for a business and so being able to procure the services of such an individual is crucial. Therefore, for any business, The use of information technology to monitor a business' performance can also enable the business to highlight areas where they are not making the most use of their resources. This is a use that is frequently utilized by advertising departments to determine where and how to spend their budgeted dollars. (Melymuka, 2002)

Having looked at each new technology individually it is now time to examine how all these different elements together influence how we live our lives. In practice, these different elements do not operate in a vacuum. Rather, most of us use each of the technologies and devices mentioned herein as part of a general technological scheme. Our cell phones are networked with our computers; our computers are networked with several different social media outlets; our GPS units are soon to be able to networked with our smart phones and information system specialists throughout the world are analyzing our purchasing tendencies and grouping us by demographics. It is an endless pattern and so what impact does all these devices and systems have on our ability to telecommunicate?

Beginning with the invention of the telephone, the entire issue of telecommunication had its beginning. The shrinking of the world began immediately and as the telephone business increased so did the relative size of the world and it has not stopped. Globalization is the watchword of the day. Telecommunication has made the exchange of ideas and thoughts an almost immediate action in today's world and it is sure to become even more important in the years ahead.

Today's technology is poised to completely change our work environment. For the first time in history commuting through cyberspace has made it possible for workers to do everything they need to do without ever leaving the confines of their home. Businesses are recognizing the positive effects that such a concept can have on their bottom line. (Apgar, 1998) It reduces overhead by limiting the need for office space; it allows for their employees to be more comfortable by working our their own homes; it allows for a reduction in salaries as employees who do not have to drive, park, buy lunch, etc. can afford to work for fewer dollars. Employees are attracted to telecommunicating by the fact that they feel that they have greater control over their lives. Whether they do or not will depend heavily upon the personality of the individual employee but in today's society perception is important and, at least in the short-term, many employers are emphasizing this as an advantage.

There is also the thought that work-at-home employees are less distracted by fellow employees and that, therefore, they are more productive, The typical office environment is subject to a substantial degree of socialization and, as a result, productivity suffers. Again, measuring whether this is true or not will have to be measured over the course of time but, on its face, the argument has some intellectual merit.

One of the original attractions to employers relative to telecommunicating was the decreased dependence on oil. Beginning with the OPEC oil embargo through recent increases in oil prices corporations have been looking for ways to cut costs. Allowing employees to telecommunicate was one way of reducing these costs but it also had the collateral advantage of being environmentally helpful. With ecology taking on increased importance in the public relations arena businesses allowing employees to telecommute have enjoyed these residual advantages.