Effects of ICT on Effects of ICT on Individuals, Business and Individuals, Business and

SocietySociety

Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

Explain how does ICT affect individuals, Explain how does ICT affect individuals, business and society.business and society.

Working from homeWorking from home

Following the widespread access to Following the widespread access to technology, many workers who previously technology, many workers who previously worked in an office are working from worked in an office are working from home. home.

Advantages & Disadvantages Of Advantages & Disadvantages Of Working From Home to Individuals Working From Home to Individuals

Advantages:Advantages: Quality of life improved.Quality of life improved. Can work around other commitments.Can work around other commitments. More time can be spent with family because no time More time can be spent with family because no time

wasted commuting.wasted commuting.

Disadvantages:Disadvantages: Loses social interaction.Loses social interaction. Can feel isolated at work (if things go wrong).Can feel isolated at work (if things go wrong). Distractions of family / TV upsetting work schedule.Distractions of family / TV upsetting work schedule. May need training in use of technologies.May need training in use of technologies.

Advantages & Disadvantages Of Advantages & Disadvantages Of Working From Home to Business Working From Home to Business

Advantages:Advantages: No need for large / expensive centralised office No need for large / expensive centralised office

space / lower utility bills.space / lower utility bills. Happier workforce.Happier workforce. World wide workforce.World wide workforce.

Disadvantages:Disadvantages: Greater security issues.Greater security issues. Less easy to monitor what workers are doing.Less easy to monitor what workers are doing. Difficult to make sudden decisions about work.Difficult to make sudden decisions about work. Training and capital costs.Training and capital costs. Group working can become difficult.Group working can become difficult.

Advantages & Disadvantages Of Advantages & Disadvantages Of Working From Home to Society Working From Home to Society

Advantages:Advantages: Less traffic.Less traffic. Implies less need for infrastructureImplies less need for infrastructure Less pollution.Less pollution. Closer knit families implies fewer problems Closer knit families implies fewer problems

from young.from young. Simpler to provide work for disabled.Simpler to provide work for disabled.

Disadvantages:Disadvantages: Communications may mean closer Communications may mean closer

monitoring of individuals by state.monitoring of individuals by state.

EmailEmailSend and receive messages and attachments Send and receive messages and attachments (irrespective (irrespective of geographical location)of geographical location)..

e.g. Send brochures to customers.e.g. Send brochures to customers.

Messages can stored until recipient ready to read them Messages can stored until recipient ready to read them (so not interrupted)(so not interrupted)..

e.g. A sales rep not interrupted during a sale.e.g. A sales rep not interrupted during a sale.

Send emails to groups of recipients.Send emails to groups of recipients. e.g. Send a message about a new product to group of or all e.g. Send a message about a new product to group of or all

customers.customers.

Messages can be forwarded.Messages can be forwarded. e.g. Message received from one department and may need e.g. Message received from one department and may need

passing on to another.passing on to another.

Set message priorities and request confirmation of Set message priorities and request confirmation of receipt receipt

e.g. Proof that an employee actually received an instruction.e.g. Proof that an employee actually received an instruction.

Messages can be encrypted.Messages can be encrypted. e.g. Stops a rival firm learning trade secretse.g. Stops a rival firm learning trade secrets

EmailEmailStorageStorage

Create folders for different types of message.Create folders for different types of message.

ReplyingReplying Can send a reply with address automatically put inCan send a reply with address automatically put in

Automatic deletionAutomatic deletion Remove message from box after a specified number of days.Remove message from box after a specified number of days.

BlockingBlocking If message is unsolicited or unwelcome then arrange for provider If message is unsolicited or unwelcome then arrange for provider

to block future messages from that address.to block future messages from that address.

Mark as Read/UnreadMark as Read/Unread To ensure message remains in box for future reference.To ensure message remains in box for future reference.

Mark as important/high priority.Mark as important/high priority. To ensure message does not get ignored.To ensure message does not get ignored.

SortingSorting According to time received/sender/subject/…According to time received/sender/subject/…

Video conferencingVideo conferencing

To allow conferences between employees To allow conferences between employees without the need for a physical presence.without the need for a physical presence.

Other changes in patterns of Other changes in patterns of working caused by ICT working caused by ICT

Workers supervised in the work place more closely Workers supervised in the work place more closely because of electronic ‘spying’.because of electronic ‘spying’.Less trade union power because workers do not work Less trade union power because workers do not work as a unit.as a unit.Call centre type jobs.Call centre type jobs.Clean, well paid.Clean, well paid.Soul destroying.Soul destroying.Need to train to keep abreast of use of technology.Need to train to keep abreast of use of technology.More qualified workers can demand higher rewards.More qualified workers can demand higher rewards.New job types created.New job types created.New underclass of people who are unable to gain New underclass of people who are unable to gain employment.employment.

Other changes in patterns of Other changes in patterns of working caused by ICT working caused by ICT

Voice mailVoice mail (Using digital systems) to leave spoken messages.(Using digital systems) to leave spoken messages.

Digital telephone systemDigital telephone system To automate customer enquiries (and direct them). To automate customer enquiries (and direct them).

Dangerous tasks made safer.Dangerous tasks made safer.Allows more work to be done in the same Allows more work to be done in the same amount of time.amount of time.Use of technology to carry out old tasks in a Use of technology to carry out old tasks in a new way / new data storage and retrieval new way / new data storage and retrieval techniques.techniques.

EElectronic lectronic DData ata IInterchange (nterchange (EDIEDI))

Transmission of business data Transmission of business data (e.g. orders, (e.g. orders, invoices, …)invoices, …) from one firm’s computer from one firm’s computer system system to another via a WAN system system to another via a WAN using standardised document forms.using standardised document forms.Allows:Allows: Sharing of data across system while being Sharing of data across system while being

protected.protected. Sending and receiving attachments.Sending and receiving attachments. Confirmation of receipt of messages.Confirmation of receipt of messages.

Data with Commercial ValueData with Commercial Value

Data is “money” to all modern businesses.Data is “money” to all modern businesses. e.g. Automatic stock control systems, e.g. Automatic stock control systems,

supermarkets, etc…..supermarkets, etc…..

e.g. for a supermarkete.g. for a supermarketCustomer names and addresses from deliveries.Customer names and addresses from deliveries.

Valuable to advertisers.Valuable to advertisers. Gives a breakdown of who the typical shopper is from their Gives a breakdown of who the typical shopper is from their

neighbourhood.neighbourhood.

Amounts of goods sold in period of timeAmounts of goods sold in period of time Allows comparison between brands to ensure popular brand stocked.Allows comparison between brands to ensure popular brand stocked. Act as bargaining tool when setting costs of goods.Act as bargaining tool when setting costs of goods.

Bank account details/credit card details linked to addresses.Bank account details/credit card details linked to addresses. Mail order companies to know who to send expensive offers to.Mail order companies to know who to send expensive offers to.

Goods bought by individual shoppers.Goods bought by individual shoppers. Sell to mail order companies.Sell to mail order companies.

Sales over different parts of the store.Sales over different parts of the store. Help with designing layout to maximise profits.Help with designing layout to maximise profits.

Individuals who respond to offers.Individuals who respond to offers. Target offers at responsive customers.Target offers at responsive customers.

How the Internet / ecommerce How the Internet / ecommerce Affects BusinessAffects Business

Company advertises on the internet to reach a Company advertises on the internet to reach a large market audience.large market audience.

Worldwide rather than just local.Worldwide rather than just local.

Customers can receive information at home Customers can receive information at home without the need to travel.without the need to travel.Users via the internet can make immediate Users via the internet can make immediate enquiries, order and pay for goods.enquiries, order and pay for goods.

However, there is a need for secure communication.However, there is a need for secure communication.

Selling possible 24/7Selling possible 24/7No need for expensive overheads.No need for expensive overheads.No need to employ large number of sales staff.No need to employ large number of sales staff.

How ICT Affects Sales RepsHow ICT Affects Sales Reps

Sales reps have electronic diaries.Sales reps have electronic diaries.

Preliminary designs can be drawn using CAD Preliminary designs can be drawn using CAD software.software.

Designs can be printed out for customers to Designs can be printed out for customers to study.study.

Design costs calculated using suitable Design costs calculated using suitable software.software.

No longer do wages have to be calculated No longer do wages have to be calculated manually and money counted into pay packets. manually and money counted into pay packets.

How ICT Affects Sales RepsHow ICT Affects Sales Reps

Requirements sent direct to manufacturers and Requirements sent direct to manufacturers and details to account.details to account.

A laptop and a modem can allow sales people A laptop and a modem can allow sales people to access the company's database from to access the company's database from customers' premises. This allows them to customers' premises. This allows them to spend more time with customers. spend more time with customers.

Before this a sales person went to a customer with Before this a sales person went to a customer with a catalogue and a price list and if a customer a catalogue and a price list and if a customer wanted something unusual, the sales person had to wanted something unusual, the sales person had to go back to the office to get details. go back to the office to get details.

How ICT Affects Sales RepsHow ICT Affects Sales Reps

A sales person can use a laptop, with suitable A sales person can use a laptop, with suitable software, to prepare a quotation on the spot. software, to prepare a quotation on the spot.

For example in a double glazing company someone For example in a double glazing company someone went to the customer's house and measured all the went to the customer's house and measured all the windows, go back to the office and prepare a windows, go back to the office and prepare a quotation which was then sent to the customer.quotation which was then sent to the customer.

Stock levels automatically maintained Stock levels automatically maintained according to likely requirements and orders according to likely requirements and orders taken.taken.Orders placed to suppliers automatically / Orders placed to suppliers automatically / immediately so should not run out of materials.immediately so should not run out of materials.Customer can pay electronically using cards.Customer can pay electronically using cards.

How ICT Affects Hotels & StoresHow ICT Affects Hotels & Stores

Hotel receptionists have access to a database Hotel receptionists have access to a database for all the hotels in a group and so they can for all the hotels in a group and so they can now book hotels for customers other than the now book hotels for customers other than the one in which they work.one in which they work.Staff who work in stores only take stock a few Staff who work in stores only take stock a few times a year instead of weekly as stock levels times a year instead of weekly as stock levels are kept on computer databases and need to are kept on computer databases and need to be checked only occasionally in case stock is be checked only occasionally in case stock is removed without passing through pointofsale removed without passing through pointofsale terminals (due to products being damaged or terminals (due to products being damaged or stolen).stolen).

How ICT affects paper AdvertisingHow ICT affects paper Advertising

People expect much higher quality in People expect much higher quality in documents, whether it is posters or letters. documents, whether it is posters or letters.

How ICT affects ManufacturingHow ICT affects Manufacturing

Products can be manufactured to a much Products can be manufactured to a much higher standard because of the use of higher standard because of the use of computerised machines and robots. computerised machines and robots.

How ICT affects educationHow ICT affects education

Teachers and lecturers often set assignments Teachers and lecturers often set assignments using computer networks. using computer networks.

Students then post their work to their tutors Students then post their work to their tutors electronically. electronically.

Tutors view the work on screen and return the Tutors view the work on screen and return the marked work, with comments, electronically.marked work, with comments, electronically.

Students expect teaching materials to be of a Students expect teaching materials to be of a higher standard and to be shared from one copy higher standard and to be shared from one copy on a network.on a network.

Software AuditsSoftware AuditsNeeded as so many modern businesses use Needed as so many modern businesses use computer applications.computer applications. A census of all available software.A census of all available software. When it was purchased and whether it is up to date.When it was purchased and whether it is up to date. How it is usedHow it is used Check on software licenses.Check on software licenses. Check on user names and passwords.Check on user names and passwords. Check on security measures, backing up and firewalls.Check on security measures, backing up and firewalls. Check for piracy.Check for piracy. Ensure that access is available where required.Ensure that access is available where required. Records of data files stored, time of use and users Records of data files stored, time of use and users

accessing.accessing.

PlenaryPlenary

How does ICT affect individuals, business How does ICT affect individuals, business and society?and society?