Social Impact of I'C'T'

1
Social Impact of I.C.T.

• C E Russell
• Thursday, 12 November 2009

2
AIMS

• Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the use of
  information communication technology in
  manufacturing, industry, commerce, medicine, the
  home and education.
• Look at employment issues, and benefits to the
  elderly, disabled and pressure groups.
• Discuss the impact of information technology on
  the location and patterns of work.

3
Manufacturing and Industry

• Consider
• Order entry and processing systems
• Project management software
• Expert systems
• Computer-aided design
• Computer-aided manufacture
• Robots

4
Commerce

• Consider
• ICT in Banking
• E-Commerce
• Advantages to business
• Advantages to customers
• Any drawbacks?

5
Medicine

• Consider
• Improved decision-making
• Accessibility of records
• Robotic Surgery
• Robot Physiotherapy

6
The Home

• Consider
• Advantages for disabled people
• Vast storage capacity
• Health implications
• Lack of social interaction

7
Education

• Consider
• Record-keeping / attendance
• On-line learning
• Reduction in staff
• Dependence on the system
• Read Slaves of the Cyberculture

8
Employment

• Benefits and Problems of Teleworking
• Results of a UK Teleworking Survey
• Telework Centres and Flexible Options
• Benefits of Teleworking
• E-Villages in India
• http//www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/evillages.shtm
  l
• Radio Programme 1 Putting the I See into ICT
• Radio Programme 2 Making Waves
• Radio Programme 3 Wise Women of the Web
• Radio Programme 4 Browsing the Horizon
• Radio Programme 5 Reducing Bureaucracy to Byte
  Size

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Impact on Society

• Divisiveness.
• Less time and more stress.
• Computer crime.
• Privacy.
• Disabilities.
• Global market.

10
Working Patterns

• Flexi-time.
• Tele-working.
• Teleconferencing.

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Question

• Individuals and organisations have become so
  dependent on IT systems that the consequences of
  their failure could be catastrophic to the
  individual or the organisation.
• Give two different examples of types of IT system
  for which failure would be catastrophic. In each
  case explain why the failure could prove to be
  catastrophic. (6)

12
Exam Question

• Through the 1990s, an increasing number of people
  became teleworkers.
• These are people who work from home using a
  personal computer linked to a Wide Area Network
  via modem and the telephone system.
• Discuss, with the aid of specific examples, the
  advantages and disadvantages to individuals,
  organisations and society of this type of
  employment. (10)

13
Telecommuting Case Study

• Paul Hughes works in software support for a
  software house which has clients all around the
  country and the world. The company specialises in
  stock control systems for the large DIY chains.
• Paul used to spend two hours in the morning and
  evening commuting to and from the company's
  central London office. Now he Is able to take up
  his love of animals by fitting the running of a
  small farm on a remote Scottish island around his
  computing job. Paul is able to provide users with
  help over the phone he is able to sign onto his
  own company's computer system as well as the
  customer's. He still keeps in touch with his
  manager using a videoconferencing link and he
  also uses this to keep in touch with colleagues
  who do a similar job to his own. Paul agrees his
  milestones (dates certain parts of a long project
  have to be completed by) with his manager and
  finds the whole arrangement motivating. He has no
  problem in getting the work done. He particularly
  likes the idea of working on a job-by-job basis,
  and that as long as the work is done, if he works
  hard he can get it done quickly, leaving more
  time for him to spend running his farm or doing a
  variety of recreational activities.

14
Group Activity

• Some jobs might be performed equally well from a
  home base or an office provided that the home
  contains the latest IT equipment. Answer the
  following questions.
• 1) A journalist writes primarily about football,
  works for a newspaper, but also writes material
  for some specialist football magazines. At the
  moment she works from the newspaper's
  headquarters in central London, but due to
  commuting problems has decided to work from home.
• She will need to buy a range of computer hardware
  and software to enable her to do this. Your task
  is to outline what she will need to buy.
• 2) Some jobs, such as journalism in part 1, are
  ideally suited to telecommuting while others are
  not. For this task you have to decide which of
  the following list are most suited. Once you have
  made your choice you need to explain why they are
  especially suited to telecommuting.
• computer programmer
• nurse
• staff employed who deal with customer complaints
  for a washing machine manufacturer
• librarian .
• chartered accountant working on his client's
  accounts
• software support staff on a help desk which deals
  with customer questions
• telesales person who cold calls potential
  customers and tries to get orders
• insurance salesman
• stock control clerk in a factory
• factory production worker.