Respond to the following discussion Questions:
Respond to feedback on your posting and provide feedback to other students on their ideas. Make sure your writing
is clear, concise, and organized;
demonstrates ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources; and
displays accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
Discussion Question #1
Organizations over the past forty years have the advantage of newer technological advances that help with the efficiency and improves productivity. As discussed in the module the increased use of cellphones, iPads, and other new technology are all part or normal operational needs of organizations.
Organizations have more available technology that can allow them to achieve various goals, in education we use different types of Learning Management Systems, similar to Brightspace, which is the platform we use currently for our courses at Argosy. At my current college we use Moodle, these LMS' are valuable tools because it allows instructors and students to communicate in different ways and to fully cross utilize learning abilities and teaching methods. These tools may seem like a huge advantage in educational institutions but they are also utilized in private organizations that are learning organizations.
Organizations are also able to use technology for multinational leadership of its organization. These technological resources can increase the use of virtual teams within the organization through the use of programs like Skype and integrated teleconferencing. This in my view gives organizations flexibility on how, what, and when information will be disseminated to those who need to be in the know of changes in the organization.
Another issue with technological advances is that there are more people entering into the workforce that would rather use electronic devices or automation in the workplace and at the same time there are still baby boomers that are slow to adapt to the changes in technology because of the rapidity of change.
Baby boomers are categorized by Simmons (2010), and being born between 1946-1964 and have "a limited view in technology's role in optimizing workplace efficiency," (Simmons, 2010). It's not enough to blame baby boomers for their views, I think that as technology advances so does training in the organization, leaders should make it a priority to keep training as a priority in organizations as a means to reduce ageism, and any generational gaps that occur in regards to technology.
In my opinion I feel that technology in regards to organizational behavior, aids in the development of the workforce and helps to prepare the organization for future advances in their perspective industries.
Works Cited
Simons, N. (2010, Jan/Feb). Leveraging Generational Work Styles to Meet Business Objectives.Information Management, 44(1), 28-33.
Respond to feedback on your posting and provide feedback to other students on their ideas. Make sure your writing
is clear, concise, and organized;
demonstrates ethical scholarship in accurate representation and attribution of sources; and
displays accurate spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
Discussion #2
Explain how technology has affected organizational evolution in the past forty years.
The changes in technology that have occurred over the last forty years have led to the development of new systems, products, and services that allow organizations to improve employee job satisfaction, as well as customer satisfaction while also allowing them to expand the market in which they operate.
In addition to this, new technology and the various new systems and products that have resulted from technological advances have expanded the marketplace, created new job opportunities, and improved communication within the organization, as well as with the organization's partners, stakeholders, and clients.
Comment on the types of technology, the pace of technological advancement, and the factors that have affected the pace of organizational change during this time.
Originally computers would take up an entire room and required a trained specialized technical staff to operate them, however, they are now small enough to fit on the desk of a single employee and require little training to operate; this advancement is due to the development of microprocessors which were created by IBM.
(David, 2000). In addition to allowing IBM to create smaller computers, the development of microprocessors also allowed them to reduce the costs of computers from over a million dollars a unit to only $2,800 making it much more affordable for organizations to buy in bulk; this provided organizations with the opportunity to have all employees, from secretaries to CEOs, work directly with technology.
It is important to note that these computers were initially unable to connect, however, in the early 1980s local area networks (LANs) which allowed organizations to link all of the computers in a single building together were developed; this improved the organization's employees' ability to share information and work with one another. It is important to note that the development of the LAN also allowed employees to connect their computers to devices, such as printers. (Craiger, 2018).
Advancements related to the internet have also impacted organizational evolution by allowing organizations to communicate with partners, clients, and stakeholders from across the world with ease; organizations are now able to network with partners, clients, suppliers, and stakeholders across the world whereas they could only network with individuals in the same building before.
This has helped contribute to organizational evolution by allowing clients to order products, schedule appointments, contact customer support, and provide the organization with feedback without leaving their home or actually talking to a representative.
In addition to this, improved networking abilities that have arisen as a result of the internet related advancements, such as Wi-Fi and the ability to video chat allow organizations to connect with stakeholders and partners with ease regardless of time or location, and allow them to check inventory and place orders with their suppliers as soon as an order is received; this improves work productivity and allows the organization to provide products and services to clients faster and more efficiently which helps to improve customer satisfaction.
It is important to note that the growing ability to connect with the internet from virtually anywhere has also provided many organizations with opportunities to expand that were previously impossible.
For instance, an organization in the U.S. would not have been able to provide services to individuals in other countries with ease forty years ago, however, technological advances allow them to create websites where people can place orders from virtually any location and technological advances concerning shipping methods have allowed organizations to ensure that clients receive the ordered product quickly, and even allow both the organization and the consumer to track the product as it ships. (Craiger, 2018).
Have these factors enhanced or harmed organizational communications?
For the most part, technological advanced have enhanced organizational communications by making it easier to share information and reducing the amount of time it takes to contact partners, clients, stakeholders, and suppliers.
In addition to this, it has provided organizations with the ability to communicate with people from around the world with ease which has provided organizations with opportunities that were not possible in the past. However, it is important to note that if technology fails then an organization may not have the ability to connect with individuals from across the world; this may result in a lack of knowledge sharing between an organization and its external teams.
References:
Craiger, J.P. (2018). Technology, Organizations, and Work in the 20th Century.
David, P. A. (2000). Understanding Digital Technology's Evolution and Path of Measured Productivity Growth: Present and the Future in the Mirror of the Past.