The Impact of IT

Although information technology has eliminated some clerical jobs, it has created many new jobs for programmers, systems analysts, database and network administrators, network engineers, Web-masters, Web page developers, e-commerce specialists, chief information officers (CIOs), and technicians. Information technologies have a direct effect on the nature of jobs. Telecommuting, also known as virtual work, has enabled some people to perform their jobs from home. With telecommunications technology, a worker can send and receive data to and from the main office, and organizations can use the best and most cost-effective human resources in a large geographical region.
By handling repetitive and boring tasks, information technologies have made many jobs more interesting, resulting in more worker satisfaction. Information technologies have also led to “job deskilling.” This occurs when skilled labor is eliminated by high technology or when a job is downgraded from a skilled to a semiskilled or unskilled position.
With information technologies, one skilled worker might be capable of doing the job of several workers. Another impact of information technology is the creation of virtual organizations, which are networks of independent companies, suppliers, customers, and manufacturers connected via information technologies so they can share skills and costs and have access to each other’s markets. A virtual organization does not need central offices or an organizational hierarchy for participants to contribute their expertise.
Researchers estimate that about 6 percent of the world population is addicted to the Internet-or more than 420 million individuals.
Experts believe that many of us, particularly millennials, are addicted to their smartphones.