Social and Environmental Impact

Objectives

• Explore the impact of ICT upon business and society.

• Look at the issues relating to employment patterns and retraining.

• Discuss the ways in which working patterns have changed.

Employment Patterns

• More technology = Less practical jobs and more service jobs.

• Some jobs have gone, some jobs have been created as a result of IT.

• For example: Car manufacture has been heavily replaced by robotics but service engineers have been created to maintain the robots!

Employment PatternsJobs Disappeared Jobs Created

Welders Computer Programmer

Typists Web Designer

Mailing Clerks Games Designer

Banking staff (fewer needed) Network Management

Car construction ICT Technician

Till Staff (fewer needed) Graphics Designer

Filers (all electronic now) Visual Effects Manager

Retraining

• As ICT has been introduced into an organisation, staff have had to retrain themselves into other jobs.

• Gone are the days where a job stays the same forever!

• Now you always must re-train, re-skill and re-equip yourself with changing IT systems in ANY job.

Retraining

• New Software - changing software results in new ways of working.– E.g. switching to a new version of Windows!

• New Hardware – faster or functionally different. – E.g. switching from PC to Mac

• New Ways of Working – doing things differently– E.g. Processing orders online instead of a physical store.

Working Patterns

• People can now work from anywhere.– Home – via the internet (reducing the home/work

divide!)– Mobile technologies.

• Can work 24/7: globalisation

• Can work internationally. No need to travel

• Can now collaborate (e.g. via Cloud Computing)

• Teleworking: Using internet or wireless technology to work from a different location other than the normal place of work (e.g. an office).

• Homeworking: Using internet or wireless technology to work from home as apposed to a normal place of work (e.g. an office!)

Teleworking for the employee

Advantages for the employee Disadvantages for the employee

No need to travel to work – reduced costs No home/work divide

Can work from comfort of own home. May become distracted

Less stress Little social interaction of work

Work around family – flexible hours May be difficult to motivate

Opportunities for disabled people to work Increased home running costs (electricity etc.)Feel isolated.

Teleworking for the employer

Advantages for the employer Disadvantages for the employer

No office space needed Cannot monitor staff as easily

Less staff: cleaners etc. Security risks on data

Less likely to have staff sickness Employer pay for staff IT

Wider employee market: can employ globally

Example Teleworking/Homeworking Jobs

• Web designer• Computer programmer• Solicitor• Games designer• Architect • Online tutor• Phone sales person• Online advice• Newspaper editor / journalist• Examiner / marker / moderator

Video Conferencing

• Videoconferencing allows multiple people at different locations to communicate via video and audio.

Advantages of Video Conferencing Disadvantages of Video Conferencing

Can work internationally – location doesn’t matter.

No personal touch.

No need to travel etc.. Reliance upon internet connection – has to be fast enough

Meetings can be called at short notice. Connection can be poor: jumpy picture or sound

May be cheaper than paying for everyone to come together.

Expensive equipment needed.

Environmental Impact

• Less traffic on the road – reduced co2 emissions.

• More energy used on powering equipment• Less energy used on heating and powering

office buildings etc..

Notes: Video Conferencing Jobs

• Doctor to doctor – advice meetings.• Teacher – teaching in adverse weather or cross school

teaching.• Business – e.g. M&S are an international company allowing

them to meet online.• Courtrooms – remote witnesses can be questioned without

having to be at court

The Environment

• There are a lot of things we can do to reduce our carbon imprint:1. Recycle our print cartridges, paper, old hardware etc.2. Switch off all equipment when used.3. Use print preview instead of printing4. Only print where needed.5. Recycle old phones etc. 6. Don’t leave technology on stand by.7. Enforce effective power settings

How do ICT systems help?

• Energy Monitor

• GPS Systems – efficient routes

• Auto Stand by / Auto off (e.g. Sky at 2am)

• Fuel efficient cars/ hybrid / electric

The Digital Divide…

• The growth of IT has created a digital divide:– People who can and cannot afford IT– People who cannot afford internet access etc.– People who cannot afford games consoles!

• Divide between countries– Some countries do not have adequate supplies of water, electricity etc.– No IT infrastructure which means they cannot take advantage of the discounts

available with IT.– Cannot afford new hardware or internet connectivity.

Global Internet Use

How has IT Grown…

• Smart Phones – portable computing• The growth of the internet• Social Networking and Social Media• Games Consoles• Health care technology• Disabled access to technology• Increased entertainment• Access to information 24/7• Globalisation

Technology and the world…

• Technology has grown exponentially – far beyond what was first expected.

• As a result IT impacts upon everyone without question.

• It impacts them in key areas…

What the terms mean…–Social – How we communicate and interact with others.

–Economic – Money, jobs, buying, selling.

–Political – Voice of the people, voting, freedom of speech.

–Legal – Laws and crimes and criminal activity.

–Ethical – What is right or wrong.

–Moral issues – The use or doing of things generally impact upon others in some way.

Social Issues…

Notes: Economic

• Globalisation: resulted in a lot of service jobs being exported abroad.

• Call centres: cheaper to run abroad and VOIP makes it just as cheap to run anywhere in the world.

• Companies can sell to a wider market – good. But this is bad as the competition rises!

Notes: Political

• Voting: can now be done by post, text and online. It is possible, but not done! This would increase voting!

• Some governments restrict information.

• Freedom writers: anyone can blog and reveal information online (e.g. Wiki Leaks).

• More information readily available about government activity online.

Notes: Ethical

• Social networks – information posted can be used against people: e.g. in job applications or as a means of dismissal if slanderous company comments are made.

• Activity monitored at work – online use.

• Websites tracking personal information about you (cookies).

• Companies selling personal data or using it without your permission.

Notes: Moral

• Illegal downloading of music, software etc.

• Accessing inappropriate content online.

• Copying information (e.g. cds, software etc.) more easily possible.

• Essay banks or sites where you can post a fee and people do work for you.