Slaves to Technology

LIKE it or not, every organisation is a slave to technology. Even if firms are labour intensive (greater ratio of human resources employed to capital deployed), technology is still essential for the execution of dayto-day business activities. In this issue, I'll be exploring the importance of organisations keeping track of technology and identifying the potential implications if they don't.As a result of an unprecedented rise in the innovation and application of new technology, industrialised, capitalist societies and their citizens have enjoyed the greatest standard of living in history (Forster, 2000). According to Kurzweil (1999) and Warwick (1998), the technical transition we are currently experiencing has the potential to be the most fundamental in human history. Basically, organisational life and the lives of individuals have been invaded by technology.Defining TechnologyTechnology can be defined in a multiplicity of ways. It has been described as tools, devices and processes and also as knowledge itself. The Wikipedia Encyclopaedia (2006) defines it as "the development and application of tools, machines, materials and processes that help to solve human problems." Technology impacts on every aspect of organisational life and, in its many guises, is fundamental in facilitating the inputconversion-output process and the completion of essential day-to-day business activities.Imagine a world where literally millions of computers are connected by a massive global telecommunications infrastructure that encompasses satellites, wireless services and ground-based fibre-optic networks. Imagine a world where managers and employees, customers and organisations no longer need to be in physical contact with each other to communicate and do business; where virtual meeting places enable high-powered deals to be brokered; where the virtual organisation will be the most common structural form; where man and machine will be able to interact in ways previously unthought-of (Forster, 2002). Sounds like excerpts from a science fiction movie, doesn't it? In reality, that world is now. It is science fact and this places huge responsibilities on leaders to keep track of technology and prepare their organisations for the impact that new process, system and information and communication technologies will have on their organisations.Going Bonkers!According to Tom Peters, one of the leading management gurus, the world is "going bonkers" due to the advances in, and impact, of technology. He warned "it's going to get more bonkers...bonkers in a few years with bonkers on the way." Such 'bonkers' behaviour led to a caveat from Cottle (2004) that leaders will make a "massive strategic mistake in not keeping up-to-date with technology."Manager, Know Thy EnvironmentA manager's ability to 'forecast and plan' was one of Henri Fayol's five functions of management (1916). He espoused that the use of 'prevoyance' (meaning foresight; forethought) was central to identifying the various factors in the business environment that would impact on the organisation and facilitate the drawing up of relevant strategic and contingency plans. Managers can know their environment and keep track of technology by undertaking 'environmental scanning' (collating and analysing market intelligence data that will enable appropriate strategies and plans to be drawn up). …