Importance of Connecting Between Work and Technology

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Importance of connecting between Work and Technology

The feature of emerging postindustrial economy is computer and relatedinformation technology. The information revolution is changing both workplace andnature of work itself. Technology is a body of practical knowledge and equipmentforenhancing the effectiveness of human labor, and altering the environment forhuman use.As we can see, the production of material things (clothing and cars) that defined theindustrial age is quickly being replaced by the creation of ideas and images (computerprograms and television shows ). Not only is this trend altering the nature of work,but itis redefining the skills needed to find employment

–

working with one’s hand is

steadilygiving way to w

orking with one’s head.

Here, before getting into description about the importance of technology inthese

days’ work, we want you to look back through the early societies –

to see the level of technology development from the Hunting and Gathering societies , and to see howworkwas changed by technology .Sociologists, Gerhard

Lenski

and

Jean Lenski

, observe how societies changeovercenturies as they gain greater ability to manipulate their physical environment.Societieswith simple technology can provide for only a small number of people and offer fewchoices about how to live. Technologically complex societies

–

while not necessarily “

better” in any absolute sense –

support large population who live diverse, highlyspecialized lives.The

Lenskis

also explain that the more technological information a societyhas,the faster it changes. In short, new technology sends ripples of change throughout a

society’s way of life. When our ancestors first discovered how to harness the po

werof the wind using a sail, they set the stage for building sailing ship, which took them tonewlands, stimulated trade, and increased their military might. Consider, as a morerecentexample, in how many ways our lives are being changed by the spread of computertechnology. Now we will describe five general types of societies distinguished bytheirtechnology.

1. Hunting and Gathering societies

The most basic human societies live by hunting and gathering, simpletechnologyfor hunting animals and gathering vegetation. With little control over theirenvironment,hunters and gatherers continually search for game and collect edible plants. Duringthiscentury, technologically complex societies have slowly closed in on the fewremaininghunters and gatherers, reducing their landholdings and depleting game andvegetation.Because of the limited technology in Hunting and Gathering societies, people livedepend

on nature. They neither produced nor preserved food. They used simple weapon

–

thespear, the bow and arrow, and stone knife

–

to search for food and shared withothermembers of the band. They often fall victim to force nature, and there is little theycando.

2. Horticultural and Pastoral societies

Ten to twelve thousand years ago, a new technology changed the lives of humanbeing. People discovered horticulture, the technology of using hand tools to cultivateplants. Using a hoe to work the soil and a digging stick to punch holes in the groundforseeds may seem simple and obvious. They combined this new technology withtraditionalHunting and Gathering. For the first time, human being became food producers. Amorestable food supply enabled people to settle down in permanent or semi permanentvillage.In especially arid regions, societies turned not to raising crops but to pastoral, thedomestication of animals.With the greater productivity that come from domesticating plant andanimals,these societies expand to 100 of members. There, the material surplus frees somepeoplefrom food production to make crafts, engage in trade, or serve as full-time priests.Compared to hunters and gatherers, pastoral and horticultural societies are alsohierarchical, with wealth concentrated among few families who operate as a rulinggroup.

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