ASSIGNMENT SUBMISSION AND ASSESSMENT

OUMH2203
ENGLISH FOR WORKPLACE COMMUNICATION
MAY 2013

DISEDIAKAN OLEH:
MUHAMMAD NURUL FAZLAN BIN ALI
KAD PENGENALAN
790810135337
NO MATRIK:
790810135337001
NO TELEFON:
0128544312(HP)
NAMA TUTORS:
AMEE ANAK JOAN
EMAIL:
ameejoan@oum.edu.my
OTHER EMAIL:
jamee@cls.unimas.my
E-TUTORS:
HJ MOHAMAD RAZAK ABDUL KARIM

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0

INTRODUCTION

1.1

DEFINITIONS

1.2

The Advantages of the Mobile Phones

1.3

The Disadvantages of the Technologies

2.0

METHODOLOGY

3.0

IMPLICATIONS OF MOBILE PHONE

3.1

SOSIAL

3.2

MEDICAL

3.3

BUSINESS

10

4.0

CONCLUSION

11

5.0

APPENDIX

12

6.0

REFERENCES

1.0

INTRODUCTION

14

The purpose of this report is to review societal problems arising from the integration of
mobile phone communication into daily social life. The principal attention is negative
impacts of cell phones. Mobile phones have created new problems for social order. Although
mobile phones are a valued and powerful tool for communication and for the preservation of
social relationships, there are aspects of cell phones which are problematic and many
societies are discussing problems that have arisen due to the power and ubiquity of mobile
phones. The ability to not only transfer voice, but also to collect and record visual images has
created new challenges for societies in terms of new conflicts between individual freedom of
expression and rights to privacy. The ability to communicate despite separation in time and
space give new and exciting possibilities for communication with others. This new
availability is considered to be a very positive, but in the same time can create conflicts. The
new conflicts and challenges are not only related to mobile phones but to the others new
forms of new communication technology.
Mobile phones technology also helps both separations linking together. Members of society
now experiencing great challenges in managing simultaneous contexts the face-to-face and
the digitally mediated that have different types of participants and need quite different forms
of talk, and different level responsibility and responsiveness. A common problem is how to
conduct personal or intimate conversations in public spaces. Conventional forms of etiquette
do not provide models for new technologically mediated social interactions.

Many

individuals across the 15 societies report new tensions about duties to others as these are
impacted by cell phones. The problems involve how to show appropriately respectful
attention and response to multiple needs.

1.1

DEFINITIONS

An electronic telecommunications device often referred to as a cellular phone or cell phone.

Mobile phones connect to a wireless communications networks through radio wave or
satellite transmissions. Most mobile phones provide voice communications, Short Message
Service (SMS), Multimedia Message Service (MMS), and newer phones may also
provide Internet services such as Web browsing and e-mail.
A phone that is connected to the phone system by radio instead of by a wire, and can be
used anywhere its signals can be received. (Definition of mobile phone noun from the
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus Cambridge University Press)
A cell phone is a wireless device which makes people to communicate with each other from
any places of the world. Cell phone is an alternative of a common telephone people have at
home and the only different is that it can used everywhere. Cell phones also have influenced
the development of the human society and the rhythm of life considerably. Mobile phone is
very useful for businessmen, because it enables them communicate any time and from any
place and solve the urgent problem very fast without the need to go to the office.
The virtual self is connected to the world by information technologies that invade not only at
home and office but the psyche. This can either trap or liberate people By virtual self, I am
referring to the person connected to the world and to others through electronic means such as
the Internet, television and cell phones [These] technologies get inside our heads, position
our bodies and dictate our everyday lives. (Agger 2004:1)
The transformations growth on the mobile phones front is astonishing. The top-end phones
available now have the processing power and storage available in desktop computers just 4 to
5 years ago. In year 2004, saw 674 million phones being bought and estimates for 2005 stand
at 730 million. Mobile phone is rapidly becoming the important device that seems to have it
all and becomes even more indispensable than it is now. Mobile phones have started
functioning as more than just communications devices. Mobiles also used as watches and
alarm clocks. Even with the limited free games that come with basic mobile phone.
In unfamiliar neighbourhoods, they can guides and tell where we are. The address book and
contacts list on phones becomes our social interface. Without the mobile phone, many of us
would be lost in connecting with other people. The calendar function on the mobile phones
4

also helps us track our lives. The mobile Phones can also function as radios. For some, the
mobile phone also becomes a notepad and sends an SMS to someone and makes it as
reminder service. The owners also tended to customise mobile phones with their own
ringtones, themes and wallpapers.
Ramesh Jain, a professor at University of California, Irivine, wrote on his weblog: "Mobile
phones are becoming very powerful and are likely to become a dominant device for CCC
(communication, computing and content)." So the mobile phones of tomorrow will be the
remote controls of our life. Mobile phones have changes our way of life to an unbelievable
degree. Some old member of a family applies tales regarding prior modes of communication
like beepers, postal letters and telegrams, the children of Twenty-first century feel really
surprised. It would be appearing that the people relevant the stories regarding telegrams fit in
to a few other planets. So, its a fact that the mobile phone technology has started a new
period on our planet, which has uprooted the old fashioned lifestyle entirely.
However, it doesnt mean that a technology has no effect on people adversely. Everything
has two attributes; advantages and disadvantages. The same will go true for the phone
technologies. The technology can effective as well as disadvantageous. The reports, the
advantages will be considered towards the disadvantages in order to obtain an accurate
understanding of the effects of mobile phones on individual life.

1.2

The Advantages of the Mobile Phones

It is said that phones possess change the world into a global town. The declaration appears
precisely true. Residing in one part of the world, we can speak to our family members
residing in an additional corner of the world effortlessly. The mobile phone technologies have
speeded up small and big companies. The business events all around the world can
communicate with one an additional in a few of more seconds. They can offered and
determine quickly. Consequently, the business world has been enhanced to an astonishing
extent due to farfel treatments.

Mobile phones created individuals in contact along with one an additional. In this way, the
mobile phones possess urged individual conversation. Provide a network for communication;
lots of individuals are needed to handle the duties. Many jobless people have obtained a good
work for all of them due to farfel treatments.

1.3

The Disadvantages of the Technologies

The finest disadvantage of it is mobile phone technologies have impacted the natural method
of human interaction badly. Individuals stay hectic using their tissue even when sitting in a
team of other people. There are many facts about the people who fulfilled accidents because
of to keeping focus on their own mobile phone while still driving. Therefore, this is one of
the greatest disadvantages of these types of devices by using mobile phone.
The mobile phones also used by criminals to inform one another about their filthy ideas. And,
their own crime strategies are invented by using these technologies in the many of cases.
Mobile phones technology also increased up street offences and breach of moral ideals. Lots
of immoral, so-called love tales discover their existence through the misuse of this devise. A
few apparent hearing and brain diseases possess appeared because of to the excessive use of
mobile phone. Furthermore, eyesight problems also observed among many crazy mobile
phone users.
In this way, we can see which mobile phones are not only helpful, however they are also
dangerous. Nicely, it will not be wrong to say that not one of the technologies become
harmful by nature. This will depend on us whether we utilize it favourably or even adversely.

2.0

METHODOLOGY

In order to understand emerging impacts of cell phones considered to be disruptive, we

collected data from 15 countries, using researchers who were graduate students attending the
University of Texas from the 15 countries
In order to understand emerging impacts of mobile phones considered to be disruptive, we
collected data from 15 countries using researchers who graduate students attending the
University of Texas from the 15 countries. The countries studied include mobile impacts in
Australia, China, Brazil, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Lebanon, Russia,
United State of America, Taiwan, Norway, and Korea. We collected accounts in daily
newspapers, conducted interviews, kept ethnographic journals of observations, did
ethnographic participant observation, collected visual images of daily use and posted
prohibitions, then analysed the data and information for recurrent issues and problems. The
data are not designed to be completely representative of entire nations or cultures, but
represent some ideas in wide circulation, as evidenced by newspaper stories, observations of
daily activities, and interviews with members of each culture.

3.0

IMPLICATIONS OF MOBILE PHONE

3.1

SOSIAL

In every country studied, mobile phones have created major problems for traditional cultural
values. In some cases, the camera devise feature of mobile phones has been particularly
transgresses, permitting a new audience of viewers for what has traditionally been considered
as private or restricted. The issue of private vs. public emerges as one of the most
interesting aspects of mobile phone technology. Each culture classifies not only its activities
but also its surroundings into categories such as public, personal and private, formal and
informal, and so forth. Members of communities must learn to interpret these categories and
what kinds of audiences and language will be appropriate. Speakers have choices about what
7

type the language to use in a particular context or to a particular person, and certain features
of language can invoke a particular context for example, using certain terms or ways of
speaking also invoke a religious context, legal context, educational context or intimate
context. Cultures differ in their ideas about who are authorized speakers and hearers;
Many cultures share the notion that certain words and phrases are taboo or forbidden in
certain contexts or between certain members of society. Everyday situations are very
important not just for childrens learning, but for all societys production and maintenance of
habits to understanding and expectations. The challenges and contexts have arisen through
new technologies which challenge customary activity categories for example, with television
bringing scenes of places and people, both real and fictional, reaching audiences, both
intended and unintended, outside the immediate environment.
The mobile phones enable very private or personal conversations to take place in very public
places. What is appropriate for a particular culture is often not apparent until breaches occur
or people do not perform in expected ways. Habits create what seems natural to some
people and beliefs of societies have impact attitudes about communication and proper social
relations. Many of those user mobile phones report their feeling that there is a lack of
common sense among mobile phone users. So-called common sense is actually a set of
established, culturally embedded practices, learned behaviour and a learned from world view.
Some aspects of mobile phone use that are being experienced as socially disruptive include
the interruptive nature of mobile phones. When phones is ring, people feel obliged to answer
them, which also mean abruptly turning ones attention from one conversation or activity to
another. Social and cultural rules and norms about how to manage interruptions of current
activities have not yet been established for mobile phones. A person calling on a mobile
phone users in Italy reported their disapproval of people who answered their mobile phones
during family meals. The mobile phones may threaten safety and result in challenges to
individual freedoms as well as group security, and the management of work place vs. private
time, as well as public vs. private spaces. People report, for example, that the mobile phone
has changed social habits of visiting friends and relatives, and that people complain that they
now receive text messages rather than visits. The mobile phones are changing work habits
and the length of the working day.
3.2

MEDICAL

Two of categories of health problems were mentioned by study participants: direct and
indirect health issues. In terms of direct health concerns, members of most of the societies
studied cited of radiation hazards, fears that mobile phones cause early aging and headaches.
In terms of indirect health problems, study participants cited sleeping disorders and
depression. There is a paradox in health issues, however. While user mobile phone are aware
of the potential dangers of mobile phones use they also report being cell phone addicted, by
using a metaphor indicating that needs for connection and communication may override
questions about the safety of the means for such connection. In Brazil, for example, a 60 year
old study participant reported that people can get addicted to mobile phones and this causes
them to forget family values. At the same time mobile phone users also report some
positive health outcomes, as in the case of a 48 year old business owner in Brazil who
reported that he was able to reach his doctor on a different continent and undergo lifesaving
surgery: I had to have urgent surgery and was able to reach my doctor who was on vacation
and answered his phone while on a train in Spain. In France, there was felt to be a lack of
information on the issue of health.
Other safety concerns was include using a mobile phone to talk or text message while driving
or bicycling (e.g. Korea, Italy, France, Russia, Australia, Egypt, Brazil). This problem is a
focus of regulation in many countries. As one interviewee in Egypt stated: I find someone
driving a car and he is speaking (on the mobile phone) at any time he could cause an
accident. He isnt paying attention and is speaking on the mobile phone and he is very
concentrated on the mobile phone and it is possible that he hits another car or hurts someone.
Maybe he rear ends the car in front of him because he is busy and it is possible that he
becomes upset and at this time he takes his hands from the wheel because he is catching the
mobile phone. Even if there is a hands free set, he is upset and busy and can cause an
accident at any time. Even though there are prohibitions, there is little police supervision, for
example, as reported in Italy.
In China and Korea, concerns about wasted (electronic waste) and its also impact on the
environment surfaced in interviews and questionnaires. China had almost 70 million mobile
phones thrown away every year prior to the first half year of 2004. The mobile phones use
changes the safety of the environment for wearers of pacemakers (mentioned in news reports
in Russia and a topic of regulation in many countries) and in gas stations (mentioned in news
9

reports and a topic of regulation in Brazil and Egypt). Many people report their unhappiness
with unsightly mobile phone towers and antennas. In France and Indonesia newspapers report
difficulties between local authorities and mobile phone companies finding agreement on the
installation of antennas. In many cultures the noise of mobile phone rings and the level of
conversations on mobile phones are cited as a kind of pollution of the environment.

3.3

BUSINESS

The power of technology mobile phones to establish and maintain communication and to
distribute information makes them an important economic resource. In some countries, this
resource is expensive enough to make it unavailable for large numbers of people. People in
Taiwan, Australia, and elsewhere report problems with incursion of debt. In Australia, for
example, one person reported in an interview that: mobile phone debt nearly ruined my
sisters credit future in 2 months she had amassed over $1,000 debt. In Indonesia, callers
use expensive mobile phones despite the availability of low cost public phones, and an
Australian participant described a new kind of financial recklessness. However, our
research also shows that the mechanism for payment of services which has been developed
locally may be subverted through highly creative means. Street vendors sell cheap per minute
calls on mobile phones in Egypt, although vendors are not stable in terms of their location. In
Brazil mobile phone users complain of problems by getting reimbursement of non-used
credits. In China people complain of problems of quality, maintenance, confusing plans for
telecommunications services, and the used market in mobile phones. The mobile phones have
entered the economy of status as well. In every society, social status is an important feature in
the organization of social distinction. The mobile phones have entered into the status
economy in all 15 countries studied. In Taiwan and Indonesia mobile phones are a part of
fashion, and Television shows promote relationships between mobile phones and status.

4.0

CONCLUSION

10

Although for the most part mobile phones are widely believed to be essential tools for
communication and maintaining social relationships, some disruptive aspects are noted in 15
countries of widely different cultural practices and beliefs. All cultures are engaged in
mediating new possibilities for antisocial behaviours and new requirements for behavioural
standards. Individuals are experiencing conflicts between responsibilities to themselves and
to society, autonomy and dependence, liberation and control, public and private space, new
visual replication possibilities, managing simultaneous complex spaces and conversations.
They are experiencing problems by managing social responsiveness and duty to others due to
increased accessibility to requests and demands of others, merging of work and private time,
new antisocial behaviours and criminal behaviours Many places still lack connectivity, but
the overwhelming similarity of problems encountered in these very diverse societies suggests
that we can begin to model how new communication technologies might negatively impact
the societies.

5.0

APPENDIX

11

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6.0

REFERENCES

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