Technology is the rational process of creating means to order and transform matter, energy, and information to realize valued ends. It involves the invention of tools and devices to accomplish these goals, and it also refers to the knowledge that makes it possible. Its objects range from toothbrushes to transportation systems, and it requires sophisticated general and specific skills to build and maintain them. Its practitioners are called technologists.
Technology can be an extremely powerful tool for organizations to use to achieve their business objectives and outperform competitors. It can create new revenue streams, increase efficiency, and improve customer service.
However, the development of a technology can also lead to new challenges and risks. These include security, privacy, and ethics concerns. Many companies are seeking to balance the benefits of technology with the need to keep pace with rapidly changing consumer and workforce demands.
Moreover, as with other forms of power, technology can be used for good or bad purposes. While enabling economic growth and prosperity, it can also create disparities in social status, disrupt traditional social hierarchies, cause pollution, or harm individuals or groups. It can even be a source of conflict and war.
As the world becomes increasingly connected, more people will need access to Internet-enabled applications. This demand will require a new approach to digital design and the way that humans work alongside machines, and may result in different types of business models, higher skills requirements, and a different type of workplace.
While many people think that the word technology evokes gadgetry and gizmos, it actually has a much richer meaning. It derives from the Greek words techne and logos, which mean respectively a craft or art and a statement or utterance. Techne originally referred to the skills required for working with wood, and later it expanded to encompass specialized knowledge and expertise. However, it was still possible to argue that certain activities were not technologies, such as rhetoric or philosophy.
When discussing technology, the vast majority of people will think about digital products like smartphones, tablets, and laptops, or perhaps some high-tech toys, such as drones, 3D printers, and cars. While these are all examples of technology, it is important to remember that there are other ways that companies can apply technology in the workplace to meet their objectives and improve their competitive advantage. For instance, some businesses are using blockchain software to create more secure data storage, while others are implementing AI and IoT. SNHU’s online degree programs teach students to design, build, and integrate various types of technology into their work. In this way, students can gain the hands-on experience they need to excel in their career field and help shape the future of our technological world.