Technology is a broad term used to describe the tools, machines, and systems that improve human lives and solve real-world problems. It can include everything from crowbars and wooden spoons to computers, particle accelerators, and space stations. But the term also reaches beyond physical tools to encompass immaterial creations like computer software and business methods.
The technology of a given society can be defined as the ways in which people manage their environment and interact with one another. The development of new technologies can have an impact on the values and traditions of a society. This is because different implementations of a given technology may raise ethical questions that the previous ones did not.
In addition, every technology prioritizes certain paths and neglects others. For example, when digital cameras became popular, they deprioritized the analogue pathway to photographs — including film camera lenses and darkrooms, inefficient but gratifying workflows, and a culture of painstakingly physically retouching photos for hours. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but it does mean that certain cultures and behaviors can become obsolete. In the workplace, the rapid proliferation of new office technologies can threaten to make some positions obsolete, unless workers are able to adapt to these changes quickly enough. This can lead to feelings of inadequacy for those who don’t keep up with the latest workplace tools. And it can even threaten to put organizations at a competitive disadvantage. Fortunately, there are plenty of solutions out there that can help organizations avoid this pitfall.