Unit 4
Organisations, Competition and Environment
Lesson 22 - 14th/16th March 2000
Technology

What is technology?

How does technology and technological change affect organisations?

Click here to see the slides from the lesson.

Download the notes from this lesson in pdf format (52Kb).

Download the notes from the lesson in Word97 Format (42Kb).

Download the handout on Relationship Marketing from this lesson in pdf format (65Kb).

What is technology ?

Technology is the result of using our knowledge to tool, products and processes for human purposes.

Huczynski & Buchanan

Technology and its impact on business

• Apparatus
  • machines & tools
• Technique
  • skills & procedures
• Organisation
  • manipulation of society to foster production

So...

• Types of Products and Services
• Production Methods
• Equipment
• Provision of Services
• Information
• Market Identification
• Procedures
• Employee Flexibility

Products and Services

Consumer and Industrial markets have seen major innovations:

• electronics
• microchips
• digital
• MIS
• the "PC"

Production Methods

• Production Quality
• J.I.T. production
• Managing the Human Resource
• Internal Customers
• Responding to the Customer
• Relationship Marketing

Equipment

• CIM ~ Computer Integrated Manufacturing
• CAD ~ Computer Aided Design
• CAM ~ Computer Aided Manufacturing
• PC ~ Personal Computer

Provision of Services

We have seen major changes in services because of:

• telephone
• tv
• call centres
• internet
• access
• the portal
• dot.com companies
• e-commerce
• individualisation

The major areas of business affected by this are:

• Banking
• Insurance
• Financial Services
• Books
• Music
• DVDs
• Cars

Information

Information about customers, their buying habits, their personal details, allow companies to create individual products, tailored services, directed marketing and they can also sell the information to other companies.

Computerisation makes this quicker and easier.

Market Identification

database systems can be used to identify new opportunities with new or existing customers

• financial services
• insurance
• cars and servicing

Procedures

• what we do…
• the way we do it…
• the order in which we do it…
• where we do it…
• the way in which we act with customers…

Employee Flexibility

• automation and computerisation can dispense with some staff
• job roles
• multi-skilling
• employee organisation
• employee involvement
• empowerment

J.I.T.

…is a technique that focuses on organisation of work flows to provide a production method which minimises waste and keeps stock levels to a minimum…

a car is not built until a customer orders it

sometimes referred to as: just too late

How we work…

• Core Workers
  • essential, skilled, qualified, full-time and provide functional flexibility
• Peripheral Workers
  • temporary, part-time, provides numerical flexibility
• sub-contractors
  • hire other companies or people provide services rather than doing them in-house

Internet

• information
• world wide web
• e-mail
• chat
• newsgroups
• e-commerce
• unlimited access
• ADSL
• streaming

DIGITAL

• What is digital?
• converting analogue information into binary information 1010110001111001
  • CD
  • MiniDisc
  • DVD
  • Digital Cameras
  • Digital TV
  • Digital Radio

Impact on Business

• It changes products and services
• It changes the production process
• It changes access to customers
• Business needs to respond…

Music

• Compact Disc
• mp3
• MiniDisc
• ATRAC
• DVD Audio
• Digital Radio

mp3

How will mp3 impact on those businesses involved in the music industry?

How should those organisations respond?

What strategies could they use?

Impact of technology on:

• music
• retail
• video
• pc
• internet

What is the impact on demand?

Click here for links relating to technology.

Leading the Digital Revolution
Throughout the 20th century, the pace of technological advancement has increased dramatically. The digital revolution, now upon us, will see further massive steps forward. This case study looks at the ways in which Sony has been able to stay at the leading edge of the new technologies.
read the article
download the article in pdf format

Internet 'transforms music industry'
The internet, which is already transforming the way we buy CDs, is reckoned to be about to turn the whole music industry on its head.

MP3 Articles
Music on the Web
The growth of MP3 as a music format has (or is) changing the face of pre-recorded music.
read the article

Virgin joins Online Music Jam
Companies, such as Virgin have fortunes to be lost if they don't jump on the internet music bandwagon.
read the article

MP3 extends CD time
Pine have released a CD player which can play MP3 tracks.
read the article

Music to Your Ears
Review of portable MP3 Players.
read the article

Return

Copyright: All Content copyright of ©1999