Technology Chapters 9 and 18

Bell Ringer What are some ways technology has changed the way people do business? Online shopping Online banking Debit/Credit cards Use of computers - quicker

Technology and Business Technology refers to the tools and machines that people have invented to make life easier Entertainment Communication Travel Business

Technology and Business E-workforce: consists of people who work with computers while doing business E-commerce: using the Internet to do business According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 77 million workers use computers daily

Employment Technology has created a boom in many industries Printers Fax machines Video games Cell phones Digital workflow: links all the steps in a process digitally Publishing and printing streamlines Technology centers such as Silicon Valley Internet created demand for many new jobs

E-Commerce The Importance of Virtual Business Entrepreneurs Start-ups Work from home Ease of communication Global reach

Retail versus E-Tail E-Tail: electronic retail Aka – Products and services sold over the Internet rather than in brick and mortar stores Multi-channel retailer: uses several methods to sell products Online, by mail, and in stores Click and mortar stores

Others? Retail versus E-Tail Benefits Disadvantages Convenience Choices Disadvantages Buying Power Additional Charges Immediacy “Relying on Observation” Others?

Spreadsheet Practice Example: Choose a product such as a book, video game, or electronic device. Check the prices online, researching several companies (at least 5) to find what they would charge for that product. Create a spreadsheet to compare the companies and their prices. Example:

Technology in the Workplace Information Technology: aka IT, uses computing, electronics, and telecommunications to process and distribute information Telecommunications: transmission of information over communication lines Computers Telephones Others? Think: What changes in technology have taken place at Phoenixville over the last decade?

Technology in the Workplace Telecommuting: employees work at home while communicating with the workplace by phone, fax, or online Advantages: Less time traveling/in traffic Improved quality of work Less absenteeism Disadvantages: Lack of contact with others Distractions Equipment needed/higher expenses

Changes in the Workplace Computer-aided design (CAD): software for designing products with a computer Engineers are able to design without paper Most manufacturing plants are partly automated Robots and computers do much of the work Virtual Reality: artificial, 3D visual world created by a computer Simulations Pilots and flights Surgeons Computer labs in schools Science experiments

The Internet Global Computer Network World Wide Web: system for accessing, changing, and downloading a large set of files on computers connected through the Internet Hypertext: language used by computers that enables direct links Cloud Computing – What is the “Cloud”? Computers that are linked together through the Internet Improves collaboration across locations

Intranets and Extranets Intranet: computer network used by an organization Closed to access by the public Works like the Internet but is restricted to authorized users Extranet: extension of the intranet of a company Gives authorized users access to the intranet Semi-private Allows more than one company to share information and collaborate

Technology Threats Hacker: person who illegally gains access to and sometimes tampers with information in a computer system Privacy Issues: Cookies Convenience or invasion of privacy? Virus – inserts copies of itself into a computer without the user’s knowledge Spyware – tracks what the user does on the Internet Firewall – software that prevents unauthorized access to software or data