Technological Developments Are Familiar With Changes in Information
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Technological Developments Are Familiar With Changes in Information |
Technological developments are no stranger to changes in information technology today, faster than in the early years, changing from past technology to more sophisticated technology, quickly and easily.
Evolution of Changes in Information Technology
It is undeniable that one of the special triggers for the era of globalization whose presence can be faster than all parties think is due to the rapid changes in information technology. The implications of the internet, electronic commerce, electronic data interchange, virtual offices, telemedicine, intranets, and others have broken through physical boundaries between countries. The unification of computer technology with telecommunications has resulted in a revolution in the field of information technology. Data or information that in the past had to take several days to process before being sent to other parts of the world can now be done in seconds. It's not too much of an exaggeration if one of the IBM experts makes an analogy with automotive changes such as the following: "If the automotive world experienced the rapid development of information technology, now it is possible to make a car with diesel fuel, which can be triggered up to a maximum speed of 10,000 km/hour, at a price of 10,000 km/h. buy only about 1 US dollar! ". On a micro level, there is something quite interesting to explore, namely how the evolution of existing information technology changes significantly affects the competition among several companies in the world, especially those operating in the service sector.
Basically, there are four periods or eras of changing information mechanisms, starting from the first discovery of the computer until now. The 4th era (Kontan et.al., 1992) occurred not because it was only driven by the rapid development of computer technology, but also supported by new theories regarding modern corporate management. Management and organizational experts such as Peter Drucker, Michael Hammer, Porter, really give management vision color in modern information technology.
Therefore, it is understandable, if there are many companies, especially in developing countries (3rd world), which are difficult to adapt new theories regarding management, organization, or information technology because there are still several local cultural factors or places that influence source behavior. human power. So don't be confused if you often find companies with the most sophisticated computer equipment, but they are still used as administrative tools which incidentally became the world's first computer usage era in the early 1960s.
Technology Developments in the Age of Computerization
This period began around the 1960s when mini computers and mainframes were introduced by companies such as IBM to the industrial world. The computational power is so fast that many companies use it for data processing purposes. The use of computers in this period is intended to increase effectiveness, because it can be proven that for certain jobs, using computers is more effective (in terms of cost and time) compared to employing dozens of human resources for the same thing.
At that time, there was no such tight competition situation. The number of companies is also relatively small. Generally, large companies automatically monopolize certain markets, because there are no significant competitors. Most of the large companies operating in the infrastructure (electricity and telecommunications) and mining sectors at that time bought computer equipment to help with daily administrative activities.
The most important organizational interests took over computer time at that time for back office administration, especially those related to finance and accounting. On the other hand, the mainframe's power to perform calculations is difficult for companies to use to help solve operational technical problems, such as computational replication in the manufacturing and mining industries.
The Age of Information Technology Development
The development of digital technology combined with telecommunications has brought the computer into its "revolutionary" period. In the early 1970s, PC technology or Individual Computers began to be introduced as an alternative to mini computers. With a set of computers that can be placed on a work desk (desktop), a manager or mechanic can get data or information that has been processed by the computer (with a speed that is almost the same as the speed of a mini computer, even a mainframe). The benefits of computers in companies are not only to increase effectiveness, but further to provide support for more effective work processes. Unlike in the age of computerization where computers only become "individuals" in the EDP (Electronic Data Processing) section of a company, in this second era, every person in the organization can take advantage of the power of computers, such as for processing databases, spreadsheets, or data processing. (end-user computing). The use of computers in corporate groups is increasingly crowded, especially supported by the competitive environment that has changed from monopoly to free market. Automatically, companies that have used computer technology are truly effective and efficient compared to companies whose processes are still regulated manually.
In the following era, computers enter the new set, namely as a means that can be profitable to compete for companies, especially those operating in the service sector. The theories of contemporary organizational management were intensely introduced in the early 1980s. One of the most studied and applied theories is regarding change management. In almost all frameworks of the theory of transition management, it is emphasized that information technology is one of the special elements that need to be paid attention to by companies that want to win in business competition. Unlike in the first two eras which prioritized the element of technology, in this era of transitional management, what was emphasized was the information mechanism, where computers and information technology were elements of the mechanism.
The key to the company's success in the 1980s was the creation and control of information accurately and quickly. Information in the company is analogous to the blood in the human blood circulation which needs to flow regularly, quickly, continuously, to several places that need it (tactics). Several management experts emphasized that it is the companies that control information that have a competitive advantage in the "regulated free market" macro environment. At this time, the philosophical shift from traditional companies to modern companies lies in how management sees the key to company performance. Traditional organization
see the composition of the company as a specific key to measuring performance, so that all are measured hierarchically by departments or sections.
In contemporary organizational theory, where free competition has resulted in customers having to be smart in choosing various products on the market, the process of making products or services (providing services) to loyal consumers is a special key to company performance. This condition is often assumed by several management terms such as "market driven" or "consumer base company" which are basically the same, namely the company's performance will be viewed from the satisfaction of several loyal customers. It is very clear in this new competitive pattern, the role of computers and information technology, combined with other elements such as processes, processes, organizational structure, human resources, corporate culture, management, and other related elements, in creating a good information mechanism, as one of the keys to the company's tactical success. It is undeniable that loyal customer satisfaction lies in service quality. In essence, a loyal consumer when determining the product or service he needs, will look for a company that sells that product or service: cheaper (cheaper), better (better), and faster (faster). Here the role of information mechanisms as a special element in giving the company a competitive advantage. Therefore, the key to the company's performance is in the processes that occur either within the company (back office) or directly rubbing against loyal consumers (front office). By focusing on making effective, efficient, and well-monitored business processes, a company will have reliable performance.
It is not surprising that in the 1980s and early 1990s, many companies were seen carrying out BPR (Business Process Reengineering), re-structuring, ISO-9000 implications, TQM implications, installation and use of corporate information mechanisms (SAP, Oracle). , BAAN), and others. Utilization of information technology seems to really lead in every transition management program that has been carried out by several companies
Technological Changes in the Age of Information Globalization
Few books explicitly enter this latest era into the history of the evolution of information technology. The visible event is that since the mid-1980s, changes in the information technology sector (computers and telecommunications) have been so fast, that if depicted graphically, the developments that occur appear to be exponential.
When an international seminar on the internet was held in San Francisco in 1996, several information technology activists who used to work together on research to introduce the internet to industry also honestly admitted that they never thought the internet could change like this. It was as if they saw that what was planted was the seed of a magical tree, which suddenly split into a giant tree that soared. It is difficult to find a theory that can explain all the events that have occurred since the beginning of the 1990s, but the evidence that has occurred can be concluded as follows:
Nothing can dampen the movement of the development of information technology. Its presence has removed the boundaries between countries in terms of the flow of information. No country is able to restrain the flow of information from or to other countries, because the boundaries between countries are not recognized in the virtual world of computers.
technologies such as LAN, WAN, GlobalNet, Intranet, Internet, Extranet, are becoming more common and entrenched in the community. It can be proven that it is very difficult to determine the legal tools that are equally appropriate and can be proven efficient to prevent everything related to information channels and production. Some companies are also not tied to physical boundaries anymore. Through the virtual world of computers, one can find loyal consumers in all circles of the world community that are connected to the internet network. It is difficult to calculate the amount of money or investment that flows freely through the internet network. Business transactions-trade transactions can be easily carried out in cyberspace through electronic transactions using electronic money.
It is often the company that ultimately has to redefine the mission and vision of its business, especially those struggling in the service delivery department. The conveniences that are peddled by powerful information technology tools have changed the mindset of company management so that it is not uncommon for companies to swerve to pursue other sectors. For 3rd world countries or developing countries, problems regarding the utilization of information technology are very pronounced. On the one hand, many companies are not ready because of their cultural structure or human resources, while on the other hand, large investments must be spent to buy information technology tools. Not having information technology means that they cannot compete with other multinational companies, or have to go out of business. pedestal. The last thing that makes management headaches the most is the fact that the current business environment is so usually active and different. The transition that occurs is not only due to the impact of such intense competition, but because there are several other external factors such as politics (democracy), economy (crisis), socio-cultural (reform), which automatically produces many new policies and regulations that need to be adhered to by the company. .
Operationally, it is certain that this event has really troubled some information technology activists in making the mechanism. Often in the middle of the construction of the information mechanism, there is a shift in requirements so that a re-analysis must be carried out on the mechanism to be built. By observing these conditions, it is clear that there is a need for information technology that is right for companies, namely technology that can be adaptive in transition. Several activists from developed countries have answered this obstacle by producing several object-based program products, such as OOP (Object Oriented Programming), OODBMS (Object Oriented Database Management System), Object Technology, Distributed O, and other objects.
Due to Technological Developments "Thinking Schematic Switching As Requirement"
From the 4 eras above, it can be seen how the nature of competition and the development of information technology since the use of computers in industry until now is closely related to one another. Entering the information age means entering the world with new technology, information technology. Using information technology as optimally as possible means having to change the mindset. Changing the mindset is a very difficult thing to implement, because in essence "people do not like to change". Indonesia?
Still want to be a customer country? Or has it been able to become a producing country?
At least, the first thing that every Indonesian person needs is the determination to be different. Without the "willingness to change", it is absolutely impossible for the Indonesian people to use information technology to rebuild a nation that has been crushed and swallowed up critically at this time.
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