Technology has a large influence on modern society. It is embedded within many parts of our lives including within our homes, in our daily activities, jobs and even our relationships. For example, over the past two decades mobile phones have advanced from a simple telephone device to virtually pocket-sized computers with functions for voice and video calls, instant messages, location tracking, applications for social media, news and banking, and virtual wallets containing credit cards, event tickets and more; and this list is by no means exhaustive. According to the Digital 2021 report by We Are Social (2021), there are 4.66 billion internet users around the world, more than half of the global population, and 91.5% of them access the internet through a smartphone. In fact, over two thirds of the global population owns a smartphone.

 

Speaking on the impact of technological change on organizational management in 1977, Golson noted ‘organizations cannot run on the inertia of what they are doing today for very long. They must commit significant resources to planning for tomorrow’ (p. 295). This is still true today. The influence technology exerts on society means organisations must continuously look to the future, study emerging trends, and be willing and able to adapt their practices as technology changes. In short, staying still is not an option. What worked yesterday is not guaranteed to work tomorrow.

 

Technology is a powerful tool and its reach extends across the globe into many aspects of modern life. It can be used to connect us with like-minded people around the world; or as seen during recent lockdowns, allow us to connect virtually with close family and friends when physical connections aren’t possible. Technology also has the power to exclude those unable to afford the latest devices or highest-speed internet. As technology advances, the divide between the digital haves and have nots increases. In my opinion, this digital divide is one of the main considerations organisations need to keep in mind when responding to technological changes. Libraries have always had to find ways to overcome various types of inequality among their users and this technological inequality is no different. Organisations like Libraries Without Borders are finding ways of connecting people to technology by offering services and programs such as the Wash and Learn Initiative (2018). As an emerging professional it’s inspiring to see the ways organisations are working to overcome this divide and provide equal access for all.

 

GDJ. (2016). Man using smartphone [Clip art]. Openclipart. https://openclipart.org/detail/242146/man-using-smartphone

Goldson, J. P. (1977). The impact of technological change on organizational management. In Proceedings of the 15th Annual Southeast Regional Conference (ACM-SE 15) (pp. 293-299). Association for Computing Machinery. https://doi.org/10.1145/1795396.1795437

Libraries Without Borders. (2018). Wash and learn initiative (WALI). https://www.librarieswithoutborders.org/actions/wash-and-learn-initiative-wali/

We Are Social. (2021). Digital 2021. https://wearesocial.com/uk/blog/2021/01/digital-2021-uk/?mc_cid=ed509b472e&mc_eid=632bbf90f7