Information revolution has created many changes, these can be witnessed from the industrial society when production of goods changed from tangible products to creating and manipulating goods in the post-industrial society. Information revolution has also occurred from changes of mechanical skills of industrial trade to literacy skills. For example, it demands the ability to speak, write and use computer technology. The computer technology also allows people to work almost from anywhere even from home, by using the internet, phones and fax machines. To conclude this point Zuboff, (1982) also emphasised the fact that Information revolution is changing the daily routine of the workplace. He listed four ways how computers have altered the way or working life. Labourers become less skilled, making work look more abstract, by limiting workplace interaction, and also by enhancing employers control of workers.
The Information revolution has had its impacts by affecting local economies, central cities and towns. The highly speedy works of information technology has brought out large scale changes in the industrial workplace. This is evident in the extensive use of communications such as the IT and the internet. Information technology has helped companies enormously by enhancing communication linkages through computer networks, phone, fax, modem, video conferencing, or e-mail. These key functions enable the easy access of the IT.
Answering the question it can also be said from an internet web site:
That information revolution indicates it has increased most types of jobs. It is seen as, “IT is causing a major shift in the job market…consisting of highly skilled, well-paying jobs”. This is true because these days the firms rely mostly on work in saved files having more storage capability which saves time and space.
Another web site which I have taken to consider whether information revolution is apparent is:
This evaluates the ‘three dimensions of the information revolution’ and the way in which we live and work is now changing.
The first dimension is the Third Industrial Revolution. This follows from the first industrialisation which consisted of a “wave of technological advances based on the utilisation of iron and coal”, which made mass production in factories possible. The second industrialisation was incorporated by a “series of innovations including new materials like plastics and powered by oil and electricity”. All of which invented cars, electric household appliance etc. Just like this the third revolution occurred but instead now by “technological breakthroughs stemming from the development of computer networks”.
The second dimension of the information revolution is a social revolution known as “information-society revolution” which focuses on modernisation involving control.
The third revolution “ the rise of Netizens”, which is political and is the second phase of modernisation. The netizen group are the citizens, who have recently become a “leading voice for direct… ‘electronic democratisation’ ”. They may create a demand for large scale telecommunications services, giving them “freedom to pursue their information-related activities”
To make a brief conclusion I would say again that yes information revolution has occurred and there has been a number of stages in the history of this communication. Each stage has had a dramatic increase in the number of people who have had access to the information supplied in various forms. In the beginning of there was the spoken of stories and legends. Which were passed along by word of mouth. The receivers of these information were in small numbers. Then came along the written form of recording where information was kept. However a drawback to this was that each book of information had to be hand written and hand copied, which slowed down the progress of information from being passed by but only the rich could afford and had access to these books. The new technology invented the printing press and written word could be reproduced very quickly, cheaply and in large quantities. Finally, with the introduction of the internet I would say that the same information is now available to even more people throughout the world and much more quickly. Therefore, the information revolution is probably the most important force in shaping up the communities today. To conclude further, I would say that the impacts on a particular community will be unique and depending on its economic structure.
