ICT Effects

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GCSE ICT – Social effects of information systems

Is ICT a good thing?

  • Many of the old boring jobs can now be done by a computer, which leaves workers to do more interesting tasks.
  • Computerisation has improved levels of productivity, which means that workers need to work shorter hours and still maintain the same standard of living.
  • Businesses in the UK must use ICT in order to keep up with their competitors in other countries.
  • Without ICT many things would not be possible (e.g. Credit cards, digital television, DVDs, space travel, mobile telephones).
  • ICT has created many new jobs.

Is ICT a bad thing?

  • Life without ICT tends to be slower and less stressful.
  • Computerisation of many jobs in industry (e.g. manufacturing) has led to unemployment.
  • Many of the new ICT jobs require high levels of skills and/or qualifications, and are not easily filled by older, less ICT-literate workers.
  • ICT has increased the amount of work many workers have to do, and they often have to work longer hours.
  • Many ICT jobs (e.g. data entry) are just as boring as the jobs they replaced.
  • The storage of personal data on computer systems has eroded people’s privacy.
  • ICT systems often fail at inconvenient times – leaving businesses unable to function because they are so dependant on ICT.
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Changing patterns of employment

  • The introduction of ICT has changed the ways in which people work.
  • Many manual tasks in factories are now done by robots.
  • Many manufacturing tasks are 24/7 – they take place for twenty four hours per day, seven days per week – and are constantly monitored and controlled by computers that require human supervision.
  • There are fewer paper-based data systems in offices and this has lead to the replacement of filing clerks by data entry clerks.
  • More people can work from home rather than have to travel to an office every day.
  • It is rare ...

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