Ali Mostakhdemin-Hosseini 94128C

INDEX *

1. Introduction to Information Society. *

2. Global Status of information technology *

3. Conclusion *

4. Reference *

Nowadays it is very difficult to read a magazine without articles regarding Information Society (IS). They often refer to new technology, new ways of learning, variety of alternatives, war, governmental power and use of money in IS. However, rarely the territorial gaps and technical deficiencies among users have been analysis in detail.

The first phase of information society took place in the late 1970’s and during 1980’s. This was post industrial society era when service industries grew, and there was a market for new industries in industrial societies. The industrial state had reached a certain saturation point, which cause the modern society.

1. Information Society definition

Information society is one of the most popular words of our time. For many of us Information Society is the slogan for technological improvement. Many believes that the Information Society is the promise, the salvation and solution of our economic, social, industrial and political problems. And many others believe the Information Society new step to darkness. There is many different view of Information Society, which have almost the same directions. Here are some examples.

- Frank Webster lists five categories of definitions of the Information Society. The categories are:

Technological

Economic

Occupational

Spatial

Cultural

- The information technology plays a well defined role in the information society, and more and more people have the possibility to get great amount of information and to communicate the others living far away in the world. The final goal of the kind of society is to better the life standard of the citizens.

The development of industrial countries reached its peak in the early 1970’s. The maturing of these economies meant that industrial process had reached a certain level of automation in the production processes and also in the control of those processes.

The global impact of Information Technology from social affects to economics is obvious. These impacts are varied among countries in the world; some countries are benefit Information technology more then others. In the following sections, first the general technological impact to the society will be investigated briefly and then the global status will be reveal.

The development of an information society is expected to have important beneficial impacts on economies and societies; it is expected to stimulate economic growth and productivity, create new economic activities and jobs. As well, a number of social benefits are expected to develop, including improved education opportunities, improved health care delivery and other social services, and improved access to cultural and leisure opportunities. Unlike other technological changes, the rapid development and diffusion of communication and information technologies and the emergence of interactive multimedia applications have the potential to affect all economic sectors, organizational and work structures, public services, cultural and social activities.

The essential nature of industrial societies was labor intensity in the beginning, and mass production. Now, this labor intensity decreased due to the automation, as technology replaced labor. However, recruitment will be more difficult since finding enough qualified people is a challenge. Also in Information oriented society which finds important information in the development of society and economy. In IS it emphasizes new ways of thinking and categories and genres. It looks at the culture and the nature of society more than the economy as a leading model of society.

The widespread availability of new information tools and services will present fresh opportunities to build a more and balanced society and to faster individual accomplishment. The IS has potential to improve the quality of life, the efficiency of social and economic organization and to reinforce cohesion. The positive aspects of the IS is that the data have become faster and easier to access and process. The negative side is the territorial gaps and technical deficiencies among users. Even though profound technical knowledge is not required. Still, there are many people who never use a computer in their entire lives and do not even want to use or interested in learning to use a computer. A great effort must be put into widespread public acceptance and actual use of the new technology. Preparing the society for the advent of the information society is a priority task. Education, training and promotion will necessarily play a central role.

In the meantime, computer security and data privacy are issues that we will definitely have to deal with in the future. The demand for the protection of privacy will rightly increase as the potential of the new technologies to secure and to manipulate information. Encryption will be come very important in assuring the development of the services.

The world has been divided to four major classifications of countries or societies.

1. Less developed countries those countries which are not technological oriented. They do not have the basic technology and services provided by it. Telecommunication has not been implemented or very poorly used. The majority of the people in this group most probably have not used the landline telephone yet.
2. Develop countries, those countries which, has the basic techniques such as nation width telephone line and computer are used in an office base or some how using network.
3. Industrial countries, has the knowledge as well as the potential to reach to the information society. These countries already in the saturation level. They are technology oriented and have already provided extensive technological services nation width.
4. Post-industrial society, the typical characteristics of these industries, information industries, is that they are technologically developed high-tech industries, they involve high-level of research and development input and they are sold in mass market. There are at least two theories about post-industrial society. One, looks the post –industrial country as a continuation of an industrial society. Second as a new form of society.

The differences between industrial society and post-industrial societies are not very visible. Some of the differences are:

1. The information societies paradigm emphasis on a continuous economic growth and a model of technologically developed society.
2. The IS change completely the structure of the modern society to completely new societies. It rejects the linear development of society from one form to another, from an industrial society to a service economy and information economy.

While the post-industrial and industrial society differences with less develop and develop countries are fundamental and require extensive discussion.

3. Conclusion

The development of an information society is expected to have important beneficial impacts on economies and society; it is expected to stimulate economic growth and productivity, create new economic activities and jobs. As well, a number of social benefits are expected to develop, including improved education opportunities, improved health care delivery and other social services, and improved access to cultural and leisure opportunities. Unlike other technological changes, the rapid development and diffusion of communication and information technologies and the emergence of interactive multimedia applications have the potential to affect all economic sectors, organizational and work structures, public services, cultural and social activities.

Unfortunately, this development and service will not be provided globally since many countries do not have the potential. They do not have the basic technology to anticipate the services. If the post industrial countries do not anticipate and help those countries the world will most probably divided to two major categories. The first category includes those countries which have the technology, knowledge and will benefit from the IS services. The second category, those countries which do not have the technology and knowledge and do not get any kind of benefit from IS.

These two category’s social, economics, technological and cultural differences are very clear and do not need to discuss. The major problem is that their differences will be increase continuously.

 

3. Reference

1. Frank Webster. Theories of the Information Society. 1995, London: Routledge
2. http://www.diagonal.demon.nl/is.def.html
3. http://www.helsinki.fi/~naalisva/argonaut/paradigm.html