POST INDUSTRIALISM
After 1960s, the dark side of industrialism and rapid damage to environment society and people attracted die attention of many thinkers. It was realized that industrialization was no longer seen a cure to the ills that afflict human society. It has no solution to offer to alienation, the most fundamental problems faced by industrial man. The theory of industrialism assumed that the worker would accept the machine pacing, divided work and the authority structure of the plant. Man had to seek satisfaction not in work but outside it. Industrialism was no longer a model of the good society. Sociologists began constructing a new vision of the good society to replace the old. This new vision had several names — post scarcity society knowledge society, information society, post economic society or post industrial society. The post industrial thesis is strongly associated with the name of Daniel Bell, who incidentally had earlier offered some theories on industrial societies as well. Many observers have suggested that what is occurring today is a transition to a new type of society no longer based primarily on industrialism. We are entering, they claim a phase of development beyond the industrial era altogether. 'Knowledge economy1 is the most appropriate term to signify the characteristic of modern society. A precise definition of the knowledge economy is difficult to formulate but in general terms, it refers to an economy in which ideas, information and forms of knowledge underpin innovation and economic growth. A knowledge economy is one in which much of the labour force is involved not in the physical production or distribution of material goods but in their design, development technology, marketing sale and servicing. These employees can be termed as knowledge workers. The knowledge information society or economy is dominated by the constant flow of information and opinion and by the powerful potentials of science and technology. With the change in the basic resource, there is a change in technology. Intellectual technology — problem solving systems using electronic gadgetry which allow for national macro planning, forecasting and monitoring "with respect to every aspect of society — becomes more important than machine technology. With the change in technology comes a change in the nature of the product. The post industrial society is primarily service producing and not goods — producing. When there is change in basic principle and structure, basic resource technology and product, occupational structure of society also changes.
CHARACTERISTICS OF POST INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY
1. The basic principle of the post industrial society is theoretical knowledge. As Charles Leadbeater has observed — "most of us make our money from air, we produce nothing that can be weighed, touched or easily measured. Our output is not stockpiled in shipyards or warehouses. Most of us earn by providing service, judgement of information and analysis, in different places. We are all in thin air business". Knowledge Economy How widespread is the knowledge economy at the start of 21st century? The extent of the knowledge economy among developed nations by measuring the percent of each country's overall business output that can be attributed to knowledge based industries. Such industries broadly include high technology, education and training research and development and the financial and investment sector. Knowledge based industries accounted for more than
2. It has been understood by surveys that there is rapid transition from a manufacturing to a service economy. Majority of workers for example in 1950 in USA were involved in services including trade, finance, transport, health recreation education and government. While in 1970s, employment in the services had shot up to around 60%. Britain and other industrial societies also followed suit.
3. The financial allocation towards higher education and research has been steadily on the increase in the most industrialized nations. All these show that theoretical knowledge has become the central organising principle of such societies.
4. Bell contends that individuals now can talk to other individuals rather than interact with a machine. Bell visualized that the new worker i.e. knowledge worker works in pleasant surroundings and perform an interesting and varied job. He is engaged in the provision of a service and not in the production of a good. He interacts with live people. He provides personalized service. There is no monotony or fatigue in such jobs. The workers gets self satisfaction as he is fully involved in complete job. Finally, the new work place is a small pleasant office room and not the noisy and impersonal shop floor. Thus post industrialism is different from industrialism. But it is argued that although the scientist or engineer perform experiments collect data and produce services they do their job according to someone else's specification. Thus they are mere providers of information. Production of scientific knowledge has itself become an industry.
5. Information technology has been developed very fast recently. With this the contact between people has been facilitated at the global level. Individuals are now more aware of their interconnectedness with others and more likely to identify global issues and processes that was the case in times past.
6. Blauner argued that information technology will revolutionize the world of work by allowing new more flexible ways of working to emerge. These can give the worker greater control over and input into the work process.
7. The spread of information technology will certainly produce exciting and heightened opportunities for some segments of the labour force. In the field of media advertising and design, for example IT both enhances creativity in the professional realm and introduces flexibility in work styles. It is qualified valued employees in responsible positions for whom the vision of 'wired workers' and tele-commuting comes closest to being realized.
8. Today in '90s, the society is called 'information' society where the emphasis is providing information through processing data. There are large number of people involved in processing work, they work with computers and act as programmers, analysers and produce drawings or records. Manual jobs are reduced to minimum. With the advancement of science and the subsequent development of technology, human needs and the quality of life is assuming a significant dimension. Education and knowledge now require new skills. Information is first an assortment of facts, descriptions and opinions. When this is properly formulated organised and pieced together it is called useful knowledge. To harness this knowledge into effective application, we need to design and develop special gadgets, devise a discipline of methodology — everything easy to understand, operate and not difficult to maintain. This is called information revolution. Today computer is a wonderful invention to process information and knowledge under strict command and control while satellites, newspapers, telephone, telex, telefax, radio, television are the media to carry the knowledge further. The design and development of new gadgets to process the information, the methodology to sift and sieve the information into practical "knowledge as well as the command and control mechanism of such gadgets and methodology is popularly known as information technology. Never before, however there has been such a rapid and revolutionary change as is being witnessed in Information Technology. Information in itself is a product having a good and responsive market and is oriented towards delivering both goods and services. Where the emphasis is providing information through computers, a large number of computer programmes or operators deal with information. Education and knowledge require new skills. There is so much information available on a wide variety of subjects and issues that it is now a distinct craze to transform it into useful knowledge and then harness the knowledge for human needs, desires, fancies and imagination in a whole range of daily routine in entertainment, in sports and games, social education and economic endeavours.
9. The last decade has seen the most formidable technological advances in information and communication technology ranging from fibre optics to micro electronics. Computers and of course the internet — the fastest growing consumer service the world has experienced so far.
10. Global information super highways have been developed and because of them decisions are now being made quicker than ever before. As we enter the new millennium. The prospect of a global village supported by a wide information infrastructure will provide new chances but also risks.
11. Since its origins, information technology has continuously extended into new areas, making its way from mathematical computation and data processing via office automation to electronic commerce. During its expansion and transformation existing technologies like tele communication and manufacturing have been reshaped, and new ones like mechatronics and virtual reality were created. In today's society, information has become one of the essential goods and information technology is rapidly becoming an integral part of modern society and everyday life.
12. As computers are involved in an increasing amount of application domains, the necessity for sophisticated human/computer interfaces arises (demand driven). Easy to use interaction is required to bring down education time and raise acceptance within the group of possible users.
13. Broadband networking enables applications to be performed independent from the location. Teleworking, teleeducation, telemedicine and teleshopping are some examples. More powerful processors, advances in software and virtual reality improve business processes as well as everyday life.
14. Future information technology not only will affect big business domains but also will influence the everyday life at home. Mainly advances in communication technology will characterize modern homes of the future, whereas now-a-days conventional television and telephony are the -main parts of the communication equipment, the increasing use of computers and networks will form the household in future.
15. Advances in technology contribute to the demand for new media and the combined use of media (multimedia) in every home. Additionally, interactivity will play a major role in using information resources like T.V. The viewer will be not be passive but be an active control and lean back person. Networking will not end at the front door at home but will also connect every electronic equipment in house (Home Bus). The computerization and networking of the complete home is called intelligent home. Additionally the miniaturization of electronic devices will impact the integration of different functions within one device.
16. E — commerce : E — commerce describes all forms of electronic cooperations based on electronic connections. This includes not only electronic markets but also enterprise networks and enterprise cooperations. Intelligent information system which make the data transfer between companies possible facilitate the administration and enable the reduction to acquisition.
17. Mechanical Engineering — Not only in the field of software products, but also in the context of mechanical engineering, customer orientation and short development terms are decisive for the market success of products. These demands have significant effects on the processes of design, construction and production as well as on the means and resources used here.
18. Product design — To simplify complex construction and development process several C — A techniques like computer Aided Design are used, strongly influenced by the developments of information technology. To develop, adjust and configure these resources, IT plays a major and dominating role.
19. Production — PPC (Production planning and control) are used to control and monitor production flow, while flexible production cells form the basic units in highly automated production plants. These advances in information technology can also produce unemployment in many established businesses like banks, insurance companies or retail shops which are forced to adapt to this changing environment. The increased requirement for efficiency and flexibility are likely to eliminate a large number of less qualified jobs in service positions.
20. Why do we call it a information technology revolution? Information is a central, constitutive feature of human life. It is inherent to our interpersonal relationships, our economic production our culture and society. Information technologies allow human beings to do more things with information than they could otherwise — to store it, transmit it, reproduce it and transform it. The IT is generally reserved for artifacts that are explicitly designed to allow information of one sort or another to be operated on in one •way or another. Data are being stored and/or transmitted in the form of specialised signs embodies in materials. The artifact is a tool for people to produce the sign and to make it useful. These people translate their speech or thoughts into the new forms in which they are embodied. Sometimes extensive and specialised skills are required for this purpose : as is well known, mass literacy is a fairly recent phenomenon, even in the industrial world. Computers are mostly used in banking sectors. The rise of economic system has developed computer system. The driving force of the industrial revolution came from two key technological development — the steam engine and printing press. The widespread availability of computers and information networks has resulted in
a) Accelerated, leaner more standardised of business practices.
b) Complex international business alliances.
c) Borderless capital flows.
d) Increasing international trade in business. 1. This has resulted in reduction of costs of production, higher productivity and consistent quality of goods. This has allowed various sections of society to access goods which'were not previously accessible to them. 2. Indian companies now form strong strategic relationships with company across the globe. 3 Countries like India now attract foreign investments from companies all over the world. 4. One of the most spectacular aspects of this revolution in business practices is that services previously assumed as untradable are becoming tradable.
Presently there are thousands of telephone operators in India for USA companies offering call centre services. Swiss Air has its revenue accounting completed in Mumbai with a crew of 100 replacing the 200 people previously employed for this purpose, at far greater cost near Zurich. This new phenomenon of international long distance provision also applies to more sophisticated services. India has captured a half billion dollar slice of the world software programming, market with the motorola programming team in Bangalore recently being named one of the best in the world. The 21st century work place in all sectors and disciplines such as engineering scientific research and development, business, commerce and industry enterprise and entrepreneurship, manufacturing and distribution, banking and finance, law and judiciary, agriculture and environment, media entertainment, services and facilitation, medicine and health care, planning and management administration, education and training, art and culture shall require increasing levels of IT enablement for its survival and growth. India's IT industry is planning to cross an ambitious turnover target of US $ 100 billions (Rs. 5 lakh crore) every year after 2005. India therefore needs more than 10 lakh software professionals by the year 2008.
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