Many will say advancement in communications is a blessing because it allows for us to connect with families and friends from afar, enables us to express ourselves in many ways, provides a medium for meeting new people with similar interests, and increases our productivity. However, advocates will argue that advancement in communications contributes to violence and chaos. In this blog, we will examine the effects of advancement in communication technology at the societal, cultural, economic, and political levels while illustrating both sides of the coin.
Impacts on Society
By now, many people around the world are more and more familiar with the social-networking website such as Facebook, Twitter ,MySpace, YouTube. These technological services not only serve for daily personal social usage but also demonstrate the ways that they can assist in international business and management. According to Jody Nimetz, author of Marketing Jive, there are five major uses for businesses and social media: to create brand awareness, as an online reputation management tool, for recruiting, to learn about new technologies and competitors, and as a lead gen tool to intercept potential prospects. One example of social networking being used for business purposes is LinkedIn.com, which aims to interconnect professionals. LinkedIn has over 40 million users in over 200 countries. Another is the use of physical spaces available to members of a social network such as Hub Culture, an invitation only social network for entrepreneurs, and other business influentials, with Pavilions in major cities such as London, UK. Having a physical presence allows members to network in the real world, as well as the virtual, adding extra business value.