Social Impact

1. Social Impact • Definition of social impact • How computers affect employment patterns • The price for depending too much on computers • Futuristic lifestyles in a computerized society

2. Computers have a positive impact in the following ways: • More efficient business • - Managers can better track their employees and inventories; make better-informed decisions in order to remain competitive. • More efficient manufacturing • - Products are processed or manufactured automatically and we pay less as labour cost is reduced. • People are brought closer together • - People are more exposed to the cultures, life styles and values of others through electronic news gathering and dispatching. • More varied entertainment and recreation. • Wider range of educational tools • - Computers have become a powerful motivating and learning tool. Various disciplines and areas of interest can be learned at one’s pace & leisure. • Convenience • - Cash can be deposited and withdrawn anywhere and at any time we fine convenient. Cashless transactions guarantees security.

3. Tele-shopping • - Shopping can be done using home computer, with the internet becoming a big ‘tele-shop’. A customer can select products using a computer and pay for them using a credit card. The Borneo Bulletin recently introduced a website for local supermarkets and shops to advertise their products on BruNet. Shops which exists only in a website need not pay for the cost of running an actual shop. They can therefore pass on the savings to their customers. • Tele-banking • - This is similar to tele-shopping except that it handles money. A person can be connected to the bank using modems and telephone lines. He or she can look into his/her accounts, transfer funds to other accounts or request for other services from the bank. Hongkong and Shanghai bank has the tele-banking service called HEXAGAN in Brunei Darussalam. Big business organizations use this service. • Tele-officing • – This is also called tele-commuting. It allows people to work at home instead of at an office. They work at a terminal or PC at home and send their work through a communication link to the computer system in the office. There are savings in transportation and time. People who look after young children may benefit from teleofficing. However, they may feel lonely and isolated. • Tele-conferencing • - This service allows people in different locations to see and talk to each other, so that a conference or meeting can take place. There are savings in air tickets, hotel bills and time. This is made possible through the use of networking, and video and audio technologies. JTB offers teleconferencing facilities in the country.

4. WANs will allow the home user o scan through supermarket products and other goods by using a home computer. This type of shopping is called trele-shopping. You will be able to transfer money from one account to another, for example, a spermarket account using your home computer. You will also be able to pay electricity, water and telephone bills using a home computer. Such a banking srvice is known as tele-banking. The Smart Card looks like an ATM card. However it can be used not only for shopping but also for other services. It is different because it contains a mirochips. It does not need expensive machines like ATMs to work. The card is a multi-purpose data bank which stores your medical history, bank balanes and personal data. It can transfer this information to any terminal or update form other sources. It may even replace your passport in the future.

5. People need not to travel to offices as they may be able to operate from homes. All the people working for the company will be connected with modems and they will be able to communicate. This type of working is known as tele-officing which has many advantages: • People can enjoy the comfort of their homes while working • Traffic congestion can be reduced • A lot of energy (petrol) can be saved • Another service – Tele-conferencing – an electronic meeting among people at separate places through computer networks. • Information on shopping, travel, education and entertainment can be made available to homes through electronic newspapers. It is also called teletext.

6. Think about it! What has happened to all the typists who used to work with typewriters in offices? • These people have been displaced or have been retrained. They have been displaced and become unemployed due to changes in technology as their work is no longer needed. Others have been retrained to use word processors. • In order to find jobs in the modern work place one must be literate not only in the conventional sense but also in information technology.

7. Do you foresee any problem with having no hard cash? Think about tipping a taxi driver, giving small donations to walkathons, etc. • We will still need cash, especially when we need to tip a taxi driver or a porter, pay for a parking ticket, or give a donation. Small amounts of cash are also needed to pay for a few pieces of sweets or chocolates or use a public toilet! It is doubtful that we will go completely cashless. • Imagine if a country in ASEAN stops using hard cash. What effect will it have on currency transactions between ASEAN countries?

8. Think about it!If most of our work is done by machines, then we will have a great deal of free time. Think of some ways in which people might make use of this free time. People might use this free time to: • Think ways to increase one’s productivity and efficiency. • To interact with their family members. • To carry out welfare activities. • We can also expect more talented artists, musicians, singers, actresses and actors. However, some people might get involved in anti-social activities if there is not much serious work to do.