Free Essay Example: Sociotechnical System

The combination of people, activity, knowledge, and organizational structure in a particular world view is an important approach that ensures individuals do not live in isolation. Socio-technical systems are approaches to organizational development that recognize the interaction between individuals and technology within the purview of specific work design (Code 56). The system is a fundamental interaction that enables people to perceive the world differently through interactions of complex societal infrastructures and human behavior. In this regard, most of the substructures of society are complex socio-technical systems making the view of various perspectives a significant element of human interaction with technology. The view of various aspects of the socio-technical system enables individuals to have a deeper understanding of the social aspects of society and how they interplay within a particular work design.

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Technology should be viewed as part of the broader socio-technical system because it affects how people work and interact as well as the operations of various businesses. Technology also shapes the social fabric of society through social content and social applications that facilitate long-distance interactions. The digital revolution is marked with an increased computer and internet use. The computers and the Internet enhance economic growth and transformation of many countries by facilitating effective interaction and bringing services closer to the populations leading to a modern digital revolution (Code 59). The impacts of the Internet go beyond the economic and political impacts to include influence on the families and the entire social structures. Mobile technology has also gained significance in mobile banking. Internet enhances education in the global forum by facilitating efficient and quick communication between the teachers and students. Mobile technology has also enhanced the quality of healthcare within healthcare institutions through technologies such as telemedicine.

The Internet has become a common and significant means of communication between people located in different regions precipitating a digital revolution. The era is marked by increasing use of the computer and the Internet, including other technological gadgets such as smartphones (Wilson 113). These are the applications that allow the user to share, create, or participate in the content through social networking. Examples of these applications and websites include Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Whatsapp, among others. Instagram was launched in 2010, and since then, it proliferated, trampling rivals such as Twitter and Snapchat through the adoption of new unique features and appropriate innovation.

In the recent past, there has been increased growth in the number of internet users compared to other applications and websites. A digital divide refers to the knowledge, literacy, or generational gap that exists between those who are conversant with a particular technology vis-a-vis those who have no clue on the same. Access to mobile technology made the boundary existing between family and work time to be more permeable. The result of this is that people now have an opportunity to do their work from their homes, thus spending more time with their loved ones. The negative impacts of mobile technology of social interaction is that is hindering the sense of interconnectedness among individuals who are far from each other.

Further, technology can be described as the gradual increase in the methods with which human beings add to their accumulated knowledge. This makes work and the ways things are carried out to become easier with time (Braudel, 8). From the basic definitions of technology, it can be noted that human beings have, over the years, struggled in finding better ways of doing things. The need for continuous improvement has been the core concern in ensuring their improved existence. The participation of technology with human beings needs to be analyzed with a more civil interest since the technology goes hand in hand with the bd to revolutionize the world. The technology needs and integrative environment with which it can be applied as either the solution to a problem or the satisfaction of a necessity.

The human approach to technology can be divided into different categories, each concerning the social goal. The antihumanist technology approach, in this case, is defined as that which does not pay attention to the role of society and human beings (Matthewman, 15). For example, the role of technology can be considered to be the driving and decisive force for society. Human beings are making their decisions, and their livelihood depends on the intervention of technology. This makes the role of human beings in the design and formation of technology to undertake a secondary position.

In light of the subject matter, once the technology has been sought and thought about as the priority, the regard to human factors such as matters of occupational health and safety while handling the machines, equipment, or at times radiations may not be considered. This, therefore, implies that human beings may be the cause of the design to their replacement. The impact of technology towards the creation of a better industrial experience should not be to substitute human effort but to bring about the integration of safer and more natural ways of manufacturing or service delivery. Although technology undertakes a social approach no matter how they are invented, since it was designed by human beings, made by human beings, and most essentially intended for use by human beings. The motive for the development of technology should solely be human beings (Matthewman, 16).

For the humanist approach to technology, revolutionary technology should have its core concern on human beings. Human beings should be able to understand their use and the need for the technology before its ultimate release. The causation chain in the humanist approach is therefore reversed where technology seizes to be a cause but shift to become the effect. Through this approach, the introduction of any form of technology into society is brought about to support the social norms and practices and not as a means to start any new behavior. Educational interests and activities have already been represented in the design of technology. Unless these concerns have been met, then the humanist approach to the technology has not been achieved.

The theorization of technology does not only focus on the drawing of the significant concerns about social aspects of technology but also in identifying ways with which the modes of regulation of technology can be achieved. In this way, the attention to technological efficiency alone is forgone, and the approach to consider human beings are taken. Through this approach, people-friendly technology is anticipated to be released. Machines can be designed such that the machine or the technology fits the worker rather than the worker fitting the device. These ideals are covered in the broad spectrum of technological ergonomics where people are analyzed according to there body measures, weight, height, and physical appearance to accommodate every individual.

From the ideologies of Karl Marx, who presented controversial concerns about the industrial revolution, the discovery of modern forms of electricity and mechanical systems that enabled human beings to move and light cities are still a major concern. The introduction of machines and tools cold most ultimately replace human beings. This brought into existence issues regarding capitalism. Technological innovation would bring about worker domination with those in charge of the innovative technologies being able to control the working class. The invention and discovery of machines would necessitate human beings to learn the modern forms of operating the machinery rather than learning skills of social connection (Matthewman, 29). Relevance was no longer considered as recognizing one's feelings and existence but rather the ability to operate and become conversant with the technology. This was argued as the loss of humanity to technology.

Concerns about technology drawn from the concerns of Karl Marx and the industrial revolution, the birth of the socialization of technology and the changes brought into society by technology remain the same. Although this may be considered controversial, the existence of technology and the spur of the industrial revolution has brought to light the modern form of technology, as earlier stated, the Internet of Things. The ability for machines to communicate with one another over a wireless network enables the limitless transfer of knowledge and information from one point to another. This unlimed access to knowledge gives human beings infinite power to actions to discover and build better livelihoods for themselves. This distribution of knowledge can be seen to be in line with the ideologies of Marx.

In conclusion, the discovery of technology and its impact on social norms should be viewed objectively. The advantages of technology, especially in the modern age of the 21st century, have revolutionized the day-to-day lifestyle of the human person. Children are born into an era of immense knowledge hence the need to establish regulations to monitor its use. The focus should not be on restricting the creation and innovation of technology, but on the control and management of its use and exposure to human societies online designed by humanistic approaches.

Work Cited

Code, M. Instagram, Social Media, and the "Like": Exploring Virtual Identity's Role in 21st Century Students' New Socialization Experience. St. Catharines: Brock University. 2015

Wilson, Leah. Media and the Society. 101: Seattle Grace, Unauthorized. Dallas, Tex: BenBella Books, 2016. Internet resource.

Matthewman, Steve. Technology And Social Theory. Palgrave Macmillan, 2011.