Uses of ICT Flashcards
How does ICT help in the workplace?
- Businesses rarely produce written letters or reports or use typewriters any more.
- Documents are more likely to be sent by email than by post or fax.
- Employees with laptops or smartphones can work from home or while they travel.
- Use of email and instant messenger to interact with colleagues and clients.
- Access a host of information online to help with research related tasks.
What are the negatives of ICT in the workplace and how do employers fix this issue?
Employees might get distracted and play games, browse and update social networking sites or reply to personal emails and instant messages than to get on their work. Employees are aware of this and often block certain websites.
How can employers communicate with their employees if they are working from home?
- A secure internet connection provides accesss to the company’s network, shared files, email and printer.
- Employees can use the company’s email system to keep in touch with the office.
- Divert their phone to their mobile phone pr smartphone.
- Browse the intranet to keep up to date with company developments.
- Take part in meetings using video conferencing.
What are the advantages employees have if they work from home?
- No travel costs or time wasted traveling to and from work.
- Working in the comfort of their own home.
- Option to work for a company hundreds or even thousands of miles away.
- Able to spend more time with their family.
What are the disadvantages employees have if they work from home?
- It can be lonely working from home and they may not feel part of the team.
- There are arguably more distractions at home than in office.
- It may prove difficult to separate work from home life.
What are the advantages employers have if they work from home?
- No need to provide employee with a desk or computer.
2. Employee may be happier working from home and do more work as a result.
What are the disadvantages employers have if they work from home?
- Harder to check what employee is up to.
2. Employee may not feel part of a team and might and up doing less work.
What are the advantages of shopping online?
- It’s convenient - It can be done at home, during a lunch break or even on the move using a smart phone.
- They’re greater variety - there are more shops online than on any high street or shopping centre.
- It’s easier to compare prices and find the best deal online.
- It’s often cheaper - increased competition between retailers brings down prices.
- It’s accessible - those with a disability that limits their mobility can choose to have goods delivered.
- There’s no need to travel and you don’t have to queue.
What are the disadvantages if shopping online?
- You might be uncomfortable entering your credit card details online.
- You cannot physically inspect goods before you buy.
- Goods might get damaged during transport.
- Goods might not arrive on time or not at all.
- You might not be happy with retailers storing information about you, ex your buying habits.
What are the ways ICT changed the way we access entertainment?
- Read news on internet instead of buying a newspaper or magazine.
- Download or read books on e-readers instead of reading traditional paper books.
- Download or stream music and films from the internet instead of buying CDs or DVDs.
- Download games instead of buying the CD or DVD.
- Watch TV after it’s aired using the online catch-up services like BBC iPlayer and 40D
What is renting content?
Instead of downloading the movie, song or album, you pay to access it or stream it for a set if period of time. One that period if time is over you must pay for it again.
What is piracy?
Sharing books, magazines, music and movies with family, friends or strangers without permission from it’s rightful owner and those who you’re sharing it with didn’t pay for it.
What are the results of piracy?
Bands, authors and production companies make less money as a direct result of piracy. This may result in fewer books being written, songs and albums being released, and films being made because there is less incentive for artists and authors.
What are the results of technology removing roles in a company?
- Fewer raw materials are required as the demand of physical media is reduced.
- Factories that produced and packaged books, magazines CDs and DVDs have less to do.
- Packaging companies see a drop in orders.
- Delivery companies have less to deliver.
- Warehouses aren’t as full as they once were and stock management is less of a concern.
- High-street stores struggle to compete with the prices and the convenience of shopping online.
What are the new jobs that technology has made?
- Developers and designers have to build the online store or website.
- The server that the website runs in needs to be built and supplied.
- The content needs adding to the server.
- All of the information about a song, album or movie must be entered into the website’s database.
- The server and website must be maintained.
