How changes in technology affect business activity

Changes in technology affect businesses and business activity in a major way. Many businesses have adapted to new technologies and use these to shape and influence their future. Technologies have made elements of business such as manufacturing, communication, purchasing, sales and advertising easier and more effective for businesses.

Changes in technology have included:

• Email – electronic mail enables written messages to be sent instantly to others, and files can be shared as attachments.

• Mobile phones – mobile phones enable conversations to be conducted anywhere.

• Mobile applications – applications (apps) are designed to run on smart phones and tablets. They can be used to create documents, capture images and enable banking transactions. Businesses have been able to develop apps to conduct m-commerce.

• Websites – a page or group of pages containing written and visual information using various media, this allows businesses to communicate with customers and has enabled e-commerce.

• Social media – a variety of web platforms that enable users to share ideas, content, information and messages. Businesses are able to use this as a valuable customer service tool.

• Web conferencing – a meeting that uses communications software to stream images or voices over the internet between participants in different locations.

• Cloud services – software, such as online document editing and data storage, that is run from a remote location but that can be accessed from anywhere as long as a connection to the internet is maintained.

• Manufacturing – a variety of technological manufacturing techniques are commonly used, such as using robots to build cars.

• Warehousing – as businesses take online orders, robots are commonly used to move goods around warehouses and load them onto vans.

• Electric vehicles – many businesses now use or are developing electric vehicles, moving away from traditional petrol and diesel.