The Impacts of the Information Revolution

The increase in the creation, use, management and dissemination of information has considerable effects on the socio-economic and political landscapes of modern society. The impact of information revolution will be on.

Technological Advancement

There has been a constantly increasing need for development in information and communication technologies. Computers are manufactured with high processing capacity, fibre optic cables are developed to carry multimedia information and mobile phone to circumvent the problem of mobility in information communication. Satellite communication systems are developed, the Internet offers multimedia information and many more technological advancements.

Economic, Business and Financial Implications

The information revolution coupled with the attendant technologies has impacted on the nature of business. Today, information on financial transactions is exchanged electronically. Information has become an income generator, boosting the economic viability of nations as millions of people are employed in the information sector.

Education

According to Drucker (1997: 2) asserts that "the chief impact of 'the second information revolution' will be not so much on economics or business, but on education. In 30 to 40 years, education will look wholly different, not only in delivery but in content".

Management and Control

The ripple effect of the information revolution will be the impact on the conduct of business operations and the management of the information sector. This has warranted the need for the management and control of operations in this sector. Consequently, we are experiencing a growing need for regulation of the information industry.

The Nation State

Some observers, such as Jeremy Rifkin (2000) argue that the information revolution has resulted in a break in the traditional concept of society. The meaning of 'society' is fast diminishing from a group of people with common culture; history, tradition and civilisation distinguished by physical boundaries, to a 'virtual' society, called 'information society'. Drucker (1997: 2) believes that with networks of networks offered by the Internet, "the nation state cannot survive". While this sounds like an exaggerated critique, one fact remains: Issues concerning nation states are constantly discussed on a global arena. Organisations such as the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and International Telecommunications Union (ITU) have taken supranational roles. Their decisions affect nation states.

Urban Migration

Drucker (1997: 2) further notes that the traditional city will disappear. "The traditional city was a child of the 19th century, when people moved their homes from the country to the city. The 20th century has made ideas mobile, thus making it less important for people to move".