Chapter 6: Work

Name Kayley Cartwright Class time: 12pm
KEEP THIS TO 1-3 – PAGES LONG (EXCLUDING REFERENCE PAGE)

Author: Baase
Date of Publication: 2008
Book: “A Gift of Fire”
Sections read: 6.1,6.2,6.3

1. (Knowledge)Tell three interesting elements of this chapter:

a. “Telecommuting has become part of our vocabulary, describing the phenomenon of working at a distance from the traditional company office or factory, connected by computers and telecommunications device” (Baase pg.308).

b. “The Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), an international organization whose members include most of Western Europe, North America, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, studied employment trends in 25 countries from 1950 to 1994” (Baase pg.313).

c. “Telecommunicating is very common now, so it might be surprising that local governments and labor unions attempted to stop it in the 1980s and that the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) tried to regulate it” (Baase pg. 330).

2. (Comprehension) Summarize what is being discussed within this chapter?

With the creation of new technology there comes a change in jobs. The new technology will take away jobs but it will also create new jobs. “The goals of technology include a reduction in the resources needed to accomplish a result and an increase in productivity and standard of living” (Baase, pg.310). “The new jobs created by computers are different from the jobs eliminated”(Baase, pg.315). Many employees that were replace by technology would have to go and get extensive training to be hired to fill one of the new jobs that were created by the new technology because it was different than what the employee was used to doing. The unemployment rate also decreased because many companies began offshoring. “India has been the most popular country for offshoring work from the U.S., but companies are moving work to Canada, China, Brazil, and other places”(Baase, pg.319). “Forrester Research estimates that 3.3 million white-collar jobs will have left the U.S. for other countries between 2000 and 2015” (Baase, pg 321). “The internet makes it possible for companies to locate in small towns and work with dispersed consultants instead of having hundreds or thousands of employees in larger population centers” (Baase, pg.327).


3. (Application)Name a specific example or NEW solution for this type of problem/similar situation in society or that you have experienced – BE SPECIFIC AND EXPLAIN?

Many jobs are being offshored, which is creating fewer jobs in the United States. “India has been the most popular country for offshoring work from the U.S., but companies are moving work to Canada, China, Brazil, and other places”(Baase, pg.319). Offshoring can have positives and negatives. One positive of offshoring is that it is cheaper for companies to create their product and to pay the employees. “Consumers have many complaints about customer-service call centers in foreign countries: Foreign accents are difficult to understand. Service personnel are not familiar with the product or service the consumer is asking about – they just read from a manual. The workers experience problems too” (Baase, pg.321). While offshoring may seem like a greater financial option for many companies they also need to think about the customer needs and the needs of the company.

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/home-depot-sending-jobs-offshore/nFNcC/

4. (Analysis)Address ANY that apply. How can you compare one of the situations in this chapter to something that does not relate to computers, technology, or the Internet? Be sure to reference the chapter and your solution. What ideas NEW can you add to the issue that is being presented within the reading? Try to connect what you have by reading this article and how it applies to the stages in Bloom's taxonomy in 2 full sentences.

Without the advancements of technology through the years what would the current times look like? Would we have cars? Would we still be using typewriters? Would anyone be able to work from home? Would job be offshored to foreign countries? The answer would most likely be no to all of these questions. With the advancement of technology has allowed for many great inventions that make our lives easier. A new technology advancement that has allowed company employees to work from anywhere is telecommunication. “Telecommuting, and telecommunications generally, make it easier to work with clients, customers, and employees in other countries: At home, one can more easily work a few hours at night that are compatible with foreign time zones” (Baase, pg.328).


5. (Synthesis) Address all that apply. Do you agree with what is being said within the article (Why/Why not? Back up with FACTS)? What new conclusions can you draw about this (or other topics) after reading this material?

There is a never-ending cycle between technology advancements and jobs. The new technology is created, jobs are lost, and new jobs are created. This happens all the time when new technology is created. The only way that this cycle will end is if new technology advancements are not made or the technology advancements include the jobs that exist and the new one that are about to be created. I also think that jobs will continue to be offshored to other countries rather than stay in the country that the company is in.


6. (Evaluation) Address all that apply. Judge whether or not this topic is relevant in today’s society? Evaluate why you are viewing the topic in this manner based on your experiences. What ethical evaluations (see Chap1-1.4 for exp of Ethics) or decisions were made/can be assumed from this chapter? What new ideas will you make after reading this chapter?

Chapter 6: Jobs is relevant in today’s society. For many young adults graduating from high school the major question is: Is it worth going to college? They may think this because many jobs are being lost and sent overseas. Is it worth going into debt, which you may never be able to pay back, just to get a higher education? Will this higher education guarantee me a job? The answer may be no and it may be yes, it depends on the person. This chapter has helped me to understand what is happening between technology and jobs. “Telework reduces overhead for employers and, in some, cases, increases productivity” (Baase pg.328).
Chapter 6 has helped me to learn the benefits and problems of telecommunication and working from somewhere other than the office.




References


Baase, Sara. A Gift of Fire. 3rd. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2008. 1-34. Print.

http://www.wsbtv.com/news/news/local/home-depot-sending-jobs-offshore/nFNcC/