NEW TECHNOLOGIES & EFFECTS

Activity
(HOME SHOPPING
'Bitter clerk left barcode chaos in store'
Mail backlog tackled after post dispute ends
Business is mushrooming for robots 
Networking: Londonderry airing for some far-out ideas
A PINT OF SURF IN THE INTERNET ARMS, WHERE THE CALL IS:  CYBER, GENTLEMEN PLEASE
BarclaySquare, the bank's internet shopping system)

1	Explain the following terms:
	a) information technology
	b) the Internet
	c) computer barcodes
	d) white collar workers.

2	How can new technologies help to:
	a) improve production line manufacturing
	b) improve quality control
	c) improve customer care
	d) improve stock control
	e) improve management systems?



Activity
(HOME SHOPPING
BarclaySquare, the bank's internet shopping system)

1	a) What is home shopping?
	b) What are the advantages and disadvantages of home shopping for the consumer?
   
2	a) Look at the firms involved in the Internet trial. What does each one sell?
	b) What sort of goods might you be willing to buy over the Internet?
	c) In a group, compare your answers. Which types of goods were most popular?
	d) Which kinds of goods does the article suggest are most likely to be bought through the Internet?
   e) How do these compare with your choices?

3	Which sector of the economy will be most affected by home shopping? Give reasons for your answer.

4	'People prefer machines to dealing with humans.'  
	a) What evidence is given to support this statement?
	b) Do you think it is a reasonable generalisation?
	c) How could you test whether people really do prefer to deal with machines?
Activity 
('Bitter clerk left barcode chaos in store')

1	a) What is a barcode?
	b) Why do retailers use barcodes?
	c) How do barcodes benefit customers?

2	a) Why do you think the changes to the stock and sales records were not noticed?
	b) What disadvantages of computerised systems are demonstrated by these events?

3	a) What are the main advantages of computerised systems? 
	b) Do these outweigh the disadvantages?



Activity
(Mail backlog tackled after post dispute ends
Business is mushrooming for robots)

1	The staff at the Royal Mail had a different view of the effect of new technology. 
	a) What was their complaint? 
	b) How is it possible for new technology to have this effect?

2	Although robots have not caught on as fast as people predicted, it appears that they will continue to cost jobs in the mushroom industry.
	a) What is a robot?
	b) Using the article 'Business is mushrooming for robots', what aspects of robots make them suitable for this work? 
	c) How will robots affect jobs in the UK mushroom industry?
	d) According to Dr Chisholm, what would happen if they weren't introduced?

3	a) What is video-conferencing?
	b) What are the advantages of video-conferencing?
	c) How will video-conferencing i) create jobs, and (ii) cost jobs?
	d) Why is video-conferencing useful to Omega Design?

4 	The effects of new technologies on employment are very significant. In a group, discuss the sorts of policies the government could implement in order to maximise the opportunities and minimise the problems that new technologies bring.
Activity
(A PINT OF SURF IN THE INTERNET ARMS, WHERE THE CALL IS:  CYBER, GENTLEMEN PLEASE)

1	a) Why do you think Ansells created this pub?
	b) What could other businesses learn from its success?
	c) Do you think it will continue to succeed in the long term?

2	If you were the sales manager of a small firm, would you involve your business in using the Internet? If so, how? If not, why not?